Meet Arlo Ender Shryock! 8 pounds and 4 ounces. Original due date February 22nd, induced on the 21st at 3:00 am. 3:00 am?! Yup. And Here is our story!

We had been told most of our pregnancy that Arlo measured big. Usually was about 1 to 2 weeks ahead. Three weeks before our due date, we had an ultrasound that showed Arlo had a large head (nothing concerning his health-just a large noggin!). The doctor was concerned about a vaginal birth, so she recommended not going past my due date to decrease the risk of a possible C-section.

We decided on inducing the day before my due date. No big deal. He was our first. The sooner we got to meet him-the better! We go in at 2:45 am to check in. Get a room by 3:15 am. Get started on pitocin by about 4 am. Things are running smoothly. At about 11 am (we slept through the night, woke up at about 8 am), I’m having some pretty painful contractions about 1-3 minutes apart. My doctor breaks my water. I try to hold off on the epidural but end up asking for one by 12:30 pm.

At about 4 pm, I start to have some pretty painful pressure in my bottom. They check me-I’m only 6 cm dilated. They walk out 10 min later, I am in agony despite the epidural. I call my nurse back. They decide to check again, and I’m 9 cm dilated. It only took 10 minutes to go from a 6 to a 9! Now this was because they had me use a peanut ball in between my legs to help push him down further. That thing is magic, I tell you!

Well, at this point, my contractions start causing me so much pain again. They add a bit more to my epidural. This did nothing. I was still miserable and insisting on the fact that I feel like I need to push. They check me again-I can push!! We proceed to do this for an hour. I’m in tears. I feel like we are getting nowhere-and the pain is so bad at this point.

The doctor finally stops me. Checks the baby’s position again and tells me what I don’t want to hear-he hasn’t progressed down at all. I pushed for an hour (in agony) and got no where. I start bawling. We were told we could continue pushing for another hour, but my doctor is quite certain that Arlo is too large for me to deliver vaginally.

We opted for a C-Section. My husband was so nervous. This was not our original plan (obviously). Arlo’s heartbeat was totally normal. He was just planning on camping out and living inside of me forever. So because he was in such good shape-they didn’t need to rush us in. Everything goes smoothly. I did lose a little more blood than anticipated, but it wasn’t enough to cause a concern. Arlo’s cries were music to our ears, and my poor husband (who was afraid of losing the baby and I during all of this) was crying as well.

I ended up falling asleep for about 15 minutes while they cleaned him up and gave him medicine. As soon as I heard his cries in my husband’s arms next to me-I popped wide awake and immediately wanted to hold him. He is beautiful! I’m wide awake while my husband is sleeping. Arlo is currently in the nursery since I can’t get up and down on my own until tomorrow. I just wanted to share our birth story! Thanks so much for reading!!!!