Friday, July 5, 2013

Little Miss Myla is Here!

Myla Ryann was born June 28th, 2013 at 1:53 PM
She weighed 8 lbs 2 oz and measured 20 1/4 inches long
Welcome to her birth story...

I was a scheduled induction because I went past my due date.  So we got to the hospital at 6 AM on the 28th.  I got all set up in my L&D room, changed, hooked up to monitors and then to IV fluids, had my bag of water artificially ruptured by my OB and at 8:30 they started my Pitocin.  I was started off small: 2 milliunits... They said I was having contractions before they even started the Pit but apparently I just wasn't feeling them.  Don't worry, though, the Pitocin took care of THAT!!  As I was laying in the hospital bed I started having contractions but they were manageable and I just had to take a few deep breaths to get through them.  They weren't anything too serious.

About 20 minutes later I was upped to 4 milliunits of Pit.  At this point is when I started to really feel the contractions.  I really had to breathe through these and I was definitely in pain.  I went ahead and asked for the birthing ball and sitting on that and rolling around really helped me.  Also, Ryan was massaging my lower back and holding my hand through the contractions.  He was amazing.

Fast forward another 20 minutes and I was upped to 6 milliunits of Pit.  I wanted to die.  You hear about women being induced and that the Pitocin makes the contractions worse and much stronger and let me tell you, they ain't lyin' ok?  I was trying to hold off on the epidural for as long as I could so that I could dilate and efface more because some studies have shown that getting the epidural too early can slow down labor and/or increase your chance of having a C-section (which I was already at an increased risk for since I was induced).  But about 4-6 contractions in, I was crying through them, breathing so hard that my mom and Ryan had to remind me not to hold my breath and to please breathe in, and shaking after the contractions were over.  Ryan told me that maybe it was time to stop trying to be brave.  So I grabbed my call light and, in tears, told him "There's a button on my remote that says "PAIN" and I pushed it!!"

My 2 nurses promptly arrived, asked if I felt it was time for the epi and they called the CRNA and Anesthesiologist.  When they started my epidural I remember they kicked Ryan and my mom out.  That made me cry but my attention was diverted quickly and when the anesthesiologist came in, I don't even remember him introducing himself.  He could have told me his name was Santa Claus and I would have told him to just hurry.

He gave me the epidural (while one of my AMAZING nurses held my hand, told me to breathe and told me about her kids as well as that once I saw my baby, all the pain would be worth it) and they had me lie down in bed to wait for the epi to take effect.  About 15 minutes in, I was still really feeling some pain and the anesthesiologist decided I was a very tall girl and needed an extra bolus dose.  He hooked something up, put a remote with 1 button in my face and told me to push it when he said and then every hour thereafter.  BLESS this good man's heart.  He gave me extra drugs.

Shortly thereafter I would not have realized, nor cared, if someone had chainsawed my legs off.  I felt wonderful.  I was instructed to take a nap because pushing was going to take a lot out of me.  So I laid down, fell asleep and was awakened about an hour and a half later so my doctor could check me.  Imagine my surprise when she said: "It's time to have a baby!"

I had jumped from 4 cm before the epidural all the way to 10 cm after it and was now about to meet my daughter!!  I pushed for 30-45 minutes and Myla was born.  In total, from the time my contractions from Pitocin began to the time of Myla's birth, I labored for about 5.5 hours.  Also, due to the bolus dose I received in my epidural, I did not even feel my contractions or any pressure or pain as I was delivering.  I could not imagine a better, more amazing birthing experience.  The biggest shock about her birth?  That she is blonde!!  Yep.  That's right, I have a little Barbie girl.

Ryan and I are SO in love with our little girl.  Here are some pictures from our delivery.

Me, Ryan & my mom


Before the painful contractions began lol

Meeting Myla for the first time

Happy birthday baby girl!



Mmm first meal after delivery: Angus burgers!

My brother, Omar, with Myla, his god daughter.

Christina with Myla, her god daughter.

Myla and her Nana

Mommy and Daddy kisses :-*

My dad and his first grandchild.

Our celebratory meal from the hospital!



And happy 4th of July from Little Miss Myla Ryann!!
WE LOVE HER SO MUCH!!