Emily's Birth Story

I know...this blog has exploded everything EMILY the past week and a half...and I don't think anything will change for a while :)

~*~*~

I don't know about you, but I love reading birth stories! So, if you don't, maybe just look at the pictures of Emily. But for those who do...here goes...

~*~*~

Tuesday, August 17th was the day I planned on going into the hospital to prepare my body to be induced...not the day I thought my daughter would be born. When I woke up with contractions that morning, I was hoping that I would go into labor on my own, but the contractions stopped a little before noon. So I went about my day. A walmart and grocery store run, some straightening up around the house, one last look at the hospital bag that had been packed for 2 weeks, and before I knew it Devin was home from school and it was time to go into the hospital.

~*~*~

We checked into the hospital at 5:30pm. The plan was to have medication inserted, and for me to sleep over night at the hospital since it had to be in my system for 12 hours. I got all nice and comfortable in my hospital gown, and had a movie picked out for Devin and I to watch. The medication was inserted around 6:30ish, and I was prepared for one last night (without a baby) with Devin. Devin hadn't eaten dinner, so he left for about 45 minutes to grab something to eat. Pretty much as soon as he left I started feeling contractions. The nurse said that contractions were a normal side affect to the medication and that I should try to go to sleep or watch a movie to take my mind off of them. The nurse had several other patients to attend to, so she was in and out of my room. While she was gone the contractions really started to kick in...2-3 minutes a part and pretty powerful. She came back in and again I told her that I was having (what I thought were) strong contractions. She checked me and I was a 3. Really? 45 minutes of contractions and I had only progressed 1cm?! She confirmed that I was in labor. Devin was back by this point, and the contractions steadily progressed.

~*~*~

My plan all along was to have a natural childbirth. I really wanted to see if I could do it on my own, but I was open to an epidural if the pain was too intense. Bottom line, I wanted a good experience. Another hour or so passed, I was in a lot of pain with contractions now 1-2 minutes a part and growing in intensity. I was checked again...now I was at 6 1/2cm. The pain was taking over. I the best way I know how to describe the pain: it was gripping, relentless, and uncontrollable. I would feel one coming on, then it would grip my whole mid section, my feet would flex, my whole body would tense, and my mind would go into left field. The nurse and Devin would start saying, "Breath Jennie...just breath. Stay in control. Try to relax your body and roll through this contraction." Try to relax?! Are you kidding me? My body is involuntarily going through shock! BUT...if I could wrap my mind around trying to breath in and out and focus on something on the ceiling the pain would eventually subside and I would have about a minute to a minute and a half to recuperate before the next one hit and the cycle repeated itself. This went on for another hour, and then I couldn't take it any longer. I asked for an epidural. I was 7cm. The epidural was placed and I was told that I would feel complete relief within 15 minutes. 15 more minutes of contractions...and absolutely NO RELIEF! So a 2nd epidural was placed. 15 more minutes of contractions and still NO RELIEF! Both epidurals did not work, I could feel everything and the pain was intensifying...great...just the opposite of what I thought I would be experiencing :) By this point the doctor said I was dilated to 8cm, and that by the time a 3rd epidural would kick in and work, the baby would most likely already be out. So NATURAL is was...and I was beginning to get overwhelmed and nervous.

~*~*~

It was 11pm, I was dilated to an 8, my epidurals had failed, and the contractions were incredibly intense. I was crying here and there, groaning and moaning, and becoming exhausted by the whole process. 30 more minutes passed, the nurse checked me and I was 100%!! She got the doctor, and it was GO TIME! Devin started getting really excited and saying to me, "You're almost there Jennie. We are so close to meeting our little girl." He was a great support, and I was so comforted by his encouragement all along the way. The doctor coached me on how she wanted me to push with each contraction. I was to take a deep breath in, then bear down with everything I had in me and push for 10 seconds before breathing in again, then pushing for 10 more seconds, and finally doing that a 3rd time as the contraction ended. Here we go...the next contraction came, I pushed 3 times, and oh the relief I felt when I finally had something to concentrate on besides breathing during a contraction. Pushing was my favorite part! I pushed through 3 contractions (about 10 minutes) and Emily was born. It was an out of body experience really. The incredible relief of feeling her pass from me to the doctor's hands was euphoric. Then hearing her cry and Devin saying, "She's here...Jennie she's here, and she's perfect!" Emily was immediately placed on my stomach and I just cannot describe in words the flood of emotions that hit me at that moment. She was carried away to be cleaned, weighed, and foot-printed, and then she was back in my arms and I was staring into her puffy little eyes. Just like that...I was a mom, and I was in love!