Birth stories, two years later

DCKate · December 2014

I thought it might be fun to share our birth stories again, now that we are about to celebrate second birthdays!

spainy17 · December 2014

I went in for my due date check and they were going to strip my membranes. My OB says, "Ummm you have to be open a fingertip to strip and you aren't even that." I cried, haha!

So i was convinved that I was going to have to be induced the next week.

DH and I had plans the next night to watch the Packers play with friends at a little townie bar(Saturday). At 4am Saturday morning I woke up to contractions. They were sporadic on and off throughout the day. I went to a massage at 3pm and they got stronger after that but I knew it would take a while so i showered and got ready to meet hubby. I even put eyeliner on, ha!

By the time we were leaving to go meet friends I was contracting fairly regularly but i could easily talk through them. I called the hospital and they said not to come in until 4 min apart for an hour so we went to meet friends anyway! I literally watched the whole first half of the game contracting and counting them using an app on my phone. Once they started to get more regular I felt like I should walk around so DH and I headed home to do real labor there. I labored at home until 9pm and then we drove to the hospital (in the city where I work).

I got checked and was only at a 1! They said to walk around for an hour and then they would check and see if I could stay. Well I lost my mucus plug on the walk and was in major back labor by the time we got back. I was only a 2 but since we lived far away they kept me, thank God, because something was already not right. The nurse commented that i looked "like I was in transition" but only a 2.

I was shaking like crazy and the contractions were super intense and I needed Fentanyl to keep it together. By 130 am I was only a 3 but they gave me an epidural and started pitocin so see if they could get me to dilate more. My epidural was a rock star and we got to rest.

Well by 0500 we called family and I was a only a 4. My contractions were off the charts but I thankfully didn't feel them. I was starting to get a fever and the MDs started asking whether I had had leaking at home. They thought I had chorio (where you get an infection from your water breaking days earlier and you not knowing it). They did some labs. By noon or 1 everyone was there and not much was progressing.

They gave me two more hours and ramped up the pitocin. I remember the nurses face when she checked me and said I was basically swelling back shut. My heart rate was 140 and my fever was over 102. I had been in labor for 36 hours. The MD came in and asked if I had ever had surgery on my cervix (nope). He said we should do a C section and that the baby might need to go to the NICU. I cried.

We went and the c section went well, DD was born at 4:10pm. We used my epidural since it had been rock solid. I shook a lot afterwards but felt no pain during. DD came out so fat and pink that they immediately determined that she didn't need NICU. I needed IV antibitoics but otherwise was ok. She was posterior (hence the fun back labor) and my cervix never opened right so that's why my next one would have to be a RCS. Despite the chaos I really had a good experience. I got to go into labor naturally and labor a lot at home which I wanted. My epidural was amazing and the docs knew when to make the call so that both she and I came through ok without any emergency cutting. Just thankful for modern medicine.

martha919 · December 2014

So I'm sitting here crying because I love birth stories, lol. Yay! Anyway, my turn....

I was 40w2d and I woke up at 6:30am thinking, "ugh, I have cramps...must be getting my period" haha. Then it hit me. I showered and went back to bed and slept between them for about an hour, then told DH I was having contractions.

He stayed home from work and we cleaned, did laundry, and packed bags. By 2pm it looked like it was time to call the hospital--they were super annoying and asked stupid questions to determine how far along I was (is she visibly distressed? Wtf?). I wanted to go for a walk so we went to the Starbucks across the street. Came home, went to the hospital.

I wanted to punch the nurse in the face because she was also asking me stupid questions (how long have you wanted to rip your husband's face off? Um...just check me already?) She checked me and then wouldn't tell me how dilated I was!!! DH was piiiiisssed. She left and came back and told me I was 7cm and that she didn't like to tell moms right away because they freak out. I'm like dude, you NOT telling me freaked me out way more.

