OnlyWomanInTheHouse
05-03-2008, 08:53 AM
Wednesday, April 30th, I went to see my OB for my last NST before my due date (May 7th). All day I had been "going" to the bathroom, though usually nothing came of my trips. While waiting to be seen I took two trips to the bathroom, and commented that I felt the need to go a third time to my OB. He jokingly asked if I was in labor. :giggle2: While listening to Owen on the monitor, he also asked if he could jar him a little in hope of an acceleration. When he did, Owen went crazy! I had a contraction right there, but thought nothing of it. We gathered our things to leave and I noticed I had a few more.
Next we went to the mall in hopes of buying some last minute baby/mama items. As we walked around the contractions kept happening! I was getting very excited. We shopped and when I felt tired we left. The car ride home brought some more, but to my disappointment when we arrived home and I rested they had stopped completely. I laid down and napped (well, tried to), and after dinner we went to WalMart to walk some more. No contractions happened though. I cried that I would never go into labor on my own, though Taylor quickly reassured me that it would happen in its own time. We went home after that and went to bed for the night.
At 6:00AM on May 1st I woke up needing to "poop". I went to the bathroom with no such luck. Got back in bed, then out of bed in 10 more minutes, then back in bed, and out again after another 10 minutes passed. At 6:30 I woke to the biggest contraction I had yet! I couldn't lay down anymore and got up to take a shower. Contractions continued in the shower, and were a consistent 5-6 minutes apart until 9:00AM.
I called my doula in good spirits and talked to her about how I was feeling. I didn't feel like I needed to go the hospital though, despite the contractions being so consistent. It just didn't feel like it was time. At 10:00 we loaded up the car and decided to walk around the Target near the hospital in hopes that we would leave from there. When I had had enough of walking I paged my OB, as I was still unsure that I was really in labor. The contractions just didn't live up to the picture that Western culture had painted in my head... I felt too good! He said that they didn't sound too strong and advised I go home, eat, and shower then call him in an hour if I was still unsure. So we did.
At 12:30PM, after doing what my OB advised, the contractions started to become much stronger! I was nervous to go, afraid that I would arrive only to be sent home. We arrived at 1:00 and made our way with doula in tow to triage to be checked out. I hopped on the monitors and they did a quick check, I was 2-3cm! :lostit: After listening to Owen for a while they told me to walk around and come back in an hour... so we left for Maggie Moo's (ice cream). The car ride brought much stronger rushes! I was wiggling and squirming, unsure of what to do with myself in the car. When we arrived at Maggie Moo's I was panting, trying to catch my breath! I commented to the young girl behind the counter when questioned about my breathing that I was in labor. I was met with a, "Not uh, SHUT UP! Are you really?" :giggle: We got our ice cream but left to go back right away as I was starting to feel like things were really progressing. I only ate a few bites.
We went back to triage at about 2:30 and things were really picking up. I was moving and squatting through the contractions, requesting cool rags, and vocalizing. I continued to let go and let my body lead the way. I kept my mouth open while breathing and just focused through, remembering that there is a beginning and end to every surge. They wont last forever! Keeping that in mind REALLY helped. I was checked again and I was a 6!
Taylor left at that point to bring our things in to the room reserved upstairs. When I got up there the pool was filling. Transition started and I lost all modesty. I drew the curtains and stripped down, hopping up on the bed to squat. My last internal check revealed I was an 8! My hard work was paying off! Finally at 4:50PM the pool was ready and I begging to get in. Withing 30 seconds of entering the relaxing water my waters broke! My emotions ran wild, I began to feel some panic with all of the pressure. I yelled, "I have to poop! He's coming!"
At 5:09PM, after 3 or 4 pushes, Owen Patrick was born! :wub: I yelled, "I did it! I had a baby!" and scooped him up from the nurse. We greeted each other there in the water, with Taylor right behind us steading me. I was on cloud nine, my second child and soon to be newest love affair was here. Owen weighed 8lbs 6oz and was 20.5in long.
THEN, my OB showed up! http://forums.llli.org/images/smilies/lol.gif He came in and exclaimed with a huge grin and thumbs up, "You did it! You did it!" We cut the cord and I passed baby off to dad as I was feeling a little unsteady in the deep water. I relaxed and waited for my body to expel the placenta. What a relief that was when it came out, almost as relieving as the baby. I finally felt "done." They held off cleaning and examining Owen until after I nursed him, and to give me time and ensure his temp didn't drop Taylor stripped his shirt off without a second thought to warm him with his body. I wrapped a towel between my legs and hopped in bed to spend time with my new son. We stayed there for well over an hour, just nursing and gazing at each other skin to skin.
The experience was amazing, I have never been through anything so personally rewarding. There are not enough words to express the joy and sense of accomplishment I feel about my birth experience. There were moments that I thought to myself, "Am I insane?!" but they passed quickly as each contraction ended. My spirits were up between contractions, and we joked and talked through out. It really was an amazing experience. I was induced with DS1, I can't believe I missed out on feeling such an awesome event! I will never have an epi ever again!
