Rhames Family: October 2013

Bryn was due on Sug 14th, her cousin Eirann's bday, but she decided to cook a little longer in the overn. Harper was also born after his due date, but he was induced. This time I wanted to stay away from an induction if possible, mainly because I didn't want pitocin. I was also pretty nervous about the whole pushing part, since it took over 2 hours to push Harper out and he was only 7.1 lbs. 2 days before my due date at my dr appt, I was checked and 4 cm dilated and 90% effaced so the baby could have potentially come anytime, though women can walk around like that for weeks. My aunt Casey came down that weekend hoping I would go into labor so she could be here for the birth, but sadly baby didn't make an appearance:( She had to get back to Reno since as a judge she can't miss very much work.

Mon, Aug 19th I had another doctor appointment in the morning. As we headed out the door I did a last min set up for Harper's things and my hospital bag just in case we didn't come back. When the dr checked, he said well you are 100% effaced and dilated to a 5 and your bag of water is bulging (TMI warning-meaning it is hanging down and out and that it could rupture at any moment). He said "Cathleen, walk over to the hospital (behind the office), I'm going to call ahead and they will be waiting. I'll break you water and we are going to have this baby before 5 (it was after around 1030 at this point). Brendan, go take your son home and come back and I will break her water." So, I headed over to the hospital and checked-in, they kept asking if I wanted a wheelchair because they couldn't believe I was dilated to a 5 and walking around. I didn't even wait in triage since my doctor had already had me assigned to a room in the new delivery wing! The room was super nice. My nurse Lindsey came in and started everything going with an iv and heart monitors. Dr. came in at 1130 and broke my water, my contractions were then about 5 min apart. I got my epidural at 1245 (thank goodness, the pain was too much-props to those who go natural), I was dilated to a 6 at 1:15 and then I dilated to a 10 by 220 and we had to wait a little for doctor to get there to start pushing. Bryn was born at 3:17 pm, much faster than Harper and she weighed over a pound more! I almost had a retained placenta again but finally it came out, so glad because my recovery went so much smoother this time around.

On a side note, since no one caught Harper's tongue-tie until 5 days after he was born(and he ended up having to go to Valley Children's Hospital due to dehydration), I was super paranoid and asked the ped who checked her, all the nurses and the lactation consultants and even stayed an extra night so I would have peace of mind that she was healthy and could breasfeed properly. Everyone said she was fine, no sign of tongue-tie, but I wasn't convinced until I could see our pediatrician, but that wouldn't be until the following Mon, per the checking out pediatrician's orders. Long story short she was tongue-tied, but in the posterior position, so it just made her not efficient at bf, unlike Harper who couldn't at all before they cut his frenulum. She had the procedure done as well and it went quickly. Tongue-tie is a hereditary condition usually and the second sibling is 25% likely to have it as well. I am tongue-tied as well, but back then they just diagnosed me with failure to thrive and made my mom supplement with formula (tongue-tied babies can take bottles fine).

Harpernese:
"I don't want to hold the baby, she's fragile."
"The baby doesn't talk, I will teach her."