Birth Story

I always love reading about other people's experience with birthing a baby.  Well, not necessarily all the details, but it is fun for me to find out how other women have made it through.  So I thought I would share mine.

I went to the doctor last Thursday for my routine weekly checkup.  I did not feel very well.  Crampy and contracting but nothing that was out of the ordinary.  I sat down to get my blood pressure taken and a nurse said, "You are not your normal perky self.  Are you okay?"  I just commented that I did not feel real well and was hoping I was not getting the flu.  My husband and I then went in the room and waited for the doctor to come in.  I had a pretty decent contraction and leaned forward and my husband said, "Uh, Heather, look under you.  That does not look right."  I looked and saw a big wet spot.  I either had a loss of bladder control or my water had broke.  (I won't even tell you what my "humorous" husband said.  It involves sweating)  My husband went and got the nurse and she called the doctor in right away.  Yes, my husband had to share with them his opinion of what was on the table!  I was mortified to say the least!  The nurse thought it was hysterical to say the least!  She checked and it was amniotic fluid.  I was then wheeled to labor and delivery and began the rest of the process.

I was at 4 cm by the time I got there and contracting every 3 minutes.  With my other children my labor's are pretty quick once I get to 5 centimeters.  So I was thinking I had about 3-4 hours left.  HAH!  I have also had epidurals in the past but was wanting to do everything on my own this time.  It was now around 1:30 pm and the doctor said we needed to finish breaking my water because it was just leaking slowly and the risk for infection would increase if we did not get the baby out in adequate time.  Contractions continued.  Strong but bearable.  Then...they stopped!  I have never had that happen!  The one thing I did not want was pitocin!  They waited for about an hour to see if they would start up again and they did not.  So the doctor slowly administered the pitocin and the contractions started in again.  I stated at 6 cm for over 6 hours!  The rest was pretty much common labor!  Until...the nurse checked me at 11:30 pm and I was still at 6cm.  I was exhausted and sure I could not do it anymore!  (Yeah, like who else is going to do it!)  I then had 3 REALLY bad contractions and thinking I had 2 more hours of that left, I was a mess emotionally!  The third contraction did not stop!  I then began to realize, it was no longer a contraction but the baby trying to make it's way into the world fast with no nurse or doctor in the room!  I sent my husband to get somebody QUICK!  I then realized I was now in the room myself and the baby was coming!  I began to yell for help, (not really my normal self)  The nurse came in and pulled the sheet back and said, "OH MY!  Don't push!"  Oh Okay, I will be sure to do that!  IMPOSSIBLE!  The doctor showed up as the baby was crowning and 2 pushes and she was born at 11:40pm!  I DID IT!  Our sweet baby girl was here and although 4 weeks early, she was screaming and moving vigorously. 

Now, the rest of the story of the past week coming soon!  Just to let you know, 36 weekers can have some problems that can put a family on edge.