They broke my water and suddenly the contractions were insane. Cue amazing epidural. I pushed for 2 hours and when she came out I said, "She's a girl, right? Is she okay?" She was fat and beautiful. :-)

So, 16hrs, not bad. I'd do it again. ;-)

littleheaven · December 2014

i was near 38 weeks, and my bp was high, so i kept going for the nst's and stuff...and then the dr wanted me to do one more 24 hour pee collection since i had spilled some protein....it was dec 19th and i had an appt at the mfm but first i came to my job to get some stuff since i wasn't sure when i'd be back, went to the mfm...and things were the way they had been...i lived like an hour from the dr and the hosp where i would deliver (my ob had an office near our house, but didn't deliver in that hospital near us) so my sister suggested we just hang out at the mall near by in case they decide to want to deliver that day...so we're at the mall, in old navy, in the kid's section, and the dr called saying that it looked like i was very close to pre-e and she talked it over with the mfm dr, and really, how much is going to change in a week (the next week was christmas, and for some reason 2 years ago when we were all due is when they decided it was bad to deliver a baby before 39 weeks) so she said "how about tomorrow?" so i was all sure! and called dh and was like "so, we're doing this thing tomorrow, ok?" it was planned on being a c-section because of the pre-e/high bp and the fact that she was frank breach....so my sister and i scrambled to find cute little christmas outfits for the baby since my original due date was jan 2....so that night i ate some pasta, since i figured it would be the most filling....dh went to work because only his immediate boss and co workers knew we were expected- but none knew it was a scheduled c section...so he said to call him at around 10...i forgot, he texted me and said "call!" so i did and it was like this (as deadpan as you can imagine) "omg lou, my water broke, hurry up, i think i'm in labor, omg" and on the other end i hear this (totally opposite of deadpan) "OMG!! WHAT??? YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE IT NOW!!! I'LL BE RIGHT HOME!"

so he gets home, changes and we drive the hour down to the hospital....get me all prepped...my sister pops in, my parents pop in, my ils....i was really scared...i had never been in the hospital for anything..never had any surgery, never had an iv nothing...it was all new to me...so they finally wheel me into the room, tell me to sit on this narrow table and they start to give me the spinal...my entire right side is on FIRE and i'm screaming and crying and meanwhile dh is sitting outside the room...and the guy keeps trying with the spinal and i'm screaming for lou and crying and i could just picture him bursting into the room ready to beat the crap out of this guy...and each time a nurse came into the room they said "your husband says he loves you very much" and i kept saying bring him in here...so after about half an hour and the most insane pain i've ever felt, he got the spinal to work....(btw the nurses were so amazing at helping and trying to calm me down...even the baby nurse that was in there) so finally lou got to come in...and the anesthesiologist kept saying i have a curve in my spine and remember next time an inch to the left and he kept going on and on and on (which is a good thing we make fun of it, so now i remember for this next one on the way) and the dr was like you'll feel some pressure, and the guy kept going on and then waved some tupperware in my face saying when it's all done he's got the good stuff....and then all of a sudden the dr was like "well, do you want to know what it is?" and we were all "yeah!" and in my head i was thinking wow that was quick (think i was wheeled in around 2, it was a little after 230 that they finished the spinal and she was born at 256)....they brought her to my head and then the next thing i remember i wrapped in foil and my whole family was around me (ils too) and then i had the baby....then next thing i remember i was in the hallway waiting for my room to be ready...and i think my family was in the room...and i think they all passed her around...that night was such a blur...all i wanted was a diet soda and something to eat...and i had to wait until breakfast the next day

can't believe i'm going to do this all again! just have to remember, an inch to the left! and this time, we're much closer to the hospital....

