Ryan Jesse Coffman

Well our little boy decided to suprise us by coming a few weeks early. I will tell you the story...

It all started on Tuesday the 23rd of June when I went to my very first doctor visit in Indiana. She checked me and told me I was about 2 cm. I had been having small contractions since the drive from Utah, but nothing too uncomfortable. Then on Thursday the contractions started to get slightly painful. Around noon they were about 10 minutes about and made me squirm a little each time they happened. Nothing was making them stop. I tried lots of water, taking a nap, walking around... nothing. Well two of my sister in laws were staying at my mother in laws house that night so we decided to watch Confessions of a Shopaholic. By then it was around 7pm and the contractions were starting to hurt more. Jesse was working at a fair in Lagro. It is about 15-20 minutes from my in laws house. And he wasn't going to be home until 11pm.

The contractions were hurting and regular enough that I decided to call (page) the doctor. She told me 8-10 minutes apart was not close enough, but if they got closer that I should go to the hospital. Then Jesse came home. I remember telling him that I had no idea how to even get to the hospital. Him and Andrew gave me a blessing around 1am and I went downstairs to try and sleep. By that point each contraction was making me have to lean over. I had heard that a shower could help with contractions so I decided to take one... I was in there for so long I ran out of hot water. It relieved the pain a little. And gave Jesse a chance to sleep.

We finally made the decision to go to the hospital at 2:45 in the morning. When the contractions were 4 minutes apart and almost unbareable. It was the longest 20 minute drive I have ever been on! And as we got close to the hospital the road was blocked off. Luckily there was a contruction worker there and we asked him how to get to the hospital. He told us and then said "is she going to be alright?" Jesse replied with I think so. We got to about 2 blocks from the hospital when I demanded that Jesse let me out of the car. He said "we are almost there", but I kept insisting. He stopped at the stop sign and as soon as I got out, I threw up. I apologize to that person's grass. Then we made it to the hospital.

The nurse that admitted me looked very familiar. Turns out I taught her girls gymnastics last summer. It was nice to see a familiar face though. She told me that they were going to watch me. And that they were not going to do anything to help or stop my labor. Ahhh! and I was then restricted to ice chips. (but after throwing up I didn't want anything anyway). Well... turns out I was progressing. Around 6am I was 6cm. And very very ready for pain medicine. I wasn't very sure about using it at first, but by then I hadn't slept yet and was exhausted. I decided to walk to the delivery room and I had like 3 contractions during the 10 foot walk. The epidural was a little scary, but it allowed me to get a little sleep.

8am... I was 8cm and they broke my water. And it was time to push. I must be a terrible pusher because it took me like 3 hours. I was so tired... they kept telling me to find the strength from deep down or something like that, but I really had nothing left. That and the contractions were still hurting even with the epidural. At 11:14 am on June 26th 2009 Ryan with four pushes in a row slide out of me.

He was bright eyed from the moment he was born. He also had quite the cone head from being in the birth canal for so long. Ryan weighed 5 lbs 5 ounces when he was born and was 19.5 inches long. We stayed in the hospital for two nights. Jesse went to work on Saturday. He was so tired and preocuppied that he messed up customer orders multiple times. And when Jesse was coming back to the hospital he forgot everything that he was suppose to bring. He didn't make it very far and came back for it. He even brought me some flowers (with a suggestion from his mom).

Ryan, Jesse and I are doing well. Ryan is a little jaundiced, but it is enough that the doctors are worried. He has been on a biliblanket for about two weeks and the bilirubin number has dropped significantly. The number is still worrying my doctor, so tomorrow my mother in law and I are making the journey down to Indianapolis to see a pediatric hemotologist at Riley Children's hospital. We may also return there to see an endocrinologist because Ryan's thyriod tested high. Other than the blood problems Ryan is a thriving little boy. He has quite the attitude and when he gets to angry he forgets to breathe. He loves looking around and being held. He is better at nursing than I am and will not nurse until he is properly latched on. If he feels the nipple is not far enough in his mouth he spits it out and tries again. He hate diaper changes and have is arms restricted. But all in all he is a very good baby. This is a really long post. Whew. Hope you got through all of it.

Ryan after his first bath at home... very angry