Labor Day Labor Story

Amy at The Finer Things in Life was planning to host a labor day labor story link up. Her new little one came a little early and she is very busy right now. Life with three is super busy for me but I figured if she had time to write about her birth story less than a week after it happened then I could get to mine! I wanted to share my most recent labor story.



My first labor was 7 hours long, my second was 3 1/2 hours long. I wasn't sure what would happen this time.



Benjamin was due on June 25. Madeline has come on her due date and Owen was a week early, so I was hopeful that Benjamin would be on time, if not early. Due to my gestational diabetes I would not be allowed to go much past my due date. With the threat of induction looming I was crossing my fingers and walking a lot! Jon's birthday is June 16 and he was hopeful that he would not share it with our new little one....



On June 16th I woke up feeling fine. I took the kids out on some errands and out to play. I decided to add in a lunch at McDonalds for a small treat. I knew it was going to be a longer day since Jon had a job interview after work and would be home late. And I also knew with a new little one coming we wouldn't be able to do things like this again for awhile. It was a rainy day so we ate and then headed to the indoor play area for some running before going home for nap time.



Jon got home that evening and we had dinner. I had make chicken parmesian because it is his favorite and it was his birthday. I was feeling fine, no more braxton hicks than normal and no signs of labor. I cleaned up from dinner while Jon get the bath started and I had my first contraction. This was at 7 pm. I didn't believe it was real labor. I never do, maybe I will learn one day. I jokelingly asked Jon if he minded sharing his birthday. He asked me if I was serious and when I said I didn't know he told me yes I did, I don't have false labor. He decided to hurry the kids through their bath. I started pacing, unable to settle, and drank a LOT of water (which I later regretted) trying to determine if it was real or false. Three contratractions and 15 minutes later I knew it was real.

So Jon called my mom's cell phone. No answer. Okay, no big deal, she doesn't always have it on her at home. So he calls the house phone. No answer. We can still call my dad's cell phone, but at this point Jon is starting to think up a backup plan just in case. Luckily my dad answered. He and my mom were just pulling into their driveway. After Owen's birth we knew I could go quickly and it had been 20 minutes already so my dad got out to take care of their dogs and my mom drove over to our house. The live about 15 minutes away.

By this time I had called the doctor's calling service and had talked to the doctor on call (not my ob, but the same one who had delivered both Madeline and Owen, talk about coincidence). After being reminded this was my third and hearing that contractions were already five minutes apart I was told to head in.

My mom arrived, we took a carseat out of our car for her and we left. By the time we got to the hospital it was 8 and I had been in labor for 1 hour. The contractions were getting worse and back labor was starting, but they were still 5 minutes apart so I had some rest. We checked in and were sent in to be checked by a nurse before being admitted. I was given a gown and told to get changed. I needed to use the restroom (remember all the water I drank when I wasn't sure it was real labor? ) and then the nurse came in. She was asking all the normal questions kinda slowly then heard me have a contraction and things started to speed up. I was hooked up to a monitor (I hate this part becuase once I am hooked they won't unhook me!) and my iv was started (thank you group B strep). At this point I had not discounted an epidural (I had one with both #1 and #2) but I wasn't sure yet. I was checked and told I was 7cm. I was kind of disspointed. And before you yell at me, when I got the hospital with #2 I was 8.5 cm. So I was hoping for that again.

They wheeled me upstairs and I was left to labor. It was about 8:30 at this point. I was still having 2-3 minutes between contractions and my water had not yet broken. About an forty five minutes later I felt a lot of pressure. They checked me but I wasn't quite 10 so I was told to wait a while longer. They changed the bed so I could sit up which helped a LOT. I chose not to get the epidural because I thought I could make it.

30 minutes later my water broke. Jon called the nurses and they came in. I was ready to push but they told me to wait. WHAT!?!?! They wanted to change my gown. They said I would feel better. I said get the baby out of me and I will feel better. They also wanted to check me. My contractions were on top of each other at this point and I was ready. They were having trouble finding the doctor so a resident checked me. At this point all I wanted to do was push and I hated being told to wait.

Yup I was 10 and ready. 15 minutes later Benjamin was born. He was Benjamin as soon as I saw him, it was the name that fit. He was 7 lbs and 15.5 ounces. Three hours and fiftenn minutes after my first contraction. And he shares his daddy's birthday which Jon now thinks is awesome!

As soon as I was cleaned (no stitches!) I was nursing Benjamin. Then I was drinking my first real pepsi in 9 monhts. No more counting carbs or cutting sugar for me!

Benjamin was my quickest labor. If we have a fourth (still undecided) I worry and wonder about how quick it will be.