Meredith Kate's birth story!

What an amazing experience I had!

I was scheduled for an induction due to high bp and protein in my urine. I was 40 weeks and 1 day. I arrived at the hospital 2 cm dilated and 80% effaced.

We got to the hospital at 8 am and Pitocin started at about 9 am. This stuff works!! I was having contractions about 2 to 3 min apart within a few hours. They came on gradual and it was not bad at all.

I wanted to do most of my laboring standing up and using the birthing ball. I did this for hours. I was planning on getting an epidural but wanted to wait until I REALLY needed it. I was concerned that it may slow things down. They ended up breaking my water to speed things up.

I was so lucky to have a room with a view of a golf course because as I was laboring on the birthing ball I looked out to the golf course and with some deep breathing I found it to be very relaxing.

Time seemed to fly by and with help from the pitocin and breaking my water I went from deep breathing through the uncomfortable contractions to being extremly uncomfortable and loosing focus during my contractions. The nurse checked me....I was at 8 CM and 100% effaced. I said, "Can I still get an epidural????"

While waiting for the epi I became 10 cm and needed to push so bad...I could not believe I just labored without drugs!! But the anesthesiologist was awesome, she was about my age and told me to take the epi!! I did. It helped me regain focus and strength to start pushing.

I pushed for two hours....I pushed on my back but the best was pushing from a seated position in bed hanging on to a bar that attaches to the bed. ANYTIME I could use gravity in my favor I did. EVEN with an epidural I could do this!! It was amazing!!!

6 hours of labor and 2 hours pushing Meredith Kate came into our world. It was the best!!! THE BEST!! I had amazing nurses and doctors and my DH was an amazing coach!!

Words of advice:
Labor if you can standing up/birthing ball.
Push using gravtity in your favor.
Breath DEEP! YOGA BREATHING!!!
Remember this is just one day....one day of your life and the experience is amazing!!

Take care ladies!!