Here we are again, two years later and another birth story. I will start by saying this pregnancy was a lot like Annie's but I feel like the belly grew farther out and I was "feeling" ready a lot sooner than I did with her. The cramps, contractions, and pressure started a lot sooner. I started to experience labor signs around 38 weeks. Thursday, November 7th, I had about two hours of consistent every ten minute contractions, then I got tired and tried to go to sleep and when I woke they had stopped. bummer. I was feeling really ready at this point and all I could think about was having a baby. A day went by and I started to realize I might be pregnant forever...not really but I was ok- not anxious. Saturday, November 9th, same thing happens- two hours of consistent contractions and nothing. They had stopped. Again, feeling anxious but doing ok. Monday, November 11th I started having contractions around 5 p.m. every 5 minutes for the next 5 hours. I cooked dinner, cleaned up the house, watched Forest Gump and at around 9:30 decided to go to bed. Again, they stopped. I woke at 1:15 a.m. with contractions again- coming every minutes and with pressure I woke Ryan and had him call Jessica. Ryan instantly started getting the shakes and his stomach started cramping (which is what happened with Annie) I was kind of freaking out that it was going to be the same as with Annie. Him sick and out of control while I was trying to be in control. I tried to rest and then decided to go to living room where Jessica was sleeping and we tried different things to speed up the labor process...they stayed semi-consistent and around 4 a.m. I was tired and told Jessica I was going to try and sleep and see if they continued. They didn't, stopped again. I woke Tuesday morning extremely perturbed. I took Annie to Jump Start and went to walk the Mall. I walked for a good 30 minutes, went to work for a bit, went to TJ Max, Ross, Ulta, then home. I took a nap and went to get Annie and the girls (at Notre Dame) from school. Came home and tried to keep my mind off of having a baby. Ryan and I had decided to go to bed when Annie did at 8 p.m. He needed to catch up on rest since the night before had been rough and I knew I needed the sleep also. My body was heavy and exhausted. Jessica knew to be on call (she being my co-birth coach). I had already made a consious decision that if I went into labor again I was not going to wake up Ryan. I was going to try and do what I could on my own for as long as I could.
(The last 8 weeks or so of pregnancy I had been studying HypboBaby. I again, was trying to have a natural- no medicated birth. I loved the course material and felt really good about hypnosis and having a virtually pain free labor. The techniques I was learning were so great and helpful in letting me learn to relax. Relaxation was a major obstacle in Annie's birth. I lost control and couldn't get it back. This was something I was working on. Control. Relaxation. Positivity.)
1 a.m. and I felt a strong one. I was thinking- seriously, again! But I went with it. Each time I started and stopped labor the pressure within the contractions had been getting stronger. I knew something was happening. So at 1 a.m. they weren't comfortable. I got out of bed and went to living room. I had my water, a birthing ball, blanket (it was 22 degrees outside and our house was probably low 60's.), hypnobirthing cd's, and a few pillows. I tried to relax and not look at the clock. I didn't want to exhaust myself timing every one.
They came and went. The pressure came and went and got stronger but they were staying about 5 minutes apart. Same ol' thing. I was tired. My eyes were heavy and I wanted to go back to bed but I also really wanted to have a baby. At 4 a.m. I decided to take a bath. If they stayed- I was in labor. If they stopped- I was not. I got Ryan up and ask him to sit in the bathroom with me. (I figured he had rested enough and I was needing the company.) I got in and nothing. I just laid there and after about ten minutes I had one. I laid there some more. I had one more and decided to get out. I was convinced it was false labor, again. But then...I grabbed a hold of the sink and had to really concentrate through the contraction. I looked at Ryan and told him that one was strong and that he was going to have to talk me through them. Expecting it to be 5-10 minutes for the next one I started to walk to bedroom. Then had to grab the sink again and then again. I had no idea how fast they were coming but knew they were coming a heck of a lot faster than they were and the pressure was growing. At this point the bulk of the pressure was in my stomach and rear...I looked at him and told him to call Jessica and his Mom to come get Annie. It was time and I knew it. They came and Ryan helped me through them as he could. He was trying to gather the rest of our stuff. I was tired and needed someone to talk to me. He expressed that he thought they were coming every two minutes and some sooner. I WAS SO READY TO GO TO HOSPITAL!