ambmama · December 2014

Mine is pretty tame! I went in for my 38 week check up and the doctor said - well, I know you feel ready, but you aren't dilated at all. I will likely be seeing you for your next check up in the new year! A few days later (12/30) I woke up around 4AM to mild contractions about 7 minutes apart. Of course I was scared/excited but I just sat on the couch for 2 hours keeping track. They were getting closer so I finally woke H up around 6:30 and told him that I thought I was going into labor. At 7:30 I called the hospital because they were 5 minutes apart, and they told me I should head in when they were a bit closer. We went in around 10AM and I was only dilated 1cm. They told me to walk around a bit and as I did my water broke. They confirmed that it broke and admitted me right around 12 noon. Since I wasn't very dilated they gave me Pitocin which immediately made me have terrible, frequent contractions - cue the epidural. I got to rest and my parents showed up and we all chatted for a while. They came and checked me around 5:30 and they said I was fully dilated - the funny part about this is I had just sent H to go get himself something to eat "before it was time." I had to call him and be like GET BACK HERE! I only pushed for 20ish minutes and DS was born, healthy and happy! The only bad part of my labor is they turned the epidural down (but really pretty much off) so I could feel to push, but that meant I felt the tear (yikes!). When they went to do stitches they said I shouldn't be able to feel anything, and I felt EVERYTHING! They gave me a local anesthetic to finish the job, thank God.

OakTreeMommy · December 2014

I was 40 weeks and 7 days overdue. I'd been to the midwife the day before DS was born and was given an "induction cocktail" recipe and was instructed to take it early the next morning. The next morning around 7am I choked it down. I called my mom and asked her to come over and hang out with me for the day. At about 1:00pm I started leaking fluid. I came downstairs and told my mom. As I'm sitting on the couch I have this weird feeling, I got up, moved off the hardwood onto the vinyl and whoosh, my water broke. I called DH who was working an hour away and said to come home. Then I went upstairs for a shower. After I came downstairs I said bye to my mom as DH would be home soon.

When DH got home I was laying on the bed not timing my contractions but I knew they were pretty strong and pretty close. DH was rushing around and started timing my contractions. They were about 1 minute apart and 2 minutes long. I was convinced they would slow down but we called the midwife and she was over in 10 minutes. She checked me and said I was 5cm and that because my contractions were so strong and so close we had to go to the hospital now. At the hospital DS's heart rate was slowing so they called in a doctor to deliver him. Originally I had wanted a dark, quiet rom with just DH and the midwife. It ended up, lights on with a room full of nurses, a nursing student and two doctors. I had my eyes closed from the time I laid on the hospital's bed so I didn't care at that point. They were threatening a C-section or vacuum but after 30 minutes of pushing out came DS at 4:32pm, no drugs, no interventions. They put him on me right away and we were in such awe we had to be reminded to check to see what we'd had. A healthy 8lb 5 oz baby boy!

Jbosarge85 · December 2014

DD was due Jan 8th, which came and went with nothing. Midwife said I was only 1cm. We set induction for the 11th. So the 10th I got off the phone with my husband around midnight (he worked nights so I would stay up late to sleep during the day with him). Tried to go to sleep started feeling cramps. My mom had arrived a few days before and heard me walking back and forth to the bathroom (I thought I had to poo). She came in and started timing them at about 4 they were 5 min apart. I called my husband (his work was an hour away). When he got home we headed to the hospital which was 10 min away. Was checked, only 2cm, they had us walk for an hour checked again, 3cm. They admitted yes so this was around 6. At 3 I was only 5cm, midwife came and broke my water. Stayed at 5cms, at around 10pm I asked for an epidural. Was so upset because I wanted a natural unmedicated birth. But I had been awake for over 24hrs. They checked me an hour later and i was 8.5cm. Took a nap checked again at 2am. Was fully dilated but baby was still pretty far up so they moved my position to have gravity help move her down. Checked later not sure when, moved again. At 6 something they decided to have me push. Pushed for 40 min and she was born 7:07am on Jan 11th (the day the induction was scheduled, she wanted to come on her own). I was completely numb on my left side And couldn't feel anything, they had to feel my stomach for contractions because the machine wasn't registering them. With my second he came on his due date med free only in the hospital 5 hours, before he was born. So much better....

