I cannot express how relieved and happy I am to say that our son Ryder arrived early the morning of 3/2/11. I had posted about the amnio scheduled for next week, but it turned out to be a moot point. Tuesday night, 3/3/11, I started to do my late rounds of kick counts. I felt like his movement pattern had changed and he wasn't as active as he usually was for that time of night. I waited and prodded and drank cold apple juice, and although I did feel him move it wasn't as vigorous as I felt it should be.

I made the decision to drive myself to L&D (called my practice on the way there) and left my husband at home with our 4 1/2-year-old. Total deja vu, and not in a good way. Once at L&D around 11:15pm, they hooked me up right away, and we heard a steady heartbeat in the 140s. He started moving more vigorously, and after about 45 minutes, it sounded like they were ready to send me home. I was so happy no one made me feel stupid for going there for monitoring, given my history.

And then came a big decel that matched up with one of my braxton-hicks contractions. The nurses came in and told me that they were hooking up an IV and I was staying the night for observation. I called my husband, who dropped our son off at my in-laws' house, and came to the hospital. A while later, Ryder had another steep decel that took awhile for him to recover from. The team rushed in and put me on oxygen. At that point, the doctor came in to review the fetal monitoring strip. Again, based on the bad luck I had with Addison, it seemed like the prudent thing to go ahead and do the c-section. I was happy but also very nervous that it was too early. Once midnight struck, I was 36 weeks exactly. I figured that even if Ryder had to go to the NICU, I felt he was safer on the outside at this point.

Ryder was born screaming at 3:35am (I cannot think of a time I was more relieved than when we heard those cries) on 3/2/11, weighing in at 6lbs 13oz, 19" long. He went to the transitional nursery at first, but he was transferred to NICU about 5 hours later. He just needed a little extra help breathing. Long story short, he was on IV fluids only for the first 27 hours of his life. We started slow bottle feeds the morning of 3/3/11. I also attempted breast feeding, but it didn't go so well. They said he would likely need a feeding tube if he wasn't able to take in enough formula. I was told he would likely need a week in the NICU to get his feeds stable, which I was totally fine with. Frankly, a week in the NICU seemed like a tiny price to pay to get a healthy baby home. I pumped in my room and added the small bits of colostrum to the formula feeds, which we did at 3-hour intervals.

Ryder amazed the NICU staff and I was greeted this morning at the 9am feed with the surprise that Ryder had been cleared to leave the NICU. I couldn't believe that just 24 hours earlier they were considering putting in a feeding tube. His breathing issues had completely resolved and he was feeding like a champ, there was no reason to keep him. Today was definitely on my personal Top 5 list of best days of my life. The relief and joy that I felt was incredible. And we were finally able to have our son Calvin come to the hospital to meet his little brother. It's been an absolutely amazing day. My milk came in, Ryder is breastfeeding like a champ, and despite being on only IV fluids for the first 24+ hours of his life, he has only lost about 8oz of his weight.

I know my journey has only just begun, and that Ryder does not replace Addison. I realize this even more because of the feelings I still had today about her. The pain has not gone away, but I have been able to feel joy in a way I haven't felt in SUCH a long time. I am hoping for the same kind of outcome for all of the TTC and pregnant babyloss mommies.
Rebecca

Rebecca, congratulations. I visited Glow tonight feeling so sad and your post has made me hopeful that there are better months ahead. Wishing all of you long healthy lives!

Rebecca what wonderful news! I am so happy to hear that Ryder is out with you and doing so well. Welcome to Ryder, and peace to you and your family.

I just woke up super early and am crying tears of joy in my coffee reading your wonderful post. I am so glad that you trusted your gut and went to the hospital. And, of course, I am thrilled that Ryder is here with you!! Congratulations!!

Rebecca great news. Glad things are going well. Congrats to you and your family.

Congratulations and well done for listening to yourself when it didn't feel right. Happy it has all ended well.

Congratulations, Rebecca. I'm so happy for you and you family.

So happy for you, Rebecca. Your post brought tears to my eyes. It's very similar to the birth of my third son, Charlie. After the loss of our second son, Sam. So glad to hear all of you are safe and sound. Congratulations!

Take care.
Jenny

Congratulations, Rebecca and welcome to Ryder! What a wonderful post.

Congratulations and welcome to the world, Ryder!

Ah Rebecca - this is really beautiful news. And thank you for sharing your birth story with us. That is something I really need right now - to hear real birth stories from babyloss moms. I need the reassurance that it is possible - even if it doesn't go totally "to plan".

Thinking of you and your family - welcome to the world little Ryder. (lovely name!) And remembering little Addison always.

Great news Rebecca! Thanks for sharing it with us. So glad little Ryder's here safe and sound.

Rebecca, this is just wonderful news! Welcome to baby Ryder!

Great news and so glad you listened to your instincts and the doctors to you. xx

These are wonderful news! Congratulations! I am also so glad you heard your instincts and that everything turn out fine at the end. Thanks for sharing your birth story. It gave me hope.

Super news, Welcome baby Ryder, another brother for Addison. Congratulations.

Congratulations on the arrival of Ryder. I'm sorry to hear that you had a slightly bumpy start with the feeding / breathing issues but he's obviously doing brilliantly now.

Remembering Addison xo

I am grinning ear to ear. I am so pleased with your wonderful outcome.

Welcome, Ryder!

And yes, most definitely thinking of Addison as well.

So much love.

Such wonderful news Rebecca!! Thanks for sharing. Glad to hear Ryder's birth story. Hope you and he and your family are all doing well.

I'm so glad he's here and all is well. Congratulations and well done on your third child. Much love to you all xxx