Data points on labor and delivery

You people know how to have fun! I'm going to sort through all the suggestions and pick 40 and make a list so you can all play along. There won't be any involving heights, as I'm terrified of them, so the hot air balloon ride is out. And some of these things I do all the time anyway, which has made me consider how much more fun my life is now than it was three years ago. So thank you for helping me get a little perspective.

Today can we give data points on labor and delivery? I feel like so many women get so many horror stories, and it would be nice to have some real, neutral info out there.(If your birth actually was a horror story, feel free to share. The goal here is a wide range of experiences, not whitewashing in either direction.)

I'll start:

#1: Normal pregnancy, midwives knew the baby was big so didn't want me to go too far past 40 weeks so I didn't end up in the hospital (I was using a freestanding birth center). They told me to drink an enormous amount of castor oil at 40w 3d so I did, and the predictable happened and I went into a weak, annoying labor. Many many hours later I went to the birth center, in the tub, out of the tub, break my water, vomit, start pushing and the cord was getting trappedd every time I pushed so they transferred me to the hospital. Got to the hospital, pushed for an hour. They finally got an IV in me (deep rolling veins) after 55 minutes of pushing. Two small tears. 9 pound 8 ounce baby. Born at 40w 5 d. Total labor time: 36 hours. Total pushing time: One hour. No meds. Went home 13 hours later. Milk came in over the course of a few hours on day 2 or 3.

#2: The birth center had closed and I was unhappy with my hospital options, so I decided to have the baby at home. Had wacky non-contractions from about 38 weeks on. At 40w 3d I walked two miles rapidly and labor started that afternoon. From 5 pm Sunday night to 10 am Tuesday I had one intense contraction every 15 minutes. Pain coping technique: cursing. At 11 am I couldn't take it (ha ha, transition) and asked the midwife for help and she told me to take a Benedryl so I could sleep. The second I swallowed the Benedryl my labor switched and I started having contractions every 3 minutes. About 45 minutes later my body jsut went whoosh and my water broke. 5 minutes later my body pushed twice and his head came out. Then my body pushed again and the rest of him came out. No tears. 8 pound 8 ounce baby. Born at 40w 5d. Total labor time: 43 hours. Total pushing time: Under 10 minutes. No meds. At home already so while they were weighing him I drank a gallon of Fierce Grape Gatorade. Milk came in within 12 hours.

(I have a theory that second labors after vaginal deliveries of the first either end up being the same labor as the first compacted into fewer hours, or some long pokey minor contractions until the last minute and then a super-fast delivery. Thoughts?)

Your turn!

Comments

[Nikki]

1. I had Braxton-Hicks like mad from about 32 weeks onward. My water broke at 37w2d in the morning, but only a trickle. Called L&D and they told me to come in, then tried to convince me it wasn't my water until suddenly it REALLY let go while we were talking. No contractions so they sent me home (around noon). Lots of crampy Braxton-Hicks all day but real contractions started around 7 p.m. By 1 a.m. they were closer together and more painful so we headed to the hospital. I laboured all night, with some nitrous oxide for the worst of it (which didn't help, to be honest), started pushing at 8 a.m. and she was born at 11:00. 7 lbs 3 oz, second degree tear. Milk came in, I think, on day 2.

2. Desperate to go into labour since 37w felt like 'full term' after #1, I was a walking machine from 37w onward but labour didn't start until 40w3d. I woke up about 11 p.m. in labour. By 1 a.m. we headed to the hospital, and I was at 7 cm but baby was turned a bit. Got in the tub, got out of the tub, pain got out of control (don't believe anyone who tells you labour pain is labour pain, my second was much more painful than my first), finally got an epidural and then of course things slowed down. Eventually they broke my water and gave me pitocin. Baby still wasn't in great position so they spent like an hour with their hands up there, trying to turn him. I pushed for 3 hours and he was born at 11:14, 9 lbs 10 oz, with a pretty significant shoulder dystocia. Second degree tear but the healing was much easier than the first time. In fact, in general I recovered much more quickly the second time even though it was a tougher pregnancy and labour. Milk came in on day 2. Turned out he had a heart defect which wasn't detected at birth and ended up having heart surgery on day 11. My theory is that he was so much bigger for a reason - the surgeons told us it is much easier to do that surgery on a 10 lb baby than a 5 lb one, which makes sense.

[AE]

I love this, particularly because I had a fantastic labor experience and heard all the horror stories and nay-sayers who said a first time birth could never be done drug free or be positive.... just you wait they all said. I had lots of really early labor/cramping (it didn't hurt, it was just cramping and a bit uncomfortable but I wouldn't describe it as pain) for about 24 hours before I went to the hospital. When I got there, I was 4 cm and in one hour was fully dialated and my body totally took over... I had my first baby after one hour of pushing -- yes, that hurt, but I think it was a combination of it hurting and also me being scared since this was a totally new experience for me and I didn't know what to expect. After an hour of pushing -- standing up on the hospital bed -- my daughter arrived. No stitches, no tears, I was up taking a shower within a few minutes and eating dinner. It was a truly empowering experience. Not one of my fears came true about what it would be like, the hospital staff was fantastic and totally honored my drug-free wishes. I always tell my story to expecting moms to try and counteract all the negative nellys out there! Thanks for asking :)

[Kate]

Induced in the hospital at 41 weeks with Cytotec on my cervix. More Cytotec sometime (12 hours? 4 hours? no idea) later. Decent contractions, but slow to progress. Pitocin at 36 hours. Water broke, major contractions. Epidural at 38 hours. Started pushing at around 43 hours 45 minutes. Birth at 44 hours (7 lbs, 13 oz; 22 inches). APGAR 8 at birth, 10 within 10 minutes. No tears, no episiotomy. Milk came in within 2 days. Son had short frenulum; problems with nursing solved by nipple shield.

[dspence]

One child. No Braxton Hicks or false labor.

Lost mucus plus 6:30 AM one week before due date and contracted for 6 hours at home before going to the hospital once they were 4 minutes apart. Happy to get an IV and epidural at 3:00 PM.

7lb6oz baby born at 10:46 PM with 90 minutes of pushing. One small tear.

Milk came in one week later. Longest week of my life!

[Rudyinparis]

Oh my. With Eldest, labor started at 8:00pm (very mild, first twinges). Progressed at home, in and out of the bath. Walked the dog at 10:00 a.m., then called the midwives. They said to come in, but to just leave my stuff in the car because it sounded to them that it was still early. Drove to the hospital, parked in the ramp, made our way in. By now it's about 11:30. I was dilated to 9cm. (Best news I ever heard--I thought I was maybe still at 4cm or something and it was all still just *starting*, which was a pretty horrifying thought.) Got into the tub. Stayed in there, labored and then pushed and gave birth without intervention at 3:55 p.m. In retrospect, I wouldn't have stayed in the tub for pushing--it was hard to get a grip, and the water had softened my skin so much that I tore quite badly.

With Younger, started feeling surges (we took hypnobirthing classes, so they were "surges" not contractions!) early evening. Stayed at home till about midnight. Drove to the hospital, climbed onto a bed and started pushing pretty much right away. It felt good to be in the bed, instead of sliding around in the tub. Gave birth at 1:46 a.m., without any interventions.

I had to have my water broken by the midwives both times.

I feel extremely blessed to have the birth experiences I had. I recommend hypnobirthing.

[Tara]

Not a horror story, but not great either. At 32 weeks my blood pressure started creeping up, and swelling got pretty bad. Lots of monitoring and 24-hour pee tests. BP and urine protein slowly ramped up and at 34 weeks I was put on bed rest at home. Twice in that time I was briefly hospitalized until my BP came down. At 36 weeks I was admitted for hospital bedrest. At 36w 3d I was put on magnesium sulfate (also known as evil hell) to prevent seizures (BP was getting pretty bad) and started induction strategies. For four days we tried cervadil, cervadix, saline balloons inside my cervix, and pitocin, but I just wouldn't dilate (scar tissue from a LEEP). Had a c-section at 37w 0d. Baby was 8 lbs even, no labor time (I had had a few very small erratic contractions during induction), epidural for the c-section and went home 3 1/2 days later. Milk came in on day two or three (can't remember) and I used a nipple shield for flat nipples (which we weaned from easily at 3 months).

It was not what I wanted and not ideal, but I'm sharing this mostly to say that none of it was really that big of a deal. I still feel a little pang of sadness that I (and therefore she) had so many drugs in my system, but I felt such a deep bonding immediately and she had no problems nursing and was a great baby. The pain and recovery of the c-section was really not that bad. The worst parts were the magnesium sulfate and being stuck in the hospital for so long.

Gonna try for a VBAC if/when I have #2 but I know my chances are slim. If I can just avoid the pre-eclampsia I will consider myself lucky, even with another c-section!

[Rayne of Terror]

#1. Age 27. Woke up at 3 am at 37 weeks with contractions. Worked through them until 8:30 am when they increased from every 6-7 minutes to every 2 minutes. Arrived at hospital around 9 am and was admitted at 5 cm. Nurse gave my an IV dose of painkiller and the OB broke my water around 10:30 or 11. 15 minutes or so later I was at 10. Pushed for 2 hours. Asked the nurse why this was taking so long and she thought that was a hoot. 7 lb 11 oz boy at 1:00 pm. Most delicious chicken salad sandwich ever at 1:30. Milk came in around 2 1/2 to 3 days.

#2. Hey #1 was so "easy", lets plan to have a midwife and a tub birth! Age 32. 35 weeks and the baby was breech and failing the non-stress test and my blood pressure was high so off I went for a cesarean. I arrived at the hospital at 10 am and fretted and cried and contracted until 5 p.m. when I had the surgery. 8 lb 15 oz boy. Milk came in nearly immediately.

