Updated March 05, 2015.
I was due on December 31st. I started having some contractions one evening, but didn't pay attention to them because I'd had contractions on and off for weeks. They were coming every seven to ten minutes and were not painful. Kevin and I watched some television and talked about my next appointment with our obstetrician, Dr. Hill, which was scheduled for that next morning. I was thinking of asking her to strip my membranes in hopes that I would move past 3 cm dilation and 100% effacement.
When my contractions didn't change or become painful, we went to bed. I didn't watch the clock. Sure that it was false labor again, I didn't want to waste my excitement. I was restless and got up several times to use the bathroom. I thought about waking Kev up, but changed my mind when I realized that if this was the real thing, one of us should get some rest.
The next morning I was tired, but felt great. I ate some peanut butter toast and took a shower. I put on my favorite maternity outfit. I still had contractions, but they were still very mild. I told Kevin that I was determined to have the baby that day, feeling very frustrated that nothing big had happened after an evening full of contractions. I was so determined, in fact, that we put the hospital bags in the car and we put on our crosses before leaving for my doctor's appointment.
My appointment was at 10:45 a.m. Dr. Hill checked me and got a big smile on her face. She said I was 6 centimeters dilated and the baby was at +2 station!
She told us to go right over to the hospital and get checked in. I was so happy and so scared when we left the office. Kevin and I smiled so much those next few minutes!
After I called my office, Kevin called his parents, and I called my mom to tell her to start driving from Toledo. We also called Robin, our doula, and told her everything. Knowing that labor could still last all day, we discussed going for lunch before checking into the hospital, but decided to follow the Dr.'s advice instead. After getting checked in, the orderly piled our bags into the wheelchair that was supposed to be for me, and we all walked up to the Labor and Delivery unit. I was feeling great! It was about 1:00 p.m.
I changed into a gown and when nurse Patty checked me I was still 6 cm. They asked questions, took blood and my fingerprints, and put a hep-lock in my left wrist. We showed the nurses our signed birth plan and explained that we had taken Bradley Method childbirth classes and were planning a natural labor and birth. Finally, after a monitoring strip showed the baby was doing great, I got out of bed. Kevin went to the cafeteria and smuggled some crackers and a banana because I was really hungry.
When Robin arrived, the three of us walked up and down the hall. I rocked in the rocking chair a little. The contractions were still quite manageable and I was happy to be doing so well. At 3:00 p.m., I was still at 6 cm and my doctor wanted to break my water or start Pitocin. They were unnatural interventions so she gave us another hour to walk around and stir up more contractions. When I still hadn't dilated, we put our trust and confidence in the doctor's advice and she broke my water at 4:30 p.m. The amniotic fluid was clear.
My contractions were stronger immediately and got just a bit more painful. Other than getting up to use the bathroom, I laid in bed for the first time since I got to the hospital just breathing through the contractions. Robin turned down the lights and muted the television. My wonderful husband pulled up a chair and stroked my arm and hair as we practiced our relaxation. I closed my eyes and turned inward, concentrating on his voice and thinking about my son, who was on his way.
I made it to 7.5 cm by 6:15 p.m. The contractions were getting intense - even a bit painful, and Robin reminded me to get up to use the bathroom. It really hurt to sit down on the toilet and I panicked. Kevin knelt in front of me and looked me straight in the eyes. He held my face and told me to stay strong. I started to shake a little. I wanted to get back into bed, but Robin told me to stand up. I didn't want to at first, but gravity really helped my labor. I hung around Kevin's neck and softly groaned during contractions. He talked me through each one, reminding me to take them one at a time and reassuring me that I was doing a wonderful job. He told me to think of the baby, to think of the beach. He said he loved me and was proud to be helping me do this. I was grateful for the calm of his voice and the strength in his arms as they held me up during transition.
I was due on December 31st. I started having some contractions one evening, but didn't pay attention to them because I'd had contractions on and off for weeks. They were coming every seven to ten minutes and were not painful. Kevin and I watched some television and talked about my next appointment with our obstetrician, Dr. Hill, which was scheduled for that next morning. I was thinking of asking her to strip my membranes in hopes that I would move past 3 cm dilation and 100% effacement.
When my contractions didn't change or become painful, we went to bed. I didn't watch the clock. Sure that it was false labor again, I didn't want to waste my excitement. I was restless and got up several times to use the bathroom. I thought about waking Kev up, but changed my mind when I realized that if this was the real thing, one of us should get some rest.
The next morning I was tired, but felt great. I ate some peanut butter toast and took a shower. I put on my favorite maternity outfit. I still had contractions, but they were still very mild. I told Kevin that I was determined to have the baby that day, feeling very frustrated that nothing big had happened after an evening full of contractions. I was so determined, in fact, that we put the hospital bags in the car and we put on our crosses before leaving for my doctor's appointment.
My appointment was at 10:45 a.m. Dr. Hill checked me and got a big smile on her face. She said I was 6 centimeters dilated and the baby was at +2 station!
She told us to go right over to the hospital and get checked in. I was so happy and so scared when we left the office. Kevin and I smiled so much those next few minutes!
After I called my office, Kevin called his parents, and I called my mom to tell her to start driving from Toledo. We also called Robin, our doula, and told her everything. Knowing that labor could still last all day, we discussed going for lunch before checking into the hospital, but decided to follow the Dr.'s advice instead. After getting checked in, the orderly piled our bags into the wheelchair that was supposed to be for me, and we all walked up to the Labor and Delivery unit. I was feeling great! It was about 1:00 p.m.
I changed into a gown and when nurse Patty checked me I was still 6 cm. They asked questions, took blood and my fingerprints, and put a hep-lock in my left wrist. We showed the nurses our signed birth plan and explained that we had taken Bradley Method childbirth classes and were planning a natural labor and birth. Finally, after a monitoring strip showed the baby was doing great, I got out of bed. Kevin went to the cafeteria and smuggled some crackers and a banana because I was really hungry.
When Robin arrived, the three of us walked up and down the hall. I rocked in the rocking chair a little. The contractions were still quite manageable and I was happy to be doing so well. At 3:00 p.m., I was still at 6 cm and my doctor wanted to break my water or start Pitocin. They were unnatural interventions so she gave us another hour to walk around and stir up more contractions. When I still hadn't dilated, we put our trust and confidence in the doctor's advice and she broke my water at 4:30 p.m. The amniotic fluid was clear.
My contractions were stronger immediately and got just a bit more painful. Other than getting up to use the bathroom, I laid in bed for the first time since I got to the hospital just breathing through the contractions. Robin turned down the lights and muted the television. My wonderful husband pulled up a chair and stroked my arm and hair as we practiced our relaxation. I closed my eyes and turned inward, concentrating on his voice and thinking about my son, who was on his way.
I made it to 7.5 cm by 6:15 p.m. The contractions were getting intense - even a bit painful, and Robin reminded me to get up to use the bathroom. It really hurt to sit down on the toilet and I panicked. Kevin knelt in front of me and looked me straight in the eyes. He held my face and told me to stay strong. I started to shake a little. I wanted to get back into bed, but Robin told me to stand up. I didn't want to at first, but gravity really helped my labor. I hung around Kevin's neck and softly groaned during contractions. He talked me through each one, reminding me to take them one at a time and reassuring me that I was doing a wonderful job. He told me to think of the baby, to think of the beach. He said he loved me and was proud to be helping me do this. I was grateful for the calm of his voice and the strength in his arms as they held me up during transition.
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