Update: Introducing Maxwell Alston Sutter
Update: We’ve added a nursery overview.
Originally posted September 12th: Reality TV’s Ryan and Trista Sutter introduce their son Maxwell Alston, 7 weeks on Thursday, in the new issue of Us Weekly.
Bachelorette stars Trista, 34, and Ryan, who turns 33 on Friday, posed with their son — then 4 weeks — at their home in Colorado.
Click below for all the photos and interview highlights, as well as an overview of the nursery.
In her seventh month of pregnancy, Trista had been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, which was being controlled. However, on July 24, while just beginning her ninth month, Trista was "terribly nauseous and in a lot of pain,"which did not subside throughout the day, causing the couple to go tothe hospital, Vail Valley Medical Center. Worried, they told theirparents to come as well — Trista’s mom is in Denver; her dad andstepmom, St. Louis; and Ryan’s parents, Fort Collins, Colo. All of themmade it for the birth.
Having found protein in her urine, a symptom of preeclampsia, her OBtested Trista, finding elevated blood pressure as well as othersymptoms, and diagnosed her with HELLP syndrome. This occursin about 10% of women with preeclampsia or eclampsia, and includesearly breakdown of red blood cells, low platelet count, and elevatedliver enzymes. Severe cases of HELLP can be life-threatening to bothmother and baby. Trista explains,
The risks areseizures and coma, so they kept me overnight for observation. I can’tremember much of the next day. My liver was failing. The only cure forHELLP syndrome is to have the baby, so they induced me.
I was scared and shocked, but I was OK because I knew thehospital could handle a 36-week-old baby. While they were waiting formy cervix to dilate — I had contractions for six hours — my levelskept getting worse. I knew something was wrong when the doctor lookedworried.
(Max wears a ‘Property of’ onesie by Baby Candy ($19).)
Ryan recalls the difficult decision to change their birth plan and give consent for a C-section, after Trista continued to get worse over the course of the afternoon and evening.
Around8 p.m., they got the last round of test results and things weren’tgoing well. They said there was a chance her liver could rupture. Theywere trying to get us to make a comfortable decision to go with aC-section. Eventually we said if Trista’s health is deteriorating andwe’re jeopardizing the baby’s health, then do what you have to do.
Trista adds,
Itwas the scariest thing I’ve ever gone through, but it was scarier thatif the baby wasn’t out quickly, things could be bad for both of us.
(Announcement by Lehr & Black.)
Born four weeks early on July 26th, Max weighed in at 5 lbs, 3 oz and 18 inches long.
The birth, from Ryan’s side: Ryan was not allowed to be present for his son’s birth because Trista was put under, leaving him scared and feeling helpless.
I was worried, hearing the urgency in the doctor’s voices and seeing the activity. I assumed it was life-threatening, and that was tough. That prevents the release of joy you want to feel. When they put her under, I was rushed out. They allow fathers in the OR only if the mother is conscious. For 15 minutes, I sat in this big, empty room with things running through my head.I heard a baby scream and it seemed like it should be Max. I peeked through a window in the OR door. One of the nurses saw me, so I went in and they were cleaning Max off. I thought, ‘Wow, it’s a boy.’ I kind of hoped for that. [The couple had not found out the sex prior to the delivery.] I held him right away. I wanted Trista to be the first person to hold him and see him, but she was heavily sedated.
I felt good and bad: You have this baby in your arms, triggering one set of emotions, and then you have your wife on the operating table with 10 people sewing her up, and that’s another set.
The birth, from Trista’s side
: Because she was sedated, Trista missed some big first moments as a mom.
I don’t have that moment of them saying, ‘It’s a boy!’ And I didn’t hear him cry for the first time. I remember Ryan in the recovery room saying it was a boy, and then we talked about the name. I saw Max about three hours after he was born. I used to be a pediatric physical therapist and had worked in a neonatal ICU, so I had seen sick babies. I was scared but comforted that he was 36 weeks.
Max’s health: Max needed to stay in the hospital for 10 days because he wasn’t breastfeeding consistently. He was also put on oxygen as his lungs weren’t fully developed, Trista says.
But the doctors were encouraged by how well he was doing. He turned his head and looked my way, and I was ecstatic. He was perfect and alert, and it was such a relief. I remember saying ‘Max,’ and he looked right at me. I gave him my pinky and he was sucking on it.
I slept at the hospital, changing diapers, feeding him and really getting to know him. I had never changed a diaper or held a baby for so long before!
Pregnancy weight: Trista gained 30 lbs and says her post-pregnancy goal is "to be toned."
Max’s personality: "He’s mellow except when he’s hungry, then he gets grumpy like his dad. Right now, he’s breastfeeding every one to three hours."
During the shoot, Max cried, prompting Ryan to say,
You like to whine…just like your mom!
I skip the bad words, even though I don’t think he can understand.
On parenthood: Ryan says,
My favorite party of being a dad is watching Trista with Max. After all the hardship, seeing
her so rewarded is pretty special. I love to come home to see Trista and Max sleeping — he’ll be snuggled up next to her. I also love showing him off at the fire station and letting the guys get to know him.
I felt overwhelmed at first — we don’t have a nanny. Not getting a lot of sleep is definitely an adjustment, but Max is totally worth it. Even hearing him cry — not that it’s a good thing — but hearing a baby cry in my house, because we’ve wanted one for so long, it’s just great.
(Crib is the Casablanca premiere slat by Bratt Decor ($770). Custom bedding by New Arrivals Inc. Changing table is the Chelsea removable change tray in buttermilk by Bratt Decor ($132) Dresser is the Chelsea double dresser in buttermilk by Bratt Decor ($1738). Rocker from Angelsong.net ($1460) — their favorite place in the room, cuddled in the chair — nontoxic paint and an organic mattress by GreenNest.com. Mobile is Symphony-in-motion in farmyard animals by Tiny Love ($39). On the wall is a New Arrivals Inc blue polka dot footprint frame ($32). On the bureau is a New Arrivals Inc Blue Stars picture frame ($36). On the book case is a BébéSounds Portable Video and Sound Monitor ($148).)
He loves the mobile hanging over the bed…it plays Beethoven, Bach and Mozart.
(Pacifers by MyPacifier.com ($15 for 3).)
When Max is on his changing table he is always looking around.
(The brown booties on top of the dresser are Little Eda baby booties in carmel ($30). White sneakers in the drawer are Ralph Lauren Layette kids Bal Harbor hi ($35). Second cap from the bottom is Babystyle’s softest cap ($9).)
Of the neatly folded clothes, Trista says,
I was in severe nesting mode before he came!
We actually had a book shower…it was a wonderful idea from myfriend’s mom who was a schoolteacher.
Of the bunny on the shelf, Trista remarks,
That is thefirst present Ryan gave to Max. He was in an airport and brought itback for me when I was pregnant.
Source: Us Weekly, September 24 issue, pg 70-75; Baby Chic 101
Thanks to Trista for additional information.
Check out her new line of diaper bags (available October 8th) at TristaBaby.com.
I have watched your lives unfold from the very beginning of The Bachelor, and progress to Trista as The Bachelorette, and then, of course, the Wedding – all which happened between the births of my last two children. You have been a joy to follow and I wish you all the best. I’m so thrilled that you’ve found love and happiness! Many, many blessings to all three of you! 