[Awesomemom]

Only ever went into labor with my fourth. First was discovered to be transverse breech and huge so had a csection. Second I was too scared of another big baby to even think about a VBAC plus I really liked my OB and did not want to change to another hospital to do it. It was a good choice because he was 11 pounds. Third we moved to another state and VBACS were forbidden period. Fourth was in the hospital for my planned csection when horrid painful back labor started, I was so glad for the spinal when they finally got me in the OR. I guess she really wanted to be born that day no matter what.

[Katie]

One kid. Went into L/D at 38w3d because I felt dizzy, ran some tests and got sent home with a jar in which to track urine. Got up next morning (Mothers Day Sunday), had brunch, went back to L/D for follow up visit, got IVs and told I wasn't going home without a baby because of protein in my urine and risk of preeclampsia.

Sunday night (38w4d): cervadil to relax cervix, slept in hospital.
Monday (38w5d): balloon catheter, some other homeopathic stuff to induce labor, finally Pitocin around 4pm, felt like labor started around 7pm, water broken around 9 or so. Husband was completely convinced I'd end up with a c-section. Instead, had an epidural around midnight to "help me sleep," went into transition. Pushed for about 30 minutes, baby girl at 1:31 am (so 38w6d). 8 pounds flat, 21.5 inches. Couple tears, lots of blood, think there might have been stitching afterwards.

Milk came in after a day or two, though we ended up doing a supplemental nursing system with a tube and formula for about a week before exclusively nursing for 15 months. Baby had jaundice, so she stayed at the hospital an extra day and we went home on Friday (would have been 39w2d).

[jen]

At 39w5d, water broke around 5 a.m. Contractions were about 5 mins apart by 6:30. Water break and contraction timing confirmed, we were admitted to L&D around 8 a.m. By 10:30 a.m., the doctor decided to break the bubble of water remaining, as the earlier breakage was up high. Epidural at 11:30 a.m. because I didn't think I could handle it any longer (no one bothered to check me before hand and I was at 9 cm). Epidural slowed things way down. Then they started pitocin but the epidural was so strong I couldn't feel anything. Finally arrived after 1 1/2 hours of pushing at 4 p.m. 3rd degree tear. Pretty typical case of being over managed. Milk came in late day 2.

Second one due 3/23 so we'll see how that one goes!

[kakaty]

Baby #1: due on 9/18. My midwife was concerned about the amount of amniotic fluid (I had too much). That along with a period of days with no midwife on-call at the hospital and already being dilated several 5 cm prompted me to have my membranes stripped on 9/15 (Friday) in the hopes of jump starting labor. Nothing happened. I returned to work on Monday. We returned to the midwife on the following Friday and decided to have an amniotomy the next day. An ultrasound said that “Baby D” was just over 8 pounds and the amniotic fluid had reduced to a more normal level. My midwife tried stripping the membranes again, in the hopes of getting things started (it failed, again). I was 7 cm and up until this point had zero contractions or braxton hicks sensations. The next day at the hospital they broke my water at 10:15 AM (I was immediately happy this had not happened at home and that I was in a place equipped to deal with the mess). Mild contractions started immediately. I felt better while I was up and about so I spent a lot of time walking up and down the hallway of the labor and delivery ward, having mild contractions and hoping things would get moving. Every time I sat or laid down, contractions stopped. Around 12:30 I got light headed and nauseous and vomited. I had some crackers, jell-o and ginger ale to get my blood sugar back up, then got into a labor tub. It was very relaxing and the contractions, which had been getting stronger, felt so much easier but came faster in the warm water. After 20 minutes in the warm water, I went from 7cm to 10cm and I got the urge to push. I moved to the bed, where I labored on my knees (lying down stopped contractions). 3 pushes and a mild tear and she was born, almost exactly 3 hours from when my water was broken. 7 lbs, 1 oz., 20 inches. No meds, other than crowning (OUCH!) it wasn't bad. The shivering, shakiness and how cold I was after surprised me, though. I stayed in the hospital the full 48 hours. Milk came in about 3-4 days later after birth.

Baby #2: He was due on April 14. I had been dilated to 3-4 cm for about 3 weeks when the due date came and went without a single contraction, not even Braxton Hicks. My midwife was concerned that my blood pressure was inching up during the last couple of weeks of my pregnancy. That, coupled with my history of fast labor with #1, and she decided to schedule an induction on April 17. She did try to jump start things by stripping my membranes but with no luck. Once we got settled into the labor room she tried stripping my membranes again. We spent the next hour walking laps around the maternity ward, hoping to get something going. Nothing happened. Finally, at 12:45 she broke my water. Nothing happened until I stood up, and then small contractions began almost immediately. But, they only continued as long as I was moving about the room. My midwife wanted me to be hooked up to the monitor for 30 minutes so I was stuck doing laps of the room. Finally, she let me go walk the halls again and the contractions continued. We walked for about 30 minutes until contractions were coming about every 3 minutes and were getting stronger. An hour after the amniotomy I was up to 7 cm. 20 minutes later I felt like my pelvis was going to split in two with each contraction so I called the nurse to ask for drugs. She checked me and said "you're nearly crowning!" I pushed 3-4 times. The pain was much worse than it was in my first labor. I think I yelled "just get him out already!" a few times. Again, a minor tear and a couple of stitches, no drugs. He was 8 lbs. 1 oz., 20.5 inches and born about 2 hours after my water broke. I stayed in the hospital taking advantage of all the help and served meals (they were really good) until they made me leave after 48 hours. Milk came in before I left the hospital.

[sarah]

1.) Normal/easy (which is totally relative) pregnancy. Started feeling contractions at about 12:30am at exactly 39 weeks following a gigantic meal. Sat around the house watching bad middle-of-the-night TV with my husband until he convinced me this was it (prob around 3am or so...maybe? Can't remember...). Got to the hospital around 5 or 5:30am, was dilated to a 4 and things slowed down. Nurse was very supportive of natural labor and did everything she could to recommend alternate pain remediation as things progressed (slowly). At some point the doctor broke my water, which was very uncomfortable. Took a shower which felt good for about 30 sec. Finally at about 13 hrs in I was no longer handling things well and asked for the epidural for real (although the nurse asked then if I wanted to be checked first, but I said it didn't matter 'cause I didn't have anything left for pushing even if I was at 10cm). Got it, labored down for bit longer and then started pushing. Dude had a big head--pushed for 2.5 hrs and delivered a healthy 7lb 14oz boy after 17 total hrs of labor at 39 weeks. 2nd degree tearing. A bit jaundiced for a little while, but supplemented with my own colostrum at first and then milk (pumped in the hospital) instead of formula--he gained just fine and we stopped supplementing feedings within a week of coming home.

2.) Had irregular Braxton Hicks for a day or so, then started feeling more intense contractions 11 days prior to due date at about 12:30am (again). Called doula to see what she'd recommend--she suggested getting into the shower (since if the contractions stopped it wasn't real labor, but if they continued it was). The contractions continued so we called my doctor who told us she'd meet us at the hospital. Everything progressed much faster, was at the hospital around 2 or 2:30am this time--toddler in tow. Walked the halls with the doula for a while, labored in different positions, used a birth tub for pain management. Started pushing and delivered after just 9 minutes (7 total hours of labor). 7lb, 6oz healthy boy. Minor tearing for me, no pain meds this time, MUCH faster recovery. Baby jaundiced again, but pooping fine and so no supplementation necessary (was slightly yellow for the first month--pediatrician called it 'breastfeeding jaundice' and said it was fine/normal). Milk came in while we were still in the hospital, and he's been gaining like a champ ever since (he's 4.5 mo now) :)

[Val]

Woke up at 7:30 and discovered bloody show. Contractions started shortly after that but were pretty mild. They were increasing in frequency so we went up to the hospital at about noon. I was still not fully convinced it was labor because it felt like bad gas. During admitting they discovered I was at a 7 so they rushed me up to a delivery room. I actually finished giving them my registration info in the delivery room in between contractions. (This was in Brazil.) I didn't progress for the next couple of hours but at around 4:30 I was at an 8 and the doctor decided to break my water. I went immediately into full labor and pushed out my little guy by 5:30. He was 7 lbs 3oz. No drugs, which was really unusual for this country.

A++++ DELIVERY. WOULD DO IT AGAIN.

(If you could promise me it would be exactly the same and if you could guarantee that I could get and stay pregnant without difficulty and wouldn't have to spend a large part of my pregnancy on bedrest and then would have a full time nanny and a pay raise after the baby was born.)

[A.M.]

Hmm, my labor experiences match up pretty closely to Moxie's theories of subsequent births.

1. Normal, uncomplicated pregnancy until day before due date when OB suspects I'm running low on amniotic fluid. He gives me a option of either being induced or opting for a C-section. I'm induced that day, give birth vaginally to a boy, of average weight almost 12 hours later after painful contractions starting in the late afternoon. Had epidural (and the uncontrollable shakes), episiotomy. Pushed for 3.5 hours. Felt like I was run over by a truck for days. Breastfed normally.

2: Am now of "advanced maternal age" and because my health insurance has cut me down to one ultrasound and the age of the fetus was estimated incorrectly, I end up having a stressful amnio. There are various slight abnormalities in many of my pre-natal urine/blood tests and was required to come every other day for stress tests and was required to collect all my urine in a bucket for 24 hours (!) at one point. Was induced again because of low fluid, this time, 2 weeks early. I had been having Braxton-Hicks for weeks but not realized it. Practiced hypno-birthing breathing throughout. Pitocin took a long time to kick in and was not feeling strong contractions at bedtime, so I opted for an epidural so I could rest. Was awoken a couple of hours later to dr and nurses coming into room, telling me it was time to push. Birthed average sized healthy girl in 5 pushes, tore in the same place as old episio. Felt like I was run over by a truck for only one day. Milk came in right away as little girl grew very rapidly.

