Birth Announcement a week late

JessWhatINeeded · February 2014

Our stubborn/modest baby turned out to be a girl and I'm thrilled with her arrival.

Maren Rosella arrived at 2:24am on 2-21-14 weighing 6lb 13oz after a speedy labor & delivery that we almost didn't get.

Due to rising BP at my 40wk appt last Wednesday, we decided to induce Friday morning. I really didn't want to and had a chat with my uterus and baby to see if they could help.

Sure enough at 8:45pm last Thursday water broke. I totally heard that "popping" sound and knew it was on. Immediately contractions started and we headed to the hospital. I hadn't had enough to really time them yet. 3-7min apart and rapidly increasing in intensity.
Hospital at 9:30pm to be triaged.
I was 2cm at 10pm and admitted.
From 10-midnight the contractions continued to intensify to where I couldn't talk through them.
I asked to be checked at midnight. Was at 3cm. I expected to be closer and was worried and disappointed I would need the epidural much sooner than I planned. I said to let me try another hour. I lasted 15 min and called for the epidural.
He arrived to do that at 1am. I had the shakes so bad holding still was very difficult and he had to place the catheter twice. They rolled me into bed (I'd been standing or leaning on the counter) and the pain immediately shifted from my pubic area into my tailbone.
The Nusre checked then and I was 7cm! I knew my body was doing a lot over that hour waiting for anesthesia. Seemingly 15-20 minutes later I felt pain & pressure below and yelled for the nurse. I was 9.5cm now. the epidural definitely didnt block as much of the pain as I'd expected. I was told they aim for 50-80%.
I was complete by 2am, pushed for 20 minutes and our sweet little peanut came out, wide-eyed, alert, and perfect. She wasn't in the birth canal long enough to get a cone-head. The medical staff were surprised how fast we went considering I'm a FTM. Minimal 2nd degree tear that feels almost 100% better today.

The most unexpected thing was the shaking, almost convulsions I was having. My legs were vibrating and my jaw was clenching, teeth chattering and I couldn't stop it. Ended once she was born.

So happy with my labor experience.
And this cutie is worth it.