Yoda's birth story

marnief · January 2016

The force may be strong with Yoda...but denial is strong with me. On Tuesday I was 39 weeks and I had gas pains all day, which started out annoying and got progressively more painful. After dinner, around 9.30 or so, these "gas pains" were so bad all I could do was hunch over and wait them out. Hubby said, "I think those might be contractions." I was all, "Nahhh, that's crazy talk." So I texted a friend who has two kids and asked her about the difference btwn Braxton-Hicks, real labor, and gas pains. She called me and gently explained that contractions feel different to everyone, but if they were falling into a pattern, that was a good indication that it was real contractions. I was all, "Nahhh, that's crazy talk." So I called the 24/7 Nurse Hotline through our health insurance. I told the nurse the "gas pains" we're lasting a little longer and getting closer together. She said, "that sounds like contractions. You should call your OB." I was all, "Nahhh, that's crazy talk." But then the worst "gas pain" yet hit me, so I reluctantly called the OB's after-hours line. By then it was after 11pm. My OB is on vacation this week, so the doc covering for her called me back at 11.30 pm. I told her my story and she said, "that's not how gas pains present. What you're describing are contractions. Have you seen any blood?" "No." "In that case, you can wait an hour before going to L&D." I went to the bathroom after I got off the phone with her, and there was blood. I went back to my hubby and said, "Um, I think this might be it. We should call your Mom now and have her come stay with DD1 so we can go to the hospital."

We got to to the hospital about 12.30, and I was 6cm dilated. I asked for an epidural because the gas pains contractions were getting harder and harder to bear and I just didn't think I had it in me to get through it, especially since I'd slept terribly the night before. Got the epidural around 2am, and once it kicked in I was in my happy place and even got about 1.5 hours of sleep. At 4 am I was 8cm dilated. At 6.30 I was fully dilated. Doc arrived maybe 7.30 or 8. Once they were ready for me to start pushing, oddly, my contractions slowed way down. They actually had to give me some Pitocin to get things to move along. They said that during contractions, after my cleansing breath I should take a deep breath in and then hold it as I pushed for a 10-count. Well, most of the time I could only make it to 7 and then I'd start laughing. The doc and nurse both said they'd seen women cough or even vomit through labor, to the extent that they "coughed the baby out," etc., but neither of them had ever seen anyone laugh the baby out. Which is pretty much what I did. G-d bless the inventor of the epidural!

Baby Girl arrived at 9.15 am on 1/6/16, 6lbs 13oz, 21 inches. I had a second degree tear, not too bad. Baby is doing great, nursing well and sleeping well and just amazing. Hubs brought DD1 to the hospital today to meet her baby sister. I am overwhelmingly in love. And also deliriously tired.

andimegie325 · January 2016

congratulations, love! So glad to hear your positive experience. Enjoy your little Yoda my friend

NB817 · January 2016

What a great story. Glad all is well! What is her name??

emcarl24 · January 2016

Congratulations!! So happy to hear you had such a good experience! Yoda's here! We'll miss you on the 3rd tri thread. xo

Binnie505 · January 2016

Congratulations and best wishes. Cheers

KidShrink · January 2016

Congratulations! Glad both of you are well and those gas pains are over

HBamama2B · January 2016

Congrats!!!

suchaglencoco · January 2016

SO HAPPY YOU'RE BOTH DOING WELL!
Congrats, mama!

Kelley421 · January 2016

Sounds like that went fairly quickly! (Wasn't this a VBAC for you? If so, yay! Good job!)
Congratulations!

marnief · January 2016

Thanks, all!

@NB817 - we will wait until her 8th day to announce her name (it's a Jewish tradition).

@Kelley421 - yes, I am a VBAC success story

and yes, it did go fairly quickly. If my contractions hadn't slowed down, it might've been only 20-30 minutes of pushing.

NB817 · January 2016

Ah gotcha! I was really just trying to confirm that her name isn't Yoda! Lol.

Knottie4978096 · January 2016

Love the story! Congrats and glad you're both doing well.

jeannaqueena · January 2016

Every time an IFer posts their birth story I get chills and tears. I don't know you, but i am sooooo happy for you!! The long road is over and you are on a new one! A happy one! Congrats mama!!!

Justone13 · January 2016

Check that out!! I come back lurking and get to see this awesome post!! Congrats sweets!! So very happy for you!

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