3: Most uncomplicated pregnancy, although I feel a bit queasy in first trimester (which didn't happen the first 2 times). No amniocenticis, all tests normal. Drank a lot of water. The day my OB went on vacation, my water broke after dinner (2 weeks before due date). Was advised by OB on call to rest until contractions are 10 min apart (or 6am, which ever came first). Did not feel pain until I was ready to push. Gave birth in my bed at 3am (3 pushes total) to slightly smaller boy. Elder 2 did not wake up despite 2 police officers and 3 EMT clomp around in my house and speak in regular voices while they clamped the cord and whisked me away into an ambulance 4 blocks (!) to the hospital. Breastfed normally, recovered quickest, despite tearing in the same place as my episio.

[Laura]

#1. Overdue and desperate to not be pregnant anymore so we started long walks each night. 40w4d I decided I could no longer go to work and be pleasant, plus I was freaking people out with how large I was. I think I lost my mucus plug that AM. Went for our nightly walk and went to bed. Felt like I was leaking around 11:30 so we called the doctor and they said to go to the hospital. Got there and I was only 3cm. They wanted to send me home and I cried because I was just done. So we walked the halls for hours (watching Paris Hilton get re-arrested and jailed for whatever crime she'd committed on the lounge TV as we did laps). At 3AM, I was still 3cm but they stretched me to 4 and checked me in. Got an epidural soon after (too soon in retrospect but whatever-I am a wuss) and they broke my water at 4am. Slept on and off until 1 when I was finally able to push. Was STARVING. Should have eaten while we were walking laps. Pushed and pushed and pushed with no progress. His ginormous head was stuck and he was sunny side up. Doctor #1 had finished his shift. Doctor #2 from my practice arrived and left at 2:30pm for a flight. Doctor #3 from my practice arrived (my doctor was on vacation). It was 4:30pm at this point so I'd been pushing for 3.5 hours. He said that we could do a c-section or try the vacuum first. Went for the vacuum and two pushes later he was out. No conehead! 8lbs 1oz, 20 inches. Milk came in a few days later.

#2. I was 3cm and 80% effaced for 3 weeks. 39w4d and it was hot and I was outside too long and didn't drink enough water and started to feel weird at lunch. By 1pm I was counting contraction times with an app on my phone. By 3:30 I told DH it was time to go. He thought we should wait since we killed so much time at the hospital last time but I knew this was different. Called the doctor on the way-he figured he had plenty of time but when I told him how close the contractions were, and that I was 3cm etc and it was my second child, he hightailed it to the hospital. I was 7cm by the time they checked me at 5pm. All I wanted was an epidural and I was sure I had missed the window. I was like Rain Man-"can I have an epidural? where is the anesthesiologist? I need an epidural now!" Over and over. Finally got one around 7 I think. Relaxed finally and by 9 I started pushing. She was born at 9:27PM, 9lbs, 5oz (holy crap) and 21 inches. She was full of amniotic fluid that had to be suctioned out a lot so she was very bloated. Milk took forever to come in. Very stressful week until it did. I like drugs, doctors and hospitals very much. Both experiences were good in different ways.

[Agnes]

1. Woke up at 3:15 with contractions. Strong and painful. Got to the hospital, was told I was already fully dilated and there was no possibility of an epidural or anything, baby born at 6:15.
2. Started contractions around 10:30. Called friends to watch #1, baby born in car on the way to the hospital.
3. Weak contractions and show on and off all day, stronger contractions started around 8:30, baby born (at hospital) around 10:30.

All painful and I did a fair amount of shrieking, but no medications, no particular difficulty, and no complications.

[eep]

I love birth stories so I can't wait to read all of these later today!

1. 10 days late and went in for an ultrasound to see if it was safe to continue to wait. Found very little amniotic fluid, so we decided to induce. Tried several relatively non-invasive methods, including using a foley bulb to dilate my cervix. Ended up taking an Ambien and sleeping in L and D one night, and starting Pitocin at 6 am the following morning. L and D wanted to start Pitocin at midnight, but it had been a long day and my wonderful husband demanded that they let me rest before Pitocin. Contractions really kicked in about 10 am. Fully dilated at 1 pm, pushed for 45 minutes, out came baby. No epidural, minor "road rash" requiring a stitch. Not so bad. Milk never came in, but that is another story entirely and not at all due to the birth.

2. I had to move to a new state when I was 35 weeks pregnant, so I knew almost no one. Because I needed care for my oldest, and because I wanted to be sure to deliver with the one midwife I had met, I scheduled an induction on my due date. She broke my water at 1 pm. Contractions started almost immediately. At 5:30, I told my husband that if he wanted to make any calls to his mother or my mother, he should do it then, because shit was about to get real. And it did. Started pushing around 7:15, baby boy out at 7:45, no tears. Again, no milk, but I was prepared this time.

I don't really want any more children, but I am so sad that I don't get to experience childbirth again. It is truly an amazing experience, and I am so glad that I had two really good births that make me feel happy and warm and fuzzy when I think about them.

[Janet]

Baby was laaaate! At 41 weeks 5 days (or something like that, they weren't certain about the due date) I went in to be induced. Midwives gave me Pitocin for 8 hours, and the monitors showed that I was having contractions, but I couldn't feel them so they were doing no good. Spent the night in the hospital, more Pitocin in the morning. Nothing really happened until my midwife broke my water, then contractions began. Labored until late afternoon and was just really exhausted, plus the pitocin-contractions were awful. No break in between. Had an epidural, and it was fantastic. It let me relax and rest, so we let the baby passively descend a little while. I'm not sure how long I pushed. Seemed like a long time. She was born at 7:39 that night, so a 36-hr ordeal but I was only really in labor for 12 or so hours. Milk came in on schedule.

Now I'm 24 weeks pregnant with twins (eek!) so I'm interested in twin birth stories. First baby out is head down, second is breech, at last check.

[SKM]

Didn't go into labor with either child.

With my first child, was induced at 41 weeks: pitocin at 9:30 AM, irregular contractions until 3 AM, when labor started to progress in earnest following administration of epidural. Daughter, 8 lbs, 4 oz., delivered via forceps at 10:03 AM after an hour of unsuccessful pushing. With most other OBs, I would have had an emergency C-section: baby wasn't doing well, and pushing was not happening (too tired combined with orthopedic problems which made positioning options more limited). My doctor is one of two at our hospital who still delivers via forceps when indicated over vacuum/C-section (see Atul Gawande on this topic, very interesting). I had tearing, which was awful, but recovery was quick and the baby was healthy (Apgar 2, up to 10 in five minutes, which the OB at first thought was a mistake, but wasn't).

Second baby showed as ELEVEN pounds on ultrasound at 40 weeks, 2 days, which, at our hospital, is grounds for automatic C-section (and I'm small). My excellent OB allowed me to make the choice: I chose to wait. At 40 weeks, 5 days, still no labor, so induction started at noon with pitocin, labor started at 2:30, baby delivered vaginally at 8:30 PM after 20 minutes of pushing (and such a fast transition that a last-minute epidural that didn't have time to go into effect, gah). Baby 9 pounds, 7 oz., had shoulder dystocia but was successfully delivered without complications for either me or baby.

I had meconium in my fluid with both deliveries, which was a hassle, but there were no subsequent complications.

Milk came in on day 2 with both children: first baby had a hard time with early nursing (likely due to her traumatic birth) but second (giant) baby was nursing like a pro immediately following birth.

After my first delivery, I was overwhelmed and scared by all the breastfeeding literature surrounding traumatic birth. I successfully breastfed my children despite their tricky entrances into the world, so that's an important part of my data points. You can do it!

[Kathy B]

It's been 32 years - so the details are fuzzy, but here's the Cliff's Notes version:

Minor contractions at midnight; it was snowing and a blizzard was predicted, so we drove to the hospital. Hospital wanted to send me home; husband said NO, so they asked about the weather and admitted me. Contractions on and off all night. Hard contractions started at about 6:30 a.m.; baby born at 7:59 a.m. 8 lb 12 oz. Can't tell you weeks/days (because we did not measure that closely back in the olden days.) I really had less than two hours of real labor.

[kp]

#1 (2006, living in England, on the NHS, in Kent): water broke at ~39 weeks. Went 3 days, no labor, no fever. After 3rd day, induced with prostaglandin pessary. Started slowly. Much walking. Continued slowly. Couldn't go home again, though, as I had dilated to 4cm under the influence of the prostaglandins. Stayed at 4cm for a while; then came the IV oxytocin. Labored overnight under the oxytocin until I finally gave in and asked for an epidural. It only took on half my body. Was complete, was then left alone for an hour to labor down to get ready to push. Pushing flat on my back, legs in the air. Pushed for about 2 hours (?). Baby's head couldn't get past my perineum and I was rather incongruously asked if I was a horse-rider because apparently they have perineums of steel. :) (Who knew??) Episiotomy. Baby born! Time from entering hospital to baby born = 36 h. 8 lbs 8 oz, 22" long. Milk in 2d after birth.

I would rather not talk more about the epis complications. Ugh.

#2: (2010, north of Boston) Midwife care but a cardiac arrhythmia at ~36 weeks meant I had to deliver in hospital.

Labor began at 40w5d and I went to the hospital. Contracted off and on all day, but never less than 5 mins apart, and then petered out. Went home. Had a beer. Spent the next 24 h laboring at home, napping on couch, hanging out in tub. Slow, poky labor, once again. Water broke at home and things began to pick up. 48h after first contraction, back in hospital. About 6 h after arrival, was 10cm. Pushed unmedicated for 12h and another 2 h after epidural. Pushed on bed, on floor, on ball, on stool, in tub, standing, kneeling, side-lying, all fours. Supervising midwife busy with lots of other laboring women that day and I had a newly-graduated midwife. Annnnnnd, she should have caught this much earlier. (I am still mad about this and feel like I got poor care.) MD came in, did a vaginal, and said, "She's got a pelvis you could drive a Mack truck through, but this baby is in deep transverse arrest, and we're going to the OR." I said, "Huh?" and they explained deep transverse arrest. "Oh." Off we went!

