We did it!
After having increasingly strong Braxton Hicks contractions for a few weeks, I didn't know it was for real at first. Labor began around 2:45 on Saturday afternoon. I sent Andrew out with his friends since I didn't know whether it was for real and I knew he'd be back in time if it was. I knew it was for real at around 9 pm so I took a bath and called him to come home, then called our doula. Kathy arrived at around 10:30. She sat with us through a couple of contractions, we went for a walk, and decided to try to get some sleep. Kathy went home. We called her to come back at around 2 am when it became perfectly clear that I wasn't going to get any sleep at all as the contractions got stronger, longer, and closer together at about 4 minutes apart. We headed for the hospital at about 3:30 and arrived around 4:00. That car ride was not fun. I was 7 cm when I was first checked. The nursing staff was excellent and already had the copy of my birth plan that my CNM had faxed to them. I got a hep lock instead of a full IV (though it took three people three tries each to get it in), nobody asked about medication, and I was allowed intermittent monitoring so I could move around. Surprisingly, I was happiest in the bed and in the chair. I thought for sure I'd be squatting all over the place.
I labored for several hours and thank God for my doula! She was amazing through the whole thing! I don't think I could have gone unmedicated without her. Andrew was a great coach, though a little woozy at times. He hadn't gotten any sleep for two nights thanks to work and stress. When they say "you'll know when it's real labor" they are NOT kidding! Since I labored at home for so long, it wasn't long before I was 9 cm and then ready to push. Pushing seemed to last forever and I felt like I'd hit the wall. The CNM offered to break the water but I told her to wait and my baby girl broke it soon after. There was meconium so I had to push in a semi-reclining position so the CNM could suction her as soon as her face appeared. I got to touch her head. I felt like I was making no progress and was in so much pain that I thought I might not be able to do it after all, but soon she was halfway out and I had to resist the urge to push her the rest of the way (impossible) while the CNM got her suctioned. Pretty much the only thing that didn't go perfectly was that I had to be cut and I tore, and I know my CNM does not take episiotomy lightly so it really had to be done. It is going to be a long time before I do all that again, but I would do it the same way again for sure.
Our precious little girl was born at 10:22 am on April 19. She weighs 8 lb., 13 oz. and is 21 inches long. She had to have some blood sugar tests because of her size, but everything is fine. She is absolutely beautiful. She loves to look at her daddy and she loves to lay on my chest. She hates to have her diaper changed and she hates to be moved if she's happy where she is. She's not too sure about nursing, but we're working on that. Her grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and of course her parents are all completely in love with this little one.
It took us until the end of her second day to name her. Samantha Elise is home with us now!
After having increasingly strong Braxton Hicks contractions for a few weeks, I didn't know it was for real at first. Labor began around 2:45 on Saturday afternoon. I sent Andrew out with his friends since I didn't know whether it was for real and I knew he'd be back in time if it was. I knew it was for real at around 9 pm so I took a bath and called him to come home, then called our doula. Kathy arrived at around 10:30. She sat with us through a couple of contractions, we went for a walk, and decided to try to get some sleep. Kathy went home. We called her to come back at around 2 am when it became perfectly clear that I wasn't going to get any sleep at all as the contractions got stronger, longer, and closer together at about 4 minutes apart. We headed for the hospital at about 3:30 and arrived around 4:00. That car ride was not fun. I was 7 cm when I was first checked. The nursing staff was excellent and already had the copy of my birth plan that my CNM had faxed to them. I got a hep lock instead of a full IV (though it took three people three tries each to get it in), nobody asked about medication, and I was allowed intermittent monitoring so I could move around. Surprisingly, I was happiest in the bed and in the chair. I thought for sure I'd be squatting all over the place.
I labored for several hours and thank God for my doula! She was amazing through the whole thing! I don't think I could have gone unmedicated without her. Andrew was a great coach, though a little woozy at times. He hadn't gotten any sleep for two nights thanks to work and stress. When they say "you'll know when it's real labor" they are NOT kidding! Since I labored at home for so long, it wasn't long before I was 9 cm and then ready to push. Pushing seemed to last forever and I felt like I'd hit the wall. The CNM offered to break the water but I told her to wait and my baby girl broke it soon after. There was meconium so I had to push in a semi-reclining position so the CNM could suction her as soon as her face appeared. I got to touch her head. I felt like I was making no progress and was in so much pain that I thought I might not be able to do it after all, but soon she was halfway out and I had to resist the urge to push her the rest of the way (impossible) while the CNM got her suctioned. Pretty much the only thing that didn't go perfectly was that I had to be cut and I tore, and I know my CNM does not take episiotomy lightly so it really had to be done. It is going to be a long time before I do all that again, but I would do it the same way again for sure.
Our precious little girl was born at 10:22 am on April 19. She weighs 8 lb., 13 oz. and is 21 inches long. She had to have some blood sugar tests because of her size, but everything is fine. She is absolutely beautiful. She loves to look at her daddy and she loves to lay on my chest. She hates to have her diaper changed and she hates to be moved if she's happy where she is. She's not too sure about nursing, but we're working on that. Her grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and of course her parents are all completely in love with this little one.
It took us until the end of her second day to name her. Samantha Elise is home with us now!
Yay! I'm so glad you got the experience you wanted from childbirth (minus the tearing and episiotomy of course) and have such a sweet little playmate for Carly to grow up with!
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