Let's hear your story!

thursday my doc stripped my membranes and told me to do the wild thing lol so that night i was so not in the mood and then friday i forced myself to do it! :P meanwhile my parents and grandparents are in cali to see my uncle and i had my two sisters who were 6 and 13...so saturday morning we went to garage sales i was pretty crampy and my panties were sorta wet thought it was from the night before (tmi) so i kept checking myself and i kept getting wet panites so after garage sales and tons of walking we went to chili's i kept quiet most of the day figured I would feed everyone and then go get checked and my hubby went to work I was in  total denial so off we went to the hospital got checked while my 13 yr sis hid the corner and my 6 sis was watching the nurse including when she was checking my cervix! i was like don't look....she says but its so cool! lol they loved listening to molly's hb on the monitor so after all the nurses argued if my water was leaking or not they called the doc in to use a scope when he was walking in POP! the flood gates opened lol so it was confirmed they started me on pit since my contractions were irregular so after 14 hrs of pit I finally got my epi I wasnt progressing was a 2 forever and then after the epi made it to 5 and then my csection would be at 9am if she didnt deliver so at  So 7am is shift change at 7:15 the new nurse came in and everyone was very relaxed cause I was only 5.5cm I started having uncontrollable shaking and my right leg was having horrid pain they said oh she is probably on a nerve well at 7:30 I said I am having rectal pressure not bad but I can feel it so  the dr. stat! So they all start running around I had 4 nurses and an ob tech everyone was like don’t push don’t push…easy for you to say! So the Dr. came in at like 7:50 while we were waiting everything was prepped and they had me do a practice push I did 2 half assed pushes and they told me to stop so at 7:55 the doc was gowned etc he came straight from his car I gave 2 good pushes and she was out, the cord was wrapped around her neck twice.

I tried to condense sorry it got so long! :)

Its fun reading all the stories! :)

With Matthew I was due on 3/13 had a c-section scheduled for 3/7 at 8 am.  Saturday February 28Th I was having contractions on and off all day so I went into L & D to be checked.  I was there for about 4 hours while they pumped IV fluids in me  thinking I was dehydrated and monitoring my contractions.  They asked if I was in any pain I said no not really any pain  but definitely they were uncomfortable.  I was checked not dilated at all but my contractions were coming every 5 minutes for the first couple hours then they started coming every 4 minutes for a little while.  The ob on call said that if I wasn't in any pain that I could go home and see my regular ob on Monday.  So we left went to the Waffle House and ate at midnight. 

The next day I was still having some pretty good contractions the kind that takes your breath away but I figured I'd just wait until Monday to be checked since I wasn't even a fingertip dilated the night before.  I go about my business all day and that night we ordered Domino's Pizza.  I ate 3 cheesy, greasy pieces and decided to go upstairs to get on the Internet.  At about 8:30 pm as I'm walking upstairs I feel like I had wet myself.  So I go potty, change my clothes and go sit down at the computer and realize my clothes are wet again as well as my leather computer chair...I stand up and something is running down my legs.  I yell down to my DH that I think my water broke.  Of course he yells back "ARE YOU SURE??".  I said well of course I'm not sure I've never done this before.  So I call the ob on call she said head on in to L& D to be checked.  We didn't even grab our bag or camera because I was certain they were gonna say I was peeing on myself and send me home.  I put on my baggiest pair of maternity pants and put on a pad on and put a dish towel in my pants just in case.  I'm also sitting on a towel in case it is my water that is leaking.  My DH normally doesn't do the driving when we are together.  But, he insisted on driving.  The man is going 30 mph on the expressway...I'm yelling at him to please pull over so I can drive because if my water is broken I'd like to get to the hospital before Matthew tries to come out on his own.  SO by the time I get to the hospital which would normally take 30 minutes the L & D doors are locked because its after 10.  I use the call button and the nurse ask if I'm in labor..I said well I don't know....she said can you walk around the building to the main entrance.  I said I guess but I think my water might have broke.  She hollers through the intercom DON"T MOVE....JUST STAY WHERE YOU ARE!  I had a flashback of all those COPS shows and I start laughing.  Then I realized that my water was definitely broke.  Because every time I laugh I can feel it squirting out.  They come get me in a wheelchair and take me to L&D put me in a triage room use one of those strips to make sure its my water.  Sure enough it is they call my ob and she said she's on her way.  By this time we still haven't called my parents because I figured I'd just ate all this food and there is no way they were going to do my c-section tonight.  WRONG....next thing I know my ob is there the anesthesiologist is there and they are telling my DH to put this scrub outfit on and having me drink some nasty antacid that's supposed to keep me from vomiting since it had only been a couple hours since I ate.  I finally tell me DH to call my parents and let them know we are at the hospital.  He calls them then I walk back to the OR  get on the table, get my spinal and at 11:28pm Matthew Wain G. was born.  My parents got to the hospital after Matthew was born.  But, I was just being wheeled into recovery by the time they got there.  The next day they brought my bag.  SO we don't have any pics of Matthew just a few minutes old other than the ones on our cell phones. 