As they were cutting me, the surgeons were jolly and joking and then they got my baby out and said, "Uh, WHOA." And then they started taking bets on his weight. He was almost 12 lbs (11lbs 14oz) and 24". Hospital record for a while. :) He looked like he could eat the other babies in the nursery. Milk in 5 days later. Total labor 72 h.

[Anon]

My labor started out in possibly the best way possible. The night before my due date, I took a long bath, my husband gave me a back rub, and then I stood up and my water broke. Yay! I was so ready for things to start happening. I'd had Braxton-Hicks for so many weeks that I did not even recognize the "real" contractions as contractions. These had to be pointed out to me in triage, as I wasn't really sure. We had to go straight in since I was Group B positive. After several hours of no change, I received pit than an epidural. My son measured large all along, and I was very clear with my doctor to tell me sooner rather than later if she thought I needed a c-section. I unfortunately experienced side effects from the epidural--high fever, the shakes--and my cervix was swelling instead of thinning and the baby's heart rate started to go up...so my doctor recommended a c-section. Between the fever and being up all night, I was really out of it by that point. The experience of surgery was very surreal--especially the sensation of the baby coming out and waiting to hear my son's first cry, which came after the exclamations of his 11 lb weight! The anesthesiologist offered me some happy drugs which allowed me to rest and calm down while they stitched me up. My memories of some of the surgery are a little fuzzy, which I didn't like so much, but I clearly remember the first sight of my son and holding him skin-to-skin in recovery.

I can almost guarantee I'll be scheduling a c-section when we have another.

[DonnaD]

DD#1 - I was 33. Due 09/13. I had a non stress test that day and all was well. Woke up the night of 9/14 with contractions. They were less than 10 mins apart. Called the OB on call and she said to come in, especially since there was a PSU home game that day and driving to the hospital later would be insane (practically next door to Beaver stadium). Arrived at hospital around 3AM on 9/15. Checked in and started walking laps around the floor. After 2, I was done and not able to walk anymore. I got an epidural around 9:30AM. Pitocin was started at some point after that and I took a nap. My water was broken (before or after pitocin? I dunno). I rested well, but never progressed past 4cm. Ever. Doctor recommended a c-section around 7pm and we agreed. Daughter was born around 9:45PM on 9/15, 6lb 3oz. Had trouble w/BF from the start. I was exhausted. I didn't get out of bed for 2.5 days. Sent baby to nursery a lot so I could rest but they kept bringing her back to me to eat. 3rd night with baby was horrible. DH had gone home for some sleep. There was a student nurse on my last morning who had never even held a baby before, let alone been on the OB floor. Bawled the entire was home. Struggled with BF for 3.5 wks and quit the day my mother left.

DD#2 - I was 35. Due 12/8. Signed up for repeat C-section from the start with same doctor. Scheduled for 12/1. Checked in to hospital at 5:30AM, prepped for surgery, joked with doctors the whole time, delivery around 7:45AM (I am a terrible mom who can't remember the times my kids were born). 5lb 15oz. Went right to formula. Enjoyable 2 days with baby by my side. Never left her. Up walking by next morning. Convinced doctor to send me home a day early. Home and happy.

A scheduled c-section is SO MUCH easier to recover from since you didn't labor unsuccessfully for hours and hours beforehand. I would sign up for a 3rd if we were having another. No regrets.

[Jesabes]

#1: 37 hours. The first 32 hours were really annoying labor. The kind where I was having regular contractions, but they weren’t that painful and didn’t seem to be going anywhere. Sometimes they’d be 5 minutes apart (almost time to go to the hospital!) and sometimes they’d slow back down to every 20 minutes (arrggghhhh). After the 32 hours, my mom convinced me to go the hospital. They determined it was real labor (yay!) and, after admission, broke my water. Things got really painful then and I asked for an epidural, which I got an hour later. I took a little nap (34 hours awake and laboring at that point!) and my contractions slowed, so they added a tiny bit of pitocin to my IV. Without telling me. It worked out and, in retrospect, was just fine with me, but I am still quite unhappy I wasn’t consulted. The Pitocin did its job and I started pushing just before the 37 hour mark and only took 15 minutes to push her out. I was very happy with that for a first baby, but I tore pretty badly. Born at 39w1d.

#2: Speed labor! 38w5d. At 5pm, I was loading a bunch of heavy boxes in the car to donate to a charity event. At 6 we sat down to dinner and I realized the tightening I’d been feeling was much more intense than I realized. I insisted we eat dinner anyway. By 6:45 we were running around the house throwing things into bags (oops) and freaking out as my contractions were hard and every 90 seconds. They continued at every 90 seconds during the drive to the hospital and we arrived at 7:15. At the hospital they thought I looked too calm (THANKS) and took their sweet time. When they finally checked me (around 8, after the monitoring clued them in), I was at 8 cm and they started taking me seriously. With my first labor, they had me gather all my stuff and walk leisurely from triage to a labor room. This time they quickly pushed my monitoring bed to a room and told my husband and mom to grab my stuff and hurry. The speed didn’t end up being necessary, but it was kind of exciting and gratifying. I moaned and screamed for a while and asked for an epidural. It was placed at 10:15. The doctor checked me immediately after it was placed and I was at 10 cm. My son was born in two pushes at 10:22, before the epidural kicked in. No tearing.

[Stanon]

Gestational diabetic, petite (5'0") me. 1cm dilated at around 38 weeks or so. Induced at 39 weeks in hospital because of GD and they thought the baby was going to be big, like 9 lbs big. Hooked up to pitocin drip and external monitor around 7:30 am. Mild contractions for a while. No further dilation. Pitocin cranked up a few notches. Contractions a little more intense, but still no further dilation. Internal (vaginal) monitor used so I had to lie down on the bed (very uncomfortable) and pitocin increased even more. Extreme pain/writhing on the bed discomfort. Requested epidural. Epidural done and feeling really good. Like I'm high. Slept and relaxed in bed for a few more hours with continued pitocin and apparently really strong contractions, which I could not feel. 7:30pm, 12 hours later, and still not dilated past 1cm. Prepped for C-section. 8:09pm, 7 lb 11oz healthy baby boy delivered via C-section. I thick I went into some kind of shock after the surgery because I remember being extremely cold and shaky in the recovery room for what seemed like a really long time. I was without my baby or husband and kind of freaked out. Eventually, I stabilized and my baby and DH came to me. Milk came in about 4ish days after delivery and while it was difficult at first, I was able to bf successfully for a year. I was told I have a really narrow pelvic opening which is why I never dilated. The baby's head couldn't get low enough to push on the cervix. Freaky that I probably would have died in childbirth 100 years ago...

[Iris]

#1: Baby born at a freestanding birth center. Tried membrane sweeps, acupuncture, castor oil, walks, sex, etc in the week preceding her birth. Nothing started labor but I was 3-4 cm and having lots of Braxton Hicks. Finally at 42 weeks, woke up at 3am with real contractions, got to the birth center at 7am, was 9 cm, got in tub, and emerged from tub at 10:36am with my baby girl. Pushed for about 1.5 hours. Total labor was 7.5 hours. Never too painful just intense. She was 7lbs 14 oz. Very minor tear. Absolutely exhilarating, empowering birth experience. Milk in 3 days later. Breast feeding was a challenge at first but was easy by 4 weeks and we nursed until a couple months after her 3rd birthday.

#2: My babies need to stay in mama a little longer. Another girl born at 42 weeks at a freestanding birth center. We decided to induce with cytotec in an effort to avoid transfer to hospital for pitocin induction. I was already 3 cm. Midwife placed a quarter dose of cytotec near my cervix at 10:30 am. Monitored for an hour, no contractions, went to get lunch, started feeling mild contractions at 1:15 pm and walked backed to the birth center. We entered a birth room and were waiting for a midwife to come when I was slammed with 3 strong contractions and an urge to push. Midwife came running, calmly helped me remove my pants, and baby was born in one push as my husband caught her. Total labor: less than 30 minutes. Minor tear. 8lb baby. Still processing how fast it was and really glad she wasn't born in the street or in my pants. Milk came on day 3 and nursing has been much easier. She's 6 weeks old tomorrow.

[Jesabes]

Forgot to say the first baby was 7lb 1oz and the second was 7lbs 15oz. Both times I had to really work to get milk. I pumped every two hours around the clock from days 2-5 the first time and days 1-4 the second. Babies recieved what little pumped colostrum I got combined with a little formula both times. After my milk came in they were exclusively breastfed.

[J]

1. 28 years old. Induced at 40w6d. Started with cervadil for about 5 hours, at which point they broke my water and started pitocin. Epidural. Labored uneventfully for another 12 hours. Baby's heart rate started dropping with each contraction, so I got on all fours, which helped. Vomited (whoops, shouldn't have eaten when they said no more eating!). Went from 3-4 cm to 10 in about 45 minutes. Pushed relatively easily for about 20. Baby girl - 7 lbs, 13 oz. Small tear.

2. 30 years old. Braxton-Hicks since about 18 weeks. Discovered baby had flipped to transverse breach at 39w2d. Non-stress test at 39w3d showed everything was fine and the pains I was having were probably just round ligament pains from baby flipping. Spinningbabies.com exercises and handstands in the pool. Went into hospital at 39w4d for a version, with either an induction or c/s immediately afterwards. Version works! Broke my water immediately, started pitocin (was very effaced), epidural. Labored uneventfully for about 7 or 8 hours. Pushed relatively easily for about 15 minutes. Baby girl - 8 lbs, 10 oz. No tear. After moving to recovery room, nurse asked me to rate my pain on a scale of 1-10 and I said 0.

