As of March 10, 2011 I hit my 39 week mark.. YIPPY!! I went in to my regular OB appointment and was getting ready for my last ultrasound before this boy was born. During the U/S the baby wasn’t moving all that much but everything looked “ fine”. I went to my OB appt with the doc and he was concerned that the baby wasn’t moving like he should be and showing that my placenta was a grade 2-3. (Showing it was becoming a little too ripe.) After the U/S he sent me for a NST. During the NST the baby’s heart rate had a dip in it and wasn’t moving. After the OB came in he sent me over to L&D for more monitoring and a Bio Physical Exam... After I get over to L&D I was being monitored for a while and went for the B.F.E they found that my placenta was indeed was a grade 3. After I get back up to L&D they monitor me for another 15 mins or so and send me home for the night ( by this time it was 9pm) , telling me to call my OB in the morning.. That night I had a GREAT night sleep.
In the morning Jason(DH) goes into work and I call my doc. He says he wants to see me at 11:40am. Jason, Emma(DD) and I go in to see the doc and he tells me the option is up to me but at this rate the best thing to do is to induce. I asked him when he would like to do so; he said whenever we wanted to. That night worked best for us. We spent the rest of the day with my parents and then a couple hours with some friends playing board games before we headed into the hospital at 7pm.
When we got to the hospital at 7:15pm for a course of cervidil. At 12am nurse started IV and gave me Ambein to help me sleep. At 3am started having cramps/contractions. At 5:15 am she took the cervidil out and I walked until 6am when Jason woke up and walked with me until 6:45 am. At that time I was a 1-2cm dilated and the Doc came in and broke my water and started me on Pitocin. At 8 am I was only 2.5cm. At 9:30 3cm. At that point in knew I needed to get into the bathtub. I was in the jetted bathtub from 10:30am until 11:30am. At that time the nurse told me I needed to get back on monitoring and I asked her what my options were as far as pain control. She told me if I was still only at 3cm the best option would be duramorph and if I was more like a 7cm Stadol would better. I knew I didn’t really want Stadol because it made me loopy with Emma’s birth and Duramorph helped me relax just enough to give my body a chance to dilate on its own.. After getting back to my room the nurse checked me and I was still at 3cm. I asked for the duramorph . At 11:15am my parents, my sister Katy , and Emma-Leah got to the hospital and were in my room with us by 11:45am. While I was waiting to get the Duramorph Jason and Nick ( step-Dad) went down the street to get something to eat and my sister and mom took Emma-Leah down to the cafeteria to grab lunch as well. I was just soo tired all I wanted was to rest. By 1pm the anesthesiologist came in the room to administer the Duramorph. Last time Jason held me while I got the single shot in my back and he almost passed out, so this time around he opted to let my mom hold me instead. 5 mins and the doc were done. I immediately felt relief and I told the Dr that I loved him. At 3:06pm I was checked by the nurse and was at 5cm.
During this time of “ relaxation” Katy and I guessed what time the baby would be born. I said “3:45 or 4:15.” And Katy said . “ Wouldn’t it be cool if he was born at 5:30 like Emma was?” I said “ohh I hope not” seeing that it was still another 2 + hours away. During the next hour the itching from the medications hit me like a ton of bricks and Katy and Jason rubbed lotion on every exposed surface. Thank goodness. Also right around the time I was 8 cm the contractions really started to hurt again. I knew it wouldn’t be very long. Jason told my Ob when he came into check how things were going that last time I went from a 5cm to 10cm pretty fast. He said “ok lets see.” At 5:02pm I was 9.5cm and by 5:10pm I started pushing. After only 10 mins of pushing our beautiful BIG baby boy was born at 5:20pm with a head full of dark hair. The doc said “ that’s a big baby.” No duh.. ;) Jason was able to cut the cord, and I was able to hold him right away before he went to the warmer. I am so grateful that our little Man is here.. Mandon James Jericho Bryant : 8lbs 6 oz 20inches 5:20 pm on 3/12/2011
