Ty's Birth Story

Ty Douglas Barnhart

October 16, 2007

6 lbs 11.5 oz

18 inches

It occured to me as I was writing Dallas' birth story that I should post Ty's birth story as well, so here it is.

My pregnancy with Ty (as well as with Dallas) was overall a very pleasant experience. I had no real morning sickness with either one. With Ty I had quite a bit of swelling in the last trimester and I began to develop preeclampsia at 38 weeks. I went for my regular doctor visit at 38 weeks and my blood pressure was 140/90. The doctor told me to go to labor and delivery to be monitored for a while. So, quite nervous, I called Justin who immediately came to the hospital from work. After an hour or so on the monitor and a blood draw my BP went down some so the doctor sent me home on limited bed rest. I had still been working up to this point, but was told that I was done working at this point. I thought I would be happy about that, but if there's one thing I learned that week it was that bedrest is BORING! I would have so much rather been at work. Anyway, after that long week was over I went back to the doctor on Monday for my 39 week visit, at which point my blood pressure was 150/100. The doctor said we were done messing around and that I was going to be induced. Soooo, I called Justin to come to the hospital and went straight to labor and delivery.

At this point I was not dilated at all so I was started on meds to ripen my cervix at about 1pm on Monday. A little while later they started some pitocin. It wasn't too long before I started having contractions every minute. Luckily, though, I couldn't feel them. I don't know why not. The nurses kept saying those should hurt, but they didn't. About once an hour someone would come in to draw my blood and check my reflexes (hyperreflexia is common in patients with preeclampsia). Eventually the decided to start some magnesium to help with my blood pressure. Man, is that some nasty stuff! I immediately began to feel out of breath and HOT as fire! Poor Justin was freezing for the next few days while I had fans blowing on me. Also, I wasn't allowed to have any food or water (except ice chips) so I was thirstier than I've ever been in my life. At least I can say I wasn't feeling labor pains on top of it.

Well, long story short, after a very long night of no sleep and no progress in labor the doctor said they were going to have to do a c-section. I have to say I've never been so relieved. I was so miserable laying in that bed all night not being able to sleep or even get comfortable. I wasn't even nervous about the surgery. I was just happy that there was finally an end in sight.

When we got back to the OR and they were doing my spinal I started to get a little nervous that I wouldn't be able to hold still for it. The numbing shots that they did hurt and it was hard not to move so I was nervous for the "big needle". When the doctor put it in I felt an "electric spark" sensation go down my right leg to the tip of my big toe, and it scared me and made me jump a little, but luckily everything turned out fine. They got everything ready and started the surgery. I thought they were going to forget to get Justin so I asked if anyone was going to get him and they said he was on his way. They seemed to be in a hurry to get Ty delivered, but Justin made it in plenty of time. I thought it was a bit strange that the doctor didn't talk at all during the surgery to say what they were doing so I only knew he had been born when he started to cry, which made me start to cry. I remember asking Justin if it was a boy (just to be sure) because nobody had said anything. They let me see him for a few seconds and then Ty and Justin left for the nursery. After that I remember the doctor saying to give me some more pitocin because I was really "Boggy" (whatever that means) and the anestesiologist asked me if I wanted something to sleep for a little bit, something for which I was more than grateful.

The next thing I remember was being back in my room and the nurse bringing Ty in for me to nurse him for the first time. And I've been smitten with him ever since....