So, two great inductions with epidurals. And a successful version! I'm lucky enough to say that the worst part of my L&D's was the IV in my arm. We're done with kids but I'm genuinely disappointed that I'll never give birth again.

[J]

Oh and milk came in about 60 hours after delivery with both kids. Both girls were champion nursers from the get-go, but got one bottle of formula before my milk dropped. Didn't impede either nursing relationship. Exclusively nursed both until about 7 months and still nursing the 26-month-old and the 8-month-old.

[Sheila]

Both pregnancies were pretty normal; I had more morning sickness with the first but had some bleeding with the second.

#1: Friday before I was starting to get warm-up contractions that would come and go. Sunday I received an outpatient induction when after 10 days past my due date I was still only 1.5cm. That evening the contractions started to hurt. By midnight they hurt so much I felt nauseated so we went to the hospital. Still only 1.5cm. Got shot up with morphine and sent home, still in pain but now stoned. Tried to take a very long, hot shower but that combined with the opiate-induced fog meant that I missed my water breaking (thought it was an odd splash at the time and didn't realize until later when my mind was clear what had happened). It wasn't until close to 6am that I realized I was leaking all over the place. I also expelled the prostaglandin suppository, so back we went to the hospital. Contractions were hardcore intense and painful now, and I was pushing even though I probably shouldn't have been because I couldn't help it. When I got there they found I was fully dilated. They gave me an epidural anyway, which was just as well because I was pushing for at least two hours. It took a vacuum extraction to get her out at 10:35 am Monday. Second-degree tear, healed up fine.

#2: Warm-up contractions for a week beforehand. Went to see the OB on the Monday (the day before my due date) and was tight as a drum. Wednesday morning I woke up and shortly afterwards felt stronger, painful contractions. Pottered around the house all morning because I figured there was lots of time. Fed older kid breakfast, folded laundry, showered and dried hair, that kind of thing. But was getting pretty uncomfortable. By lunchtime I called my mother to say she and my dad probably needed to take over care of the big sister for now. I was moaning through contractions by the time I got to the hospital. Waiting room was very busy on the delivery ward, and it took me a while to get a room. When I did, they examined me and I was 5cm. My OB said, "you wanted the epidural, right?" and left me waiting for the anesthesiologist. Within 10 minutes, though, contractions got even stronger and then my water broke. Nurse checked me and I was 8cm. At that point they told me that the epidural was likely not going to happen. I got very upset and begged them to give me one. They put in the IV but I think it was just to appease me. Transition took over and then the nurses and OB were imploring me to push, which I was afraid to do without the epidural. I was getting hostile with them, so the OB gave me nitrous, which ironically cleared my head enough to get me to push. I think it took two pushes and daughter #2 was out around 2:30 Wednesday afternoon. Only the slightest tear, didn't even need stitching. All the physical postpartum stuff was easier this time around (lochia, continence, etc.) except the afterbirth cramps. They were the devil after the second baby.

Milk came in before I left the hospital in both cases.

[giddy]

1. 30 yrs old. Woke up 5 a.m. with contractions at 41 wks, which were at distant intervals all day. Evening, watched the Oscars but couldn't tell you a THING about them because I spent the whole time recording the timing of contractions. Finally they were close enough at 2 a.m. to go to the hospital, but even there they kept me in the triage room for a few hours, then spent 2 hrs in a warm tub. Around 7 a.m. they gave me an epidural and pitocin, and I slept until 11 or so, at which time the contractions were bothering me again. Turned out it was time to push...7lb 7 oz daughter delivered by midwife at 11:47 a.m. Total labor, about 35 hrs; pushing, probably 30-50 min. A minor tear, which honestly was the worst part of recovery (it stung to pee).

#2: nearly 35 yrs old. On due date, woke up at 6 am with contractions. Had appt at 8 a.m. anyway, so went for appt, got checked and told to "go walk around for awhile." At 11 am went back to the office and re-checked and OB sent me to the hospital. Got epidural around 12:30 or 1. Started pushing around 3, and 8 lb 3 oz daughter born around 3:30 with small episiotomy which healed beautifully and painlessly. Total labor 9 hrs; pushing--20 minutes or so.

You hear horror stories of epidurals causing long delays in labor; I believe that in my case, they enabled me to relax and allow my body to do what it was supposed to do. In both births, getting the epidural was the worst part, but also at both births I was extremely relieved once I had it and everything seemed much more manageable once that happened.

[pennifer]

Had a normal pregnancy up until 3rd trimester when we began watching my BP creep up. My NP was very calm about it, never even bringing it up until I had my final check-up at exactly 39w6d. Higher BP. She sent me to the lab for stat bloodwork but sent me home to wait for the results. I knew what was going to happen, so packed my bag. Got called in and admitted, hooked up to pitocin but on a very slow drip at 10p. Awful sleepless night with no contractions and lots of annoying BP checking and nurse visits. 5a they turned up the drip and things got underway. Still cheerful. 10a, contractions got serious. Any movement on my part made the pain exponentially worse (yay, pitocin), so I spent 10-noon in the fetal position, just breathing in, through, and out the birth canal, going from 2-10cm. Or something like that, b/c they didn't check me but once somewhere midway. I couldn't take it anymore and asked for a shot of pain relief (horrific fear of epidurals), which they stupidly gave me without checking or they would have known I was in transition. Fentanyl did NOTHING for pain and only made it hard to use the contractions/pain constructively. It was at transition they decided to move me to a fancier L&D room. In a wheelchair. Assholes. Anyway. 2.5-3h of pushing later and my son was born. On Thanksgiving Day, his due date. 5 lb 14 oz. No tears for me. My milk came in about day 2-3. Huge oversupply issues, but we figured it out.

[MemeGRL]

BTW--I hope mine don't read as horror stories, they are meant as data point cautionary tales. I had no idea I might never feel a contraction, only back pain; and when they can't find your fluids in an ultrasound, it doesn't always mean your fluids are in fact low. Both times mom and baby were healthy after so I consider them both a success. But. My pain was so great and so unrelenting with both, while I applaud those who pull it off without drugs, each person deals differently with pain. Do what gets you a healthy baby and healthy mom. That's all. Sorry if it read as too negative. It was not meant to be.

[Alison]

Great, easy pregnancy. Fluid looked low at 40 week appointment, so midwife strongly recommended induction at 41 weeks. Went in the night before for them to start cervidil, but I was having too many contractions. Unfortunately, they weren't productive (or painful), so although I wasn't actually progressing, they wouldn't start the cervidil or let me leave. Spent the night hooked up to monitors, barely sleeping at all (only thing I regret about the birth--if it happened again, I would insist on going home to get one last good night's sleep!). Midwife broke my water at 7:30 am and "real" contractions started almost immediately. Labored for 9 hours, no pain meds. Started getting really scared for no reason and knew I was in transition. Pushed for 1.5 hours--totally exhausting. Baby was 8 lb, 9 oz. I was completely wiped out after the birth and really didn't feel like myself for a day or two. 2nd degree tears and a pretty bad recovery--took much longer than I had expected to feel good again. I think milk came in pretty quickly. Other than the usual awkwardness of figuring out how to latch properly, etc., we had no problems with nursing. Overall, great experience. My goal for next time is a faster recovery...will have to do some research on that!

[Melanna]

First Kid: Water broke (or later we discovered, just leaked) at 31w, 3d. Went to the hospital and they admitted me. Gave me steroids for the baby's lungs (which I blame her ability to scream so loud on) and antibiotics to stop infection from setting in. Said if I didn't go into labour in 48 hours I could go home on bed rest. That's what happened. At 33w and 4d. I started bleeding (they said either from my placenta pulling away or my cervix being irritated from all the fluid loss. So they induced me with pitocin. 21 hours later, after being on the highest dose for most of that, having crazy contractions that were on top of each other and finally settling on an epidural (that I originally didn't want, but in the end needed to cope). I pushed out my little 4lb baby in a total of 3 pushes. She was resuscitated from the cord around her neck. She lived in the NICU for 13 days and then got to come home.

Baby number 2. I had midwives. The day before I had been to a midway with my family and walked around all day. Finished the night walking up a huge hill to the car. Had a braxton hicks the whole way up the hill. It didn't stop when we got in the car. 10 minutes after we got home i was in bed (it was after midnight). An hour later I woke up knowing my water was about to break (made it to the bathroom which still shocks me to this day). Contractions started right away and were every 15 minutes or so. They continued to get longer and stronger throughout the day. At 4pm we went to the birth centre. Discovered that all the midway food I had eaten the day before had stopped me up, meaning the baby was not lined up so I had to poop before I could get her out. Sadly it took hours to get things moving along. But finally we managed to do that. From water break to birth was 23 hours, active labour for 8 (a good 6 was not pushing when I wanted to so that I didn't inflame my cervix). She was born in water, no drugs and it was a fabulous redemption of birth after the last one. She was born at 37w (and technically, by 3 minutes, 1d).

3. As I write this I'm 37w and 5 days. I've had braxton hicks for 6 weeks straight, interspersed with real contractions. I've had hours of real contractions that suddenly stop. Pretty much every evening (and every morning at 4am) I had a couple of hours of real contractions that stop. That's happened for almost 10 days. I've had times of pure nesting (cleaning my entire house. Never had that with the first two) that I thought were precursors to "it" and so far nothing. I've never been pregnant for so long and I'm totally miserable. Hopefully it ends with a nice quick labour (with only enough time for my mom to arrive) and a gentle water birth.

