Birth Story

The last few weeks have been -- challenging and rewarding. My recovery has been different than I anticipated; longer and more intense than I expected. I felt like I had been ran over by a train. And, to be honest, it's just been in the last few days where I have felt up to talking with friends and sharing my experience more openly. I have been journaling and spending a lot of time introspectively -- allowing myself to heal.

I always love reading people's birth stories -- so I want to share mine.

Short Story:
I labored naturally for 9 hours, then asked for an epidural, after another 8 hours, I ended up having a c-section.

Walking into the hospital at 12:30am

Long story:

I went into my labor and delivery with what I thought was an open mind. At 11 days past due, I was induced on August 1, at 1:00am. Although I tried to sleep the night before, my efforts failed and I went into the hospital with no sleep under my belt. I did manage to drink a protein shake and a banana on the way, to try and get some extra nutrients in my body.

I was having contractions, 8 minutes apart for about an hour before we went to the hospital. I took this as a good sign; that my body was already preparing for labor and I would progress quickly. I would learn (much later in the day) that I was wrong.

I got into my room at Prentice Women's hospital and they started me on petocin. The contractions came, and I labored naturally with those contractions until about 9:00 in the morning. As the pain got more intense, I sat on a yoga ball, in childs pose and in the shower. When my doctor came in and checked on me, I was only dilated to a 3. She also noticed the heart rate dropping with each contraction and soon a team of Pediatric doctors were in my room. After a few minutes they decided everything was OK and left me along. A few more hours of laboring naturally and by 10:00 and dilated to a 3.5, I knew I couldn't last through active labor and transition at that pace on my own ---  I ordered the epidural.

The epidural was such a relief after 9 hours of labor. However, the heart rate continued to drop, so I was asked to move positions frequently, and was so exhausted that afternoon. I also got sick and threw up a few times and started getting a fever. When my doctor came to check on me at 6pm, I had a fever, was swollen and only dilated to a 4. At that point, she let me know she advised doing a c-section. With no progression, and the state of my health, it was the best decision.

I sobbed -- I knew it was the right decision, but the emotions of it all just broke me down. I had never thought I would have a c-section. My sweet husband hugged me and asked for a few minutes alone so he could give me a blessing. It was such a tender moment and one I will not forget.

They prepped us for surgery and soon I was on the operating table with a great team of doctors talking me through each step. It seems like a dream as I think back to how it felt to lie on that operating table and feel them work to get my baby out. Soon we heard our baby's first cries and I was so relieved.

My doctor later shared that the first thing she saw when she went to get him was the umbilical cord wrapped around him. This helped explain why his heart rate was dropping -- he was caught. Also, his head was wedged into my pelvis and he was face up. At 9lb and 3oz., he needed to be in just the right position to be able to come naturally and that was not going to happen. We are so grateful for a doctor that knew what to do and was able to get our baby out safely. He is our little miracle.

After they got him out, they immediately took him away to check on his heart-- and Ryan got to go over to him and hold him for the first time. He brought him over to me and I couldn't wait to hold him myself. It felt like eternity before I was strong enough to hold my sweet baby and realize that this little man would steal my heart forever.

My first glimpse of my sweet baby -- Ryan took a picture and brought it back to me to see while I waited to meet him in person.

So in love.

It wasn't until the next day that Ryan and I were able to talk and decide on his name: Hunter Thomas Merrill.

Hunter ~ my maiden name and Ryan's Grandma's maiden name, Hunt
Thomas ~ Ryan's middle name, fathers name and grandfather's name.