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Miserable Pregnancy, Wonderful Birth!

I was pregnant with my second baby. My first pregnancy was so easy! I sailed through it, happy, no aches, no pains, I loved it. But then I had a bad delivery. I didn't know what to expect this second time around.

It turns out I wasn't going to have that happy pregnancy again. I luckily didn't have any complications, but I was miserable about mid-pregnancy. I was falling asleep at work, it was hard to get around, I couldn't get out of bed. I didn't even gain 20 pounds with this one, why was this so difficult??? I could never get comfortable at night and constantly had a pinched nerve from my waist, down my butt, and down my right leg. My back also constantly hurt. The last two weeks were the worst. I ended up calling in sick to work the very last week. I had braxton hicks contractions and was completely miserable.

Determined to put myself into labor, I took things in my own hands. Nothing dangerous, I just was "ready". I woke up one morning, and rubbed my nipples for about 30 minutes. My husband even helped. I have heard this is the number one way to put yourself in labor and my nurse later agreed. She even said some pregnant women go into labor early if they are breastfeeding an older baby from the stimulation. So it was worth a try, right? Then, since our toddler was still sleeping, I (almost 9 months preggo) told my husband, "Let's have sex one last time." He was all for it, I just couldn't wait for it to be over with. Luckily that didn't take long. I was imagining those little sperm loosening up my cervix at that very moment.

Not to be dissapointed, I said, "Hey, let's do something. Let's go to the NASA Johnson Space Center!" It was within walking distance from our apartment, but I wasn't about to walk there in the July heat. (Yeah, yeah, I was desperate but I wasn't asking for a heat stroke!) So we drove to the space center, and I ended up chasing my toddler around most of the day. We did a lot of walking, and rode a tram around the space center to tour different areas. I made sure we rode in the very back, it was so bouncy back there! I was sitting next to a woman who asked when I was due. I told her 8 days, but that we were going to have this baby tonight!

When we got home that afternoon, I was exhausted! We went to bed as normal, and I woke up about 2:00 in the morning. I had a dream that my water had broken. Hee hee, I laughed a little and reached down to see if the sheets were wet, just in case. Aww, no such luck. Darn! I decided to get up for my bathroom break anyway. As soon as I went to sit down on the toilet, voila! It happened, my water broke! Thank you God, it is time! Woo hoo, the waiting game is over!!! Come on honey, let's go!

The neigbor came over to stay with our toddler and off we went. Everything looked good on the monitors, I had a great nurse, things were off to a good start. Then she asked if I wanted an enema. I didn't have one with my first son, because I had taken a good relief that day. I didn't do that this time so I decided to give it a try. What in the world was I thinking? Why hadn't anyone warned me about these??? I was in so much pain from the cramping, and I couldn't get back to my bed before I had to run back to the toilet. And the I.V. stand couldn't roll into the bathroom, I kind of had to pick it up and put it over that threshold, what a pain in the ass! (No pun intended!) Oh, where was my beloved husband? Oh yeah, he was snoring on that little bitty couch. I was in this one alone. I finally got that out of the way, but I can promise you I will never do that again. I would rather just poop on the table next time, much less pain there.

Once the enema was accomplished, I was ready for my epidural. That went as planned and I ended up calling some of my friends and family and saying some pretty funny stuff. I don't remember feeling this good the last time around, where can I get more of that stuff? It wore off pretty quickly, I was told it was what they give you at the very beginning that gives you that wonderful feeling.

My doctor showed up about 8:00 in the morning and asked when I thought this baby would be here. He was betting he would be born before noon. I got a good laugh out of that. My first labor was 17 1/2 hours, and I know your second is usually shorter, but come on, my luck wouldn't be that good. I told him I thought it would be around 1:00 or 2:00. He said he would see me soon!

Only an hour and a half later, I felt pretty ready. I called the nurse and had her check me, yes, I was 9 centimeters. What? That quick? They were getting my room ready when my mom showed up. But where was my husband? He was taking our son to the daycare ladies house, we thought he would have to be there all day and we also thought he had plenty of time to do that. We were wrong.

He showed up at 10:30. There we all were (I wasn't waiting on him, he just got "lucky"). My doctor said we were about to start pushing. I hadn't slept any, but I was ready, let's do this! Here comes a contraction, I pushed, oh wow, here he comes! He told me to stop and wait for the next contraction. Here came the next one, pushhhh, out popped his head, then came the rest of him! What an accomplishment, so different than my first baby boy. They laid my new beautiful baby boy in my arms while my husband cut the cord. This was one of those births you see on television, this was perfect! He was perfect! I immediately brought him to my breast, he took an interest, he was going to be a good eater, I just knew it. They took him and weighed him and cleaned him up some more. My 7 pound, 6.8 ounce boy was then handed back to me. I brought him to my breast again, he latched right on, thank you God! Thank you for my little miracle!

