For those of you who did not hear or would like to hear my version of the birth story, here it is. I cannot believe it's been nearly 3 weeks already!
I woke up a few times in the night with these little pains and kept wondering if what I was feeling were actually contractions . . . but I was tired enough that I would only let my mind wander for a few minutes before getting back to sleep. But by the time Rob stirred around 7, I was fairly positive they were real, so I greeted him with that morning news. We called the midwife (Maureen) and told her I was having contractions about 30 minutes apart by then. She was glad we let her know and said to keep in touch as they got closer together. I also called my mom in Illinois to let her know, and she left for the 6 hour trip up here.
Rob had the day off of school (Thanks be to God for that detail worked out--I was a little nervous that I'd have like a 2-hr labor and be too stubborn to call anyone and then be all alone when baby arrives--yes, overactive imagination), so he did my grocery shopping that I had been planning to do, ran some things to the dry cleaners, and cleaned up the house. (Yes, he's an incredible hubby!)
Well, God is so wonderful to work all the details and timing out. Maureen's daughter was due 1 week before me but her baby had yet to arrive. So around 11, when we called Maureen to report 20-min-apart contractions, Maureen informed me that she was with her daughter who was now in active labor (ends up that her daughter called her about an hour after me). With Megan I only had 5 hours of labor with my water breaking first, so I expected a similar birth story with Robby, but his is quite different. Instead, Maureen's daughter had very quick labor and her baby was born. . . I think before noon. Maureen had lined up another midwife (Amy) to help with my birth and to do the entire thing if necessary, so she let Amy know about me and we continued to wait.
Rob was supposed to go to work at 2, so we were talking about what to do. I was still having 20-min-apart contractions, and I knew normal women can be in this stage for several hours. So we decided around 1 that Rob should still go (he was only working till 7). I was praying God would make it clear if this was a bad idea, so sure enough, I had contractions about 12 minutes apart for the next 3. So poor Rob had gotten dressed in his uniform and was ready to walk out the door, and I told him I had reconsidered.
My neighbor Kris came over around 3 to chat and help however. She had taken the day off of work so that also worked out nice. I had asked her to come and help with the birth, and she was a great help the whole time!
My contractions continued to get closer together and a little more intense. Mom arrived around 4 and they were 5 minutes apart. At this point we were all just sitting around chatting in the living room . . . mom was telling some of her memories of birth. We sent Megan over to the neighbor's house around 5.
My contractions were definitely picking up in intensity when Maureen arrived around 5:30 where I could no longer talk through them. Maureen checked my blood pressure, made introductions with Mom and Kris, told people what they would be responsible for.
Around 6:30 Maureen asked if she could do an "internal" check to know whether or not she should notify Amy to come yet or to wait. I went to the bathroom and between my trip there and back I had 3 contractions. Maureen and I went into the bedroom, and she checked me and I was dilated to 9!! Rob had walked in and Maureen looked so shocked when she told him. Mom heard the commotion and came in . . . her response to Maureen was "Don't you only go to 10?!"
From there, everybody started scurrying. Maureen went to call Amy and get all her supplies ready. Mom and Kris took care of transferring the crockpot with warm washcloths into the bedroom and putting towels in the dryer, Rob emailed people to have them pray, and I just kept laying on the bed having contractions.
Amy arrived by 7 or so, and then it seemed like everyone just stood around waiting for me . . . my water had yet to break and now the contractions were painful and long. One or two minute break, then 45-60 second contraction. Rob was wonderful--he just laid with me and prayed and talked to me and quoted verses. After about 45 minutes of this, I was getting really impatient. I asked Maureen if it was bad that my water was not breaking. She said no but then asked if I wanted her to break my bag. I did, but then she thought that if I used the bathroom it would help.
When I got back she had me get in a more upright position to deliver. After 2 pushes my water broke. Right away, Robby's head was ready for delivery. She told me to push--2 pushes and the head was out. She saw how big he was, his shoulders were pretty tight so she told me to give a really big push. I did and the rest of him came out. I cannot tell you how relieving it felt to have the baby out!!!
They had me move back into a laying position and quickly put the baby on me. More scurrying, can't really tell you what everyone else was doing. I was just focused on my little son, telling him how wonderful it was to meet him and how I loved him. Rob was still right next to me and was brought to tears. After a few minutes Rob cut the umbilical cord and they had me cough out the afterbirth. I had a couple tears, but nothing like last time.
They had Robby try to nurse, and he caught right on (and has continued to do so about every 2-3 hours =)) This was really relieving after Megan's difficulties. Megan came home around 9:30 and we had a little family time in the bedroom--thanking God and trying to get Meg to understand what was going on. Then they took the baby to do some checks and started to check out my tears for stitching. They stitched me up in less than 30 min, one more big relief compared to Meg's birth.
That's pretty much it . . . everything was cleaned up and taken care of in a few hours and then we all went to bed . . . well, you know, for 2 hour stretches at least =)
