Famille Ruggles: Be Careful What You Wish For!

I should probably be sleeping right now, but the older kids are gone and the babe is sleeping, so I figured I’d document the happenings of this past week before I forget too much.

To preface this crazy story:

I have had 2 inductions in the past. I have always wanted to go into labor naturally, and have said that I would like to ‘someday’ MAYBE try natural childbirth, if the baby came fast and I couldn’t have an epidural.

With this baby I developed a condition called thrombocytopenia. It is essentially a low platelet count. I have never had this problem before, so they (the doctors) are not sure if it is due to my pregnancy or if I have just developed it. So to make a long story shorter because platelets are low there was a possibility I could not get an epidural (if the count was too low). That being said I really did not want Pitocin, if I could not also be assured I could have an epidural.

I went to my last doctor’s appointment and my doctor said I was very favorable so I could set an induction date, or I could schedule a non-stress test for a week later. So I set an induction for a week later, Wednesday, August 29^th at 7:00 am and prayed every day I wouldn’t last that long and that I would need to be induced.

THE STORY:

On Saturday morning at 4:00 am I woke up to go to the bathroom. I went back to bed and dozed off. At 4:30 I woke up again and felt like I had peed a tiny bit (like a teaspoon) in my pants. I was so confused and annoyed because I just gone to the bathroom. So I got up to go to the bathroom and change. I sat on the toilet, peed maybe a teaspoon stood up and my water broke all over the bathroom floor. I stood there so shocked and tried to convince myself that I had just peed a TON of clear fluid all over the floor. A few seconds later, I called to Marc and told him my water broke. I then hopped into the shower and waited for the contractions to start. They didn't start for a good 20 minutes and I wasn't in any hurry because they weren't too painful or close together. I called my Mom and told her to come over around 6:00. I started blow drying my hair and putting on makeup and that is when the contractions started. I remember thinking, "these hurt, I definitely want an epidural." So I called my Mom at 5:10 because the contractions were getting painful and closer together and told her she probably should get here sooner, "like 5:30". Marc was wandering aimlessly around the house, trying to get ready and changing his CPA exam test date. I called to him a few times so confused, "Marc, what are you doing?" I asked him to clean up the bathroom (my water) because every time I bent over to wipe it up more water would gush out and I was getting so annoyed. So Mom arrived around 5:30 and we left for the hospital. Marc sped all the way there and I kept telling him "don't speed, my contractions aren't that close together. Don't run any lights." I'm sure I was driving him crazy, but he was getting really scared that he would delivering the baby in the car. We arrived at the hospital at 5:50 and Marc sprinted in to get me a wheelchair. (I was having a contraction when we got there). So after the contraction was over, I walked in and Marc quickly arrived with the wheelchair. I still wasn't too worried that the baby would come too quick and the contractions weren't too painful. They wheeled me into my room (number 7) and I quickly changed into a gown. It wasn't until after I was changed into the gown that I started to worry. I told my nurse Stephanie after I had changed that they needed to do my blood work IMMEDIATELY to see if I could get an epidural.

She checked me and I was dilated to a 5. I then told Marc, you better take a picture now, because I don't think I'm going to want you to take anymore. See first picture. Over the next 20 minutes I went from a 5-10 and was in an enormous amount of pain. They started my IV maybe 10 minutes before delivering and did my blood work maybe 5 minutes before delivering. I have the worst veins so the fact that this was able to happen in between my contractions was a miracle. The nurses all left for a second and I yelled that I needed to push. They all came running in and after 3 pushes the little lady was here. The nurse delivered the baby and 20 minutes later the doctor arrived. I asked Marc the next day, "Where were you in the delivery room when the baby was born?" I was so out of it and in pain that I had no idea where he was.

During the second push, a super annoying nurse got in my face and asked, "what's the babies name?" in an effort to help me focus? I wanted to yell every expletive in the book at her.

THE READERS DIGEST VERSION:

water broke: 4:30

leave for the hospital: 5:30

arrive at hospital: 5:50

baby born: 6:25

My amazing nurse, Stephanie. She just happened to be my nurse and a nurse-practioner/midwife.

She weighed 8 lbs. 6 oz. and was 19 1/2 inches

Her first bath from the miniature nurse, Avery.

Her first check up from her doctor, Randall Hepworth.

She has a ton of DARK hair. Apparently that is what I looked like as a babe and everyone called me the indian baby.

VISITORS:

Auntie Kaisa and Great Uncle Gary (GUG) came to visit with the kids, but for some reason they aren't photographed. Kaisa took a ton of pictures with her camera, so I'm hoping they are just on her camera.