Strimble26: Charleigh Ray's Birth Story

Posted Monday, October 27, 2008 1:52 PM

"Everything was happening so fast that I almost didn't notice that DH wasn't in the room!  I asked a nurse to please go get him..."

False alarm

Monday, September 22, I woke up with strong contractions that were coming every five minutes and had bloody show. I called my doctor and she said to get to the hospital right away.  My husband and I were stunned because it was still two weeks before my due date and I had had little progress.  I couldn't believe I was going to get to meet my baby soon!  However the excitement came to a screeching halt when my contractions died off after being monitored for two hours and I was sent home, without a baby. 

I was devastated.  I felt so cheated, like my body had failed me.  The rest of that week was miserable.  I was searching for any sign of labor, but there was nothing.  My weekly doctor appointment was that Thursday, September 25.  I had high hopes that I was going to get great news, but once again I was sent home after being told that I would most likely be pregnant until my due date of October 2 and then (and only then) would we discuss possible options.  I was crushed and couldn't imagine being pregnant another two weeks!  I went home and decided to go against my usual healthy eating habits and had a hamburger, onion rings and a large vanilla shake to comfort myself.  I even sent DH off to drink a beer with his pals so I could be at home and sulk alone. 

Finally! The water breaks...

Around 10 p.m. that night, I needed to go to the bathroom and after standing up I noticed it felt like I was still peeing.  I stood there in my bathroom for at least ten minutes and watched as fluid ran down my leg, refusing to believe it could actually be my water breaking!  Finally I screamed out to DH that my water had broken.  We both were so reluctant to get too excited, after our false alarm on Monday.  I was very calm and took a shower and then called my doctor.  I was having mild contractions so the doctor told me to take a nice long walk and then head to the hospital.  DH and I took our time.  We took an hour walk with the dogs and then watched a recorded episode of The Office before deciding to finally head to the hospital around 1 a.m. 

The contractions were coming every three minutes on the 40 minute car ride there and I have to say, they weren't that bad!  I was checked in around 2 a.m. and I insisted they check to make sure it was actually my water that had broken because I couldn't handle another false alarm.  It was confirmed and because I was contracting so nicely and already at three centimeters, they left DH and I alone to labor.  I told DH to go to sleep while I waited out the contractions, no sense in both of us being up.  I wanted to go as long as possible without the epidural.  The nurse came in around 5:30 am to check me and to my dismay I was still only 3 cm.  They wanted to give me Pitocin to speed things up since we were on a time limit because my water had broken.  I was too scared to deal with Pitocin induced contractions so I went ahead and asked for the epidural at 6 a.m.  DH was still asleep, I didn't want to wake him until game time. 

Gaining momentum

At this point we hadn't called anyone yet to tell them the news because it was so early and we figured I would be in labor well into the day on Friday.  I was so wrong!  My OB/Gyn arrived at 7 a.m. to check my progress and she was stunned.  I was 10 cm and ready to push!  I had gone from 3 cm to 10 cm in less than one hour!  I yelled at DH to wake up and start calling everyone.  He had to leave the room because he did not get a signal.  While he was gone my doctor wanted me to practice pushing.  After pushing through two contractions she yelled to stop because I was crowning!  Everything was happening so fast that I almost didn't notice that DH wasn't in the room!  I asked a nurse to please go get him.  He rushed back through the door and he couldn't believe what he saw, his daughter's head!  It was just like that scene from Knocked Up! 

After pushing through three more contractions, Charleigh Ray was born at 7:36 am on September 26th weighing 6 bs 11 oz.  She came out beautiful and screaming!  I was still so in shock that she was here so quickly that I didn't even cry, I was so in awe of her.  Of course I have made up for the lack of tears since then!  She is so amazing and DH and I are so in love with her.  My birth experience was so amazing that I can't wait to have another! 

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