Sydnei's Grand Entrance

It was a series of events that brought Sydnei into this world faster than anyone anticipated. Monday morning, June 23rd, I went to a Non-Stress Test appointment so that they could monitor the baby. I was there a little over an hour and every 5 minutes the nurse would come in and shake her head ever so slightly as she reviewed the monitor printout. I asked her at one point if the baby's heartbeat was going down each time I contracted and she said, "yes, and it's concerning." After a little more monitoring they decided to do a quick ultrasound to check the level of amniotic fluid, which was found to be lower than normal. A call to my doctor to report the results (since he was waiting for me to show up at my 40-week appointment in clinic) resulted in the decision to induce me. Dr. Wagar said, "it's time for that baby to come out." I, of course, happily agreed...not only because I was dying to deliver but because I didn't want Sydnei to be under distress longer than was necessary.

I picked up Ryan from his office elsewhere on campus and then headed to Labor and Delivery. It was about 12:30pm and going to be awhile before anything got going. Ry headed home to get my bag (everything else--the car seat and diaper bag were already in the car). In the meantime he left me his mac book pro, Layla, so that I could entertain myself.

Me and my favorite hippo, Hip-to-Be, my brother gave him to me when I was little and he has been my favorite ever since

Ryan hanging out in the delivery room

The Pitocin drip didn't get started until LATE afternoon and even then it was a SLOW drip. My body was already going into labor naturally without the extra help so they didn't deem it necessary to load me up with the pitocin. By the evening, I was content with an epidural and ready for showtime. The only problem was my body wasn't progressing. I looked at the resident doctor, Dr. Burlone at around 10:00pm and said, "if you just break my water, things will start happening...promise!"

.Drs. Burlone and Jensen, the Rock Star Delivery Docs

About 30 minutes or so later she came in and said, "okay, let's do it...we're breaking the water" and so they did. Dr. Jensen, the attending physician (and might I add a dream of a doctor), came in to check on things and estimated delivery sometime between 2-5am the 24th--my actual due date. While explaining the potential progress of things, I looked at him and said, "I NEED more epidural medication or I'm just going to PUSH this baby out NOW!!!!" He checked me again, and I had gone from a 4 to complete in less than 45 minutes. It actually startled me because I could feel her making her way through the birth canal. Two big pushes later and Sydnei came flying into the world...screaming with open arms--all 6lbs, 90zs of her!!! Needless to say, we were all relieved that she was finally here and have been in love ever since.

Sydnei Nicole Staley

Born, Monday, June 23, 2008 at 11:35pm
Weighed 6lbs, 90z, Measured 19 1/4 inches long
(note that at her weight check 4 days later they measured her and she was 21 inches long, we figure she wasn't totally stretched out when measured right after birth)

WE LOVE YOU, SYDNEI!!!