Jessie333 · December 2014

I had to be induced because dd was too comfortable in there. I was 41 weeks 3 days and went to the hospital for them to insert the cervadil to start the induction. I was 1cm, they inserted the cervadil and sent me home with instructions to come back at 11pm. About an hour after they inserted the cervadil I started to feel contractions. I was super uncomfortable and went back in to be checked that night. I was only 1.5cms. I wanted to cry. They monitored me for a while, but my contractions were not close enough to be admitted. They gave me a shot of pain meds so I could get some sleep and sent me home.

The next morning I woke up, went to the bathroom and the contractions immediately changed. We went to hospital at 10am. It took them a long time to check me, but at around noon I was admitted and 2cms dilated. I asked for an epidural and as they were putting my iv in my water broke. I got my epidural shortly after and was so much more comfortable. The Dr came to check me at 2 and I was 9+ cms with just a little bit of my cervix left. They were shocked I dilated so quickly. Right after I was fully dilated, but they didn't get me to push since dd was still quite high. I got the urge to push, and so began the marathon pushing session. After 3.5hrs or pushing, the Dr told me DD's heartrate was dropping and she wanted to do an episiotomy. I said yes. After she cut I just had to push twice and dd was here. She was 8lbs 10 oz and 21 inches long with a huge head (38.5 cms).

ConstanceGoodspeed · December 2014

DS was born naturally at 41w5d (12 days overdue).

At 41 weeks I had a non-stress test and the doctors there were trying to convince me to induce that day ("You are past your due date!" "Aren't you ready?" and my favorite, "Your baby could DIE!"). Luckily, I had educated myself and knew we were both healthy, there was no risk and that first babies are usually late.

That same day I had my regular midwife appointment and asked her to strip my membranes. I lost mucus and blood for the next 4 days. Contractions started over night at 41w5d, we went to the hospital, and I labored in the tub. I had to deliver on the bed due to hospital policy, and he was out in three pushes. My placenta never came out so they had to do a D&E to scrape it out. I had zero drugs until that point, and I asked them to just knock me out because I was done.

From first contraction to baby born was exactly 12 hours, almost to the minute - 1:34am to 1:28pm.

ohiodoxiemama08 · December 2014

I actually started to labor at my work that day and didn't even know it! It was 2 days before my due date and I didn't expect anything yet. The women I worked with knew I was feeling off and urged me to go home as it was snowing--but I decided to stick it out. On the way home I thought that snow that drifted in my car made my pants wet--turned out it was probably my water breaking. When I got to the hospital that night they never found my bag of water.

I went from hardly feeling anything to having contractions 2 minutes apart consistently. We had stopped to get food on our way to the hospital--but quickly decided that we needed to take it to-go. The poor people at Panera seemed panicked by my doubling over in pain from contractions.

Once we were admitted into observation I progressed a cm in an hour (was up to 4 at that point) so I was admitted. It was full moon that night so it was crazy busy. I was in the natural birthing center of my hospital but they had to send a bunch of nurses from the regular OB floor up to cover. I could hear the women in the room next door screaming her head off-it was not very comforting.

Finally, after several hours I requested to be checked. I told the nurse I felt like I had to go to the bathroom--and she said "yep--because you're about to deliver!" I was at 9 cms and the doc had me "push through" the last centimeter. Once pushing started things slowed down. I pushed for around 2.5 hours. I was so tired that in between contractions/pushes I was literally falling asleep. But DH and the doc were super encouraging. The nurses told me to start calling her name--so I did. They mentioned the vacuum to me--but I really didn't want that. So I dug down deep inside myself and pushed like hell (and let me tell you--unmedicated--the ring of fire is DEFINITELY a real thing, I shudder thinking about it) and she was there! My DH is a medic so the doc let him "catch" her/pull her out. I remember just looking at her in utter awe. I didn't cry like I thought. I just kept saying "is this real life?" She was absolutely beautiful. I stared at her beautiful little lips and could not believe my eyes. She was a beautiful, healthy 8 lb. 2 oz baby and she nursed like a champ the second they did skin to skin. Unmedicated birth is no joke--but I was so happy that I was able to do it and that I had such a beautiful miracle to show for it.

