As many of you may remember, I went way over my due date with Owen. Two weeks over. I know due dates are just rough estimates, but it still was super lame. This time I figured I would go over again, but I was hoping to at least deliver a little sooner than last time. He was due on May 24th, and thankfully he only made me wait five days.
The day before Oliver was born Gary's mom and I decided to go shopping and get out of the house. I was sore, but nothing too exciting or too painful that kept me from doing all my normal stuff. Let's face it, I was nine months pregnant... I was always a little uncomfortable at that point. But I was feeling pretty optimistic that all the walking and moving around from shopping would help. When we got home I was beat. Even when I was resting I was still feeling pretty sore which I took as a really good sign. The rest of the night went on like any other night. I went to bed and figured nothing was going to happen. That night I woke up a few times with some pretty decent Braxton Hicks contractions. They were uncomfortable enough that I would have to get up and go to the bathroom before I was able to go back to sleep. However, I had been doing this same thing every single night for a few weeks so I didn't think much of it.
The next morning I woke up a little after 7 and noticed I was having some more fairly consistent contractions. Then I had this one contraction that was really strong and painful. It just hit me all the sudden and that's when I knew it was actually happening. So I rolled over and told Gary he wasn't going to work that day. I was filled with both excitement and dread. I was finally going to have my baby, but I had the exhausting work of labor and delivery to go through. I was super happy to be in pain because it meant it was finally happening, but I was also in pain... which sucks.
We all got up and Gary decided to take his time eating breakfast and getting all of our stuff together. We thought we were going to be hanging around at home for a long time while I was in early labor. We weren't really in a huge hurry. My contractions were pretty consistent and were gradually getting more painful. It got the point where I had to stop what I was doing and wait for each one to pass. I thought it was weird they were getting so intense so quickly so I decided I should try and get in the tub and see if that slowed them down. I started running the bath water and Gary went outside to move Owen's carseat into Grandma's car. I was about to get the tub when I started feeling super nauseous and started getting a cold sweat. I felt tons of pressure! And since I was still in a bit of denial at this point about how fast things were happening, I told myself I must just need to use the bathroom. So I tried to go to the bathroom, but that didn't help because I didn't need to go in the first place. Needless to say, I didn't make it in the tub. I wound up on all fours on the bathroom floor feeling like I was going to puke. So I opened the door a bit and yelled, “I need some help in here!” Gary was still outside taking his time. He was completely unaware that things were getting real! I can actually just picture him out there whistling a happy tune and taking his leisurely time. So Gary's mom came in the bathroom to help me. All sense of modesty was gone at this point. I just wanted someone to help me! I told her how I was feeling and she told me I was probably getting near transition. I couldn’t even imagine how she could be correct because we had literally only been out of bed for about an hour or so. How could I be almost to transition when labor just started?! And all I could think about was how my midwife had told me I needed to make sure I wasn’t in transition in the car because this baby was going to come a lot faster than Owen did. She wanted me to give myself plenty of time. So at this point I was really starting to freak out. Gary’s mom hurried and got me a robe to put on because I was ditching the whole tub thing at that point and then she told Gary to hurry and come back inside. I went and laid down on the bed and Gary called the birth center to find out when we should come in. They told us we could come in whenever we felt we needed to, but to just let them know so they could make sure the midwife was there. I decided to go and try the tub one more time. I got in and the contractions weren’t slowing down so Gary got me some clothes to wear and we made our way to the car.
The next morning I woke up a little after 7 and noticed I was having some more fairly consistent contractions. Then I had this one contraction that was really strong and painful. It just hit me all the sudden and that's when I knew it was actually happening. So I rolled over and told Gary he wasn't going to work that day. I was filled with both excitement and dread. I was finally going to have my baby, but I had the exhausting work of labor and delivery to go through. I was super happy to be in pain because it meant it was finally happening, but I was also in pain... which sucks.
We all got up and Gary decided to take his time eating breakfast and getting all of our stuff together. We thought we were going to be hanging around at home for a long time while I was in early labor. We weren't really in a huge hurry. My contractions were pretty consistent and were gradually getting more painful. It got the point where I had to stop what I was doing and wait for each one to pass. I thought it was weird they were getting so intense so quickly so I decided I should try and get in the tub and see if that slowed them down. I started running the bath water and Gary went outside to move Owen's carseat into Grandma's car. I was about to get the tub when I started feeling super nauseous and started getting a cold sweat. I felt tons of pressure! And since I was still in a bit of denial at this point about how fast things were happening, I told myself I must just need to use the bathroom. So I tried to go to the bathroom, but that didn't help because I didn't need to go in the first place. Needless to say, I didn't make it in the tub. I wound up on all fours on the bathroom floor feeling like I was going to puke. So I opened the door a bit and yelled, “I need some help in here!” Gary was still outside taking his time. He was completely unaware that things were getting real! I can actually just picture him out there whistling a happy tune and taking his leisurely time. So Gary's mom came in the bathroom to help me. All sense of modesty was gone at this point. I just wanted someone to help me! I told her how I was feeling and she told me I was probably getting near transition. I couldn’t even imagine how she could be correct because we had literally only been out of bed for about an hour or so. How could I be almost to transition when labor just started?! And all I could think about was how my midwife had told me I needed to make sure I wasn’t in transition in the car because this baby was going to come a lot faster than Owen did. She wanted me to give myself plenty of time. So at this point I was really starting to freak out. Gary’s mom hurried and got me a robe to put on because I was ditching the whole tub thing at that point and then she told Gary to hurry and come back inside. I went and laid down on the bed and Gary called the birth center to find out when we should come in. They told us we could come in whenever we felt we needed to, but to just let them know so they could make sure the midwife was there. I decided to go and try the tub one more time. I got in and the contractions weren’t slowing down so Gary got me some clothes to wear and we made our way to the car.
