Birth

Ok, I'll spare you any gross details, but I wanted to write about Harper's birth, more to recount it for myself and if anyone really cares, read on!

I had to be induced. I've been induced with all three girls, so it was sort of a bummer that I didn't get to experience going into labor totally on my own, but it just isn't meant to be! The morning started for me at 5am when I woke up to Teagan wanting to get in bed with me. Once she climbed in, Zoe showed up. I didn't feel like sharing my bed, so back to their room we went. As I was getting Teagan back into her bed, she started making these funny noises and I realized she had thrown up in her bed (before coming to my room). We rushed into the bathroom, trying not to wake my in-laws in the next room and trying to wake up Duffy, sleeping on the couch (he said I was snoring!) so he could help me. We get Teagan cleaned up and moved to our room, then have to deal with Zoe not wanting to be in her room alone - DRAMA! Teagan continues to be sick every 15 minutes or so and by now, it's 6am and time to call the hospital to check if we are supposed to be there at 7:30am. Duffy calls and we get the green light. Teagan is continuing to be sick, as we wake up my mother-in-law to give her the heads up before we leave. Talk about stressing me out - I hated leaving Teagan but I wanted to get this show on the road!

We got to the hospital at 7:40am - we were supposed to be there at 7:30 but Duffy HAD to stop at Starbucks. We get all checked in and head up to the OB floor. I had been in a week earlier for a Non-Stress Test, so I was pretty much set for everything. My Dr. was already around, so they started me on Cervadil by 8:40am. With Cervadil, you have to be laying down for 2 hours, hooked to the fetal monitor before you can move around, etc. Contractions started towards the end of the 2 hours and I was ready to be out of bed. Duffy and I walked the main floor and the OB floor a few times then back to the fetal monitor. By then, contractions were about 2 minutes apart but not unbearable. They took the Cervadil out and I was only dilated to 3, so we waited to see if I would continue having contractions on my own. The contractions kept coming but I wasn't progressing at all. All the while, Harper was doing just fine and didn't seem in too big a hurry to make an appearance! When my Dr. checked be around 4pm, I still wasn't dilated much past 4cm and Harper hadn't dropped enough to break my water, so we talked about starting a low dose of pitocin to move things along.

Ok, I wasn't too thrilled with the idea of Pitocin, but I also didn't want to be laboring with no progress either. They started the Pit around 6pm and my contractions changed immediately - at first, they weren't really painful, just different. I knew within 1 minute, every time they increased the Pit because the contractions would get more intense and eventually, more painful. Harper kept hiding from the fetal monitor, so that was a constant struggle finding just the right place for it, while letting me labor wherever and however I was comfortable. My nurse was awesome (she was my nurse when Teagan was born too!), very patient but not overbearing or passive. At some point we discussed pain medication and I made it clear I did not want an epidural and unless things dragged on and on, didn't want any pain medication. Around 10pm thing got going enough for the nurse to call my Dr. in (he had been at home and I swear, he must have ran from the parking lot up because he was out of breath!). My contractions were getting longer and harder yet I wasn't at 10cm yet and not ready to push. I couldn't get comfortable and my back was killing me, something that had never happened with Zoe or Teagan. My water finally broke but I still wasn't dilated enough to start pushing.

Since I was Strep B positive, I was being pumped full of IV fluids and antibiotics and I remember around 11:25pm feeling like I really had to go pee. Duffy went in with me and I swear I peed for a minute straight. As soon as I was done, I had the strong urge to push. Everyone was moving rather quickly to get me situated to deliver and with 3 pushes in 5 minutes, at 11:34pm, Harper was born. She came out with her right hand up by her face, part of the reason it took so long for her to drop down. She loves her hands up by her face and we are curious to see how if that is something that she will continue to do throughout her life.

I do remember asking Duffy at some point near the end, why I didn't want pain meds but I'm really glad I did it without. I feel, as I did with Teagan's birth, that I was more aware of what was going on with my body and felt so much better in the days after their births. The nurses I had were wonderful and so encouraging and helpful. Duffy kept making jokes, that I found hilarious and helped take my mind off of everything, the entire day, so I'm sure they think we are totally crazy but I caught them laughing most of the time!

My Dr. is WONDERFUL! He is not only my OB doc but our family doc and pediatrician as well. I decided right before Harper was born that I wanted him to be the kids doctor because he is so laid-back, patient, kind and down-to-earth that it just made sense. It is so nice having one doctor to deal with everything for our family. I love that he is open to alternative medicine and that he treats the whole person.

Ok, so there it is, in it's condensed form. I'm glad it's over and Harper is here with our family. I think Zoe and Teagan will be great big sisters and Duffy is now, totally surrounded my girls! I think it's good for him though!