This story begins on Sunday November 25, 2007. Thats right three days after I stuffed my gut with turkey dinner. I was tired of being pregnant and was due the next coming Saturday. I had quite playing the organ in my ward for fear that my water would break up on the bench, but had to fill in since it was Thanksgiving weekend. I told my bishop that he better have a backup in place just in case, but my to my dismay I didn't need someone to fill in for me, and my water didn't break on bench.
We had been wanting to see the lights at temple square and had missed them for the past two years that we have lived in Salt Lake. I told Daniel that if we didn't go tonight we wouldn't make it that year either. Little did I know how true that statement would be. We bundled up and faced the cold to see the beautiful lights and feel that warm and cozy spirit that always resides on temple grounds. We didn't stay long as I was uncomfortably pregnant, but it was just long enough. We came home and I went to bed a little early that night.
It was about 12:00 midnight when Daniel finally finished homework and made it into bed. I don't know if he woke me up and then the contractions started or if they just happened to start right when he came into bed, but they certainly began. I had heard many stories of false labor from sister in laws, and one who got sent home to spend the night of labor at home, so I didn't get my hopes up yet. I endured the pain that was coming every 15 min. and not being able to sleep I had Daniel set the T.V. up in our room so I could watch movies. At about 3:00 I started to think that this might really be it. The contractions were now coming about every 10 min. I got up and finished writing my research paper that was due the next Tuesday and finished it at about 4:00 (mind you this is still the middle of the night/early morning) At this point I just knew that this was it so I started packing a hospital bag, cleaned the baby room, and sat in a couple hot baths in between enduring the shooting labor pains.
We were finally ready to leave at 10:30 and the contractions were now about 4 min. apart consistently. I headed out the door to the hospital with a quick stop to drop off my research paper on the way. My dear teacher was so excited when I told her that I was in labor that she wanted to keep talking to me and tell me all about her labor. I don't remember any of it I just wanted to get to the hospital.
We arrived at the hospital at about 11:00 and my contractions didn't register on the monitor. Luckily the hospital wasn't busy and the nurses could tell that I was really in pain and they confirmed with my doctor that I was ready for this baby to come. I lasted about 13 hours in a 18 hour labor before finally getting the epidural which ended up being the best thing to do. They then broke my water and gave me pit. to get the contractions coming faster.
My mom showed up at about 3:00 and it was a relaxing 3 hours before I was finally ready to push. In all the excitement of the day and night I didn't eat anything so I was running off a chicken dinner from the night before. I felt very weak and shaky and begged the nurse to get me something to eat until she finally broke the rules and brought some juice and crackers which I threw right back up. She probably won't ever help a starving pregnant woman again.
After pushing for about an hour my beautiful baby boy made his depute in the world and my heart grew double it's size. I will never know if it was the turkey dinner, the stunning lights at temple square, or the nice walk earlier in the evening that got it all started, but I am going to try them all again next time.
Have any interesting labor stories? Please share.
5 comments:
I was pregnant and due with my third child in early July - again! My first two children were born in July and I couldn't believe I had planned so poorly. A July baby in Moab was just . . hot. So when I began feeling labor pains during the night on June 7th, I paid little attention to them as I wasn't due for four more weeks and I was going to yard sales with my mom in the morning. By morning I knew the labor was real, so I called Mom and told her I couldn't go yard saling with her - that I though I was probably going to have a baby that day. She was really excited, but I was not! I hadn't even begun the mental preparation necessary to survive natural childbirth - my only option then, let alone the preparation of baby cloths, etc. I was paniked because I was so unprepared. My one reassuring thought for being in labor in early June, the one thing that kept me from falling completely apart, was that it wouldn't be as hot as it had been when my other children were born in July. As it turned out, June 8th was the hottest day of the year that summer. No breaks at all for me. The labor wasn't too bad, though it came as kind of a surprise when the Dr. announced, "It's a girl!" "What!" I thought. You see, in my family there were seven children and they were born in a very orderly way, boy, then girl, then boy, then girl, then boy, then girl, then boy. I knew in the back of my mind it was possible, but until that moment I hadn't been faced with the reality that Heavenly Father somethimes sends two of the same flavors in a row. She was a beautful little girl and we loved her the moment we saw her. Kimbrey Jayleen was named after my brothers, Kim, Jay, Lee, and Dalen (whos middle name is Lee) and she tucked right in to my heart with her sister and brother, room enough for all.