[A]

No. 1: Rising blood pressure from 35 weeks. Stronger and stronger braxton hicks from 37 weeks. Induced at 40+3 due to blood pressure still rising. Induced at 8pm weds, nothing much happened until lunchtime thurs. In and out of the bath all afternoon/evening. Epidural at 8pm thurs. Dozed for the next few hours. Half an hour of pushing and 6lb 4oz baby born at 3.23am fri. Total labour time: 38 hours from first contraction. 2nd degree tear. Home 36 hours later.

No. 2: No blood pressure issues. Stronger and stronger braxton hicks from 32 weeks. 39+4 saw midwife wh'to thought baby might have dropped some. Arrived home from midwife at 3.45. Contractions started at 4.15. Ordered pizza at 5.30, but had to call hospital half way through dinner. Although I was timing contractions, there didn't seem to be a pattern (which in retrospect was because they were getting closer and closer together each time), so hospital said to call back in a few hours. 20 mins later had to get husband to call. Got into car immediately. By the end of the street I needed to push! Arrived at hospital in 16 minutes, pushed for 10 minutes, 6lb 5oz baby born 20 minutes after getting to the hospital at 8.21pm! Total labour time: 4 hours. 2nd degree tear again, though it felt like things took a lot longer to heal with no. 2. Home less than 24 hours later.

No. 2 is 10 weeks today. I'm still kind of in shock at how quick he arrived!

[Jess]

Being at 41 weeks today and hoping for a home VBAC, this topic is great!

ROUND ONE: water broke about 11 pm at 39w3d after sex with husband. No contractions; went in next morning and midwife said everything looked good and things would likely start up that day. Birth center birth planned. Contractions began around dinner strengthening up. Dozed 11pm-1am when they got more intense and painful.

But then I spiked a 100 degree fever so we decided to meet MW at hospital, not birth center. Everything was still very managable, painful but the endorphins after each contraction made it "easy." got to hospital, got antibiotics, and was checked around. 4 or 5 AM... dilating well, but! Surprise! Formerly ultra low engaged baby flipped into very sketchy footling breech position! Footling breeches have an 18% cord prolapse risk so even though hospital did vaginal breeches, not this time.

Emergency cesarean which was hideous and traumatic - I reacted idiosyncratically and poorly to the contraction stopping drug, then hemmorhaged post surgery. Recovery was allegedly fast but i am a poor patient. :) Hospital was awful and hated every minute. Kid received unnecessary antibiotics, drs told us contradictory things, the only person who was the same from day to day was my lunch delivery gal, and every damn new dr or nurse apparently had to ask invasive questions about our birth control plans (?!?! Um my birth control plan is I JUST HAD MAJOR ABDOMINAL SURGERY, and also what was your name again?!) Vowed never again if possible. (luckily the c sec didn't interfere with milk coming in day 2.).

Hoping mr cozy inside number 2 comes out soon as obviously the home birth VBAC plan gets a lot less likely in a few days! Been having an annoying start stop prodromal labor for a week now.

[cheryllookingforward]

I was induced at 40 weeks, 6 days because my OB's office doesn't like going past 41 weeks. I agree with them. It took several hours to get going and I learned after a lot of pain in one leg that epidurals are gravity fed and I needed to shift my position. After 3 hours of pushing, the baby's head wouldn't budge (they could all see his hair, though). I went in for a c-section. The epidural still wasn't right, so they gave me some stronger meds for the surgery - enough that I don't remember the first few minutes of my son's life. It turns out his head was lodged sideways in the birth canal and all that hair they saw was the side of his head. The top of his head was bald. My recovery from the c-section was textbook perfect. 8 lb, 6 oz baby. Born at 41 weeks. Total labor time: 16 hours. Total pushing time: 3 hours, a little over an hour in surgery. All the meds. Went home 2.5 days later. Milk came in at 5 days (finally).

[pennifer]

Prompted by another poster to add that he swallowed some meconium in the birth canal, so they took him to the NICU for about 2 hours to monitor (with my hubby in tow) - he was fine though. I spent a surreal bit of time mostly by myself in the L&D room, feeling surreal. The nurse brought me a Thanksgiving hospital meal to eat while I was in there. Very surreal, but a good moment to reflect on the events. He was born at 2:40pm, so about 5.5 hrs of active labor, not counting the previous 7 hours of low pitocin drip.

[hedra]

Mine are all crazy path to good outcomes and ended with decent to very good experiences. Having good support and respectful care providers really makes a difference when things go catywompus, which mine all did in one way or another - but all catywompus within the full range of normal, too.

1) Postdue, midwives had me doing biophsical profiles to ensure we were still in good shape as I hit 42 weeks. Two days before induction deadline, tried a million things to start labor, and once I gave up and tried to sleep, labor started. Long, easy labor (as easy as labor ever is), used visualization and relaxation to manage, plus two doulas (both close friends), my mom, and epeepunk.

Labored at home, went in to be checked, no real progress, went home, went back in, no real progress, stayed there to try to get things moving, got exhausted at around 60-some hours of labor, walked to the hospital from the birthing center, got an epidural so I could sleep (still didn't need it AT ALL for pain, but too much sensation to sleep through and I was exhausted from lack of sleep plus work). Slept on my side, very slighly malpositioned baby repositioned, labor immediately progressed and was 'normal labor' from there on, textbook ideal progress (still under midwife care, backup OB on observation only).

Pushed for 2 hours, no tearing or stitches needed, total 80 hours of labor. Midwives speculated that maybe the high-neck double cord wrap G was born with (no harm to him, cord wraps are common, two high up are less so) had kept G from tucking his chin and progressing normally. Expectant management and a lot of great support including massage and position changes even with the epidural kept it from being a c-section, though that was considered if G had ever been at risk. Had a TON of side effects from the epidural, but was happy to be able to use it when needed (and without guilt, as it was treated as just a management decision, and not a great or horrible thing).

Was slightly disappointed to not birth IN the birth center, but it was a good birth, powerful, joyful, peaceful, gentle, respectful. Safe Respectful Kind for both me and Mr G with only minor quibbles. 8 lbs 12 oz, 15 inch head, 'military' presentation (head up, top of head presenting instead of back of head, like standing at attention - larger presentation than back of head, but still NO birth injury to me).

2) Decided to try to cut labor time down, and had heard that hypnotherapy tended to reduce duration of labor. Studied and practiced. Aimed for birth center again, but this time had polyhydramnios (too much amniotic fluid), and was risked out of the birth center (cord prolapse risk, increased placental abruption risk) the day I went into labor (EXACTLY on the due date this time). (Baby had already flipped breech and we'd used hypnotherapy to flip him back - which worked exactly as it is supposed to, down to the timing.) Baby was estimated to be 10 lbs 10 oz, but I wasn't worried given no injury with the previous presentation.

Contractions started mildly over lunch but didn't hit 'clinical' distance apart. Went in for a nonstress/stress test to confirm no need to induce (hospital had indicated no need to induce despite size, as pressure was still okay for baby, but my midwives wanted full clinical basis for the no-induction order). My water started to leak immediately after the midwife reassured me that she'd never had a bad birth at the huge regional hospital I was going to have to go to this time (change in rules at the local hospital up the street, midwives couldn't practice there anymore). Ate dinner and then went to the hospital.

Had my hypnotherapist as doula, a friend, epeepunk, and my midwife as second doula. The complete stranger OB tried to scare me into a c-section by insisting my child would be at least 10 lbs 10 oz (despite late-term ultrasound being notoriously bad at estimating size), insisted I had undiagnosed GDD and would be unable to birth normally because my child would be huge-headed and broad shouldered (typical GDD baby), ordered pitocin, broke my water (confirming head engagement so no cord prolapse, the only part of her effort there that was clinically accurate/appropriate), and walked out saying she'd see me soon (implying that she'd be back for the c-section).

With some effort managed to relax, did some hypnotherapy work, worked some more, had conflicts with the nurses (who kept ignoring my reasonable requests, like not checking me during a contraction because it hurt when they did). Mainly, though, just lay there like I was napping, breathing easily through the contractions while I focused on the hypnotherapy work.

Then hit transition and insisted I needed an epidural because I hadn't progressed enough even though I had no pain and wasn't tired, just discouraged. BUT we'd managed to convert the mean 'I will turn the Pitocin up until you can't stand the pain anymore' nurse to an advocate, she insisted I was 'struggling' because I'd progressed really far suddenly, and didn't want to see me go to meds I didn't need. She checked, I was 7 CM (I'd been 4.5 20 minutes earlier), I agreed with her that I totally didn't need an epidural, and delivered gently and easily about 40 minutes later. The OB barely got there on time, and later admitted that I could have easily delivered a 10-lb-plus baby, given the ease of delivering the actual 9 lb 6 oz baby (even the nurses were all 'uh, doesn't look like 10 lbs plus to ME' at the OB... ouch). Total real labor time (contractions kicked in when they broke the water), 4.5 hours. Pitocin, but no pain meds needed at all. Very quiet, restful, gentle labor, even though still a ton of hard work (focus and relaxation take work during labor!). Completely able to stay out of my own way and let my body push. Still a little regretful that it wasn't a birth center birth, but all in all, fabulous. Not a lot of respect offered, but respect demanded got at least grudging proto-respect, which converted into actual respect on the parts of most of the care providers at the hospital. The OB said she never wanted to see me again, which was mutual (though I respect her medico-legal need to be scared for risk, and even feel sorry for her trying to handle this particular scenario, she should have read my chart more carefully before making up her mind about what kind of case I was).

All in all, gentle, powerful, intense, profound experience again. No birth injuries. Went home in less than 24 hours because I hadn't had an epidural (low risk). And baby showed 0 signs of GDD (no blood sugar issues, either).

