Birth Story Time! That means TMI and frank descriptions of female reproduction system processes. Proceed according to your own informed consent:-)
He's here: Baby Rory
For weeks I had been having my normal warm-up contractions 15-30 minutes apart all day, but no pain or progression. Tuesday night I was up in the night with contractions 5 minutes apart for about 3 hours, but they were not painful or progressing, so I knew it wasn't labor unless they went anywhere from there. All Thursday I was depressed, because I wasn't in labor, and I really wanted to pick the day I went into labor like my friend Anna did! Friday I went in for a regular checkup. My doctor checked my cervix because I'm curious to know what's going on. I was dilated to a 3, so my doctor tried to give me a little pep talk that he really didn't think I would be walking around at a 3 and make it to 42 weeks.
I woke up Sunday at 5:30 to go to the bathroom. I happened to look down after wiping and noticed the tissue was dark. I had to flip on a light because I don't bother turning on lights to pee in the middle of the night--especially when going 6 times a night while pregnant. It was some bloody show. This actually surprised me because I have never had any show with my previous labors. I tried to lay down but was having contractions about 7 minutes apart. And these ones were accompanied with definite crampy feelings down in the lower front of my belly. "Sweet" I said "labor contractions!"
I got in the bathtub to relax for a while in the quiet. I was thinking how great it was that I had gotten good sleep the night before so I could be rested and not be up all night with labor like I was for Wyatt's Birth. After about an hour Jonas and Owen woke up an came in to use the restroom. I had my back to them and didn't say anything because I didn't know if they would even notice me or not. --They did-- Jonas said, "Huh. That's weird--Mom's sleeping in the bathtub." Owen responded, "It's good for her." (Can you tell I've been getting my own way the last little bit of pregnancy and whatever I decide I want it's because "it's good for me"!?) I was up for about 2 more hours with the contractions. Then I went to relax on my bed. My three little boys were sitting on my bed with me and we were all talking. I was thinking how this was the end of my "three boys"-- pretty soon I would have four! Jeremy herded the crew out and I fell asleep around 8:30.
I woke up about 11:30 and the contractions were gone. Nothing. Back to the 20 minutes or so between with no crampiness at all. I was so frustrated. I had been telling Jeremy in the morning about how "show" was a really reliable sign of labor, and here I was, no longer in labor. We missed our church from 9-12 so after 12 the phone calls started coming in, all to Jeremy's phone--Is she in labor?! Did you have the baby?
"No, she thought she was, but not anymore. No baby."
DE-pressing!
Finally in the late afternoon we went for a family walk to see if we could try and get the contractions going again. They did start back up but stayed at 7 min, and weren't getting any more difficult. So about 11pm, pouting, I got ready for bed. After putzing around, by the time I was laying down in bed with the lights out it was 12:30am. Then I noticed the contractions were actually coming 5 min apart. I timed 4 of them about 6 minutes apart, then I fell asleep. At 1am (10 minutes later) a contraction hit me that got me out of bed. I labored through a handful of contractions and at 1:30 I got Jeremy up to whine at him. He asked if things were progressing, and I told him they were, he said he was calling the babysitter then. I didn't want him to because I'd only been in active labor a whole 30 minutes. I was stressed out about when to call someone and about going to the hospital for no reason--especially if labor was going to stop again.
After watching me labor through a few contractions Jeremy called the babysitter. I didn't think I was as far along as last time when I went to the hospital. So I made sure to have Jeremy tell labor and delivery I wanted a room with a whirlpool tub available when he called ahead. The babysitter came over and we finished packing and got in the car. We were about to pull out and I said, "Wait." A contraction was hitting me so I needed to stand up. I'd been laboring through them by leaning against a wall or door frame, (or car) with my head down, and swaying my hips through it. I didn't do that position at all during my last labor, but for this one it was just what came instinctually, and I did it the whole time. Then I buckled in and we started driving. I had one--super uncomfortable--contraction on the drive, and as soon as we arrived I got out for the next one.
We got checked in at the hospital (I think I've had the same room every time). When the nurse checked my dilation, she asked if I was thinking I wanted any anesthesia, and I said "Not necessarily. . . ", She said "Ok because you're at an 8 or 9 and really stretchy."
So much for the tub.
So then the Dr. broke my water, and I just labored. It was getting really intense at the end and I was telling the nurse I felt pressure and felt pushy. She kept checking me and saying I had just a little bit of cervix left to dilate. She left the room a number of times--I think she was trying to convince the doctor I was ready. But the last time she was gone my body just took over, and I started screaming and felt myself pushing, and then everyone came in running and "suiting up". I cried, "The Baby!" as in--The baby is coming, I just felt him move halfway down the birth canal, the rest of him is coming soon, so hopefully someone is going to get down there and catch him!"
As the nurse ran in she said, "OK we're going to have you push with the next contraction," (like I had a choice at that point! She was tying the doctor's gown and breaking down the bed. With the next contraction there was more yelling, and pushing by my body. The nurse said, "Give us one more good push and the head will be out." The funny thing was I was thinking, "Oh, I should push. Then this will be over." So that was my first "conscious" push, the prior two were just my body. "Now push the body out," she said And I birthed my baby.
He was born at 4:42am, 8 lbs 5 oz, 21 inches long.
They put him up on my belly and I said, "Oh, Baby!" He was so warm and squishy, and it is just amazing every time that one minute there are 5 people in a room and the next minute there are 6. And the process can't be reversed! A new little person is there, ready for life on the outside. We are so excited to have him here
Pictures!
That's my "Oooh Baby!" face.
We're all pretty excited for our new baby, and I am super happy to not be pregnant anymore!
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