2bemrsbailey: Connor's Super Easy Birth

Posted Thursday, October 01, 2009 3:53 PM

"I reminded them that I didn't want any pain whatsoever, and my doctor gave the okay to start the epidural. After that, I was set. I didn’t feel a thing!"

The waiting game
If you talk to any of my family members or friends, they will tell you I was TERRIFIED to have a baby! The whole process of having a baby actually used to bring tears to my eyes. My husband’s in the Army, and for the entire pregnancy, he was in another state for training. We knew that he could very well miss his first child being born, and that scared me more than anything. So at my 37-week checkup, we found out that I was 3 c.m. dilated and 80% effaced. My doctor said that my water could break either that night or in two weeks. I left the office in tears, telling my husband, "You’re not going to make it; I just know it.”  He assured me that he would be there, and, sure enough, he arrived in Colorado four days later, with two weeks off.  That whole week was nothing more than a waiting game. I found myself in a constant state of uncertainty, wondering when and where my water would break.

Getting the ball rolling
Exactly one week after that news, I woke up at 6:20 a.m. to go to the bathroom. When I stood up, I first thought I had peed in my pants! Then I thought it might have been my water breaking, but wasn’t sure. At 9 a.m., I went to my doctor’s office to see if I was in labor. Sure enough, I was! I wasn’t having any pain really, just some minor cramps in my back. Immediately, they sent me to the hospital to get everything going. When I arrived, I was hooked up to some pitocin to get contractions started. I reminded them that I did not want any pain whatsoever. I was already at 4 centimeters, and my doctor gave the okay to start the epidural. After that was in, I was set. I didn’t feel a thing!

Time to push
At 6:30 p.m., I was checked again and told that I was 10 centimeters and ready to push! When I started, I had my husband at my side, along with my sister and my mom. While my husband was away, my sister had stepped in as my coach. She went to every appointment and every baby class with me. My doctor even called us "the happy couple!” I was so thankful that all three of them were able to be there with me to take part in such a miraculous moment.

First comes cry…
After an hour of easy, painless pushing, Connor was here! The cry that came out of him was priceless. That’s when my epidural wore off. As it turned out, I tore a bit and had to be cut, so when my doctor was stitching me up, I could certainly feel it! I said, "Please, I need more pain meds.” By this time, though, the nurse had already un-hooked the epidural pump. My doctor kindly told her to hook it back up.

…Then comes baby
After getting all stitched up, I finally got to hold my little Connor. Going into this, I was terrified. Now, looking back, I am so happy that I experienced it. Connor was so good to me this entire pregnancy, and I feel truly fortunate to have had such an easy labor. I can’t wait to do it again…of course, only with a labor like Connor’s!