Mom2anAngel2 · December 2014

I think I was in denial last time. I had some back pain on the way home from work ( I was 39 weeks). DH was working ( he does 24 hour shifts) so I was home alone. I had a lot of back pain in the last few weeks, so I decided to take a warm bath.

While talking to DH on the phone that night he kept asking if he should come home. I kept telling him not to, and that there was no need. I had an appointment the next day and planned on talking to them about induction at 40 weeks (which we had been discussing at several appointments).

I didn't sleep much that night because I was uncomfortable. DH didn't sleep much either because he had a sick baby in the NICU. At my appointment I told them about the pain and when she did a cervical check I was 4 cm. I was shocked! So she put me on the monitor and, sure enough, the back pain was contractions.

They sent me to L&D. By the time I was checked in they checked me again. I knew I wanted an epi, so they asked when I wanted it. I said if I was 5 cm that I would get it. The OB looked at me and laughed. I was confused. Apparently I went from 4 cm to 9 cm by the time we got to the hospital. I got my epi and DH got some food while they broke my water.

About 30 minutes later I was pushing. After 20 minutes of pushing DS was born. He was sunny side up, hence all of the back labor.

I wouldn't mind if it were to go that smoothly this time too! LOL!

==N== · December 2014

I was 37 weeks and woke up at 3am with contractions. Timed them for about 20 mins before waking dh. I Called ds's babysitter who came right over and we were at the hospital by 4am. We were all surprised when I was 7cm by the time they checked me.

It took 4 nurses 8 tries to get my IV and they ended up calling someone from ICU in to get it. So I got my epidural, the dr broke my water, I made a few phone calls, and waited.

Finally she was born at 9:20 after about 15 mins of pushing.

It was 6 hours start to finish and uneventful. Just the way I like my births to go!

DCKate · December 2014

DD was born on January 3 at 9:35pm, two days before my EDD.

I remember going to work on the 2nd, and I couldn't believe I was still pregnant and back and sitting at my desk! I had an appt with my OB on New Year's Eve, and I was like a half centimeter dialated. We had already scheduled an induction for the next week.

I'd been at work for a few hours and was packing up to get lunch with coworkers when I did suddenly had really intense back pain. I thought it was more sciatic nerve pain, honestly. I called my doc to be safe, and she told me to go home, take some Tylenol and put my feet up.

I thought I could stick it out for lunch, but the pain got pretty bad pretty fast. I remember taking a cab home, and sliding all over the vinyl backseat. It's so funny what you remember.

I called DH and he knew I was in labor. I still thought I was just uncomfortable, because all of the pain was concentrated in my back. By about 9pm that night, my contractions were pretty consistent and I was in a tremendous amount of pain. I took a hot shower with DH so he could run my back. I finally called my doc around 12am, and she told me to come in.

I'd been .5cm just a few days before, and by the time we were checked in, I was 5cm. I got an epidural right away. I'd already been through 12 hours of back labor and had no interest in continuing. My water was broken for me around 10am, and I started pushing around 4pm. I'd already gone through one epidural, and after two hours of pushing, started feeling everything. No thank you!

My nurse had the anesthesiologist come in and refill it and I took a 45 minute break.

I started pushing again around 7:45, and DD was born at 9:35 with the help of an epidural and the vacuum. I was really pleased that after 32 hours of labor, nobody ever pushed me to do a c-section. She was perfect and beautiful! Because she had pooped inside me when they broke my water, Dh couldn't cut the cord, and she went right to the NICU team in our room. She was totally fine and just a few minutes later, she was in my arms.

Best moment of my life!

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