Labor was fast and furious. I worked a 3pm-11pm shift on Thursday. Wasn't feeling labor until on my drive home when I felt a little crampy but didn't think anything of it as I have been having Braxton-Hicks for days. I went home and passed out in bed- so tired from an exhausting shift at the hospital. I woke up at 3:45…. in labor. I had had a few false alarms the last weeks where I woke Dave and made him time contractions etc. This time was different. I awoke with painful contractions that were hard and strong coming every 2 minutes. This was not a gradual labor. I woke Dave who was of course thinking I was crying wolf as we had been through this before. I got up into the shower and was immediately starting to doubt myself. For some reason these labor contractions were scaring me and I remember saying to Dave…. we need to go to the hospital. NOW. It was then that Dave I think realized I meant business and he got moving. We got in the car where I had the worst contractions of my life. I remember screaming at Dave that if he went over one more bump I was going to kill him. HA! We got to St. Ann's and they got us into a room and checked me. To my serious disappointment I was only 4 cm dilated!!! Because my contractions were so hard and strong I though surely I would be at least 6 cm and was at this point seriously doubting that I would be able to do this labor without any intervention or pain relief. I was teary saying to Dave that I was scared. He was just awesome. He held my hand and said, "Babe you've done this before and you can do it again. You are doing great." It was just what I needed to hear. I waited in the triage area for awhile for Gracie to have a reactive strip…. basically they needed to make sure that baby was doing ok during the labor contractions so that I could come off of the monitors during the rest of my labor. After about 15 minutes the nurse came in rechecked me and and I was at 5cm. That gave me some peace of mind that maybe this labor was going to go quicker than I was thinking and we moved into a labor room. I received an IV at 6:10. The nurse I had during my labor was named Denise. She was a gift from God. Seriously. Because the midwives that I had seen during my pregnancy and delivery with Jude had a change in practice I had to switch care providers at 32weeks. I was distraught over not having the midwives at my side during labor and was so worried that I would not have the labor experience that I wanted. Denise was not only professional but knew natural childbirth. She had done it herself twice and just hearing those words immediately put me at ease. She did not leave my side until I delivered and really was just wonderful. I was up and laboring in the room hanging on Dave who was such a great support. At about 6:30 I remember feeling like I needed to push. Denise had me lay in bed for a few more contractions and then rechecked me…. I was 8cm!!!! I remember looking at Dave who had a shocked look on his face :). This was definitely why I was having so much self doubt. In approximately 1.5 hrs I had gone from 4cm to 8cm. Dr. Bradley talks about these types of labors the speedsters as being fast and furious and that is exactly what this labor was. Denise quickly called Dr. Rouse back (who had peeked in about 5 minutes earlier and stated that she had a surgery and wouldn't be available until 8am….hahaha). Dr. Rouse turned her car around and was there within 10 minutes. We decided to break my water and have a baby!!!! After one big push Grace was born at 6:55.
She was gorgeous from birth. The nurses placed her on my chest and then brought her to the delivery table to make sure she was doing ok. She was a little stunned from such a quick delivery.
Daddy was just as thrilled.
1 comment:
yay! congratulations. Enjoy your sweet girl. What a gift.
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