Friday, September 17, 2010

Aryn's Birth Story

Well miss Aryn is finally here. She is absolutely perfect and beautiful and we are beyond in love with her.

I really wanted to write up her birth story because it really is the most perfect birth story I could have ever asked for.

Early Tuesday, September 14th morning I woke up at about 4am because my hands hurt; and of course, I had to pee for the 3rd time that night haha. So I got up and in the washroom I was looking at my hands and they were massive - I literally couldn't even take off my ring! I ended up getting it off but I remembered a friend of mine telling me that the day before she went into labour with her girls she swelled up. Ryan went to work at about 7am and I fell back to sleep almost instantly. At about 8:30 I woke up really having to go to the washroom. I sat up in bed and felt a gush.

Now, because I had thought my water broke like 4 other times, I ignored the gush. I went and had a shower and while in the shower, I knew - my water was broken. I went and checked and sure enough, I just knew I was right. So I got ready, did my hair, put on my waterproof makeup (haha) and called Ryan and then my parent.

Because Ryan already works in the city, I stole a ride with my dad. I drove Bauer to their place and while I was there, the contractions began. Now, I had had these contractions for the last 3 weeks so I wasn't thinking much of it. But on the way to the hospital, they were getting a lot more intense - so much so that while my dad is talking to me, I wasn't even able to answer.

So we meet Ryan at the hospital, and when I stood up out of the car, the pain got so much more intense. I had to keep stopping on the walk to the elevators. We got to the Labour & Delivery floor and - lo and behold, there were NO FREE BEDS. Seriously. By now, contractions were 2 minutes apart and so intense. There was an East Indian couple in the waiting room as well and they smelled so bad that I had to keep standing in the hallway which was so uncomfortable. By now, I was scared and worried about how much pain I was going to go through that day that I had a bit of a mental breakdown in the hallway hahaha.

Anyways, so a nurse ended up coming to get me and basically bypassed triage and admitted me automatically. They got me a room and the doctors were waiting for me when I walked in. They began testing - I was 90% effaced, my water had most certainly broken (at 8:45am), and I was 4cm (I remember saying "ONLY 4?!?!?!?!")

The next 12 hours was a bit of a blur. I spent about an hour in the shower but it was so small and uncomfortable that I ended up just getting out - then they had to insert a heart monitor to the baby's head so I couldn't go into the shower again anyways. I stood the entire time I was in labour. Contractions were literally 2 minutes apart the entire time I was in the hospital. I mean, they would be intense and then the pain would never even end before another one came. I even said to the nurse "on Friends Rachel had like 10 minutes in between each contraction - this isn't fair!" Yeah, nice, Denise...

I had read SO MUCH about labour that I knew everything that made things go easier: the exercise ball, squatting, rocking, walking, the shower, the toilet.... but honestly, NOT ONE SINGLE FRIGGEN THING WORKED. The exercise ball hurt, squatting hurt, I couldn't walk, I hated the shower, I couldn't sit. The only thing that I liked was standing in the middle of the room, swaying back and forth, back and forth, with Ryan massaging the top of my neck. I did that the ENTIRE.TIME. No joke.

Ryan deserves a huuuuuge metal.

*Disclaimer: I can honestly say that even during labour and birth - that it was never what I expected it to be. Yes, it hurt. But I would most definitely do it again in a second. Calming music is the key. It kept me so calm through it all. It really didn't hurt as bad as I thought it would.

Anyways, I ended up asking for some fentinal because the contractions were so close together I never even had time to relax in between them. And Ryan's hands were getting sore from massaging me so often that I just needed something to take the edge off. And, fentinal is out of your system quite quickly. I also used the gas mask, but I found it made me quite nauseous sometimes but I still went through 3 tanks.

At 7pm or so, they checked me again and I was 100% effaced and 8.5cm - and they wanted me to pee to bring it to 10cm. I tried - my God did I try - but it hurt so bad. The doctor told me they could just make me pee later with a catheter, and I agreed. The nurse then told me that pushing actually feels better than contractions so - without telling anyone - every time I had a big contraction, I just started pushing while standing up. I pushed without anyone knowing for about an hour. It felt SO GOOD every time.

At 8:30, I was 10cm, everything was ready and they got me on the bed and told me to start pushing at my next contraction.

Wow.

