Ok, so I've had 2 weeks to rest and recover...now I'm back at it! I wanted to post about Rhys birth..mostly because I want to have it written down SOMEWHERE before I forget the small little details. So...here it goes:
Rhys was originally due March 9th, 2009...despite our best efforts ...and we tried everything he went about as far past due as they would let us. At two weeks past due (march 23rd) we had a dr. appt. where my midwife said we had to bite the bullet and go in for an induction. We went to the hospital around 1:30pm to start me on our induction. Considering our birth plan was to be as natural as possible for "as long as possible" this was already down the tubes. They started me on a drug that basically gets you ready to go into labor (helps you dialate). I was on the schedule for 4 doses...after the 2nd dose i was in labor (around 5:30pm). From 5:30 until about 1:30am I progressed about a cm/ hour. My water broke at about 5cm.
According to the staff at the hospital my contractions were VERY close together without much of a break AND they weren't lasting as long as they should (basically, my body thinks labor sucks and never got with the program)...at about 7 cm i realized this too and finally gave in to an epidural...being promised that this would not hinder our progression.
By 1:30am I was at 9 1/2 cm...
From 1:30am until 4:30am we tried different positions, pushing and everything else in the book to try and get me past the last 1/2 cm. My temperature was raising, and they couldn't get it back down...and Rhys' heart rate dropped (consistently) below the "comfort level" Then they realized there was meconium in my water (this had been my #1 concern since Rhys was SO overdue). By 3am the Doctor had been called in and we tried to push past the last 1/2 cm...with no progress...at 4:45am we were whisked into the surgery room for delivery.
I had a lot of mixed emotions...nothing had gone as planned...and I remember lying on the delivery table with them testing to make sure i was numb enough crying....
Eventually, they got in and got Rhys out...Jamie popped up and then very quietly looked down at me and whispered "it's a boy"...with tears in his eyes...They held Rhys over the dressing and all the feelings that i had been feeling IMMEDIATELY went away. I remember thinking...yep, who cares, I'll do it all again!
Then i started to get nervous...I didn't hear the infamous baby cry. Apparently, Rhys had ingested some meconium so they didn't want him to cry and have it go into his lungs. They whisked Rhys away to the nursery with Jamie in tow and continued to stitch me up. Rhys was then put under oxygen to make sure that he could handle breathing. They were worried about the meconium in his lungs turning into phenomena. At about 10:30 am I finally convinced the staff to wheel me into the nursery to get to see Rhys, however, we weren't able to hold him or try to breastfeed until 1:30pm. He weighed in at 8lb 9oz and 20 inches long, but i remember thinking he looked so helpless with all the tubes and machines around him. He got off the machines more quickly than anyone thought...he's such a trouper!
But now we're home. We've survived it all...and even a little more (rhys was tongue-tied..so we had to get that fixed, he now has a little thrush, and was a little dehydrated and I had to deal with an infected incision from my c-section). It's not been what we planned for or expected...but I'm looking at it as my first lesson in parenthood....and as my dad always says "Life is what happens when you're busy making plans" (oh wise parents...when do i get that gift?!?). Anyways, all are healthy and happy and at the end of the day thats all that we could ask for. So, thats our story...Rhys' first story....our first of many...
Rhys met the Easter Bunny this weekend! Grandma Birney (Lauren's mum) bought the little fella an Easter outfit (cute or what?) - so we figured it would be nice to get his picture taken with the Easter Bunny.
So our beloved Son has become quite the tantrum thrower - for no apparent reason he just seems to burst out in to hysterical fits of crying - and nothing seems to soothe him ... nothing that is, except for Lauren's Baby K'Tan ... Rhys will quiet down and go back to sleep as soon as we put him in it ... I guess its just like being back in Mum's tum!