3) We joked that the only way we wouldn't get a birth center birth the third go was if we had twins. Which ended up being the case. The Universe has a sense of humor. Twins, risked out of the birth center at 20 weeks (when we found out), switched care to an OB I respected and who respected me, who understood my physiology and history and said that given my experiences so far, he'd even do a breech-breech vaginal presentation with me (rather than default c-section). Planned to go back to the first hospital if possible (only after 34 weeks gestation, they didn't have a high-enough NICU for earlier).

Opted for hypnotherapy again. Needed it a lot for the pregnancy pain associated with going full term with twins for some women, used it daily, and was really REALLY practiced with it by the time I went into labor at 38 w 3 d, with a high leak again, and for fun, the baby who had been 'up high' swapped to being 'down low' and likely to be born first. Babies initially presented both head down on ultrasound, then wiggled around when I tensed up getting a bad IV set. Labor was SO easy I didn't even bother with the hypnotherapy tapes. Got up to go pee at around hour 4, and crowned the first bag of waters on the way to the bathroom. (finished peeing anyway, because I was still going to have to do that!) waddled back to bed holding the bag of waters while my doula ran for the nurses station.

The nurse didn't buy that I was crowning (because, really, I was walking around chatting with people!). Took one look, broke down the bed and everyone ran it to the OR (delivery at this hospital - the same as for child 1 - had to be in the OR for twin births, in case of emergency). My OB wasn't there yet (he'd been called at 5 cm, but ... 5 cm to 10 in 35 minutes).

Complete random stranger OB had to come in and catch, and (yep) it turned out to be breech-breech - first baby had flipped position to single footling when I'd felt them wiggle around, and had already crowned so there was no going in by c-section at that point barring catastrophic emergency.

OB was breech experienced, so she rearranged the foot, and knew how to rotate the baby to shift the shoulders through, one push and baby A (Miss M) was born. She took a few minutes to determine that Baby B was too active to readily settle into a safe position (and Baby B had preferred transverse all along), so rather than risk a vaginal/c-section delivery, the OB did a manual extraction (reached in and grabbed her feet and pulled her out), double-footling breech.

Almost zero pain except when someone's elbow or chin tore my cervix and that was about like stepping on a lego - intense but brief. More ticklish or like a regular exam in sensation. I have pics of me grinning and chatting with the nurses during the post-transition/before-birth stage and post first birth. No other birth injuries except the cervix (which was pretty minor and healed on its own), baby B (Miss R) born 5 minutes after her sister. Baby A: 6 lbs 10 oz, baby B: 7 lbs 6 oz.

VERY easy labor and birth. Glad to have experienced help and support (hypnotherapist/doula and my mom plus epeepunk in the OR), sorry my OB missed it (he arrived 2 minutes too late). Not as gentle (breech sometimes isn't), but safe despite the left turn, and much more respectful and kind than the second one.

Would do any of them again in a heartbeat. Labor and birth are AMAZING, powerful, potent, fundamentally real human experiences. More work than I've ever done before or since, but WOW, so damn cool.

[electriclady]

Can I just say that I had NO IDEA that it was possible for milk to come in that early? (I never labored; had 2 scheduled c-sections and for both my milk came in the day after I came home from the hospital--day 5 for #1 and day 4 for #2.) My mind is blown. This explains so much that I didn't understand about early breastfeeding advice.

[Amanda]

One child here. I started having Braxton-Hicks contractions at about five months, which was super annoying. My water broke at about 5 p.m. the day after my due date, which happened to be Canada Day! (This was super exciting for me because I am American and my husband is Canadian, and I really really wanted our daughter to be born between Canada Day and the Fourth of July, and she was! And I love it.)

I hung around the house changing my incontinence pad for the next four hours and finally started having contractions around 9:00. I took my midwife's advice and took a Tylenol PM and went to bed, but was too keyed up to get any real sleep. By about 3:30 in the morning the contractions were intense enough to keep me awake so we got up and started timing them, and sure enough they were about two minutes apart and lasting for close to a minute. So we called the midwife and the doula and they came right over (we had planned for a home birth).

And then nothing happened. I was still having intense contractions close together, but at 4:00 that afternoon I was still only at 7 centimeters, and that was after my midwife had swept her fingers around there to try to stretch it out more, and I swear to you that was the very most painful thing that has ever happened to me. The only yelling I did through the whole entire labor was when they were checking my cervix. OUCH. At this point the midwife recommended a hospital transfer so they could get me on Pitocin and I agreed.

Pro tip: DO NOT spend half an hour in a manual transmission car on a bumpy road at rush hour while you are in hard labor if there is any possible way you can avoid this.

At the hospital they hooked me up to a light Pitocin drip and I informed them that if I was getting Pitocin then I was also getting an epidural, because by that time I was DONE. The epidural was perfect - I could still feel the contractions but they didn't hurt anymore. It was like a dream. It turned out that the baby was facing sideways, so after I was good and numb the midwife did some fancy internal maneuvering and managed to get her turned.

I was fully dilated by about 9:00 that night and it took me two full hours to push her out, so my beautiful girl was finally born at 11:00 on the dot, the day after Canada Day. 7lb 8oz and the most incredible thing I had ever laid eyes on.

Summary: Water broke before labor started, 17 hours of labor, 2 hours of pushing, epidural.

[Tetris]

First, easy pregnancy despite GD. Last routine ultrasound showed extremely low amounts of amniotic fluid. Straight to L&D for IV fluids. After several hours of that which makes you pee like a horse, the checked for leakage. Not leaking. That meant one of two scenarios 1) I would show improved fluid levels on ultrasound, 2) I would deliver at 33 weeks. I spoke to neonatal specialists about lung development of 33 week old fetuses just in case...

I was in and out (mostly in) the hospital on bed rest with oral fluids for the next month. That meant I made it to term. My son could not turn, though, because without sufficient fluid there is no room. As he grew, his footling position was presenting the danger of him kicking through and a whole bunch of drama resulting. So, a calmer approach of the inevitable c-section was scheduled at 37 weeks. (For the records, this counts as an elective c-section. So, I think the numbers for what is elective include cases of it being the best option or only real option. Interesting FYI.)

So, it was all procedure after that. Three minute delivery. Little longer in OR and recovery. Healthy baby, hurting mom. Nursed for 8 mos. and pumped for two more.

......

Second, my doctor allowed VBACs which were on the don't list at the time. However, it had to be textbook progression. At 40 weeks, no real dilation; surgery loomed and my doc was going on vacation. Odds were no one else would wait, so I opted to choose my doc to be my surgeon. It was easier a to recover this time. We had a bunch of other baby-related complications. (Take seriously exposing new borns to germs. Playing ICU twice is no fun. New borns on IV antibiotics suck worse than not going to Walmart or seeing relatives, guys. Trust me. You do not want to learn about blood brain barrier development.)

I nursed my second for over two years. I learned that no nursing hurdle is insurmountable. We had them all. If you're baby gets used to pumped milk in ICU, he can come back to the breast. However, it takes tenacity. So, get a good lactation consultant, because you'll need someone in your corner. Don't let anyone tell you nursing is lost because of a pacifier or bottle. That's just not true. You can make any situation work, but do what you feel is right. There is no prize at the end of either road except your own peace.

I hear people feeling like failures when their birth plans go awry and nursing is rocky. I don't want anyone to feel like they cannot have a positive experience during off-nominal times. Neither birth was what I wanted, but each gave me wonderful experiences. There is more than one way to do it. Plans B and C are equally capable of ending with you in a nurturing bond with your children. But, when you feel sad and overwhelmed, getting help really helps. Be good and kind in your thoughts to yourself no matter the way things need to go.

[Tara]

1) Close monitoring due to chronic (pre-pregnancy) high blood pressure. Blood pressure actually remained very good all pregnancy. No pre-eclampsia, no gestational diabetes. Baby almost never passed his bi-weekly non-stress test (NST), but otherwise he looked perfectly healthy. At 38.5 weeks I was having contractions every 8 minutes during my NST, and baby's heartrate was dipping with contractions. Sent to hospital for monitoring, baby's heartrate still not looking good, so induction started. Contractions quickly intensified, got epidural after 5 or 6 hours, labored for about 12 total hours and then stalled at 9cm with increasing fetal distress. Baby's heartrate was dropping dangerously, so emergency c-section performed. 7lb4oz, healthy baby boy!

2) Again, close monitoring due to chronic blood pressure problems. Again, baby almost never passed the NSTs. I had contractions ALL THE TIME from 30 weeks onward. Belly measuring 5 weeks behind at 38 weeks, and an ultrasound at 38.5 weeks showed little to no growth over the past month. Doctor concerned about IUGR and failed NSTs, so c-section scheduled for 38.5 weeks. C-section was a nighmare; my blood pressure shot up to 190/100, and I had the worst headache of my life. Baby girl, 7lb4oz (so no IUGR - the ultrasound was completely wrong). Baby had trouble breathing and required immediate NICU assistance in delivery room. She went to NICU for observation and was returned to me in about an hour, perfectly healthy.

[Anony]

Rather than write all the details, here are a few highlights:

no. 1: my water broke in a Manhattan Starbucks and it was really ok (39/5 and no warning).
Baby was born 6 hours later. Midwife said "don't tell anyone it was this quick, they'll get their hopes up."

no. 2: 2 weeks of false starts followed by 3 hours of labor (at 39/6)- got to hospital at 9cm. Daughter was born an hour later and hasn't stopped since.

no. 3: Born at home (at 40/1), 4 hour labor, but hardest pregnancy and hardest pushing of the 3.

- No medication or intervention for any of them.
- I am very grateful to have had these experiences go well and aware of how lucky I am. If labor were an olympic sport... but then I'd have to keep doing it!
- My midwife says it's often genetic, so if you are pregnant and nervous, ask your sisters, aunts, and mother what their experiences were like. Mine had various difficulties but in all cases, I think, quick and unmedicated labors.

