Birth Story (With all the gory (juicy) details

You may or may not want to read this one...but I wanted to post it to make sure it didn't get lost.

I couldn't believe how different my labor was with him. It was like I
was in labor for a couple of days... it wasn't that the contractions
were painful yet, just strong and fairly regular. Sat morning I woke
up feeling like things were going to happen that day. So we went to
the grocery store etc. About 3 pm I told Delilas on the phone that I
thought I was going to have him that night. By about 5 pm they were
about 4-5 mins apart but still not painful. That was the strange part.
So after dinner, James and I went for a walk. They kept up, and
started getting stronger, but I would have a good one, and then a
couple of weak ones, and then nothing, and then they would start back
up again. My instincts told me I was in labor, but since with both the
girls, I felt the contractions strong and painful and regular....then
went to the hospital and had them, I wasn't quite sure what to make of
it.
So about 8 pm I called my Dr and gave him the heads up (since it was
new years eve)- he said to go ahead on over, and so we drove accross
the street, (if it wasn't up a big hill and freezing outside we would
have walked!) to the hospital. I was still walking through most of
them fine. We went upstairs and there was only one other mom on the
floor, she had delivered earlier that day. They hooked me up to the
monitor and said yes for sure I was in labor, but I was only dialated
to about a 3 or 4. That was not encouraging. We walked around and
tried to keep busy. I bounced on the birthing ball...but then my hips
started to cramp and hurt, we watched a movie....nothing seemed to
help the time. A little after 9:30 my Dr came in. He checked me and
broke my water...everything got soaked. He said I was almost to a 5,
which an hour later the nurse said I was still only a 4...go figure.
James was hoping we would have him before 12 for the tax break, but my
contractions still weren't that painful so I could tell we had a ways
to go.
About 11:30 I got into the shower, and they had started to become
stronger. I was still trying to walk and move through them, but I was
so tired, and my body was so sore. Around 12:30 I was in good labor.
The problem was, it had taken so long to get there, that I was really
tired. Tired of standing, kneeling everything. I just wanted to go to
sleep. Meanwhile, another mom came in, just about the same stage of
labor I was in. A little later, a new mom came in, and they were sure
she was going to be a while. Since this is kind of a small town
hospital, my Dr was the only one on call, and there were 2 nurses.
They later got someone else to come in, but we were mostly alone
because of it. In fact, they wanted to give me a saline drip, or at
least start the IV in my hand. I asked them if we could wait until
just before transition...they agreed and then forgot bec. they were so
busy. So I never got one at all!! When things were really bad, I was
so exhausted I was falling asleep sitting up in between contractions.
I don't think we were even timing. James had helped me with pressure
points for a good portion of it, but then not even that helped.
Then when the Dr heard me really yell and James said, "oh wow, he
really moved down that time" he and the nurse rushed in and broke the
bed down and then coached me through the next two pushes and he was
out. He came out with so much fluid that it splattered everywhere!
And, he was totally clean except for his hair. His big head had been
blocking the amniotic fluid from leaking and so even though my water
had broken, I think all of the fluid that had been replenished stayed
in. My Dr. did just as I asked and no episiotamy...only one small
tear- one stitch worth. He didn't even numb me for it...since the poke
with the needle was about all the stitching would be. I felt his head
pop through and thought the rest would slide out but it took a second
push to get his shoulders through....
He was beautiful with a ton of blonde hair and so pink and plump. I
couldn't hold him for a while though because I had the shakes so
badly. At least James washed him up and they weighed him etc. all in
my room where I could watch. When the adrenaline finally calmed down
after about 10 mins I got to hold him. To be honest, I didn't want to
hold him any sooner than that. I just physically couldn't- I was
really tired. And it wasn't until around 4 that we started thinking
about going to sleep. He nursed well...Other than not being so
exhausted for the labor, things couldn't have gone any better. Now I
just need to figure in a nap somewhere. At one week, he was back up
to birth weight, and now, at 2 1/2 weeks he looks so big. Babies are
such a blessing but they sure are a lot of work!