Labor on Labor Day
(The whole story, for those who are interested) - After watching one due date after another come and go without any excitement, I finally went into labor five days after the doctor's established due date of Aug. 31. It was Monday, and it was Labor Day, so I guess the timing was quite appropriate after all.
Contractions started around 6 pm, but I kind of ignored them for awhile. It's so hard to know if it's the real thing or not, but when Jason realized that I had had quite a few at exactly 20 min. apart, he made me start keeping track of them. I was still in denial until I started putting it on paper and could see that they were coming closer and becoming more intense as the evening progressed. By 10 pm, they were 7 min. apart, so we each decided to take a shower and get ready to go to the hospital. Of course, the minute I got in the shower, the contractions stopped, and I didn't have any for over an hour. False alarm, we figured, but then they finally started coming again. We settled on the couch for the night, Jason with his watch and me with my pen and paper to track the contractions, and by 2 am, they were 7 min. apart again. I called the doctor, and told me to go on to the hospital to get hooked up to a machine and see if this was it or not.
We arrived at the hospital at about 3:30 am, and were immediately disappointed to learn I was only at 1 cm. I'd been at 1 cm. for two weeks and couldn't believe nothing had changed more than that! The nurse talked to the doctor, and gave me the instructions to walk around the hospital for 40 minutes, then rest for 20, and they would check me again. In case anyone wants to know - it takes 17 laps around the Center for New Life of St. John's hospital to equal 1 mile. We had to do that twice.
So, there I am, in labor, having contractions every 7 minutes, walking almost two miles in a hospital gown, at 4 in the morning... And I was still only at 1 cm.
At this time, I still hadn't been admitted, and I could tell from the nurses that they all thought the doctor would send me home when he made his rounds at 8. I got a new nurse at 7 and asked her what the chances were that I'd get to stay verses go home. She said 50/50. She said that I could either sit and wait for the dr. or I could try to do any and everything I could to progress further. I finally decided to go on another long walk through the hospital just so I could feel like I was being proactive even though it wasn't working. Jason and I were on lap 2, talking about where we would go eat breakfast once the doctor sent me home, when much to our shock and surprise, my water broke right there in the middle of the hallway. It was as dramatic as it is on TV, and I was very happy to already be at the hospital at that point. Plus, it felt really good to have Jason tell the nurses - guess what, we're staying! They treat you completely differently once you're water breaks and you're a "real" patient!
I got admitted, hooked up to monitors, and they started me on Pitocin to help me dilate. Our parents and two of my sisters came up to the hospital, but after some pain meds everything becomes kind of blurry at this point. I got an epidural when it was time, and I barely even remember that. I just know the relief was wonderful, there was no pain in the procedure, and after it was over, Jason and I were able to grab a few minutes sleep every now and then in between nurses checkups.
By about 5 pm, the doctor came in and made the call - I was at about 9 cm and fully effaced, but the baby still hadn't engaged and gotten into position. He was going to have to do a c-section. Thankfully, I knew this was a possibility going into this, so when he actually said it, I was not upset. I had prepared for the chance I wouldn't be able to have the baby naturally, so I was emotionally prepared for the alternative. Within minutes, I was being prepped for surgery, Jason was handed scrubs to wear, and I was wheeled into the operating room.
Moments later, I heard a little whimper of a cry and knew that Gideon Patrick Ryan had finally entered the world! What an awesome sound! 8 lbs, 0 oz, 19 3/4 in., born September 5, 2006, at 6:14 pm. They showed him to me briefly before they took him to the nursery, and his daddy went with him while they finished working on me. After they brought me back to my room, Jason came back from the nursery and we were able to spend a few minutes together before they brought us our son. The three of us settled in for our first feeding together, and after that, all of our family who had been patiently waiting in the waiting room all day came in to see us.
It was an awesome experience - definitely worth the long wait, and completely fulfilling in every way. Gideon was a blessing from the moment we met him, and we're so thankful to God for our perfect little angel and for the health and safety of us both throughout the entire pregnancy. Thanks for all of your prayers!! Pictures will come next!!
