My First Baby

Every mother has a birth story. This is mine. (Published 2016 as SAHM who blogs.)

It was 5 days after my due date.  My husband and I arrived at the hospital a little before 6 pm and went straight to the birthing center to check in. We were actually pre-checked in, so they were expecting us and took us straight to the room.

I would be induced at 6am.

The night was…uncomfortable. Bed not so comfy, tubes connected to me were awkward, and I had to get up and pee a lot.

I was hoping for any sleep, and I got about 3 hours.

I was already awake, so they induced me a little earlier than 6am. It was an easy morning. Easy for me meant: no contractions (that I could feel) and I was able to stay amused watching TV with my husband. I kept being told by the nurse, “No changes, we’ll just keep upping the Pitocin.”  I was dilated barely a 3 all morning.

The doctor came to check on me at 1pm, and my water broke.  “We’re having the baby today!”

I still wasn’t feeling any contractions, so I was hoping dilation would speed up and I’d start feeling something.  My husband and I decided to watch Disney’s Frozen. I hadn’t seen this movie yet, and we’re having a baby girl, so why not?

We made it about halfway through the movie before my contractions got very bad and frequent, I was on the waiting list to get an epidural…stat!

This was about 3:30 pm

My husband was asked to leave the room while I got the epidural. This was the first time we were apart from each other since we arrived at the hospital. The contractions were so strong (and happening every 30 seconds) the nurse had to put her forehead against mine and tell me to breathe before they could poke me with the big needle.   

I am happy I decided to get an epidural!  It went from pain and tears to no pain and being able to talk on the phone with my mom about how to turn on streaming TV shows at my house.  This means family was starting to arrive, and they were all patiently waiting for baby girl to make her arrival.

Right around 5:15 pm I could feel an enormous amount of pressure, like I needed to start pushing!  The nurse checked my dilation and I was finally ready, so they called the doctor to come back to the hospital.  

Every contraction was time to push.  It was my husband and the nurse coaching me through it…there was one time the nurse left the room and it was just my husband and me. We looked at each other like: what if the next contraction is the push where the baby comes?  Luckily, it wasn’t (and I’m sure the nurse knew that) but the realization was that this baby is coming and we were not ready to do it on our own!

About an hour went by.  It felt like I was doing a lot of pushing…I was tired, running out of energy, and looked forward to the rest time between contractions.  But, this is one thing in my life that I was not able to give up on, so I held onto every positive thing my husband and the nurse were telling me.

Eventually another nurse was called in, and around 6:30 pm my doctor arrived.  This must mean the baby is coming soon, right?

I kept being told her head was visible during my contractions, then it would disappear when I wasn’t pushing…how frustrating is that!?  Putting my frustration aside, there was a moment during pushing where everyone was cheering and the doctor looked ready…this was the moment my daughter was born.

Charlotte Jean was born on August 21, 2015 at 6:53 pm, weighing 8 lbs 12 oz, and measuring 21 inches.  Labor was a total of 13 hours, and I pushed for about 1.5 hours. 

It was an experience I will never forget.  Sharing the details is hard for me, because I do not usually share these things, but having a baby is something to be proud of!  If sharing my story can help another mother or expecting mom get through their own birthing story, I’m all about sharing it! 

What makes me even happier?  This birth story is only the beginning of our life together.

Read her little sister’s birth story HERE.

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