Moral of the story make sure to take your bag anytime you go to L&D.

It was Christmas day (baby's due date) and we were at my parents house celebrating. I felt normal but as big as a house. I was having a lot of BH contractions but nothing that I wasn't used to. I jumped on OH for the heck of it and saw that Jessica had Bella and I read her birth story. It totally scared the crap out of me and at the same time I was sooo envious that she had Bella and here I was still pregnant even though she was due after me. I didn't think Annie would ever come out. We went home and did the deed in hopes of getting things going. I took a good shower and then went to bed. I remember sleeping thru some pretty painful contractions until I finally woke myself up when I realized what was actually happening. I looked at the clock and it was 3;45am. I woke my husband up and told him and he went back to sleep just incase it ended up being a long day. I was in a lot of pain and the contractions were progressing very fast! They were making me sick so I kept having to go to the bathroom and by 4:15am I was dry heaving and bleeding. All the while Matt was running around getting everything in the car and trying not to panic! It was the day after a big snow storm so the roads weren't that great. Thank God for 4 wheel drive! We got to L&D around 5:15 am. By that point my contractions were every few minutes and lasting for about 2-3 minutes. By the time they checked me I was 5cm. I had Anberlin after a nice long nap at 3:58pm.

I cannot freaking wait for your birth story and to see pictures of your baby girl!! (I have a good feeling you're having a girl by the way! lol)

-Ashlie

The day before my son was born, DH and I spent the day walking the entire length of Manhattan from Central Park down to the Staten Island Ferry (probably about 8-10 miles!).  I was exhausted by the time we got on the subway to go home...dragged my ass up the four flights of stairs & went to bed around 11 p.m.  Every time I started to go to sleep, I woke up...every half an hour exactly, because I felt like I had to pee.  I'd go to the bathroom and barely have any pee...go back to bed, get comfortable & have to get up and do the same thing again.  Finally around 5:30 a.m. I started feeling contractions a little, but not bad.  I let my husband sleep and still tried to sleep a little myself, but couldn't because of the urge to pee. 

Around 9:00 a.m. I woke up my husband to tell him I was in labor...called the dr to tell him & he said to come in and get checked.  Neither my husband nor I had any family living around us (my family was in Oregon, his in Egypt), so he ran across the street to his friends' apartment to tell them we were going to the hospital & they all had to come wish me luck before we headed out.  We got to L&D, they checked me & said I was definitely in labor & starting to dialate (can't remember how much now...it was 15 years ago, but I think it was around 3 cm).  They spoke to the dr & he said to go walk walk walk, eat and drink whatever I wanted - especially drink as much as I could - & then walk some more.

