Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Couple More Pictures!

I just cannot believe little miss Ryah is two weeks old already!  How fast they grow when they're little!  She is doing fabulous, and we're all in love with her.  Sometimes I look at her and not only can I not believe we have another child, but a daughter, too!  After three wonderful boys we felt our family was complete.  Ryah had other ideas!  Now we are certain we're done, and it does feel a little strange that she is our last baby for sure.  It's time to move on to a different phase of adulthood, raising our children to be productive human beings.  The childbearing years are over!

Here are a couple more pictures...I still need to get some done of our entire family, but I just haven't had the time.  Someday...!


Saturday, September 11, 2010

Picture Sharing Time! Ryah Faye!

Yay for baby pictures!  Lots of them!

 Someone has curly hair after a bath!

 I wonder if it will stay curly?

 All bathed and feeling pretty!

 Cozy!

 I like my new bouncy chair!

 Newborn pictures

 C'mon mom...put the camera down!

 Fine, I'm going to sleep!

 All cozy in my Nana's blanket!

 Furry baby!

 Goodnight!

The Birth of Ryah Faye: Unassisted Waterbirth After Two Cesareans

Ryah's birth was to be a planned home birth from the beginning.  About halfway through the pregnancy however, circumstances changed and we had to forgo hiring the midwife we were planning to use.  Discouraged, I started researching the idea of unassisted home birth, a birth that is not attended by any health professional whatsoever.  I continued having prenatal care done through Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC), but every time I went just reaffirmed the thought that I would NOT deliver there if I could help it.  It was cold and impersonal.  I saw a different OB physician for each appointment who lectured me on the same things the last OB had lectured me on.  I felt like a number instead of a woman about to give birth, and I hated it.

I brought the idea to my husband, who said he would support me in any decision I made about the birth.  He already knew how much I hated hospitals (how ironic for a nurse to hate hospitals!).  I started doing more intensive research and gathering my supplies.  As my due date approached I felt prepared and ready.  I knew the risks involved and I also knew the immense benefits of birthing without "help", and I was convinced that my body knew what to do and that we would be safe.

My due date came and went, and I started getting immense pressure from TAMC to induce my labor.  I politely declined at every appointment, and felt that my body would labor when it was ready.  Week 40 came and went without signs of impending labor and so did week 41.  I started getting impatient and frustrated with frequent contractions that didn't seem to do anything but tire me out.  So many tinmes I thought labor was starting only to be let down!  I was having weekly and twice-weekly non-stress tests at this point and fluid level checks.  Everything pointed in the direction of a healthy baby.  I just needed to keep waiting!

At my very last appointment I was 42 weeks.  Once again I had the doom and gloom speech from two different OB doctors about how I was risking my baby's life by going so overdue.  Stillbirth, cord compression, cerebral palsy, etc. were thrown at me in hopes if getting me to induce.  I started feeling confused, knowing deep down that I should just give my baby time, but also beginning to feel intimidated and scared that maybe I was doing the wrong thing.  The last thing I wanted was to put my baby in any danger.  Before I left the appointment I told the OB that I would consent to a hospital induction in two days, a Saturday, if I had not gone into labor on my own by then.  I'll admit, I was beginning to get outisde my comfort zone by going to 42 weeks.

The rest of that day (Thursday) I had crampy, somewhat painful contractions.  I thought maybe labor was finally starting!  Mike and I went out to eat courtesy of my mother who watched the kids AND paid for our meal!  It was nice to get out of the house and focus on something else for a little while.  Later that night the contractions once again died down to nothing and I woke up Friday morning still pregnant.  To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. 

Friday I had not a single contraction all day.  Nothing.  Friday evening I began to lose hope that I would go into labor on my own, and I started feeling very upset.  I couldn't look at the birthing supplies I had laid out carefully weeks before.  I started packing them up so I wouldn't have to be reminded.  As I did the tears started flowing and I cried.  I made Mike take the pool out of the diningroom and I pulled out a bag to pack for the hospital.  The whole time I was crying. I started having mild contractions which only frustrated me further because I knew they would just go away.  After everything was put away and the hospital bag packed, I went to bed.

Only I couldn't sleep...because I was still having contractions.  Not strong, not painful, but noticeable and frequent.  I estimated them to be about 8-10 minutes apart, but I never really timed them.  I wondered if labor was really starting...now?!  By 0200 I had my answer...yes, it was!  The contractions were getting stronger though not closer together, and I dozed in between them and laid next to my husband in the dark eagerly awaiting the next one and the next one.  By 0400 I had to get out of bed and I alternated between sitting on the toilet, sitting on the bed, and standing.  Mike woke about then and we sat together quietly and waited for each contraction.

Sometime between 0500 and 0600, the contractions were strong enough that I wanted to get in the tub.  Mike filled it with warm water and sat next to me.  It felt wonderful to be in the water!  I listened to my birth music on the iPod and even texted to Facebook that I was in labor!  Mike asked if I wanted the pool filled and I said I did.  He left to set it up and my mom came upstairs to sit with me.  No one had to say anything, just listening to the soft music was so peaceful and made the contractions tolerable.

Eventually I came downstairs to check on the pool.  The water was way too cold!  My mom tried warming it up with pans of boiling water but it was taking too long and it wasn't working very well.  Mike left to take Mikey to the sitter and pick up an adapter that would allow us to hook the hose up inside instead of outside so we could use our water heater.  By the time the pool was filled and ready I was needing to vocalize through most contractions.  I made a lot of "ohhhh" noises and did a lot of purse-lipped breathing.  Getting into the pool was wonderful, though it felt like it couldn't get warm enough!  We kept pots of water boiling to add to the water and every time a hot pot of water was poured in it felt like heaven!

