It all began on Friday May 13. Yes, Friday the 13th. I had a doctor's appointment that morning. I wrote earlier about my 38 week appointment, but not about my 39 week appointment where again I was examined. This time it was my doctor, who I LOVE, she was able to get to my cervix this time, but said it was still pretty hard.
That brings us to Friday the 13th, four days after my due date. I told D earlier that day, "If I'm not even a little dilated I'm going to cry!" So we see our doctor, and talk about where I am, and how I feel about induction. Wanting to have a natural child birth, I told her I didn't really want to be induced unless absolutely necessary. And because my doctor is the best in the land, she said that was fine, that I could go up to 2 weeks over my due date with no worries.
Then, just as she was going to do my exam, a nurse pops her head in the room and says, "You have to go. Now." To which my amazing doctor said, "Oh, crap. I'm so sorry. Ok, I have to go deliver a baby," and leaves.
Enter new male doctor I have never met in my life ready to crawl up in my business and investigate. Luckily for me, new male doctor was so nice, and I was very comfortable. He wasn't even supposed to be there. He happened to be in the office, so my angel doctor asked him to pop in on me and do my exam. So he comes in and asks me to fill him in on what we have going on. He then proceeds to go on up there. He was very apologetic, and nice, which is what anyone who is going up and digging around your hoo-ha should be. So he was up there and then HALLELUJAH!!!!! he says the magic words, "It looks like you're about 1 cm." I have never heard such sweet words!
So then he says, "I'm going to go ahead and strip your membrane, which is kind of like giving your baby a noogie." Ok, Doc, go ahead and knuckle my baby's head!
Then I was sent on my merry way. So I went to work. Yes, folks I was still working.
While at work I started to feel some more intense contractions than the braxton hicks contractions I had been having for the few weeks before. But, I was still able to walk through them so I kept working. Then, all of a sudden they got a lot more intense and were about 5-7 minutes apart, and I could no longer walk through them. SO I decided I better go home. So I drove home, yes while having contractions.
Let's do a time check here: 9:45 AM- doctor's appointment, 11:00- get to work, 1:15ish- leave work.
At about 1:30 I got home and called my wonderful doctor who happened to call me to check in with me about my exam. So we talked briefly and I told her what happened and then I said I was having intense contractions, and she was seriously surprised. Then I called my mom, who promptly left work to jump on a plane.
Enter D... wonderful husband that he is. He decides we are going to play Catan, for 4 hours! Kid you not. All the while playing D is timing my contractions as they are getting way more intense to where I could no longer talk through them.
Finally at 5:30 we decided it was time to go to the hospital. Not much more happened except lots of pain for quite a while. My mom arrived at about 9:30 PM.
If you live in the Portland area I definitely recommend the Family Birth Center at Adventist Medical Center. They are fantastic! I was able to do whatever made me feel most comfortable and the labor nurses were supportive and knowledgeable. I was able to use a birthing ball, private jacuzzi tub, walk the halls, lay any which way I want, etc.
Finally, when I was about 8 cm, at about 7 AM, my fabulous doctor arrived and broke my water. At which point the contractions got WAAAAY more intense. Then it was time to push. I wish I had been able to push the whole time! While pushing, for those who have never popped one out, the contractions aren't painful. They say that a first time mom will push from anywhere between 1 and 3 hours! I only had to push for 1, and it didn't feel that long.
Finally at 10:15 AM, the most beautiful boy in the whole world graced us with his presence. My wonderful doctor placed him on my tummy and I promptly repeated over and over, "Oh my God!"
It's so weird and surprising when they put that new baby on you, and all of a sudden the concept of having a baby becomes reality.
And that was that. No drugs. All natural. I felt great after, and was in the shower an hour after pushing a person through my vagina. Gideon was alert and latched really quick.
SO now, he is 6 weeks old, 9 lbs 14 oz and 21 1/2 inches long. And the most amazing baby EVER. Ever.
