I went in for a regular Non-Stress Test (NST) on Fri, May 18th. At the NST, Ryland's heart rate was consistently between 160-200bpm (should have been between 120-160bpm). I was having fairly regular contractions, although they were still far apart and of varying intensity. I had a large contraction, and Ryland's heart rate dropped, but after the contraction, rather than during.
After about an hour of observation, the nurse told me that the high heart rate can be indicative of fetal distress or possibly an infection, and the delayed drop in the heart rate after the contraction was indicative of low oxygenation. She sent the monitoring strip to my OB's office, and my OB decided that he wanted to do a CST (a stress test on the baby).
So, I walked over to labor & delivery for the CST. During this procedure, they induce you with pitocin to encourage frequent & strong contractions, and watch the baby's heart rate during the stress of the labor. Because this was another test, it also meant no epidural during the 2-3 hrs of contractions & observation. I wasn't thrilled about having to go through pitocin contractions for a few hours & called Jeff and my girlfriend, Stacey, to come in with me. If Ryland's heart rate responded well to the stress of the contractions, they would send me home. If his heart rate continued to dip, they would deliver him by c-section.
It turned out that my contractions were frequent & strong enough to monitor and that I didn't have to be "induced" for the observation period. Ryland's heart rate seemed to be doing better during the contractions, but was still between 160-200bpm. Given the fact that I had a previous IntraUterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) baby, was Group B Strep Positive, and had a fever of 101 degrees & felt crummy 2 days prior, the OB decided that I was going to be induced on Fri & was going to have the baby one way or another. Since I was already dilated 3cm & was 75% effaced, the OB figured that my induction would go well, as long as Ryland's heart rate stayed consistent.
Fri afternoon, the nurses started me on a light pitocin drip. Taking my cousin's advice (she's a doctor & had a previous pitocin induction), I asked early on for the epidural before they turned up the amount of pitocin I was receiving. I had to wait about an hour due to the anesthesiologist being in the OR for a c-section, but once I received the epidural, the nurses turned up the pitocin to bring on the stronger contractions. I was talking to Jeff and Stacey in the room when the nurse came in to look at my strip.
She told me that she was going to bring in a couple other people, and suddenly there were at least 10 people running into my room. They switched me laying from my back to my left side, then to my right side. After that happened, they turned me over and had me up on my hands & knees with my head down. Meanwhile, the nurse was moving the paddles all over my belly saying nothing. Before I knew it, I was being unplugged, my IV bag was hooked to the bed, and I was being wheeled away into the OR. Through the mass chaos, nobody said anything to me or Jeff. In the background, I heard one of the nurses say "we lost him." At that moment, my heart sank to the bottom of my stomach, thinking that something horrible had happened to my baby.
When we got into the OR, the anesthesiologist must have noticed the look of horror on my face, and started to calm me down. He told me that they found the heartbeat, but the heart rate was very low, so they were going to do a c-section & I would be holding my baby soon. He also told me that it was a good thing I got the epidural when I did, or I would've had to been put under general anesthesia for the surgery.
He numbed me up from my lower rib cage down, and the OB made the incision at 3:43pm...right after the incision was made, the nurses brought Jeff into the OR. Ryland Jeffrey was born 2 mins later after tons of tugging and pulling, at 3:45pm. They took him over to the warmer and it took a couple of minutes for the pediatrician to stimulate him, then he wouldn't stop crying. That was the best noise I heard all day! Jeff went over to look at him, while the OB sewed me up. They brought Ryland over so I could finally see my little guy & pointed out a birthmark on his little forehead. It was the most amazing thing to see him - I still get tears in my eyes just thinking about how scared I was, and how relieved I was that Ryland was perfect. His APGARs were 8 & 9, and he had tons of hair on his little head.
After the OB finished sewing me up, I went to recovery, while Jeff went to the NICU with Ryland for his first bath & for additional monitoring. He had fluid in his lungs and his oxygenation levels weren't stabilizing, so he ended up staying overnight in the NICU, but came to my room late the next morning. I stayed in the hospital until the following Tues...was given the option to go home on Mon, but the lactation consultants suggested I stay the extra day to work on Ryland's latch. My milk production was extremely low & he was having a difficult time keeping a good latch, so we stayed.
I am healing well now. I can't believe how painful the c-section recovery was for the first 5 days or so...honestly, I never really looked into the c-section procedures/recovery info that much. I guess I just figured that if it had to happen, it would...and it did. BUT, wow - I would've much rather had the vaginal delivery. Obviously that wasn't Ryland's plan though. He's amazing, and we are so in love! I can't imagine life without my two kiddos and feel so blessed that I've been able to experience motherhood for a second time.
Ryland Jeffrey's Stats:
Born May 18, 2007
3:45pm
5 lbs 12 oz
18" long
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