Ryan Lesi’s Birth Story

So if you’ve following along with my pregnancy this time you know Ryan was a little stubborn. Ha. She decided that fashionably late was more her style and finally arrived at 40 weeks, one day. Now I realize one day late isn’t that late BUT considering how early my first two arrived, we were all definitely surprised.

At 39 weeks I decided to have a little fun and do all the myths about starting labor. I walked, I ate pineapple, had an inducer pizza, dined on spicy Thai food, drank date smoothies, had sex, “curb” walked.. and nothing. Ha.

A few days later I tried to go the relaxation route. Bubble baths, face masks, solo shopping spree, favorite foods, ending with a night watching The Holiday. Still nothing.

I had a sweep my obgyns for the first time when I was 39 weeks too. Nada. I even ended up having to be squeezed in for a 40 week appointment because no one thought I needed to schedule one. We did another sweep and that finally got things rolling.

Now to be real- I don’t think anything really works unless you’re about to go into labor. So would I have gone into labor without the 40 week sweep? I think most likely, yes.

The morning of the 23rd I woke up feeling a little extra crampy than normal. Throughout the morning I began having some Braxton Hicks contractions and as the day progressed I started feeling them more in my tailbone. I’ve NEVER had the start of labor be contractions. Every time before my water has just spontaneously broken with no warning so I wasn’t exactly sure if I was having contractions or not. Especially since I was feeling them in my tailbone area this time. By around lunch time I decided that yes, I did think they were actually contractions and maybe baby was just in a weird position so that’s why they were more focused on my tailbone. I started timing them and we decided once we put the kids down to nap we would head to the hospital to see what was up.

We got officially checked in and in our room at 2:20pm and I was already 7cm. The doctor came in and asked if there was anything I needed and then pretty much said I was free to do what I wanted. I never get an epidural which worked out good because they said it was probably too late anyways.

She also did mention she could break my water if I wanted her to, and honestly I wasn’t really sure! I had never been in that situation before so I opted to try to labor on my own first and see if it would break.

Guys- the tailbone contractions were REAL. Like during the peak of one it felt like I had broke my tailbone and then the pain would just linger there in between contractions which was pretty annoying ha. After about an hour and a half I decided to have them break my water so I called the doctor back in. Although the contractions were still manageable at that point I still almost felt the urge to push. When the doctor came in she said I may be 10 cm just with an intact water and that’s why I was feeling so much pressure.

about 30 minutes before Ryan made her debut

She checked me, said I was only 8cm and then broke my water. The tailbone pressure immediately lessened. Now guys I kid you not this is exactly what happened next.

So the doctor broke my water then said, “just let me know when you feel ready to push and I’ll come back.” She left the room, I got up and told Chappy I wanted to pee before my next contraction. As soon as I stepped one foot off the bed I was immediately hit with the most intense, I’M PUSHING OUT THIS BABY RIGHT NOW, contraction. So Chappy immediately left the room at called everyone back in.

I felt really awkward because they had literally just said I was only 8cm so I started to second guess myself but my doctor didn’t even check me again and said to trust my body! So she let me start pushing and a few minutes later Ryan Lesi Garner was born!

4:19 pm, 8 lbs 8 oz, 20 inches long.

Much smaller than the majority of you thought too! I mean, Kennedy was an even 9lbs and early so who would’ve thought sis would come later and lighter.

Overall though labor was pretty much all I could ask for out of having a baby! Nice and quick! I only received a first degree tear this time, (compared to the second degree ones I got during both previous deliveries,) and was up and moving shortly after delivery.