I guess it’s about time I share Riley’s birth story, right? I mean she is 5 months old now. lol
On Sunday morning August 26th at 10 am I had a routine stress test for the baby, in fact it was my fourth one. Since she was 10 days past her due date they wanted me to have a stress test every three days past her due date. I never had a stress test with her big sisters but she made me a pro with this pregnancy. lol
My mom came over to watch the girls that morning and Pat was finishing things up on the addition. I wrote a list of about 5 things for Pat to accomplish lol that day because I knew we were being induced the next day. Pat was working hard on finishing the addition. My mom and Pat asked if I wanted company to go to the hospital and I said, “No, I’ll see you soon”. I didn’t want to go in for this stress test and I knew they were going to induce me the next day anyway.
When I arrived in the labor and delivery unit it was funny being wheeled into the baby unit, looking so pregnant but not in labor. I told them I was being induced tomorrow but I’m here for a stress test. The look of their faces was so funny!
The stress test went pretty well but the nurse said there were 2 variables where the baby’s heart beat went down with a movement and then during a contraction the baby’s heart rate went down and that was my ticket to staying in the hospital. Of course, this alarmed me and I immediately called Pat and told him to come to the hospital because I was staying. Want to know something funny? He was home putting holes in the wall of the master bath at the time I called him so he had to quickly fix the way, pack some clothes for himself and a few clothes for me. lol
The doctor came in later and she actually said the stress test looked fine to her and mentioned we could actually go home but since we were already there and I was already checked in with an IV so we decided it was best to stay.
The whole time I was there I kept asking God to take control and to make the choices because I didn’t want to make choices. I was praying for Godly wisdom and for Him to take over and make the decisions for us. I wanted things to go HIS way, not mine. I kept playing the same praise & worship music, Lauren Daigle “You Say”, Take Control &
“What you want” by Tenth Avenue North. I also came to terms that if we needed to do a c-section to bring Riley Mae into this world that was ok too. I just wanted us to be healthy! I didn’t want to go through labor and a c-section, just one way or the other. lol
We had to wait there for a while before they could break my water. In my heart I really wanted breaking the water to put me into labor, I didn’t want pitocin or any other interventions or an epidural because I had a bad experience with the epidural with baby #1. I was praying for another natural v-bac (vaginal birth after cesarean). We weren’t sure if we were just going to wait till morning for them to break my water or have them do it at 8pm tonight. But, after praying and seeking God we had peace with starting at 8 pm with them breaking my water. I’ve never had my water broken, it felt a little funny. lol With baby #2 my water broke on its own right before it was time for her to be born so this was a different experience.
It’s funny how each baby is different, each pregnancy and each birth as well as their personalities. We tried to rest as much as we could afterwards and at about 2 am I was in labor. Pat was amazing!!! Thank you sweetie!! Our doula with baby #2 really helped us give us some direction with what to do to comfort me during contractions and I listened to my hynobirthing music to help calm me and keep my mind in a calm, peaceful state. Shawna (my doula, who is actually a mid wife now) arrived about 3 am when I was really wanting her to arrive. It’s funny how your body takes over and I was directing them in what I needed because I kept getting hot and then cold but mostly hot. Pat, my nurse and Shawna, were calm, comforting and very supportive. I was praying over the birth team before the birth too. I had been listening to my hynobirthing music for about 10 weeks each night before bed and it would relax me and put me to sleep. My mom arrived around 4:30 am for prayer support so she was one of the first people to meet Riley Mae.
The reason I wanted to have a natural v-bac (vaginal birth after casearen) is because I had a c-section with baby #1 and then a v-bac with baby #2. My oldest daughter was born a week late, my second daugther was born 3 weeks early and baby #3 arrived 11 days late! It helped with baby #2 that I went into labor spontaneously. In fact, I didn’t even know I was in labor at first because I was only 37 weeks pregnant and it was a complete surprise. With this baby I was 3 cm and 70% effaced starting at 39 weeks pregnant and I was not going into labor which is why the doctors were suggesting to induce by breaking my water and then giving me a little pitocin. I did NOT want pitocin because I know that changes the labor pains intensely and I was trying to labor on my own without interventions and without meds.
Thankfully, breaking my water worked!!! And, at 6:14 on Monday August 27th, Riley Mae Hannon was born!!! What a crazy ride birth is!!! You never know what to expect and let me tell you it is painful but staying calm really helps and breathing as well as staying on top of those contractions!!! I’m thankful I did not go for the epidural or needing more interventions. With my first baby I was induced and got an epidural and I think they gave me too much because I couldn’t feel anything and she was posterior and not coming out so I had to have a c-section. It was so painful to go through both pushing and a c-section with the first baby. Baby #2 was also posterior but she was smaller and came on her own so that helped. Miss Riley Mae was born the way she was supposed to with her head down and it’s a good thing because she was also our biggest baby. lol I couldn’t believe how big she was when they laid her on my chest. I tell you there is so much joy in that moment when they lay your baby on your chest for the first time. It’s funny because it’s such a surprise. I remember saying, “it’s a baby!!!!”
We love you baby girl!!!
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