We are all home now and doing well. Nursing is not as easy as I had anticipated, I believe we are battling a shallow latch and I'm having trouble with positioning. I'm going to buy a My Breast Friend pillow tomorrow, I feel like a steady surface would really help. I'm also going to call my local leader and see if I can arrange a meeting with her sometime in the next few days. Physically I feel great! No major complaints other than an unrelated to birth cough, but I'm taking something for it. Oh, but the cramps! I forgot how bad they can be! :cry:
Almost none of his diapers fit him, and the GMD orange are almost too small. :banghead: He's been in Pampers, perhaps I can talk DF into some new dipes. :mrgreen:
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r47/ConnorHalley/Owen/b4796ac5.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r47/ConnorHalley/Owen/d1b75bd9.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r47/ConnorHalley/Owen/6333dd18.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r47/ConnorHalley/Owen/d6d085d8.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r47/ConnorHalley/Owen/fe2f2a1e.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r47/ConnorHalley/Owen/cce2ee38.jpg
Next we went to the mall in hopes of buying some last minute baby/mama items. As we walked around the contractions kept happening! I was getting very excited. We shopped and when I felt tired we left. The car ride home brought some more, but to my disappointment when we arrived home and I rested they had stopped completely. I laid down and napped (well, tried to), and after dinner we went to WalMart to walk some more. No contractions happened though. I cried that I would never go into labor on my own, though Taylor quickly reassured me that it would happen in its own time. We went home after that and went to bed for the night.
At 6:00AM on May 1st I woke up needing to "poop". I went to the bathroom with no such luck. Got back in bed, then out of bed in 10 more minutes, then back in bed, and out again after another 10 minutes passed. At 6:30 I woke to the biggest contraction I had yet! I couldn't lay down anymore and got up to take a shower. Contractions continued in the shower, and were a consistent 5-6 minutes apart until 9:00AM.
I called my doula in good spirits and talked to her about how I was feeling. I didn't feel like I needed to go the hospital though, despite the contractions being so consistent. It just didn't feel like it was time. At 10:00 we loaded up the car and decided to walk around the Target near the hospital in hopes that we would leave from there. When I had had enough of walking I paged my OB, as I was still unsure that I was really in labor. The contractions just didn't live up to the picture that Western culture had painted in my head... I felt too good! He said that they didn't sound too strong and advised I go home, eat, and shower then call him in an hour if I was still unsure. So we did.
At 12:30PM, after doing what my OB advised, the contractions started to become much stronger! I was nervous to go, afraid that I would arrive only to be sent home. We arrived at 1:00 and made our way with doula in tow to triage to be checked out. I hopped on the monitors and they did a quick check, I was 2-3cm! :lostit: After listening to Owen for a while they told me to walk around and come back in an hour... so we left for Maggie Moo's (ice cream). The car ride brought much stronger rushes! I was wiggling and squirming, unsure of what to do with myself in the car. When we arrived at Maggie Moo's I was panting, trying to catch my breath! I commented to the young girl behind the counter when questioned about my breathing that I was in labor. I was met with a, "Not uh, SHUT UP! Are you really?" :giggle: We got our ice cream but left to go back right away as I was starting to feel like things were really progressing. I only ate a few bites.
We went back to triage at about 2:30 and things were really picking up. I was moving and squatting through the contractions, requesting cool rags, and vocalizing. I continued to let go and let my body lead the way. I kept my mouth open while breathing and just focused through, remembering that there is a beginning and end to every surge. They wont last forever! Keeping that in mind REALLY helped. I was checked again and I was a 6!
Taylor left at that point to bring our things in to the room reserved upstairs. When I got up there the pool was filling. Transition started and I lost all modesty. I drew the curtains and stripped down, hopping up on the bed to squat. My last internal check revealed I was an 8! My hard work was paying off! Finally at 4:50PM the pool was ready and I begging to get in. Withing 30 seconds of entering the relaxing water my waters broke! My emotions ran wild, I began to feel some panic with all of the pressure. I yelled, "I have to poop! He's coming!"
At 5:09PM, after 3 or 4 pushes, Owen Patrick was born! :wub: I yelled, "I did it! I had a baby!" and scooped him up from the nurse. We greeted each other there in the water, with Taylor right behind us steading me. I was on cloud nine, my second child and soon to be newest love affair was here. Owen weighed 8lbs 6oz and was 20.5in long.
THEN, my OB showed up! http://forums.llli.org/images/smilies/lol.gif He came in and exclaimed with a huge grin and thumbs up, "You did it! You did it!" We cut the cord and I passed baby off to dad as I was feeling a little unsteady in the deep water. I relaxed and waited for my body to expel the placenta. What a relief that was when it came out, almost as relieving as the baby. I finally felt "done." They held off cleaning and examining Owen until after I nursed him, and to give me time and ensure his temp didn't drop Taylor stripped his shirt off without a second thought to warm him with his body. I wrapped a towel between my legs and hopped in bed to spend time with my new son. We stayed there for well over an hour, just nursing and gazing at each other skin to skin.
The experience was amazing, I have never been through anything so personally rewarding. There are not enough words to express the joy and sense of accomplishment I feel about my birth experience. There were moments that I thought to myself, "Am I insane?!" but they passed quickly as each contraction ended. My spirits were up between contractions, and we joked and talked through out. It really was an amazing experience. I was induced with DS1, I can't believe I missed out on feeling such an awesome event! I will never have an epi ever again!
We are all home now and doing well. Nursing is not as easy as I had anticipated, I believe we are battling a shallow latch and I'm having trouble with positioning. I'm going to buy a My Breast Friend pillow tomorrow, I feel like a steady surface would really help. I'm also going to call my local leader and see if I can arrange a meeting with her sometime in the next few days. Physically I feel great! No major complaints other than an unrelated to birth cough, but I'm taking something for it. Oh, but the cramps! I forgot how bad they can be! :cry:
Almost none of his diapers fit him, and the GMD orange are almost too small. :banghead: He's been in Pampers, perhaps I can talk DF into some new dipes. :mrgreen:
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r47/ConnorHalley/Owen/b4796ac5.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r47/ConnorHalley/Owen/d1b75bd9.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r47/ConnorHalley/Owen/6333dd18.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r47/ConnorHalley/Owen/d6d085d8.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r47/ConnorHalley/Owen/fe2f2a1e.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r47/ConnorHalley/Owen/cce2ee38.jpg
