L&D

Every new mama loves sharing her birthing story.  Here is mine . . .

I woke up Saturday morning feeling great after finally getting a good nights rest.  At about 9am I started contracting every 15-20 minutes.  They weren’t painful, but slightly breath-taking.  I was also feeling quite a bit of pressure & unusual back pain.  The day before was my last OBGYN appointment (as I was scheduled to be induced the following Monday) & I was dilated to 3cm & 60% effaced.  Given my history of quick deliveries I decided to check-in with my doc.  Without any hesitation he suggested I make my way to the hospital.  Big Daddy stayed home with the kids (all but Trevor – who insisted on staying right by his mama’s side) & my mom took me to the hospital since we weren’t sure if I’d be staying or not. 

Once I arrived at L&D, I was observed for an hour – still having strong contractions, but not very close together.  Considering I live over an hour & a half from the hospital, my doctor encouraged me to walk around for an hour to see if I could make any progress.  After an hour of walking & squatting my contractions still were not any closer together, but I was dilated to 4cm.  The decision was made to admit me!!

 

At 6pm Big Daddy called to let me know him & the kids were heading my way & I let him know – my doctor had just broke my water!  Since I was already “laboring” my doctor was totally on board with seeing how I progressed on my own without any Pitocin.  All of my boys were induced (with the exception of my preterm labor with Talon), so I was really praying for a natural labor without any medicine.  I had to stay in bed for observation for an hour after my water broke, but after that I was free to walk around . . .

      

Big Daddy & the kids made it, as well as 2 of my best girlfriends. 

    

We all took bets on when I would deliver & how much the baby would way.

  After roaming the halls for a little over an hour it was time to see if I was making any progress.

           

My doctor suggested starting Pitocin at this point, but I negotiated for 30 more minutes since I was still progressing on my own.  Then things began to get pretty intense . . .

                     

My contractions were about every 3-4 minutes & I was dilated to 8cm

 

15 minutes later the doctor was rushing in & within moments Tara made her debut.

   

This was by far my easiest, quickest, most natural delivery – EXACTLY what I had been praying for.