this is for me, really
i mean, i can't imagine my boys coming to me
asking for the story of their birth
but because each of their birth days have been the most precious of my life
i want to get some of the details down now, while i still have a little memory left
happy 9th birthday, biggest boy
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I started having what the doctor called latent labor around 36 weeks.
I had been to the hospital once for false labor.
I had contractions on and off for weeks.
Sometimes they were 3-5 minutes apart and would last for hours before petering out.
I lost my mucus plug, and was having show for days before true labor began.
I was past the hopeful phase (maybe today will be the day),
past the angry phase (this baby is NEVER coming out),
and was settled into the resigned phase (whatever, I don't care anymore).
I was 38.5 weeks when I went to bed on August 24th.
Just as I was drifting off to sleep, I felt a strange thump near my pelvis.
I was thrust into full blown, hard labor.
I was having intense contractions, coming every 2 minutes and lasting about 90 seconds.
Once I was certain that they weren't letting up, I called my doctor.
She assured me that I had time, this was my first baby,
and that it was "impossible" that my contractions were that close.
I could hardly talk to her as my contractions were so close, and so intense.
She advised me to stay at home as long as I could stand it,
and then head to the hospital.
After some time in the shower, I reached my limit and we headed to the hospital.
Once we got there, I couldn't even walk because of the pain,
and because I was shaking so badly.
We got into a room, and I was only 2cm.
I got back into the shower--the hot water helped me relax during my contractions.
After 40 minutes, I was checked again, and had progressed to 4cm.
At this point my contractions/pain went up another notch, and I was still shaking violently.
I started feeling pressure, but didn't think baby--
just thought I had to use the bathroom.
I got an epidural,
and then had the thought to tell my nurse about the pressure I had been feeling.
She checked me again, and amazingly,
I had gone from 4-10cm in about 20 minutes.
I was complete and ready to push!
Mark wasn't in the room at this point--
he was calling our families to let them know that I was at 4cm,
and not to rush--he got a surprise when he walked back in!
Since the doctor thought i would be in labor all day, she was still at home.
I had to wait a bit for her to arrive.
Once she did, I started pushing, and pushing, and pushing.
At one point David's heartbeat was lost.
I'll never forget the look on the faces of the doctor and nurse--
they stopped in their tracks,
and began throwing me on my sides trying to find the heartbeat.
I felt sick to my stomach, and truly thought we had lost him.
After throwing up (from fear), my blood pressure came back up--
and his heart rate came up too.
It was right at this time that our families arrived.
They were told they had to stay out of the room, which of course freaked them out.
After a bit more pushing (the longest part of my labor, it had been about 2 1/2 hours)
the doctor decided that she needed to use the vacuum to deliver him--
ASAP as his heart rate was very high.
I was terrified.
All of the sudden there were several nurses in the room,
a big machine, a tray with all kinds of instruments and such.
The doctor didn't explain anything...
in fact when Mark asked if there were risks in using the vacuum,
she looked at him and said, "of course, there are risks with everything".
Within minutes, there was a nurse on my bed pushing on my stomach as hard as she could,
while I pushed, and the doctor pulled with the vacuum.
I had no idea it was going to be so violent.
After a few contractions, he was out.
His head had been turned, and he couldn't get under my pelvic bone.
Thankfully besides having a major cone head, he was perfect.
I was pretty torn up, but SO happy to have him in my arms.
My firstborn, a perfect baby boy.
David was born on my golden birthday, as he loves to remind me.
Yes, he was the perfect 25th birthday present.
And he came so quickly (pushing aside) that I was able to spend the whole day with him!!
