James' birth story

BioGirl21 · January 2014

I was encouraged to create my own thread in the Shit Got Real one, so here it is! I went MIA after because I was trying to rest but it was pretty difficult. James Alexander was born early this morning at 12:10, just barely at 37w1d. He was 8lbs2ozs, no length because they haven't taken it yet.

I went to work at 6 pm on Saturday feeling perfectly fine. Someone dropped a candle container so I grabbed a broom and bent down to pick it up. When I stood up, I felt a huge gush and my pants were instantly soaked. I'm glad there wasn't anyone around! I rushed to the bathroom and called my supervisor to tell her I needed to leave, I think it's baby time! This was at 7 pm. I rushed around the apartment throwing thing in a bag since I had started it but was nowhere near done- I thought I still had time!

We got to the hospital around 8 pm. They got me hooked up and tested the fluid, which was definitely my water. I was having small contractions on the monitor but nothing I could feel. We got dinner and settled in for a long night. We tried to sleep but it was pretty hard. Around 2 or 3 I started feeling the contractions and around 11 they were starting to become unbearable. They checked me and I was at 3 cm and 80 percent. I asked for an epidural and they kicked into action, it was kind if amazing how fast they started getting everything ready for it. I had never planned a med-free birth and the epi was amazing.

I labored along and they checked me 4 and 8 hours later and both times I was at 5 cm so we started pitocin around 6pm. After a few hours I was starting to feel the contractions even through the epi. They checked me at 11 and I was at 8 cm and 100 percent. I had had a second bag that had formed they they had unsuccessful tried to break at each check, this time it broke when the doctor hardly touched it. 30 minutes later I was feeling rectal pressure and they epi was doing crap for the contractions. They checked me again and it was go time!

They had me push though the contractions instead of just letting him labor down. Pushing was one if the hardest things I have ever done. After probably 6 contractions my nurse told me to stop pushing because the baby was crowning and the doctor wasn't in the room! That was so hard, the urge to push was intense. The doc came in and I did probably 3 pushes and he pretty much came shooting out. I ended up with a second degree tear and something else I didn't hear them say. Stitching me up and massaging the uterus almost hurt more than the contractions earlier!

James has been doing awesome. I've breastfed 3 times so far and H is doing the first diaper change right now, which is quite amusing to watch.

Thank you everyone for the T&P and good luck in the other thread. It's been a crazy day and a half!