kareik01 birth story!

kareik01 · August 2014

Short version - Lily Emerson was born Sunday August 17th at 5:41am and weighing 6lbs 7 oz and 18.5 inches long!

Long version: I woke up right at 2 am on Sunday with more severe back cramps than i had had yet. I was sleeping in the nursery in the rocking chair so I waited through a couple contractions to see if they were going to continue. They did so I went to our bedroom and used my phone to time a couple. They were about 6-7 minutes apart so I woke DH and told him.
As soon as I told him they went immediately down to 2-3 minutes. They were intense enough that I had to focus my way through them. He called the hospital (remember we are an hour and 15 minutes from our hospital) and explained the contractions and that I was 3 cm at my appointment 2 weeks ago. They told me to take a shower and then make our way there if they were still consistent. Took a 10 minute shower while DH kept timing, then decided we'd better get going.
We got to the first stop light down from our house and a contraction was followed by my water breaking! That made the intensity of the contractions much higher and I could no longer just concentrate through them. Tried to do my breathing but occasionally broke and yelled/wimpered. DH was fantastic helping remind me to breath!
So after a LONG drive where I kept telling DH to speed up, we get to the hospital. In the ER they ask how far apart contractions are and they immediately got me moving when I said 2 minutes. They ran me up to L&D.
They asked me to give a urine sample, but as soon as I got my clothes off, I had a huge gush of blood and such all over the floor so they said NVM and got me in a gown and in bed. I had been asking repeatedly for an epidural so they called itin. Then the nurse checked me and said I was already at 8 and I couldn't have the epidural because I was nearly ready to go! I begged for something in the IV at least but she said they couldn't because it would make both me and baby sleepy at that point and they didn't want that. So my dream for all-natural suddenly became frighteningly real! 10 minutes later the doctor was there and the nurse told him to go change immediately. He came back and I said I needed to push not long after.
He coachedeme through a couple small pushes, then instructed me to push for real with the next contraction.
It took about 8 contractions and 3 pushes per contraction. I felt EVERYTHING. it's slightly surreal feeling her head as it moved down the birth canal. I felt her as she started crowning so I felt her with my hand as she started coming out. I pushed her head out and felt myself tear so it took my breath away and I couldn't give another push for the contraction, but doctor instructed me to just give a small push. DH said enough of her arm was out that the doctor hooked a finger through her underarm and helped the rest of her slide out.
DH did so amazing helping me and I am so thankful I was able to have my natural delivery! If it had been longer than the 3.5 hours labor was, I definitely wouldn't have.
I had the tears, one on each side and one down the middle. For such a small baby I guess I'm lucky she wasn't bigger because it would have been even worse!
Being a mom is so amazing and I feel so inadequate for this beautiful little girl! We struggled with breastfeeding at first but she's gotten better and is eating like a champ as I do this!

Edit: I do have to kind of brag! I apparently have fantastic family genes because I look like I wad never pregnant! I look like I have an extra 5 pounds in my tummy and that's it. So pleased that my body is responding so well