Carson Dean is now 3 1/2 months, over 15 pounds, exclusivly nursing, and still a dream. Big brother Mason Lynn just loves his baby brother, no sibling rivalry yet! Oh, I hear someone calling me, time to go feed the baby!

Sandy

rough times

I went into labor with my son on sept 11 2007 he was 8lbs 11oz. now i did have a few problems when i got in there it took forever for my contractions to start they gave me all different types of medications to help but nothing seem to be working then they decided to check and see if i was progressing in my labor and they waited about 4 hours in between the time and i never did show and improvments so they decided to give mea c section and thats when they found out that my baby was just stuck there was nothing wrong with him and that made my world a whole lot better to know that my little boy was alright.

natasha

It is so long

ok so i was pregnant untill 1 week ago .
I an 20 this is my first
so it was my due date and in the morning i got up feeling and i ate breakfast but then i felt kind of like you feel when you are during the first 3 months.
and i threw up all my breakfast i was like why?
so i hardly ate all day
untill my husband Jake got home i told him he said maybe the maby is coming soon
i said maybe
then we went to bed and i woke up at 12:35 and felt kind of weird and i had a contractio suddenly i thought maybe by tom my baby girl will be born
then i suddenly felt like using the restroom so i went
then i was on the toilet and i couldent do anything then finaly i felt kind of like a had peed but it was like a gush of water
then it came to me My water just broke!!
i tried to get up but i couldent it hurt so much i called my husband and i was planning a home birth without anybody just jake and me
so he got the supplies we needed and by then i felt like pushing so just started
i yelled jake hurry i feel her coming!
i could feel her already!! and since i was laying on the bed i just reached down and felt her head coming out!!
then i pushed finaly she came!!!!

Jessica DeCapelo born Oct 29 2007

Abigail

different than expected

when I was pregnant, I was so excited that I nearly jumped for joy. O was eighteen at the time ( I'm nineteen now) and I'd just got engaged. Throught the months I got all the regular signs (Morning sickness, saggier breasts, ect) but my labor was totaly unexpected. I was at 43 and I felt something give. my water broke, but only a bit tricked out and I wasn't experencing contractions. I figured it was a false alarm, so I dismised it as nothing. soon after I felt the need to really go to the washroom. with a rather rude noise (For those that hadn't guessed it) the baby's head popped out of my rear! I quickly phoned my midwife and then continued trying to get the baby out. It got stuck halfway through and we were forced to use vasoline as a lubericant. When it was all over i realized that it didn't hurt as much as I expected it to. but it just goes to show, almost anything can happen when your pregnant.

Sarah

My 43 Hour Labor

My labor pains started three days before my due date after my OB appintment. While I was there, the doctoer had "swept the membranes," which is really when she sticks her finger in the cervix and loosens the placenta from the uterus. Ewww, I know. So anyway, I started having small contractions that evening. This was my first baby, so I was super excited, I called my DH and had him come home from work and everything. The contractions were about 2 minuted apart, but not very strong, but I went to the hospital anyway/ They checked me and I was only two centimeters, and they said it was false labor and to go home and rest. Reluctantly, I went home. The next morning when I woke up, the contractions were still there, just weaker, and I was so upset. I did not want to have to start all over again. So I called my friend who is a Midwife, and she came and checked me, and it was still the same. She said I could take Castor oil to speed things up, but that it would obviously make me go to the bathroom a lot. So I took Castor oil,, and it definately got everything rolling, but I was in the bathroom for about three hours continuously (you really cant control it when you take castol oil). Anyway, by that night, I was in complete agony, as I hadnt taken anythign for pain, and I went back to the hospital for them to say the same thing. I was completely pissed that they were sending me home again, and I made them give me something to help me sleep. So I got home, and took the sleepy medicine, and it really didnt help much, because I was awake all night, just drugged up felling, like a dream. DH was really great, he rubbed my back all night. Anyway, at about 6 am I got up and I really felt like I was going to die, and I went to the hospital again and demanded to see my doctor, so in she came, and hooked up the montiors and checked me and I was 6 cm. I was soooo excited I almost jumped off the table. They admitted me and broke my water, which still hadnt broke, and that really sped everything up. I got the epidural about an hour later, although I really did want to do it all naturally, but I had been in labor for so long and I was soo tired that I wasnt sure if I would be able to do it. Anyway, after I got the epidural, the doctor told me DH and mom to go home and eat something, that it would be a while. They left, and about 1 hour later, I started feeling a lot of pressure so I called the nurse in and she checking me and I was 9 cm!! So I had to call them up really quick so they could come back and by the time they arrived I was ready to push. DH was holding my one leg and on the first push, he ran to the bathroom and threw up. anyway, so my mom took his place holding the leg and I oushed for about 20 mintues until my DD Juliana was born, 6 lbs 14 oz. I had been in labor for 43 hours. Looking back on it, I cant beleive I did that.

Maggie