Birth Story

cheerbuddyloves · February 2011

Ethan was due Valentine's Day. As we all saw, he didn't come Monday. I had a doctor's appointment and she had me set an induction date. She thought Ethan was a nice size. Around 7 or 7.5. I set the date for February 28. (The latest she would let me go)

Tuesday came and still no baby. It was amusing to my students that I showed up. They were very confused. Apparently to them babies have to stick to the due date. That evening, on my way to homegroup, I stopped by Sonic and got a corn dog and jalapeno poppers. Yummy.

I was exhausted so I went to bed pretty early. Around midnight I woke up to pee and saw Jason wasn't in bed. I figured I tossed and turned so he tried for one good night sleep in the guest bedroom. At 1:00 I woke up and felt a squirt in my pants. Eeeh, I totally knew my water broke. I got up and looked for Jason. He wasn't in the bedroom or bathroom. I found him watching TV in the living room. I was soo sad for him. I told him I wish he would have gotten sleep because now he is going to be super exhausted because well, my water broke. He got ready, took a shower, packed and I took a shower and packed as well. I was very antsy about our bedroom not being vacuumed. I wanted it clean for Ethan when he arrived because he would be sleeping in the playyard in our bedroom. So we were all packed and ready to go while Jason stopped to vacuum. Then we were ready.

We got to the hospital around 2:15 and I started getting "cramps." I groaned to Jason, "Oh man the Jalapeno poppers are turning on me. I got serious cramps. I need to poop I think." We checked in and got settled. I was told I was dilated to a four at 4:00 AM. I didn't realize that meant I could get an epidural. I sat with Jason in labor and delivery while these "cramps" kept getting on my nerves. I told Jason how stupid I was to eat something that hurts my tummy. He helped me go back and forth to the bathroom because I kept thinking I had to poo. We watched my contraction monitor and it kept saying I had contractions but I didn't feel them. All I felt was the "cramps." After a while I realized that the "cramps" were contractions. I just didn't realize it.

When I realized I could get rid of the contractions, I called for an epidural around 5:25. Wow! Who knew you could feel so great. They checked me and I was a 5.
Jason and I tried to get as much rest as we possibly could. We were exhausted. We woke up around 7:30 and I was told I was a 9.5. I couldn't believe how quick everything was going. I was going to meet my baby soon!

At 9:30 our nurse told us we were fully dilated. She had us try a practice push when the doctor came in. She checked me and told me to stop pushing because I was only an 8?!

We slept some more and by now I am hungry, tired, and dehydrated. I snuck a lollipop and Jason got the nurse to give me a Popsicle. All I could have were ice chips and they just weren't cutting it. At around noon they announced I was indeed fully dialated and I started pushing at 12:15. I thought this would be a breeze and was very excited about delivering. Each contraction I pushed for ten seconds three times. The doctor commented that my contractions were pretty long and I could go four times if I wanted. I did that and then decided I could go three times but longer. I was hard core. I stayed at that pace for a while.

After hour 2 of pushing I was slowing down. I kept praying out loud and quoting scripture but I was getting discouraged. My doctor, nurse, and Jason were great cheerleaders, but I really needed a prayer warrior in there so I called my mom in and they brought in another nurse. My mom sat in the corner praying and I was able to push another hour. During the contractions I tugged on a sheet with the other nurse through the contractions trying to push and pull to get him out quick. The nurse was impressed that after three hours of pushing I was still able to have that much strength and energy. I told her it was because after every push the doctor told me that this was it. Almost there. Just a little more. And I believed her every time. I think the doctor got worried because she called in the NICU nurses and had them on standby. Once they came in, I called them my lucky charms because NOW this baby was coming out! Praise the Lord when he came through I was so excited!