I labored in the pool for a few hours, making several trips to the bathroom between contractions.  They were getting more intense and lasting longer.  I drank Gatorade and ate dried fruit to try and keep my energy up.  I was so hungry but nothing sounded good at all! 

By about 1100-1200 I started feeling nauseous and the contractions were getting very intense.  I could not focus on anything but each contraction as it came and went, and I told myself after each one that it was over and done with...I didn't have to do that one again.  My noises became louder and I thought maybe I might be approaching transition but I didn't want to get my hopes up.  My mom made the same comment aloud, that maybe transition was coming.

The rest of the labor becomes somewhat of a blur at this point.  The pain was so intense with each contraction and I struggled to find a comfortable way to position myself in the pool.  One one last trip to the bathroom I was nauseous enough to throw up in the sink...not fun when you're contracting hard and fast!

I remember while sitting on the toilet I started to feel "pushy" toward the end of each contraction, and my noises began to end with pushing noises and grunts.  I made my way back to the pool and tried checking my dilation, and I felt as though I hadn't made much progress at all!  I estimated myself to be about 5cm (I was wrong!).  At that point the pain took hold of my entire body and I felt on the verge of losing control.  I started yelling through the contractions and begging them to stop.  I couldn't believe the intensity!  Any position I tried was uncomfortable, and I was just miserable.  I was still making involuntary "mini" pushes at the end of each contraction, and I was worried that I might be pushing through a cervix that wasn't ready.  I remember starting the "I can't do this anymore!" talk, and wow did I mean it!

Suddenly my body started pushing hard and fast, and I had no control over it.  I panicked, thinking it wasn't time to push!  "I don't know what's happening!" I yelled, "it's not time to push yet!".  At this point I think my mom and Mike may have started panicking a little.  I remember my mom asking if we needed to call someone and that asking for help was ok.  I couldn't answer her, I was too busy trying to control the pushing that my body was doing!  It was so primal and so hard and I really had no clue that she was right on the cusp of being born.  Then I felt her head move down and I knew this was it!  I think I said "It's the head!" or something like that...I can't remember.  I leaned back in the pool and tried to control her decent with my hand, afraid I would tear.  Instead of wrinkly scalp I felt complete smoothness...she was in the caul!  No wonder I couldn't tell I was fully dilated, the smoothness of the sac around her head had thrown me off!

In what seemed like one 5-second push she crowned and her head was fully out.  I had a brief moment of relief before another contraction hit and I was pushing once again...out came her shoulders and her body and she shot into the pool!  I quickly scooped her up and tore the sac off her head and brought her to my chest.  So much dark hair!  I couldn't believe it was over and I had done it!  All I could do was lay back and catch my breath...she had been born so fast and the last part of labor was so intense...I think it took me a few moments to realize that it was over.  She took a few breaths and made the tiniest cry...I knew she didn't need to cry at birth and I was glad she had a peaceful entrance into the world.  She pinked up within a few minutes and appeared healthy and strong.

We waited until the cord was white  and limp before cutting it, and I tied it off with a cord ring.  The placenta* emerged a few moments later and Daddy took her while I went to shower and get dressed.  Afterward we got her measurements:  9lbs even and 20 3/4" long!  We relished our newborn for a little bit and then Mike went to pick up the newest big brother from the sitter.  Within an hour or so our entire family was home, in our own surroundings, enjoying our new baby!

I couldn't have asked for a better experience, and I'm glad it turned out the way it did. 


* I noticed on the maternal side of the placenta that there was a rather large, fresh clot.  I wonder if this might have been from a partial abruption and if this was the reason my body pushed so hard to get her out fast.  Who knows...but the body is an amazing thing!

Catching Up: Ryah Faye is here!

My goodness a lot has happened since I last updated this blog!  

Of course the main thing is that our daughter, Ryah Faye was born on August 28th, 2010 at 13:39 weighing 9lbs even and 20 3/4" long.  She was born at home, unassisted (meaning no medical professional was present for her birth) and in the water.  This was our choice for this birth, and it was amazing and powerful.  My only regret is that we weren't able to stream live video of the birth for faraway family and friends like I had planned, because it simply slipped my mind once labor kicked in hard and strong.

Even so, we were able to get amazing pictures thanks to my mom, who was present for the birth. I was so happy my mom was able to be there, although because Ryah was so late it seemed like she had to leave too soon!  And to make matters worse, I developed a postpartum infection and ended up in the hospital for 2.5 days...the last days my mom was here on the island!  I was so upset about that, but nothing I could do.  It was important that I received the IV antibiotics in order to recover.  Unfortunately the same evening I was released we had to bring my mom to the airport.  We were able to spend a couple hours together at the hospital but it just seemed to short.


Anyway, Ryah is doing wonderfully, she really is a little cutie pie!  She's nursing great and has already gained 4oz.  She barely fits in her newborn-sized clothing anymore!  The boys are thrilled, especially Mikey who has now earned the new "big brother" status.  He is very protective and concerned about her, especially if she cries.


I am recovering well, too.  Feeling almost myself.  Still a little sore and stiff now and then, but every day I feel a little better.


To help catch up, I will post her birth story next and then some pictures...