Contractions started around 6 pm, but I kind of ignored them for awhile. It's so hard to know if it's the real thing or not, but when Jason realized that I had had quite a few at exactly 20 min. apart, he made me start keeping track of them. I was still in denial until I started putting it on paper and could see that they were coming closer and becoming more intense as the evening progressed. By 10 pm, they were 7 min. apart, so we each decided to take a shower and get ready to go to the hospital. Of course, the minute I got in the shower, the contractions stopped, and I didn't have any for over an hour. False alarm, we figured, but then they finally started coming again. We settled on the couch for the night, Jason with his watch and me with my pen and paper to track the contractions, and by 2 am, they were 7 min. apart again. I called the doctor, and told me to go on to the hospital to get hooked up to a machine and see if this was it or not.
We arrived at the hospital at about 3:30 am, and were immediately disappointed to learn I was only at 1 cm. I'd been at 1 cm. for two weeks and couldn't believe nothing had changed more than that! The nurse talked to the doctor, and gave me the instructions to walk around the hospital for 40 minutes, then rest for 20, and they would check me again. In case anyone wants to know - it takes 17 laps around the Center for New Life of St. John's hospital to equal 1 mile. We had to do that twice.
So, there I am, in labor, having contractions every 7 minutes, walking almost two miles in a hospital gown, at 4 in the morning... And I was still only at 1 cm.
At this time, I still hadn't been admitted, and I could tell from the nurses that they all thought the doctor would send me home when he made his rounds at 8. I got a new nurse at 7 and asked her what the chances were that I'd get to stay verses go home. She said 50/50. She said that I could either sit and wait for the dr. or I could try to do any and everything I could to progress further. I finally decided to go on another long walk through the hospital just so I could feel like I was being proactive even though it wasn't working. Jason and I were on lap 2, talking about where we would go eat breakfast once the doctor sent me home, when much to our shock and surprise, my water broke right there in the middle of the hallway. It was as dramatic as it is on TV, and I was very happy to already be at the hospital at that point. Plus, it felt really good to have Jason tell the nurses - guess what, we're staying! They treat you completely differently once you're water breaks and you're a "real" patient!
I got admitted, hooked up to monitors, and they started me on Pitocin to help me dilate. Our parents and two of my sisters came up to the hospital, but after some pain meds everything becomes kind of blurry at this point. I got an epidural when it was time, and I barely even remember that. I just know the relief was wonderful, there was no pain in the procedure, and after it was over, Jason and I were able to grab a few minutes sleep every now and then in between nurses checkups.
By about 5 pm, the doctor came in and made the call - I was at about 9 cm and fully effaced, but the baby still hadn't engaged and gotten into position. He was going to have to do a c-section. Thankfully, I knew this was a possibility going into this, so when he actually said it, I was not upset. I had prepared for the chance I wouldn't be able to have the baby naturally, so I was emotionally prepared for the alternative. Within minutes, I was being prepped for surgery, Jason was handed scrubs to wear, and I was wheeled into the operating room.
Moments later, I heard a little whimper of a cry and knew that Gideon Patrick Ryan had finally entered the world! What an awesome sound! 8 lbs, 0 oz, 19 3/4 in., born September 5, 2006, at 6:14 pm. They showed him to me briefly before they took him to the nursery, and his daddy went with him while they finished working on me. After they brought me back to my room, Jason came back from the nursery and we were able to spend a few minutes together before they brought us our son. The three of us settled in for our first feeding together, and after that, all of our family who had been patiently waiting in the waiting room all day came in to see us.
It was an awesome experience - definitely worth the long wait, and completely fulfilling in every way. Gideon was a blessing from the moment we met him, and we're so thankful to God for our perfect little angel and for the health and safety of us both throughout the entire pregnancy. Thanks for all of your prayers!! Pictures will come next!!
posted by Emily Ryan at
4:02 PM
1 Comments:
Thank you for the color commentary! I flashed back 30+ years when I was pregnant with Lexy - same scenario only my water didn't break on it's own! Isn't Pitocin a drag? Hard, heavy and frequent!!! BUT, it all worked out and you won the prize - I can't wait to see him and hold him. That is if the grandparents will give the rest of us a chance! We love you and are so proud of you and your new little family.
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Anonymous, at 11:23 PM
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