Zachary's Birth Story
Since Zachary’s birthday is one week away, I thought I would document his birth story.
I got pregnant in October 2003 at my second full cycle at SIRM. My first one in March had gone so well, we were shocked (even Dr. Sher) that it didn’t work. This cycle seemed doomed from the start. I didn’t produce many follicles, and one was measuring too large to stim one more day like Dr. Sher wanted me to. I met Michele (our first time face to face) at the office after finding out this information. She, being a veteran of IVF herself, was fully aware of how bleak my situation appeared. I had to pull myself together, and with Michele’s and my mother’s help I did. We had a great time chatting during lunch. In retrospect I know Michele must have been so uncomfortably pregnant, but she never gave the slightest indication.
When Dr. Sher came in to do the embryo transfer, he sweetly patted my head and said “We’re sending all kinds of prayers up for you tonight.” I was touched with his fatherly kindness. The embryologist came in for his consult and gently told me not to get my hopes up too much. Ryan and I left LV trying to be optimistic, but I had the blues. 2 weeks later I couldn’t take the wait or the dismal stress – I just wanted a Dr. Pepper. But, still holding out the tiniest hope, I didn’t want to consume any caffeine until I was sure I wasn’t pregnant. So I took a home pregnancy test, certain it would be negative and then I could just move on. I could not believe it when I saw the two lines indicating I was, in fact, pregnant. I fell to the floor in tears and shock, but I was elated. I immediately banished all thoughts of a syrupy, nasty soda! I was pregnant!
Since I had already been down this path once with my chemical pregnancy from the June cycle, I knew we still had a long road ahead of us. I waited to tell friends and family until after we saw a heartbeat at 7 weeks. Since I was pregnant through IVF, I could go back every week for an ultrasound to monitor the baby. I still have all those ultrasound photos. When I was 12 weeks we moved here to my dream house and I found a new OB.
After clearing the 1st trimester I was considered a normal pregnancy so I was put on the “normal” schedule of monthly visits. I was interested in natural childbirth using a labor doula, so I mentioned it to my OB. Dr. Ingram said he had no problem with me using a doula, and even recommended one he knew. I loved Dr. Ingram, he was wonderful every step of the way, and the doula he recommended, Kathy, became an integral part of both of my pregnancies.
As my pregnancy progressed, Ryan and I met with Kathy on a regular basis. I passed my glucose tolerance test with flying colors, my blood pressure was excellent, and I began to relax a little. I ate my way through my 2nd and 3rd trimesters, gaining a whopping 70 lbs. I took prenatal yoga twice a week and began belly dancing. It was heavenly. I had my fabulous new house, was making new friends, and Ryan and I were finally going to have a family. I was on the computer hourly updating and getting updates from my SIRM friends.
On Tuesday night, June 22, 2004 I began having what I thought were labor contractions. They came every 15 minutes or so all night. I quietly sat in my bed all night smiling and breathing through the contractions, they weren’t that intense. I thought that was the beginning. I called Kathy the next morning and she gave me the bad news – that was not labor! Wednesday was my due date, I knew it was going to happen soon. I was tired from not getting much sleep the night before, but I made myself get up and out. I knew my days of “freedom” would soon be over.
I went to yoga, then stopped by the grocery store to pick up something to cook for dinner. As I was pushing my grocery cart to the car I felt a strong contraction, it was 5:15 p.m. Whoa! Kathy had told me that a real contraction wouldn’t stop when I changed positions like a Braxton-Hix contraction does. This one didn’t stop. I went home feeling a little giddy. When I got home I went upstairs to rest in my bed and the contractions kept coming. This was getting exciting! I labored alone for a while, then called Ryan. He was playing golf and I was hoping he would be home soon. When he answered I told him he might want to come on home. I swear within 60 seconds he was home! This was around 6:30 p.m.
Ryan helped me relax between contractions, and timed them to the second for me. It was so cute how attentive and nervous he was. At some point we turned on the TV for distraction, and watched “Good Will Hunting” between contractions. Around 8:30 we called Kathy, she arrived just after 9:00. We labored at home for a while and headed to the hospital around 11:00 p.m. The nurses put me on a monitor to see if my labor was progressing, and snidely remarked I was only 1 cm dilated. Kathy looked at me and remarked how wonderful that my body was working so hard that I was already 1 cm! Her attitude helped me relax and just allow labor to progress. Through the night my labor progressed steadily. Ryan snoozed while he could, but Kathy was right at my bedside the whole night. At some point my water broke and things started happening a little faster. About 3:30 a.m. I felt the urge to push. I pushed hard, I did not want the baby to get stuck in the birth canal. I had come this whole time without an epidural and I didn’t want anything to go wrong now. At 4:15 a.m. I pushed so hard that Zachary literally popped out. There was a moment of stunned silence, then everyone jumped into action.
Zachary Ryan was born June 24, 2004 at 4:15 a.m. He was 6 lbs 5 oz and 20 ½ inches long. He was perfect and beautiful.
I can’t believe it’s been almost 5 years. What a joy and blessing he has been.
