A birthing story

A little comparison...and a recounting of my 3 deliveries.


This was by far my easiest delivery and recovery. With Ainsley I spent the night sick, throwing up, and contracting on a viscous drug before being given an epidural and pitocin the following morning. I had a fourth degree tear, hated the long lasting effects of the epidural (I could barely walk 12 hours after delivery because of the amount of drug I was given). Basically I wasn't a happy camper (for several weeks, mind you).

So with Owen I decided to do things completely different. I was induced 9 days late and gave birth naturally. While I loved how I felt after delivery (it was awesome) the birth hurt like heck. And due to my super woman pushing I broke my tail bone by pushing so hard that Owen's head broke the bone and cut up the back of his head. Notice the sweat dripping down my forehead, my sweaty hair, and mascara under my eyes. All proof that I had actually labored. Unfortunately, the tail bone issue proved to be as bad as the tear and it still bothers me to this day.
This delivery I decided to go with the epidural again, there was no way I was going to risk breaking my tailbone again due to my inability to stop pushing even when instructed to do so by an O.B. I also asked a ton more questions regarding the epidural. My anesthesiologist gave me the lowest dosages of all the medication. (On a side note, the anesthesiologist's name was Chip and John thought this was hilarious. I think I would have thought it was funnier if I hadn't been having contractions every 1 1/2 minutes. ) Chip did a great job. I could feel and move my legs during the entire delivery. I could feel the pressure from the contractions but not the pain. I could even feel when I needed to push. I was able to walk shortly after delivery. And as a result, while my body labored, I got to relax...the proof is in the picture... After "laboring" for a few hours, the nurses came in and before I knew it was time to push. I think I dialated from an 8 to a 10 in a matter of 10 minutes. I pushed during 3 contractions and she was out. The umbilical cord was wrapped around her ankle twice. Every time I pushed her blood/oxygen supply was being cut off and she was under a bit of stress. The doctor was calling for the vacuum to get her out quickly, but I was grateful I was able to feel a bit, because I told him it was time to push, he let me try to get her out one more time, and out she came. I didn't even realize that the whole situation had been a bit serious until talking with the doctor about it the next morning.

Our little Emmie wasn't to excited about leaving the womb behind. I guess I should have predicted that based on how late she was. She cried FOREVER after she was born. And not because she was being poked and prodded. She was laying on me just screaming. For like 30 minutes. Everyone in the room got a kick out of it. I think it was John that finally got her to stop. So all of Emmie's first pictures are of her wide open mouth.

The following picture is here for venting purposes. I absolutely hated that I had to wear the blood pressure cuff for the entire delivery and for hours afterward. My nurse was a huge stickler (she kind of annoyed me during the whole delivery...I eventually had to tell John to stop engaging her in conversation because I'd be in the middle of contractions and trying to get information and John would ask one random question and we'd have to hear her talk about something for 20 minutes...she was one of those people that are lucky enough to know everything about everything and feel that they need to share their wealth of information with everyone. Wow, vent over.) So, after delivery, when they told me to try to nurse Emmie and I was having a hard time due to the plethora of tubes and cords connected to me I removed the cuff. And then I got in trouble. And then I got kind of annoyed again. I jokingly asked her if we could just assume I was dead so that we could leave it off for 15 minutes. She didn't think I was very funny.

John was a very proud dad. He was anxious and excited and all the things that dad's should be.

I just had to put this picture in because it is me sitting in a chair at the hospital. That has never happened to me before. I've never been able to sit in a chair without precariously positioning pillows until weeks after delivery, until now! Check me out, sitting in a chair the day after delivery!
Since the hospital things have been pretty good. The kids love Emmie. They are both very interested in helping and love to be around her. Sometimes a little too much. But that is expected!

The kids have been real troopers. The day of delivery they woke up to a friend of mine at our house that was nice enough to come over at 5:30 in the morning to get them off to school. They were at friends houses, and at my sisters, and then finally with John that evening. Owen has been a little stir crazy, but all in all they have handled the adjustment well. John's guess was that Emmie would be cool and exciting to Owen for a day and a half, and to Ains for 2 weeks. I think he was right about Owen, and the verdict is still out for Ains. Although they both love to help when they can, throwing out diapers and picking out clothes are the favorite jobs right now. Newborns just aren't that exciting in the eyes of 3 year olds!

Emmie has been a pretty good baby thus far. She's got a set of lungs, but is pretty mellow at the same time. We are enjoying the newborn coma stage that we are currently still in. I love this stage. They are just so easy and content. I wish I could just hold her all day. I hate how fast they change though. She already looks different. She has been a pretty good sleeper too. I can't complain. She is up a couple of times at night but she's a fast eater and pretty much goes right back to sleep. I'm just crossing my fingers that this is a trend that will continue!

(Excuse the darkness of this picture...but I loved that John caught her cute smiley face on camera, even if it is just a gassy smile.)