Ryder's Birth and NICU Experience

My water broke about 630 am on Saturday November 19th, so we grabbed some things and headed up to Cedar City to go to the hospital ( i never switched OB's after college so we were delivering in cedar and not Saint George).  Once at the hospital i was started on Pitocin to get labor going.  I labored for a couple hours and was feeling pretty good with contractions about every two minutes apart.  The nurse came in to check me at about 1230 to see if i was any more dialated and i started gushing blood.  All of a sudden Ryder's heart rate couldnt be found.  They first thought that my placenta had separated from the uterine wall so they rushed me back for an emergency c section.  I hadnt had an epidural or anything while i was in labor, so they knocked me out for the c section since they didnt have enough time to do a spinal. Taylor was left alone in the hospital room and i cant imagine how he felt. Ryder was born at 1255 pm at 5lbs 8 oz and 17 in long. During my c section they found that Ryder's umbilical cord had separared from the placenta.  The blood that i had been gushing was his and not mine.  As soon as he was born he was given an immediate blood transfusion, and the doctor began working on him since he had lost so much blood.  We are so blessed that Dr. Newbold was in Cedar City that day.  He was only in Cedar for a friends baby circumcision. Just by chance he was there and saved Ryders life.  My OB said that without Newbold, Ryder would have passed away.  After his blood transfusion Ryder was Life Flighted by helicopter to the NICU in St George.  I didnt get to hold, touch, or see Ryder up close until Sunday evening when I was released from the Cedar hospital. 

 Before his Flight to Saint George

 In the NICU with all his tubes, Ivs, and Ventilators

 Getting to touch him for the first time

 With his ventilator still  in

 Getting to hold him for the first time

 It was so scary seeing him hooked up to all the monitors and equipment

 They were able to take his ventilator out Monday morning, and he started breathing on his own.  From there he just excelled and only got better and better.  Monday night he was still being fed through his feeding tube but on Tuesday i got to start breastfeeding. Tuesday they were able to take out his PIK line in his arm and they took out his feeding tube later that night. I stayed at the hospital Tuesday and Wednesday night so i could feed him.  We were able to leave the hospital on Thanksgiving Thursday with Ryder!!

 No more ventilator!

 Tay holding him for the first time

 Still had the feeding tube in!

 The nurses decorate the door of each babies room in the NICU

 No more tubes, wires, or IVS!

 Last night in the hospital

 At home finally!

 1st bath at home

 1st family pic at home

I just want to thank everyone who was there for us that week and  for those who prayed.  Prayer is so powerful and im certain they helped him.  Im so grateful to the doctors,nurses, and Heavenly Father for getting Ryder home  safe to us.  He is the absolute best thing  that has ever happened to Taylor and I.