I got pregnant in October 2003 at my second full cycle at SIRM. My first one in March had gone so well, we were shocked (even Dr. Sher) that it didn’t work. This cycle seemed doomed from the start. I didn’t produce many follicles, and one was measuring too large to stim one more day like Dr. Sher wanted me to. I met Michele (our first time face to face) at the office after finding out this information. She, being a veteran of IVF herself, was fully aware of how bleak my situation appeared. I had to pull myself together, and with Michele’s and my mother’s help I did. We had a great time chatting during lunch. In retrospect I know Michele must have been so uncomfortably pregnant, but she never gave the slightest indication.
When Dr. Sher came in to do the embryo transfer, he sweetly patted my head and said “We’re sending all kinds of prayers up for you tonight.” I was touched with his fatherly kindness. The embryologist came in for his consult and gently told me not to get my hopes up too much. Ryan and I left LV trying to be optimistic, but I had the blues. 2 weeks later I couldn’t take the wait or the dismal stress – I just wanted a Dr. Pepper. But, still holding out the tiniest hope, I didn’t want to consume any caffeine until I was sure I wasn’t pregnant. So I took a home pregnancy test, certain it would be negative and then I could just move on. I could not believe it when I saw the two lines indicating I was, in fact, pregnant. I fell to the floor in tears and shock, but I was elated. I immediately banished all thoughts of a syrupy, nasty soda! I was pregnant!
Since I had already been down this path once with my chemical pregnancy from the June cycle, I knew we still had a long road ahead of us. I waited to tell friends and family until after we saw a heartbeat at 7 weeks. Since I was pregnant through IVF, I could go back every week for an ultrasound to monitor the baby. I still have all those ultrasound photos. When I was 12 weeks we moved here to my dream house and I found a new OB.
After clearing the 1st trimester I was considered a normal pregnancy so I was put on the “normal” schedule of monthly visits. I was interested in natural childbirth using a labor doula, so I mentioned it to my OB. Dr. Ingram said he had no problem with me using a doula, and even recommended one he knew. I loved Dr. Ingram, he was wonderful every step of the way, and the doula he recommended, Kathy, became an integral part of both of my pregnancies.
As my pregnancy progressed, Ryan and I met with Kathy on a regular basis. I passed my glucose tolerance test with flying colors, my blood pressure was excellent, and I began to relax a little. I ate my way through my 2nd and 3rd trimesters, gaining a whopping 70 lbs. I took prenatal yoga twice a week and began belly dancing. It was heavenly. I had my fabulous new house, was making new friends, and Ryan and I were finally going to have a family. I was on the computer hourly updating and getting updates from my SIRM friends.
On Tuesday night, June 22, 2004 I began having what I thought were labor contractions. They came every 15 minutes or so all night. I quietly sat in my bed all night smiling and breathing through the contractions, they weren’t that intense. I thought that was the beginning. I called Kathy the next morning and she gave me the bad news – that was not labor! Wednesday was my due date, I knew it was going to happen soon. I was tired from not getting much sleep the night before, but I made myself get up and out. I knew my days of “freedom” would soon be over.
I went to yoga, then stopped by the grocery store to pick up something to cook for dinner. As I was pushing my grocery cart to the car I felt a strong contraction, it was 5:15 p.m. Whoa! Kathy had told me that a real contraction wouldn’t stop when I changed positions like a Braxton-Hix contraction does. This one didn’t stop. I went home feeling a little giddy. When I got home I went upstairs to rest in my bed and the contractions kept coming. This was getting exciting! I labored alone for a while, then called Ryan. He was playing golf and I was hoping he would be home soon. When he answered I told him he might want to come on home. I swear within 60 seconds he was home! This was around 6:30 p.m.
Ryan helped me relax between contractions, and timed them to the second for me. It was so cute how attentive and nervous he was. At some point we turned on the TV for distraction, and watched “Good Will Hunting” between contractions. Around 8:30 we called Kathy, she arrived just after 9:00. We labored at home for a while and headed to the hospital around 11:00 p.m. The nurses put me on a monitor to see if my labor was progressing, and snidely remarked I was only 1 cm dilated. Kathy looked at me and remarked how wonderful that my body was working so hard that I was already 1 cm! Her attitude helped me relax and just allow labor to progress. Through the night my labor progressed steadily. Ryan snoozed while he could, but Kathy was right at my bedside the whole night. At some point my water broke and things started happening a little faster. About 3:30 a.m. I felt the urge to push. I pushed hard, I did not want the baby to get stuck in the birth canal. I had come this whole time without an epidural and I didn’t want anything to go wrong now. At 4:15 a.m. I pushed so hard that Zachary literally popped out. There was a moment of stunned silence, then everyone jumped into action.
Zachary Ryan was born June 24, 2004 at 4:15 a.m. He was 6 lbs 5 oz and 20 ½ inches long. He was perfect and beautiful.
I can’t believe it’s been almost 5 years. What a joy and blessing he has been.
posted by Melanie @ 8:30 PM
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