Brycen Meyer (8/23/09) Pictures too! (A little pic heavy)

sethsgirl · #1 August 25th, 2009, 06:51 AM

Here's Brycen's birth story...
At 1:50 am on Sunday, August 23rd I woke up to contractions and a little bleeding. I counted the contractions for just over an hour and they were 3 1/2 � 5 minutes apart. Of course the on-call doctor wasn�t one I had ever met since he was usually working at a different hospital but he told me to come in to get checked. I had been 3cm dilated at my most recent appointment, the previous Friday and had an induction scheduled for Wednesday that 26th since I was due on the 21st and my midwife was afraid if she just let me keep going Brycen would be too big. I got to the hospital around 3:30 am, was put on the monitors and checked�still only 3 cm and contractions were only strong every 7 minutes but there were weaker ones in between them. The nurse told me they could keep me for 2 hours without admitting me to see if there was any progress. So just under 2 hours later she came in to check me and I was 5-6 cm dilated! I was officially being admitted and was in labor! I gave her my birth plan, had some blood drawn but still couldn�t believe it was finally happening! The contractions started getting a lot stronger and harder to handle but I really wanted to try for a natural birth. About 2 hours later she checked me again and I was 8 cm and the bag of water was bulging. I got on the birthing ball to try to help break my water but after a short while it was just making me feel worse during the contractions so I decided to get back into the bed and sat there and rocked back and forth through contractions for a while. I finally gave in though and requested to have my water broken since she had mentioned that I might have been more than 8 cm but she couldn�t feel the other side of my cervix due to the bag of water. At that time the on-call doctor came in and asked if I was sure I wanted that done (since on my birth plan it said I didn�t want to unless it was necessary). I told him yes that I did want it done and he then asked if I wanted an IV started as well (my birth plan also stated that I didn�t want an IV or even a hep/saline lock unless it became medically necessary). I was a little tempted to say ok since the contractions were getting pretty intense and I knew they�d just get worse after he broke my water but I told him no because I knew if I said yes I�d probably give in and ask for some pain meds in which case I would be upset with myself after. He broke my water and pretty much right away the contractions got a lot stronger and closer together. I was told by my nurse that if I felt a lot of rectal pressure to call her right away since that could mean I was ready to push. A very short while after she left I began to feel pressure. She asked if I wanted to be checked and I did but when she checked me she informed me that I still had a small part of my cervix so that I wasn�t ready to push yet. She stayed in through a few contractions and then decided she�d let me push and she�d try to move the part of the cervix away. This began my long pushing process! I don�t know exactly how long I pushed for total but I�m guessing it was 45 minutes to an hour although it seemed like forever to me! Finally when Brycen was starting to crown my midwife tells me that I�ve torn some and that she may need to do an episiotomy. At one of my first appointments with her we talked about them and she informed me that she typically doesn�t perform them that she just does massage and warm water to help. I wrote on my birth plan to only perform one if it needed to be done but to inform me prior to doing it. She knew this and did say she may need to do one but then proceeded to tell me to push some more. About 3 or 4 more pushes after that and his head was out. 2 pushes later and the rest of him was out. It was an amazing feeling! I had 7 hours of labor and I did it drug free! Brycen was born at 9:02 am Sunday, August 23rd. He weighed 8 pounds 10 ounces and is 20.5 inches long. I tore very badly though inside and out, top and bottom. My midwife then informed me that if I had let her do an episiotomy then I wouldn�t have such bad tares. Of course that made me mad and upset because of what I had stated in my birth plan and the fact that she had said she may need to do one and it wasn�t asked as a question but stated as something that would likely be done. It took her just under an hour to stitch me up and I have to say getting that many local anesthetic injections in such a sensitive area really sucks!!! I�m sure I will be very sore for several weeks due to the tearing and going to the bathroom isn�t fun at all! But I have a beautiful baby boy who sleeps great and nurses like a champ! Seth was there for everything and was so awesome through it all. He watched the whole birth and even watched her deliver the placenta and stitch me up�personally I think the last 2 are gross and was shocked he watched. He did cut the cord even though he had told me a while ago he didn�t want to. He informed me after that he imagined it would�ve been a lot bigger and grosser looking so he didn�t mind. He�s such an awesome daddy already and absolutely loves holding and taking care of Brycen. He even changed the first diaper which was very messy and the first diaper he�s ever changed! Brycen looks a lot like his daddy but has strawberry blonde hair right now (mine is red and Seth�s is dirty blonde). We are both so in love with our new baby boy!! Thanks for reading!
not so happy after being taken away from mommy...

Proud daddy...

Sleeping...

Passed out on mommy...

Sunny in CO · #2 August 25th, 2009, 07:20 AM

Congrats! I'm glad you are both doing well and I wish you a speedy recovery. He's just beautiful!

grace4me · #3 August 25th, 2009, 07:54 AM

Colleen: I am so happy that you had a great delivery and that your husband was there to witness it all! Amazing how all of this worked out for you. Enjoy your precious little boy!!

BeckyLouWho · #4 August 25th, 2009, 10:15 AM

He's beautiful! Congratulations again.

ChicaChels · #5 August 25th, 2009, 12:11 PM

what a beautiful story! i am soo proud of you!!! and he is gorgeous!!!!

mommyto3monkeys · #6 August 25th, 2009, 12:19 PM

What a great story Colleen!! He is very cute.

binz1031 · #7 August 25th, 2009, 05:28 PM

Congrats! I hope you have a speedy recovery! And he is adorable!

hotjai21 · #8 August 25th, 2009, 08:17 PM

What a great story! Glad that you got the birth you planned for. Minus the tearing and stitches. Yes having lidacain (sp?) shots down there are NOT fun!!