Prestyn's Birth Story

First of all...I think it's time I (ahem...BFF) update the layout of the blog...

Second of all...As I always say...I want to blog more! Especially now that our little one is here, and I want to document EVERYTHING!

Third of all...I'll quit with my outloud thinking & tell you Prestyn's Birth Story!

Fourth of all...this is going to be a long post! Prestyn's baby book has a section for her birth story which I will summarize there, but hopefully one day she'll be able to go back & read this post! :)

From the moment we found out we were pregnant we started thinking about what would we do if I went into labor while Ryan was at work...so we had a plan A, B, C, and D! We had our bags packed at 30 weeks...we were ready!

I really wanted her to be on time or late, and prayed for this so that I wouldn't have miss anymore school than necessary. Prestyn was due during Spring Break...on the Friday that we got out for Spring Break I literally started trying EVERYTHING to bring on labor!

When I say EVERYTHING I mean EVERYTHING! It was funny to me how I would post about ready to meet the baby, and people would tell me tips and tricks to try...I would have already tried it, and it didn't work! Prestyn just wasn't ready...

It actually got a little depressing...We had gotten to the week she was due, and she wasn't here...I didn't know what to do with myself...I was out of school, and was just ready & waiting for this baby! Everybody would ask me each day how things were and each day I had to sadly share that there wasn't any progress.

When I went for my 40 week appointment the doctor asked me if we were ready to schedule an induction, and yes we were! Since I was only dilated 1 centimeter I would need to go into the hospital the night before induction to begin cervical ripening.

An induction prior to 41 weeks is elective...at 41 weeks it becomes medically necessary...although you can go 42 weeks, but I was glad the hospital allows you to go in at 41!

So we went into the hospital on Wednesday, March 20th at 9 PM. We were admitted into our room, and they started the cervical ripening at about 11 PM. I started having contractions about 3 AM. Ryan and I did not get any sleep this night! Which I knew was going to be hard since I was going to need energy once it was time to push!

At about 8 AM they took out the cervical ripening medicine thing, and checked me. I was 2 centimeters dilated. That's when they started the pitocin. Things started moving pretty quickly. They kept telling me to just let them know when I was ready for the epidural, but I wanted to hold out as long as I could because:

1. I was afraid of getting the epidural
2. I thought it wore off if you got it too early

Once I was to the point of tears because of the pain of the contractions I got the epidural...I was 3 cm when I got it. And boy am I glad I did! I could still feel pressure of contractions, but I was feeling good & comfortable and was able to get some naps here and there.

We had LOTS of visitors who started arriving about 7 AM. We had no idea how long labor would be so family was waiting all day! And boy was it a long day of waiting!

The doctor broke my water then things really started moving! I think it was at 6 PM that I was 10 cm dilated & 100 % effaced so it was time to start pushing!

The nurse and doctor thought the baby may have been sunny side up or sideways based on me having lots of back labor. When I started pushing they found this to be true...

I pushed for an hour then was positioned in a way to try to turn Prestyn while I slept for an hour, and tried to regain some energy...

Then the pushing started all over again. People were anxiously waiting in the waiting room, and Ryan was doing an awesome job at coaching me through pushing...

Then came the hard part... I began getting very sick, and had absolutely no energy to push. I was sleeping between contractions, and pushing when they told me to. This was hard since I needed more drugs, and couldn't tell what I was supposed to be pushing against...

I remember looking at Ryan's exhausted face, and with tears in my eyes asking him & the doctor what to do. I knew it had been a long day and night, and wasn't sure how much more I could do...they were all so patient with me. They continued to tell me that it was whatever I wanted, but I just needed somebody to tell me what to do...that was when the doctor recommended a c-section. I said, ok...let's go!

I could not have been better taken care of by #1 my husband and #2 the doctors & nurses at Dallas Presby! They were amazing at making sure I was comfortable and at ease...We went into the operating room, and by the time Ryan got his scrubs on they had already cut me open!

I was so exhausted I was sleeping or trying to most of the time, but I quickly awoke and lit up as soon as I felt the pressure of her being delivered, and hearing her cry! It was 11:24 PM. Prestyn Reese was born and weighed 7 pounds 5 ounces and was 20 inches long. And yep...she was sunny side up! Oh just typing this makes me relive it all over again...I vaguely remember them bringing her to me to show me, but then they had to take her away...

I had told Ryan prior to going to the hospital that if they had to take her for any reason that he needed to go with her, and not stay with me...that I would be fine! Well...her oxygen level was low due to fluid being in her lungs so she was taken to the nursery while they finished sewing me up!

Prestyn's grandparents and Daddy got to ride in the elevator with her in the incubator to the nursery. While I slept in recovery Prestyn was being cared for by her favorite nurse Cyndi! Once I got to my post partum room there awaiting my sweet baby with her favorite nurse Cyndi. We got to have skin to skin & she began nursing like a champ!

It was about 2 AM at this point so we were ready to sleep...the rest is a little blury, but I do think we did sleep some! :)

Stay tuned for more on Prestyn's first weeks!