In The Palms Of Our Hands

Birth, Labor, etc
2004-10-08, 4:59 p.m.

As there are several pregnant girls on one of my favorite email groups about my pregnancies and births.

With Noah I remember how terrified I was. I just knew I was going to have an epi and all that stuff. Well nope. Didn't know I was in labor until too late. My water broke on its own, I felt my sons head as it crowned and no one else knew he had yet.
It was impowering to have given birth to my first child at my house, without the meds and to be able to do it.

I was never in much pain with him. Not much at all. Just a few contractions and the this feeling to push. I didn't make myself push. My body did it for me. My body contracted and I had no other choice but to go with it and push. The worst for me was being stitched afterwards because all the tears I got for how fast he came out and how uncontrolled.

I remember his first cry, holding him in my arms for the first time and looking into his little eyes. He cried for only a second right after he was born. He was handed to me and he didn't cry again until they took him when we got to the hospital to stitch me up. Its the most amazing feeling in the world. To have given birth and to see the little child you helped create and you helped grown inside of you all those months.

With Jaidyn I wanted a home birth so bad. A planned one this time. But nope. Brian wouldn't go for it. Sometimes we are completely different in things and that birth needs to be done at a hosiptal is one of those differences we have. I remember going to bed that night with her feeling kind od sick. Like I had an upset stomach. At 4 am I woke up and the bed was soaked.

I wasn't having cvontractions at all for 30 minutes and then they came hard and all in my back. I won't lie and say it didn't hurt. It did but I could handle it. I have a high tolarence to pain to start with! :) (thank goodness for me) We got to the hospital and she was born about 30 minutes later. No pain meds at all. I remember her screaming when she came out. I remember nursing her just minutes after she was born and looking at her little red body (she was the only one who was red right after she came out. the boys had perfect coloring) I remember being thankful that I could get up and walk to the bathroom with no problems afterwards! :)

With Chase it was all so different. I so don't like the way that all turned out. I don't like having been induced. I don't like having had the epi. BUT for once I can say I am glad they have all these different technologies.

Chase's heart rate dropped so many times. So much. My blood pressure dropped. It was just too much for him. For hours of being on the meds I didn't have any contractions. None at all. THen at 4:30 or 5 oclock (I can't remember right now) my water broke. I was only dilated to a 1 1/2. An hour later I was an 8. It was going fast but we couldn't find Chase's heartrate and when we did it would drop. It was scary. My blood pressure dropped. They gave me the epi because if he didn't come out in the next few minutes I would ahve had to have a c section.

I hated not feeling my legs. I hated not being able to move myself or to go to the bathroom right afterwards because my legs were numb. But in the end I had the perfect result. I had a healthy baby boy. He was perfect in every way.

There is a good change if I had been sent home that day instead of to the hospital and my waterbroke on its own and I had gotten up and walked around he wouldn't be here with us today. For that I am thankful for hospitals and doctors.

Its funny how things work out. I think homebirths are wonderful, but I understand that hsopital births are neccisary sometimes.

I believe nursing is best for a baby, but I didn't nurse my oldest and he is very bright, smart and has always been healthier then my younger two who I nursed.

One thing I learned about pregnancy, birth and babies is everyones exeprience is different and everyone has to make their own choices on what they decided to do. What works for one person, baby , or family may not for others. And no matter what you have planned for the pregnancy, birth or babyhood, just know it doesn't always go the way you plan! Be very willing and understanding that things could be very different then what you expect.

Anyway that is whole birth, labor, nursing, etc experiences.

I loved being pregnant, I loved labor and giving birth and I loved thos first minutes with each of my wonderful children.

Sometimes I want one more. Sometimes I think I will want another little baby again someday and someday I think my 3 are enough.

We will see how it turns out

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