Jessica and Tonya got here and I wasn't looking or talking to anyone. They loaded the stuff and we started to make our way out the door. 22 degrees and it felt great. I was burning up. I got in the back seat with Ryan and made our way to hospital. Curvy roads and strong contractions don't mix. I was hurting. I had already made a mental decision that I was probably going to get an epidural but I knew it was going to be awhile so I tried to stay focused and was very clear to Ryan that he HAD to talk me through them!! I might have yelled on the way to hospital. We get there, they try to wheel chair me and that wasn't happening. Sitting down was probably the worst position. I slowly made my way down the hall to a temp room and moaned and groaned (more like a low hum- anything to keep me calm/in control) my way to the bathroom to change. I got my clothes off but the pressure was so strong in my rear that I screamed for Ryan and told him it felt like I needed to push. He called for the nurse and she checked me and I was at a 4 1/2 and she told us that we would be getting admitted and would be in our labor and deliver room soon. I still did not feel a sense of relief. I hurt and was tired and I wanted there to be a calm within me. We got to labor and deliver, I made it through each contraction with Ryan's help while they ask you a million questions and while the nurses attempted to draw my blood and get iv hooked up. The first nurse tried twice and my veins kept collapsing. Second nurse came and tried in two more spots, same thing. I was trying to keep my cool but it was hard. The strong pressure waves is what kept me focused. The third nurse came in and was looking over my arms (I'll note that I've never had problems with getting iv or drawing blood- I have great veins. I didn't know what was going on) I ask if she felt like she could get one and she said she'd try. I had been stuck 4 times and wasn't going to be able to control myself much longer. I ask if she could use the vein in the crease of my right arm (which is not a usual spot for someone in labor because it limits mobility) she stuck me again and finally! I had an iv. It felt wrong from the beginning but I just went with it. I was getting my iv and once I had a full bag of fluid I was going to be able to have an epidural. About 1 1/2-2 hours later I got the epidural and was relieved. I could still feel ever contraction through the pressure in my rear. I knew this baby was sitting right there. It was uncomfortable and the nurse offered to turn up the medicine but I didn't want anymore- I didn't want to be completely drugged. I could breath through them and that was good with me.
Dr. Hurst came in around 8 a.m. and checked me, I was around a 6, and broke my water. Jessica, Ryan and I enjoyed the calm. The nurse came in and checked me in an 1- 1 1/2 hours and I was at an 8 and then around 10 a.m. she checked me and I was at 9.5 but my cervix wasn't complete so she had be turn on my left side. (I couldn't on my right side because of the iv) The left side was the side with the most pressure. It hurt. She said I would be like that for about 30-45 minutes and then she'd check me again. I lasted about 5 minutes and told Ryan and Jessica that I was uncomfortable and I could feel the head. I wasn't going to be able to lay like that much longer. We called the nurse and she checked me and I was at a 10! Thank goodness. She ask how long I pushed with Annie and I told her two hours. The look on her face was like " oh no, your one of those girls..." I was praying it wouldn't take that long- I told her I could feel the head and she agreed to let me push to see how things were going to go. I pushed with my next contraction and she said that she really didn't think I would be pushing for 2 hours- she left to call Dr. Hurst. I was told to lay there while we waited and that wasn't cool. I felt the babies head RIGHT THERE and laid...I lasted probably 10-20 minutes and then she came in and we pushed one more time. Dr. Hurst got there, they got everything ready- legs up and with the next contraction I pushed hard, there was a lot of pressure and I was ready for it to be gone! I pushed again and I could feel relief- the head was out! The next contraction came and with lots of support from the room I pushed hard again and there was our baby GIRL!! I instantly started crying. I was in shock. I just knew I was having a boy and it was cool to have that surprise! That is why we waited!! I pushed again and placenta was out! I was done! It's amazing how that pressure in my rear was finally gone. Labor lasted 10 hours (not counting the days before) and it couldn't have been better! Jane was so precious and I was so happy to have her in my arms! It was perfect! She came in at 7.5 oz and 20.5 inches long. Born at 11:03 a.m.
Ryan's version will be coming soon. He has been busy and this has been written for over a week so I thought I would share. We would like to thank everyone for their prayers! We are doing good! Jane had her two week appointment a couple days ago and she weighs 7 Ib. 13 oz. so gaining weight like a champ!
