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My birth story
DS is one week old today!
We were set to have my water broken on Thursday, the 3rd. I had been walking around between 3-4 cm for a few weeks and was 80% effaced, but couldn't get into active labor. BP was climbing and the baby was estimated to be pretty big, so we were going to try to jump start things.
Weds. morning I woke up, and laid in bed to watch the morning news. I felt like I might be a little crampy, but nothing of note. I got up, walked into the hallway, and my water broke. It was just after 7am.
Called the on call doc, H and I took showers, got DD up and ready to go with my mom, and contractions started somewhere in there.
By 8:30, they were 3-4 mins apart and pretty strong. Since this was the day of the big blizzard, we headed out to the hospital. Got there just before 9 I would guess. Went through triage, and was admitted.
I asked when we first got there when it would be "too late" to get an epidural, as my OB wasn't there yet, and wouldn't be for a bit. The nurse said as long as I wasn't at 10 and ready to push, it wasn't too late.
On the way to my L&D room the contrax were getting very strong. Once we got there, all hell broke loose. As I was being wheeled into my room, the nurse told another nurse to get things set up as she thought I would go fast...I was 4cm at this point.
Then the contrax got VERY strong and started coming very fast. My OB arrived as I was pleading with someone to call anesthesia for my epidural. She said she'd already called.
Then I started having a ton of pressure - the nurse checked me and said it might be time to push. I started saying "NO! I can't do this! Not without an epidural! I can't!" And she and H were telling me that I could, that it would be fine, that I may not have a choice...
I had gone from 4 to 9.5 cm in under 20 minutes.
It was too late for an epi, but the anesthesiologist had come in, so they gave me an intrathecal (short term epi). Hallelujah! It allowed me to stop panicking and catch my breath. It was 11am.
My OB told me we were start pushing at 11:15 or so - she wanted him out before the intrathecal wore off. At 11:20 I started pushing.
At 11:51 he was delivered. However the intrathecal wore off just before he was crowning.
Mason Joseph was 9 lbs 1 oz at birth, and 21.5 inches long. DD was 7 lbs 9 oz. This delivery was definitely different than hers! With hers I was completely calm, quiet - this time I was screaming and yelling and just doing everything I could to get him out!
Only 2nd degree tear (as I had with DD). Recovery has been good- my worst pain was through my back and shoulders - I really wrenched them trying to get him out.
He is perfect. Mellow, easy going. Eating like a champ.
The new Maine Med birth center is great - we had a wonderful experience. I unfortunately didn't get to take advantage of any of the L&D ameninities because everything went so fast.
Here he is!
Re: My birth story
The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware; joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware. -Henry Miller
http://cookthehumbletable.blogspot.com/
Wow! Great story! I went from 0-6cm in under 2 hours and I thought that was fast
You are a champ.
He is absolutely beautiful!!!
Jake blowing out the candle at Katie's coming home party
Katie Belle
Kristen, Chad, Jake, Katie & Sadie the Wonderdog, est. 6/17/06
Wait a minute!!! You were there? Was I? Did I meet you? Did I suck?
Congratulations, he's absolutely adorable!