I was going cross eyed, I was so tired from walking the day before & being up all night long.  We went to our favorite park on Staten Island - Clove Lake Park - & walked the trails in there.  I finally begged my husband to let me sit on a bench & rest a bit - by now the contractions were about 4-5 minutes apart & pretty strong but bearable (I have a high pain tolerance)...but I sat on the bench between contractions, leaned my head on DH's shoulder & tried to go to sleep for just those few minutes.  Finally around 4:30 p.m. we headed back to the hospital (stopped at Wendy's en route and had a burger and a huge cup of iced tea), arriving back around 5:30 p.m.  They checked me again, said I was progressing...talked to the dr who said to go ahead & admit me, & when I went to get dressed to go upstairs, I went in the bathroom & my mucus plug came out.  I got upstairs in my room, the nurse came in and broke my water, & about 6:30 the dr stopped in, said things were coming along well...and said he'd never seen a first time mother so calm.  The thing is, he didn't know it wasn't so much calm (though I was pretty calm...it's just 'me' not to worry about things out of my control)...I was just plain E-X-H-A-U-S-T-E-D-!!!  I was still trying to sleep between contractions.

Dr said he was going to grab some dinner & he'd be back in a few hours to check on me. Right after he left, the anesthesia dr stopped in to ask me about my back surgery, said that he wouldn't be able to do an epi because of it & left.  About 45 minutes later, the contractions were considerably increasing in strength.  I asked the nurse for something for the pain.   She contacted the dr (who was still eating dinner) & he said to give me demarol.  She came to put that in the IV & said it was going to make the contractions feel like they did in the begging.  Let me tell you...it didn't do ****  I'd have been the same w/o anything at all.  Immediately after she gave it to me, I told her I was going to puke.  She said 'Give it a minute and it'll go away,' while she was writing in my chart.  I said 'NO...I'm going to PUKE.'  She again blew me off...I told her a few more times...she blew me off a few more times.  I projectile vomited all over me, the bed, the floor & my husband's feet.  Bet she listened the next time someone said they were going to puke. 

Anyways, she checked me again & I was dialted to about a 7 I think...she said we still had a long ways to go & left.  Around 10:30 p.m. she checked me, said I was around an 8.  I continued with my breathing during contractions, trying to sleep in between (my husband ran out for a cigarette break...said he smoked half a dozen cigarettes in 15 minutes).  A little after 11 p.m., I told my husband I felt like I needed to push.  He got the nurse...she poo-pooed the idea I could be ready to push that quickly...I insisted I needed to...she insisted I couldn't be ready...I insisted I was...she finally checked me & decided I might know what I'm talking about & DON'T PUSH DON'T PUSH DON'T PUSH....ran and called the dr.  They came in and broke down the bed while he put on his gown...he checked me, said I was ready & to push w/the next contraction.  I pushed three times & my son popped right on out - faster than expected...they weren't quite ready for him yet and were scrambling to get things finished up. 

He was 9 lb 12 oz & in my very unbiased opinion (yeah right) gorgeous. 

***

I also have a feeling you're going to have your little one this weekend.  I'm guessing on Sunday night.  Can't wait to hear your story!

Mine is pretty boring.  On Fri Jan 12, 2007 I was 37 6/7 weeks and worked all day.  Almost all of our family and friends had gone out of town for the weekend.   That whole day I wanted to call my mom and tell her to come home, but there was no real reason.  At work they kept telling me to eat eggplant parm. to bring on labor.  I had never heard of it but thought I would give it a try.  Went home and took a bath, then decided I was actually in the mood for Provino's eggplant parm.  I talked to my mom in FL while waiting to get seated and told her I wanted her home but not to come.  Well we finally ate around 8:45 and I only had a few bites.  After dinner we went to Walmart to shop and there is where my water broke.  So of course I called my mom back and they jumped in the car to get home.  We were near the hospital but stubborn me went home first to shower and shave and get our bags.   Got to the hospital around 11pm.  I was only 1cm and not contracting. 

