Ryder is here!!

Ryder Alan

We welcomed our newest addition on Saturday night!!!  We had actually scheduled a c-section for yesterday (April 5th), however he had a different plan.  I woke up about 4am Saturday morning with some pretty painful crampy contractions and they continued sort of irregularly until about 9am.  At that point they were getting pretty intense, in my back, and every 3-5 minutes.  We were trying to figure out if this was real and we also had a dilemna.  My sister, Tracy, would be arriving at the airport at 12:40.  She was coming down to watch the twins when I was in the hospital.  Who knew it would be the very same day!!  We ended up putting the twins down for their nap, leaving them with Nate, and a friend on her way over.  Off to the hospital.  Now, on Thursday I was high and closed just FYI.  When we got to the hospital I was 1-2cm dilated and 50% effaced.  We decided we'd try a VBAC and the DR decided my contractions were doing something and I was indeed in labor so they admitted me.  By noon I was only a 3 so Nick went to pick up Tracy at the airport.  I walked the halls to try to get to a 4 to get that lovely epidural and try to get him moved a bit and off my back.  Ouch - back labor not fun!  I got to visit with Tracy real quick before Nick took her home to the kids and still not to a 4!  Grrr.  Finally soon after Nick returned they checked me again and I was finally a 4 - woo hoo!  Epidural time.  It took about 20 minutes and it kicked in thank goodness because it was getting pretty darn bad.  I think it was about 4pm or so when they decided to break my water.  It was kind of anti-climatic because it was just a little bit.  His head must have been blocking a good portion.  The nurse cracked me up and said she was going to stand back come delivery time because I'd probably gush when he was born and she didn't want to ruin another pair of shoes.  LOL  She was being funny though and everyone there was very friendly to us.  Unfortunately breaking the water didn't speed up my labor much.  I went about an inch an hour or so after that.  I thought I'd never get there.  About 9pm I was 9cm and was super happy about that.  The bad part was I was having a horrible pain in my left side and back.  I didn't want to "up" the epidural but it really hurt.  The anesthesiologist ended up giving me just a pain med in my epidural instead of more numbing stuff and that helped quite a bit.  At 10:15 they said I was at 10cm, fully efaced, and at +1 station.  SO I thought - here we go.  LOL  Nope - apparently I had to get to +2 station.  They said I could either try to start pushing or sit up more and let gravity do some work first.  I went with gravity.  Pushing forever sounded horrible.  Well I was SO numb that I truly didn't feel any pressure or urge to push really.  Come 11pm I was starting to get really nauseaus.  I was also alternating between shivers and sweating.  They nurses, midwife, and OB were all very excited about me feeling like that.  Umm I wasn't.  LOL  At about 11:20 I thought maybe I was feeling some pressure because the contractions were hurting again and my back was hurting again so I told them.  They came in at about 11:35 and told me to do a practice push to see what happened.  I did - they all yelled STOP!!!!  LOL  His head started coming out and they weren't ready.  SO they real quick got everything ready and I started pushing.  After a 20 hour labor I wondered how long this would take.  Well - 2 minutes to be exact.  I went through 2 contractions -- 2 pushes and he was out!  Ryder Alan was born at 11:44pm on April 3rd.  He weighed 9 lbs 3.9 oz and was 22 inches long!  WOWSERS!  We knew he'd be big but that is BIG for a little girl like me.  LOL  He flew out so fast that he didn't get all the fluid out of his lungs so it took a bit to get all that out.  He cried and was breathing normally thank goodness but was just really gunky sounding so it took about 15 minutes to get him cleaned out.  Poor little guy.  It was amazing though and I'm glad that Nick got to experience a vaginal birth.  I don't know if he is LOL but the recovery has been fantastic!  I did have a 2nd degree tear so I have some stitches from that but overall it's a piece of cake compared to a c-section recovery.  The kids and Tracy came up the next day and it was a little chaotic in the hospital room so they only stayed about 15 minutes.  Walker cracked me up though because he's always been obsessed about baby brother in my tummy.  Well he noticed Ryder sleeping in the bassinet and I told him that was baby brother.  He lifted my hospital gown to look at my tummy and then looked at Ryder and he actually put it together.  For the most part he doesn't pay any attention to my tummy anymore.  He loves giving Ryder hugs and kisses and "petting" his hair.  LOL  Jocelyn didn't pay him too much attention at first but since we've been home she really loves looking at him and touching his hair also.  She's starting to give him hugs too.  Very cute.  They've both offered to share their Paci's with him.  One thing I was a little concerned about was how they would react to breastfeeding (which is going very well and Ryder latched on like a pro right after birth!).  It only took me explaining to them that is baby milk and that's where the baby gets milk from.  After that they really haven't even paid attention.  I have supplemented a little with formula when he's just screaming.  He's such a big boy he has been really hungry as I've waited for my milk to come in.  The twins wanted to try his bottle but I had to tell them that was baby milk too.  Ryder likes the MAM bottles like the twins did and they don't remember using those so I think that helps.  Anyway - my milk is finally starting to come in today so hopefully that will fill him up.  Our first night home was pretty good and I got some decent sleep for the first time in a couple days.  Looking forward to more!!  LOL  I better run for now because - well I have 3 babies who need me.  LOL  I do have lots of help right now though.  Nick is off for 10 days, Tracy is here till the 17th, and Nate is always a big help.  He is totally taken with his new brother.  Scared to hold him still but he loves looking at him.  :-)  Here's an album with the pictures we've taken so far:
Ryder's Birthday and First Few Days