Saturday started like any other weekend. DH and I were doing chores in the morning. Later we ran a couple of errands and I picked up my niece to babysit while my brother worked. We were going to take her up to Mt. Baldy, but decided to just go home because I was wearing flip-flops. As soon as we got home I started to put away some more baby clothes that I had run through the wash. Someone left the door open and the cat (who's not allowed in the nursery) came in and got under the guest bed. I started flipping out, screaming at Twinkie to get out, shaking the bed, getting pi$$ed that DH wasn't coming to help me. I got down on my knees to look under the bed and that's when my water broke. I couldn't believe it, I freaked out and started yelling out to DH that my water broke. My niece started crying and I tried to calm her down by telling her we had to go to the hospital because her baby cousin was on the way.
We got to the hospital at 6:30, with me still leaking water everywhere. When we got to L&D we were greeted at the door by a guy who had been in our birthing classes with his wife. She had delivered at 4:30 that day. I was admitted and immediately placed in a labor room and checked. I was 4cm, with no sign of ANY contractions. At 7:30 they started me on pitocin to induce contractions. By 10 the pain from contractions was unbearable so they called for my epi, and it was all better by 10:30. At midnight I was 6cm. The epi worked so well, I was able to fall asleep. We (DH, MIL, and me) woke up around 4:30 and I had Mommanurse check my progress...I was complete! They got me into a delivery room by 5 and tested my ability to push with the epi still going strong. I was able to push, even though I could not feel a darn thing below my waist.
It seemed like an eternity waiting for the ob to show up. It took about 15 minutes, but in the mean time I was anxious and overwhelmed. I was shaking uncontrollably, as if I were naked in the Arctic. I just couldn't believe the time was here.
I only had to do 2 sets of pushes before baby was out! I couldn't believe when DH said her head was out and then right away said "She's out, look! She's born!" I looked down and the doc was suctioning her out. Hearing her cry for the first time was the most surreal thing I have ever experienced. They laid Rachel on my chest and I just lost it. I cried and cried, I didn't even get to see DH cut the umbilical cord.
She weighed 6lbs 5oz, measured 18 inches. She is a tiny little thing. I had to buy her some preemie clothes yesterday so she would have something to wear (and even they're a little big)! I wanted more than anything for her to look like DH and my wish came true. When she came out, though, her nose was flat. MIL says I was probably fully dilated for a long time and being in the birth canal that long made it flat. It's now normal and I can see that she has his nose, even though he insists she has mine.
Anyway, I guess my labor experience was pretty ideal. No pain at all (after the epi), a quick delivery, and no complications. I imagined the worst, so I am very lucky.
Sher, you are going to have a great experience at SACH. ALL of the nursing staff were terrific (except for one who seemed a little condescending at times...no not Mommanurse!). I will definitely opt to have my next baby there. It was a wonderful experience!
Re: My labor story
What an ideal delivery! Congrats again mama!
I gotta agree with you, SACH was fabulous, as was their NICU!
Thanks for sharing! Glad to hear that everything went well.
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Thanks for sharing your story!! I am so glad to hear it all went well and mommy and baby are healthy. I am also glad to hear good things about SACH, that makes me feel better. Congrats!! Can't wait to see some pics!
That sounded like an awesome delivery.
And you are now?officially?on the IE mama;s list
YEAH!!!
2 Pushes is awesome!!
CONGRATS!!!
So glad to hear you had such a good experience! Did you tear at all? How are you feeling?
How is your niece? I bet that was pretty weird for her to be there when your water broke.
I didn't tear, I had a small episiotomy, which I didn't even know about until I asked MIL if had torn. The pain from it (and hemorrhoids---sorry TMI!
) was really bad until yesterday. Now I can actually sit down without the agony.
My niece was really good through the whole thing. She freaked out when I freaked out and calmed down once I did. We just kept reminding her that she was going to have a baby cousin real soon. I would rather she not have been there, but since she was, I hope she remembers it as a happy event and not a scary one.
When you started crying I was getting choked up! I seriously had to tell myself in my head "don't cry, don't cry!!"
I'm glad you had a great experience at SACH. I love working there!