My Second Birth

Stormy's Birth! 

My last delivery is still a blur in my mind but this time around I actually remember very vividly. It was so different from last time and I feel so much better already after, and it was much more "pleasurable" (as much as delivery can be )

Tuesday night my mom stayed over and all night I was having contractions about ten minutes apart, but nothing major they were pretty mild. They got to where they were about 8 minutes apart, but I didn't really feel them much when I was up and moving around doing stuff so I just went about my day. I had an appointment for an NST and AFI and a check with the doctor at 3:30, went in and everything looked good. The NST showed me having contractions about every 8 mins and Stormy's heart rates were great. The doctor checked me and I was dilated to a 3 (the previous week I had only been a fingertip) so I was excited that something was actually going on. Last time I didn't dilate until they forced it when they induced me pretty much. He stripped my membrane for me and had me make an appt. for Friday for if I was still pregnant. I was 40 weeks and 6 days at that point.

My mom and I left and went to have dinner at Fresh Choice with my sister, her husband and my nephew. After that we went to the mall and walked around a bit and I was feeling pretty wretched which in it's own way made me happy because I felt like maybe that meant things were moving along. There was bleeding any time I went I just figured it was from the membrane stripping, it was probably more than would have been from that though maybe. I think now maybe it was bloody show? I don't know for sure.

We got home and I was having contractions that were getting a bit stronger so I started to time them. I told my husband I may call him soon but wasn't sure, but to be ready and go to bed early to try to rest some just in case. My contractions were still about 8 minutes apart but pretty quickly they were all under 6 minutes (I started tracking at about 930 and this was within an hour they got to that). I decided if things kept progressing that way I would call my husband at midnight to come home. He was out of town since Monday for work for the week and was  about 2.5 hours away driving. I was having to breathe through contractions and I made the decision at 11 to just call him to come home. I knew he wouldn't make it in to work the next day and would have to come home and I didn't want him in a rush, and figured he could rest at home before we left. I was counting on a very long labor like the first time... I was soooo wrong! It's a REALLY good thing I listened to that feeling and called earlier than I had planned.

My husband got home a little after 1:30am and we finally got a hold of his dad to come over and watch our son. Easy job, the kid was out cold all night apparently  We got our stuff together and headed out and got to the hospital about a quarter to 3am. I had planned on going for a natural birth but was in so much pain I decided I wanted the epidural... I got there and was trying to hard to get them to at least give me SOMETHING but they wouldn't until they decided whether or not to admit me...

The nurse took FOREVER asking all those stupid questions they ask (do you smoke, do you feel safe at home, blah blah blah) and then check me and said I was a 3+ and would come back and recheck in 30 mins. Well, about 15 mins later my body was pushing. Seriously I had no control over it and could not freaking stop it from happening it was the craziest thing ever. My mom went to get the nurse and told her I was feeling like I needed to push, the nurse gives her a look like yeah ok, puts down her chips and comes in and checks me and I was a SIX so they told me there was a room ready, in between contractions I bolted to the room and jumped into the bed in time for another contraction and was begging for drugs. They tried to get an IV in but the first try she couldn't thread it, and then it was too late. No IV for me! The doctor check me and said I was a 9 with just a lip and she was going to break my water and I was going to need to start pushing. I yelled "No that means I don't get to have an epidural!" ha ha ha! She told me I could do it and would be fine and I didn't really have a choice basically. 

Well, just after she had said that a contraction started and my water broke and Stormy started coming out. I couldn't stop pushing, the doctor and everyone else kept telling me to push with the contractions but it was hard to stop, even during the very short "breaks" of contractions in between... I'm not gonna lie it hurt freaking bad but once he was out it was the most incredible thing I have ever experienced. I can't even describe the way I felt. There was still some pain but it was so minimal and they had put Stormy right on me. 

He was born at 3:33am, October  21st, so not even an hour after we got to the hospital  He started trying to open his eyes almost immediately and was actually pushing himself up a bit not long after birth too. The kid is STRONG. I tried nursing but he wasn't interested then, a bit later he was sucking on his hand and I tried then and he was so great at it! Nursed both sides for quite a while. He never left our sight our whole stay at the hospital and was sooo good for us! Love him! 

Recovery was so much better, I feel amazing already (as much as one could at least) and so much more relaxed, rested and at ease. I got my natural birth in spite of myself and I am so glad that I did. It was an amazing experience.