They started pitocin at 12:30 and told me I couldn't get out of the bed.  Well at that point I decided there went my try for natural labor b/c I didn't want to be stuck in bed.  My best friend and brothers were there by then.  Around 1:45 my hubby decided to go to Waffle House for 1 last alone time and my BF stayed with me.  I finally started to feel contractions so at 2:30 I got a shot of pain meds so I could sleep until real laor hit.  Well sleep I did.  They tell me that at 6am I asked for an epidural and I do remember feeling 2 good contractions while getting it but that is all.  They checked me after that and I was 3cm.  So back to sleep I went.

Around 9:30 they woke me up to empty my bladder and check me.  My dad was asleep on the couch and no one else was in there.  At this point I had no idea how many people were in the waiting room b/c I had been asleep the whole time.  My parents had made it in sometime in the night.  When they checked me I was 4 cm so I sent my mom and BF friend home to showere b/c it would be another 6+ hours.  They turned me on my side and went to get coffee for my hubby.  As I was about to ask him who was in the waiting room I heard Jackson's heartbeat drop and the nurses came running in.  They checked me and I was 8cm and 2 min later complete.  It was 9:45.  Needless to say Jason called my mom and BF and told them to hurry and get back so they could be in the room and I started pushing.

At 11:18am on Jan 13, Jackson Benjamin was born weighing 7lbs 11.9 oz and 21 1/2 in long.  About 2 hours later I finally had all the visitor come in and come to find out about 20 people had been waiting almost the whole time but never got to talk to me b/c I literally slept through my whole labor. It was great and I highly recommend trying to rest after you get the epidural b/c it was the last good sleep I got for 8 weeks.

Jackie

I got the best sleep of my entire life after I got my epi! I still miss it to this day! I can't wait to have another just so I can sleep like I did when I had Annie! lol!

-Ashli

These are my stories:
http://www.themoralesfamily.us/masonbirth.htm
http://www.themoralesfamily.us/liambirth.htm
http://www.themoralesfamily.us/kadenbirth.htm
http://www.themoralesfamily.us/jaylenbirth.htm
http://www.themoralesfamily.us/evanbirth.htm

The stories pretty much have the "start" of things in there too.

I love sharing Reagan's story. Even though I have given birth completely natural 4 times and csection once, Reagans is my favorite birth.

December 6, 2004 I had an appointment with my OB. I was due on December 8 and my 3 previous pregnancies had all been overdue by 1 day, 5 days, and 17 days. At this appointment they said I was the same 1cm 50% effaced and they would see me next week. I drove the hour home and about 6pm my blood sugar dropped so I had some peanut butter toast and got on the computer. Updated about the day and at 10pm started watching tv. At 10:08 I had a contraction but it didn't hurt 10:16 another one without pain. At 11:38 I woke up my husband and told him that even though they didn't hurt I wanted to leave for the hospital because it was an hour away. He asked if he could shower and I said sure. At 12:10 I got pissed because they were starting to hurt and my husband was choosing his shirt too slowly. We left at 12:15 and at 12:20 I had a bad contraction and they were 4 minutes apart. At 12:43 Reagan was born on I-69 and Wilder road after a bunch of 911 calls. My husband delivered her and is listed on her birth certificate as the deliverer and the certifier. I used hypnobirthing which is why I didn't have very much pain. I count my real labor as 25 minutes.

Thanks ladies for sharing your stories!! They are all so amazing and different! I cried my way through them all.

I've had a few contractions this afternoon - a decent one while power walking through the grocery store - OK waddling lol. It's 85 and horribly humid out here or I would be walking outside.

I can't wait to share my story with all of you! You have been such an inspiration and source of encouragement through everything that has happend with us in the last year!

*hugs*

Liz

 My cervix was softening, but I wasn't dilated at all and was only maybe a tiny bit effaced, labor nowhere in sight...and then my water broke at work. I didn't have any contractions in the couple of hours that it took to get to my OB's office, be checked out, be taken over to the hospital, etc, so they started pitocin. around 11 hours later it was time to push and 45 minutes after that, I had a baby!