I headed to my 38 week appt on July 6 and everything was fine. I was having a few contractions but nothing regular. Since I was just getting checked and there wasnt anything exciting going on, I went by myself. The dr measured me and looked at my chart and measured me again. I informed him that I had always measured 2 weeks behind (there were 4 dr in the office and we just saw whoever was working that day). He informed me that I had shrunk and was only measuring 32 weeks (I was measuring 35 the week before). We headed off to get an ultrasound and the baby was measuring as if she was due the end of August, my due date was July 21. My fluid levels were low and the baby hadn't been moving as much as they wanted. The dr then looked at me and said, "Do you want to give your baby a birthday? Go over and admit yourself to the hospital and you are going to get enduced today." May I remind you, I was ALONE! The hospital was right next to my dr office so I called Nate as I was walking out to the car. I tried to hold back my emotions but as you probably know, that is impossible while pregnant! He thought I was laughing but quickly realized I was crying and it was serious! He made it to our house to pick up my bag and to the hospital in 15 minutes (it should have taken probably 30 or more - he was driving way to fast). I was hooked up to the IV and they started the Pitocin at about 5pm. I wasnt planning on getting the epidural and my nurse was great at helping with coping with the pain. They broke my water at 10:30 pm and then the pain was getting unbearable. I gave in and got the epidural at 2:30 am and went to sleep. They woke me up about 5:30 and told me I was fully dilated and it was time to push. After a few pushes we had our beautiful baby girl. She was born at 6:02 am (my nurse said she had to be born by 6 so she could be there, her shift ended at 6). She wasnt breathing when she was born and they issued a code blue (people in hospitals move FAST when they need to). They got her breathing after a minute but had her on oxygen for about 30 minutes just to be safe. She weighed in at 5 pounds even and was 18 1/2 inches long. I was diagnosed with IUGR which causes the baby to stop growing during the end of the pregnancy. We are lucky they enduced me when they did cause there was a chance Lyndsee could have been still born if we didnt have her when we did! THANK GOODNESS FOR TECHNOLOGY!
Oh, he is SO cute Kimbrey! This is Jessica Michaelson. It's funny when we live so close yet I don't see anyone because of this rotten snow. He is sure adorable and will be huge by the time it warms up to play outside again. My labor with Emily wasn't so bad. It was 11 hours and half an hour pushing in March. However, lots of hemorrhaging and low iron. I nearly fainted and was pretty miserable in recovery. Lindsey was faster and a lot more fun! Water broke at home and we had her two hours later. In one push and yet she was 8 lbs 7 oz. I think I would like an early summer baby next time, SO sick of maternity winter clothes, but don't want to be pregnant in the summer either.
I completely sympathize with you about the long labor and how the epidural was great. I had 19 hours of labor, but I didn't last as long as you without the epidural- maybe I'm a wimp. But after my experience I am definitly pro epidural! Thanks for sharing your story, it is fun to hear.
You really want to hear about my 42 hour labor story? Well, since you asked, here's the short of it. I lasted 26 hours without an epidural (not by choice mind you, I would have taken it gladly at 11 hours in). I was sent home after they confirmed that I was actively contracting, but they were busy and a little short of nursing staff (funny, as an ER nurse I can't ever turn patients away due to being too busy;). Oh, and I was two days late when labor began. I didn't deliver Porter until I was four days late. It was a miserable laboring experience, but the darling little red-head makes me happy I did it. I would gladly do it all again. (It's a good thing he's cute!)
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