Paislee Ruth’s Birth Story
Last week, we laid eyes on our sweet Paislee Ruth for the first time and I had no idea that in a matter of moments, the life that I already loved felt even more complete.
On the 27th, I was already scheduled to go to the hospital to be induced at 7 am. My OB didn’t want her cooking too long past her due date, because she was a pretty decent size already.
I woke up that morning at 1:30 am and started contracting. I had been having contractions for a couple of weeks before that, so I honestly wasn’t thinking too much of it. Then they started to get closer and closer together, and by about 3 I knew it was the real thing.
For about half an hour I contemplated waking Kyle up, and then at 3:30 he woke up on his own and asked how I was doing. I told him that my contractions were about 8 minutes apart.
I have never once seen him be fully awake like that in a matter of two seconds!
He hopped out of bed and started getting our stuff together to load in the car. All of our hospital bags were already packed, so he was able to get back pretty quick to help me time my contractions, and watch youtube videos with dogs meeting babies with me while we waited. The dogs did the best job of staying by my feet through all of it and watched the videos with us!
By 5 am the contractions were consistently 5 minutes apart, and they had been for a bit. I was wanting to hold out a bit because we were already scheduled at the hospital, but we ended up taking off at around 5:30.
The ride to the hospital was about 35 minutes, but it definitely felt much longer going over all the bumps the exact times that I was having contractions.
When we got to the hospital, we went right in and settled, and when they checked me I was 3cm. we continued on with the induction because it seemed like we were still very far out from this baby being born.
When my OB came in to check me, I was still 3cm at around 8:30. He then broke my water and that was probably the most painful thing during this whole process, with the contractions becoming way worse than they were before. At that point, I received the epidural and luckily it took really well and very quick.
At 10, I was around 5 cm and was told that typically they would like to see me progressing at about 1cm an hour, so I was ready to hang out and play the waiting game, and probably have the baby sometime closer to the evening.
I was able to nap for a bit and the next thing I knew I was being checked at noon with the doctor saying that it was time to push.
That was not at all what I was expecting to hear, and I looked at Kyle and said “No we aren’t!”
Well, we were. Kyle was able to be right there a part of it and hold one of my legs while I pushed. After 35 minutes of pushing and getting sick (which happened to be my best push to get her head out apparently), Paislee Ruth joined us in the outside world at 12:48 pm, weighing 8lbs 1oz, and 19.5 inches long.
When the nurse handed her up to me, so many tears could not stop flowing. My prayers for the last nine months had been answered with the sweetest, most beautiful, baby girl.
Since Then…
Since we have been home, things have been great. Kyle has been home with us which has been such a gift to figure out this baby thing together. Paislee lets us get right around 8 hours of sleep at night, and has been eating like a champ.
The hardest part of this whole thing has definitely been covid, mostly because it has made it harder for our loved ones to see her. We are doing the best to keep her safe and listening to what her pediatrician has to say, and we are so thankful for those who understand and support our decisions in wanting the best for our baby girl’s health.
I know that not everyone has birth stories that are easy, and I know that some people have stories that are traumatic. I am forever thankful that this was God’s perfect plan for us, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
