Josh's Birth Story !!

On Monday, January 18, 1999, I drove with Bryan to work because he had slept in and wanted me to be a car pool for him. So, while he worked, I walked the mall. (I had been walking 1 to 2 miles daily for the past 2 weeks hoping that I would deliver soon.) While I was at the mall, I started to feel cramps that were a little hard to walk through. When Bryan picked me up, we decided to do some last minute nursing clothes shopping. I had another bad cramp and Bryan's response was that I would be in labor by 3 or 4 in the morning. I shrugged it off and said that Josh wasn't coming till after our 41 week doctor's appointment on Wednesday.

I went to Bible Study that night without any more cramping pains. Bryan commented to everyone about my cramps and his prediction. They all laughed with me. After Bible Study, we went home and finished up Josh's web page and email letter so all that Bryan had to do was enter the vitals and send it out.

Around midnight (January 19, 1999), I was trying to get to sleep when the cramps began to intensify. Bryan was working on his Java game and I came in to be comforted. He kept saying, "Are you in labor?" I laughed and said no Josh is not coming today and that my cramps are just pre labor pains. After Bryan massaged my back for about 15 minutes, I went back to bed to get some sleep.

My sleep was very restless because the cramps would not leave. Around 4 am I went to the bathroom, and when I came back I felt a little gush. My first thought was my water broke. I went back to the bathroom only to find a little stain. So, I walked back to the bed when another gush came. This time I decided to put a pad on to see if it was my water. I woke up Bryan to tell him that I thought my water broke. I went to the bathroom again and noticed that now I had bloody show. We were both pretty convinced that indeed the water had broken. Around 5:30 am, I called Labor & Delivery to find out what to do. They said to come in to be checked. After we finished packing our bags and taking our showers, we arrived at the hospital around 7:15 am.

After getting settled into my room, the nurse did my vital signs and checked to see if my water did break. She confirmed that it did break and I would be officially admitted. Since the water broke, we were told that if I didn't deliver by 10:00 pm (18 hours after the break) that I would have to have an antibiotic. At 8:00 am, The doctor checked me internally and I was only dilated to 1 cm and about 50% effaced (I had been station 0 for the past 2 weeks). I was a little disappointed because I thought I would have progressed more than that over the past week's appointment. For precautionary reasons, they administered an IV catheter should I need an IV at any time. The nurse told us to start walking around the hospital floor (walk an hour, be on the monitor for 15 minutes). She had threatened me that if I didn't walk that I would have to have Pitocin, and if I didn't drink my water and juice that she would have to put me on an IV. My contractions were about 3-4 minutes apart with duration of around 1 minute.

Around 12 noon, I was checked internally by the doctor. I had only gotten to 2 cm and about 80% effaced. We continued our walk around the hospital. My contractions were still coming about the same rate. But, now I was beginning to feel them more intensely in my tailbone. During each contraction, Bryan would help by massaging my lower back and tailbone area. Since I hadn't eaten since dinner the night before, I was beginning to get very hungry. My stomach was even growling. I was put on a clear liquid diet of juices and water, but I needed more. Finally, they gave me jello and graham crackers to eat.

By 4 pm, I was no longer able to walk and the pain brought me to tears. I had wanted to have a drug-free labor and delivery. But, after the doctor checked me, and I was only at 4 cm dilation, I decided that I needed something to get the edge off. So, I received a dosage of Nubain. Immediately, I began to feel so much better. Even though I could still feel the each contraction, I was finally able to sleep between them. I had several dreams between the contractions and would wake up when the contraction hit saying a bunch of nonsense. Because I was now hooked to the IV, I was bedridden for the remainder of the labor. It was very uncomfortable for me to lie on my back because every contraction was on my tailbone. So, I laid on my side flipping often from side to side.

Around 8 pm, I was at 7 cm dilation. I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever get to 10 cm dilation. The Nubain wore off and they administered another dosage only this time it didn't help at all. Bryan was very supportive to help me breathe through each contraction which were now about 3 minutes apart and over 60 seconds in duration. I was also screaming in pain by this point. I just wanted it to be over.

Just before 10:00 pm, they had to start the antibiotic IV since the water broke 18 hours prior. The nurse checked me and said that I was fully dilated and ready to push. On the next few contractions, she had me push. After about 15 minutes, she called the doctor down to help with the delivery. When she arrived, the doctor had me push for a while. Then, she decided to check me internally and found that I was only 9 ½ cm dilated. After explaining to the nurse that she called her down too early, they made me blow through the contractions for about 30-40 minutes. It was the most excruciating pain I have ever felt in my life. I felt as if my tailbone, as well as both hips, was going to be pulled off. I felt a tremendous urge to have a bowel movement. Bryan quickly went out to get the nurse. The bowel movement that I was feeling was actually Josh moving down the birth canal. Everyone came back in the room, and I was ready push a little after 11:00 pm. At 11:30 pm, we were able to touch the top of Josh's head. It was soft and spongy with lots of black hair. Because they realized that I was going to tear, I was given a third degree episiotomy. By 11:45 pm, a third of his head was out, and the doctor said that at most I would have go through two more contractions. I began to feel the end was near and wanted him born on Tuesday, so I got the energy to push him out on the next contraction. On the fourth push of the next contraction, his head popped out. After suctioning his nose and mouth, the doctor proceeded to pull him out the rest of the way. He came out kicking, screaming and quickly put his thumb in his mouth. Immediately, he was placed on my stomach. I was amazed that something that big came out of me and how warm he felt to the touch. Bryan cut the umbilical cord while the doctor delivered the placenta. It took the doctor about 30 minutes to stitch me up from the episiotomy and tears. After completing his vital signs and measurements, Bryan was able to show Josh to his Mom, Brother and family. After, I was finally able to breast feed Josh for the first time with a little help from the nurse.

When Josh was born, he had lots of straight black hair, dark blue eyes, rosy lips and tan brown skin. His facial features look just like mine when I was a newborn, but he has Bryan's big feet and hands. Undoubtedly, the most beautiful baby there has ever been.