You can watch videos, read books, everything... but nothing prepares you for what pushing out a kid feels like. I can honestly say - it was the most amazing feeling (except the "Ring of Fire" - man alive that shit hurts!). At 8:45pm or so (after about 10 minutes of pushing) the doctor told me to feel the baby's head. Wow. But her poor little heart was showing signs of major distress so the doctor told me I had to have her out in 2 contractions or they'd have to use the suction. They ended up needing the suction, which I welcomed.

At 8:52pm they put my beautiful baby girl on my stomach. Even thinking back at it, I'm tearing up. The most amazing feeling and experience. Ever.

They took her away and cleaned her up. I started hemorrhaging so they had to get her away and deal with me. They had to manually extract some major blockages and clumps which - let me tell you - felt awesome (sarcasm). Then I had to be stitched up from 1 2nd degree tear (yowza).

Ryan stood watching Aryn and taking pictures. I kept asking him if she looks like an Aryn and what she looks like (I hadn't really noticed as I was on such a high earlier).

They ended up giving me back little miss Aryn and at about 10pm or so they wheeled me into recovery for our first night. I don't think I slept at all. Ryan had gone home at about 11pm (they wouldn't let him sleep over), and I just couldn't believe I had a baby. They took her away at about 2am and gave her a bath and when they brought her back to me I realized just how absolutely gorgeous this kid was and just how bright red her hair is. Oh.My.Gosh this kid has the cutest hair ever.

The next day consisted of me learning to breastfeed and my parents coming to meet miss Aryn. Ryan came at about 8am and at 9:15pm we were finally discharged. We could have gotten out earlier, but Aryn had a little heart murmur the doctors wanted to look at (she had 3 pediatricians - including the head of pediatrics - take a look at her but they finally decided it wasn't that serious and would probably go away on its own) and they wanted to make sure I wasn't going to bleed anymore.

(side note: we had gotten a conjoined room and the night Aryn was born my roommates left at about 11pm so I had the conjoined room all to myself until about 9pm the next night. The lady who came in had just had her 4th kid - a 10 lb 11oz toddler. I was more than happy to leave).

We got home after 10pm and I think I fell asleep almost instantly. Ryan said I snored so loudly (which is weird cuz I NEVER snore!). We got up a couple of times to feed her but all in all, it was a good first night.

The next night was a bit more difficult but it's been getting easier ever since. My milk has come in now and Aryn is eating like a champ. Often, but manageable. She's peeing and pooping perfectly, and honestly is the most beautiful little girl ever.

On a side note, I have been finding myself thanking God more about what kind of man He blessed me with. Ryan is absolutely amazing. He took 2 weeks off and is basically tending to my every need. He makes me food, brings me water, helps me with Aryn, he is just absolutely amazing. I've found myself just staring at him holding Aryn with this new kind of love that I've never experienced before. I never thought I could love him more and it amazes me how much I do. He is SO.GOOD. with her. And she just loves him. You should see her look at him - such adoration. I am truly the luckiest person alive.

Oh and Bauer. His nose is completely out of joint. Last night he slept right up against me and kept basically trying to kick me out of bed. But I think he'll learn to accept it and want to be a part of it soon.

Aryn.... mommy and daddy love you sooo much and are so happy to have you as a part of our lives. You have made us happier than we could have ever imagined and we can't wait to see what kind of person you turn out to be. We will always love you no matter what, and all we want for you is to be happy. We love you so much baby girl.

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4 comments:

  1. Awww, I love your birth story!!! I am so excited for you two, when I am back in Calgary I want to come over and meet this little beauty queen! Hope you are still manages to catch some sleep!

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  2. Oh yay Denise CONGRATULATIONS! What a beautiful, perfect birth story! You are so blessed to have gone into labour on your own...it is a dream of mine:) Ryan sounds like an amazing guy and Aryn is, of course, just as amazing. I cannot tell you how exciting it is to see (or at least read about) you living your happiest, wildest dreams. I AM SO ELATED FOR YOU! I love you, enjoy this precious time Mommy...you will cherish these days forever!

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  3. Congratulations Denise. I am so very happy for you that after all your struggles, you have been blessed with such a perfect baby. Enjoy every moment, as they pass far too quickly. Every stage is so much fun and so exciting, remember that when you've been up for hours and are exhausted! I am glad that everything during labor went well for you and it was what you had hoped for.

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  4. Aww....I'm so incredibly happy for you both! When you are up to it I would LOVE to come meet her...I also have a little something for her too. :)

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