Being in the car while in labor is probably one of my least favorite things ever. But thankfully, this car ride wasn't too bad. I basically just sat there with my eyes closed and held Gary's hand. Every time a contraction would come I would just squeeze his hand really tight. This might sound weird, but it really did help because it was like I was channeling the pain out of my body through the tight squeeze. Gary kept telling me to relax and reminding me to use my Hypnobabies, but I was feeling pretty good. I was totally in my zone. Gary said we hit almost every red light which was making him crazy, but I didn't even notice. Thankfully.
We finally pulled into the birth center at about 9:40am and
we went straight back to the room. I went in and leaned against the bed when
the next contraction hit and had Gary squeeze my hips together which helped a lot. Then I got onto the bed and laid down on my side while Gary went and got
everything out of the car. The midwife started running the water to the tub, she
got out the birth ball, and she got her gloves and everything else out so she
could check me. When I had another contraction I had her push down on my hip
while I was lying down, but the hip pressure suddenly seemed to make them feel worse. Gary came back
in the room, and I told him he needed to at least text my parents because they
didn’t even know I was in labor. Everything was happening so fast we didn’t
have time to call anyone.
I decided to get on all fours on the bed because everything else just felt too uncomfortable. Gary stood next to me with his arm across my chest for support so I could lean on him. The contractions were super close together and really strong. That’s when I started all the sudden feeling really pushy. So I told the midwife I felt like I needed to push. She told me that was fine if I wanted to push a little bit so on the next contraction I started pushing to help relieve some of the pressure I was feeling. I pushed maybe once or twice and then my water broke. I called across the room to the midwife and told her what just happened and so she came over. This was also when one of the other nurses came in to help because the labor and delivery nurse that was on call hadn't come yet. I kept pushing with each contraction and let me tell you I was not quiet. At all. At one point, after a contraction had passed, I told everyone, “I’m so loud!” My midwife finally said we needed to get my pants off because it was kind of hard to have a baby with pants on. So they slipped those down to my knees. This is where I felt a little cranky. I yelled, "can we please get these shorts off of me the rest of the way?!" They of course were very sweet and helped get them off. Then I hurried and threw my shirt off. With each contraction and push I could feel the baby moving down really rapidly. Now, at this point the tub was barely full of water, the midwife hadn't even had the chance to check me, and I was on the side of the bed that didn't have any of the protective pads laid down. Everything was happening so fast!
The pressure was getting more and more intense each time. A couple more pushes and then I felt him crown. I felt burning, lots of pressure, and a pretty intense urge to get him out the rest of the way. Next his head and one of his shoulders was out and that's when the contractions just stopped. My midwife told me to push again, and even though I didn't feel any urge whatsoever I pushed one more time and my sweet baby came out the rest of the way right into my midwife’s hands. I heard his loud beautiful cry and I hurried and turned around to look at him. He was perfect! I brought him up to my chest and felt indescribably happy. I couldn't believe it was over and he was here! He was born just 19 minutes after we pulled in to the birth center! 9:59am weighing in at a whopping 9lbs 14oz and 21 inches long.
I decided to get on all fours on the bed because everything else just felt too uncomfortable. Gary stood next to me with his arm across my chest for support so I could lean on him. The contractions were super close together and really strong. That’s when I started all the sudden feeling really pushy. So I told the midwife I felt like I needed to push. She told me that was fine if I wanted to push a little bit so on the next contraction I started pushing to help relieve some of the pressure I was feeling. I pushed maybe once or twice and then my water broke. I called across the room to the midwife and told her what just happened and so she came over. This was also when one of the other nurses came in to help because the labor and delivery nurse that was on call hadn't come yet. I kept pushing with each contraction and let me tell you I was not quiet. At all. At one point, after a contraction had passed, I told everyone, “I’m so loud!” My midwife finally said we needed to get my pants off because it was kind of hard to have a baby with pants on. So they slipped those down to my knees. This is where I felt a little cranky. I yelled, "can we please get these shorts off of me the rest of the way?!" They of course were very sweet and helped get them off. Then I hurried and threw my shirt off. With each contraction and push I could feel the baby moving down really rapidly. Now, at this point the tub was barely full of water, the midwife hadn't even had the chance to check me, and I was on the side of the bed that didn't have any of the protective pads laid down. Everything was happening so fast!
The pressure was getting more and more intense each time. A couple more pushes and then I felt him crown. I felt burning, lots of pressure, and a pretty intense urge to get him out the rest of the way. Next his head and one of his shoulders was out and that's when the contractions just stopped. My midwife told me to push again, and even though I didn't feel any urge whatsoever I pushed one more time and my sweet baby came out the rest of the way right into my midwife’s hands. I heard his loud beautiful cry and I hurried and turned around to look at him. He was perfect! I brought him up to my chest and felt indescribably happy. I couldn't believe it was over and he was here! He was born just 19 minutes after we pulled in to the birth center! 9:59am weighing in at a whopping 9lbs 14oz and 21 inches long.
My two birth experiences were so different. With Owen, I was in labor for.ev.er! And I pushed for three hours. I was past the point of exhaustion and hadn't slept in over a day. I was at the birth center all night until he was finally born. With Oliver, I had an interrupted nights sleep and was obviously pretty well rested. Then everything took under three hours and he was born. It might seem backwards, but I think Oliver's birth was much more intense. I think because it all happened so fast, I just didn't have time to process it. I'm grateful to have experienced both, and even though giving birth is hard and painful, I honestly feel it's such a special privilege.
