Baby Settler Blog
#RuthieRuths Birth Story
Hillary Sadler | April 20, 2020
Birth story’s are so intimate. Each one so different. I have each of my children’s stories written down in their baby books. The handwriting is almost illegible, and it is certain to be illegible to them since cursive is no longer a “thing”. I think it’s easy for us to imagine our perfect birth story and then be sorely disappointed when it doesn’t go as planned. We create this perfect story in our mind that we really have no control over. WHATSOEVER. I have seen it time and time again, and my heart hurts for those mama’s that miss out on their real birth story because they are so fixed on what they planned. But you know what? It doesn’t matter. At the end of the day (or delivery), you and that baby will continue your story. Your birth story is just your first story.
I went into the office for a non-stress test because I wasn’t feeling baby girl moving around as much as usual. {If you EVER have a FEELING that something is wrong. Or even just a fleeting thought. Call your OB!} We did an ultrasound to check on her, and she wasn’t moving. Her non-stress test didn’t look great either. So, at 38 weeks and 3 days, I was induced. It wasn’t my plan. I cried. To be honest, I didn’t want to labor that day. I knew I wanted to have another natural (unmedicated) delivery, but I just didn’t feel like it that day. I had driven myself to the OB office, and I was going to meet my hubby to take our two boys home after my office visit. Instead, I met up with them, gave my baby boys a kiss, cried, laughed, and drove myself to the hospital [after I got some chick-fil-a, duh!?] while my husband drove the boys to his parents. I checked in and we got the admission process rolling. Thankfully, the hospital felt like home. I worked there. The Labor and Delivery unit nurses were my people. My good friend was my labor nurse. I was surrounded by love and support. Once my husband got there, we got the ball rolling. The plan had been to start Pitocin, but my body had kicked into gear and I was contracting pretty frequently on my own. So, we walked. And walked. And walked. My doctor, and good friend, came and checked my cervix around 2:30pm and I was 6cm dilated. The contractions really weren’t that intense yet, and I KNEW what was coming…. she broke my water (AROM’d) and thats when it really started to get REAL. Walking, the birthing ball, distraction…. it all helped. Actually, our boys came to visit and they were riding the birthing ball like it was a wild bronco. Arm in the air and all. Laughter actually helps too! A few hours later, I was feeling pressure. My OB checked my cervix again. N.I.N.E. centimeters dilated. I still couldn’t push yet. Another good friend was coming on shift and taking over for my day shift nurse friend. She suggested I move to hands and knees position to help baby girl drop. It worked. What felt like minutes later, she was coming. I am not sure how long I pushed, but it felt fast. For me, pushing is the hardest part. Many women say it is easier than the contractions, but we are all different. One last push and Ruth was born into the world on June 13, 2018 at 19:23. I got to celebrate her birth with my husband and my day and night shift nurses. My husband said, “Of course you would deliver at change of shift!” {The husband of a staff nurse knows well about change of shift!}
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Hey, I’m Hillary. As a labor & delivery nurse, feeding specialist, and a mom of four, I have a lot of friends.
It’s funny. I may not hear from someone for actual decades, and then, when they hit about their third trimester, the texts start rolling in.
Honestly, I’m glad to be there for them; few moms have a qualified (and non-judgy!) friend in their corner.
I’d like to be in your corner, too.
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