[Tara]

1st baby: After no pre-labor whatsoever, started having painful contractions 3 minutes apart out of nowhere at 7pm. Called doc who doubted that I was in labor, but we got to the hospital by 8 after having contractions every 2-3 mins in the car. Dilated to a 5. Begged for epidural because I was in transition and no one told me, got epidural. because I was GBS+ they made me wait a couple hours to get abx in my system before delivering (which I now think is ridiculous, but it was their policy), and then after a couple hours of waiting at 10cm I pushed her out in 30 min. 9lb, 1oz, small tear. Recovery was rough. A few hiccups starting with BFing but with some help it became fairly smooth after a couple weeks.

2nd baby: Switched to midwife around 7 months pregnant after being unhappy with the OB care (still in hospital). Hired a doula the day before I went into labor (best decision for natural hospital birth! She made it bearable, counterbalancing my rude nurse) The day I turned 37 weeks I started having contractions around 8:30am. Freaked out because I had no idea she'd come early and was in denial that this was IT. Went to hospital and was 8cm around 10:30am. She was born with a couple pushes around 11:30. So yeah, 3 hours start to finish! No meds, no tears. She was 6lbs, 6oz. Couldn't believe how great I felt immediately after. BFing went well after she "woke up" from being a few weeks early and decided to take eating seriously.

3rd & last baby: Currently 23 weeks gestated. Planning a home birth with midwives. With the potential for an even faster birth, I'm looking forward to not going anywhere this time!

[Kate]

I went into labor at 38 weeks and 5 days. I didn't fully realize I was in labor until about 10am. We got to the hospital at 11:30 (we live 10 minutes away - terrible traffic!). I was fully dilated and the triage doctor broke my water. After the most amazing epidural and about a half hour of waiting for the doctor, I pushed 3 times and she was born at 1 pm. 6 pounds, 3 ounces. Milk came in two days later, when we left the hospital.

I can't imagine a better experience. I went for walks every day after work in the spring / summer while I was pregnant - so perhaps that has something to do with how quickly it went. I had wanted to do a medication free labor, but - honestly - the epidural was amazing. I remember the nurse telling me that if I skipped the medication, I could probably have the baby in 20 minutes or so. I didn't believe her, I thought it would be hours, so I got the epidural. Had I known it would be that fast, I probably would have skipped it.

But - with the medication - we spent the time waiting for the doctor joking with the nurse, talking with my sister on the phone, and generally feeling amazing and happy. I'm torn about what to do with the next baby, but maybe it will go so fast that I won't get a choice.

[K]

Baby #1 Normal pregnancy. Went into labor at 39 weeks around 2 AM. Labored at home, alternated between the bathtub and watching Lord of the Rings. Things started to get regular and I felt like I needed help, so I met the midwife at the hospital. I was only 2-3 cm, really tired by then and having trouble coping, and I took some nubain (by IV), which really helped. After the nubain wore off, things started to go downhill. My child began experiencing heart rate decelerations, and I was stuck at 9 cm, so we needed for baby to come sooner than later, but I wasn't complete yet. Broke water, and some maneuvers to finish dilation. I pushed awhile, tried vacuum assistance, and things just weren't progressing. In the meantime, things getting scarier w/ baby's heart rate, plus we knew by then that meconium was present. At that time, the midwife, the nurses, and the resident ob and the head ob had a conference, and they ordered an epidural and placed me in the queue for an operating room. The plan was to try forceps delivery, and be ready for a c-section if needed. And then we waited. And waited. It was so painful. The anesthesiologist never came. Finally, the midwife got mad, said "eff this" and you're pushing this baby out now, you can do it. Probably the hardest most painful thing I've ever done in my life, baby was posterior, but my son came after 3 hours of pushing, 23 hours after labor began. Baby was ok, but needed some additional monitoring. I had a second degree tear, and the midwife insisted on an epidural and an operating room for the repair. It took until the next morning for an available room and anesthesiologist. I just remember being told to sleep (after that, ha!), I wasn't allowed to get cleaned up or eat or drink, because the OR was going to be open any minute now (again, ha!) and wondering if my baby really was ok. Two day hospital stay after that, and I had poor milk production (I pumped and supplemented for 5.5 months before switching to formula full time). I was diagnosed with PTSD from the experience.

Baby #2 It took 7 years to try again. I switched healthcare providers and hospitals. By then, I was considered advanced maternal age, and although the pregnancy was normal, I some genetic screening test with bad results (amniocentesis later showed baby was normal). Overall the pregnancy was very, very, tense. I had irritating false labor starting at 37 weeks. Went into labor at 40 weeks 5 days at 1 AM. Very regular hard contractions right away. Got to hospital at 5 AM, and I was already 7 cm (yes!). Labored with a doula this time, so lots of position changes and short walks, helped me advocate for myself and reminded me what I could do to help myself. I also had a lower dose of nubain, which I didn't know before you could ask for, and lower dose was a better match for me. Around 11:30 AM, I was involuntarily pushing, and OB said I was stuck at 9 cm, and again with the maneuver to get to the last 10 cm. I pushed until about noon, and then there was flurry of action and a call to bring in another pediatrician, and the OB asked the nurse on my pelvic bone, I think. My daughter popped out on the next push. The emergency was shoulder dystocia, and while she had broken clavicle, she was ok (as in the dystocia was only brief, and no oxygen deprivation or nerve damage). A third degree tear. Two day hospital stay. Nursing was still a problem, but I nursed and supplemented for 9 months. No PTSD.

I do think the second birth was a compressed version of the first. I suspect that for me, posterior positioning and the dystocia have a related common cause. If I were to have a third, given my history, I probably wouldn't chance a vaginal birth again.

By the way, I was treated for Group B strep during both deliveries using IV antibiotics. I know there's a lot of concern about having an IV in labor, but I really didn't think it was a problem, just a minor inconvenience, and totally worth reducing the risk of my babies getting sick.

[AmyLS]

Oh man, I love birth stories!

I have two kids. Both births were planned (and happened) at a freestanding birth center, all natural, no meds. I loved both of my birth experiences very much! Both of my labors started relatively shortly after (a) my first cervical check and (b) eating spicy BBQ. BBQ is my secret for getting labor to start!

1) At 39wks6days, water broke at dinner (6pm) in the bathroom at the BBQ restaurant, no contractions (so... SROM prior to onset of labor - which is pretty rare in first time mamas, I guess). Went home, called midwife, went to bed. Contractions started up around 9pm and were 3 minutes apart by 10:30p. Went to the birth center at 12:30am, because things seemed so intense. Turned out to be only 3cm dilated - oops. Labored in the bed, labored in the sling hanging from the ceiling, labored in the tub. Got out of the tub around 11:30a before pushing started. Pushed on the birth stool, pushed on the bed. DS born at 12:13p with a nuchal hand. 15 hours of labor, 35 minutes pushing. Had a post-partum hemorrhage controlled with pitocin, methergine, and angelica at the birth center. No hospital transfer needed but lost 1250ccs of blood. Had a second degree tear, got a couple stitches. Felt pretty good afterwards but easily fatigued because of the blood loss. Milk came in on Day 2, but DS had a tongue tie so breastfeeding did not go well and I got engorged. After a frenectomy on Day 5 and some work with an LC, things got much much better. Breastfed until I found out I was pregnant with his sister and my milk supply dwindled to basically nothing around 8 months old, then weaned to formula...

2) Baby dropped around 38.5 wks. On the morning of 39wks,2days, I woke up with mild contractions 12-15 mins apart for a couple hours and losing my mucous plug with a little bloody show. So I went to work (ha!) to tie up loose ends, and things petered out until bedtime. Woke up at 12:30am with contractions 5 minutes apart. Water broke at 1:30am while in the kitchen making an egg sandwich. Headed to birth center, arrived at 2:30am. Checked at 3am to be 5cm/100% effaced, baby at 0 station. Labor was super intense - no breaks between contractions. I said to my doula "I don't think I can do this for another 9 hours!" She said, "Oh honey, it's not going to be 9 hours." Got in the tub. Had about 3 or 4 contractions then body was pushing. 2 pushes till crowning, 1 push for the head, 1 push for the body. Born at 3:56am in the water - total labor 3.5 hours. Her umbilical cord broke after birth when I picked her up - I guess this sometimes happens in water births? It took her a few seconds to start breathing after coming out of the water, so they gave her some O2 just in case. Apgars 6 and 9. Had another small tear with a couple stitches. No hemorrhage - I felt SPECTACULAR. Practically skipped out to the car 4 hours after birth. Good thing, because I had a newborn and a 13 month old!

If I am blessed enough to have a third baby I am strongly considering a home birth. I HATE the drive in to the birth center (30-35 minutes) and if my next birth is as fast as that one was, I'd rather just have it all go down at home. But we'll see.

Now to go read everyone else's stories!

[Jo-Ann]

With both babies I was of advanced maternal age

#1 I was 37. at 40wks 3days I had enough with being pregnant. I was walking for days and nothing. Went to work that morning and almost killed the people asking me why I was still working. At noon felt like I had the flu. Wanted to stand and rock all day. Left work at noon. Drank the castor oil cocktail. Woke up at 1am and water broke. Went to hospital and baby was in some distress, merconium present. Labor stopped. Pitocin given. pain so intense I wanted to rip my head off. Epidural given. baby born 45 minutes later. Pushed for 15 minutes. very small laceration. milk took 3 days to come in.

#2 I was a few months from 40. I had high protein in my urine from 32 weeks and I was closely monitored. at 38 wks I was on my way to work after the Dr appt when they induced because baby was in distress. Baby could only tolerate labor on my side, merconium present again. Kind Dr let me labor with pitocin. Labor was not progressing. Suddenly I went from 4cm to 8cm in one hour. Baby born with 2 pushes 15 min later after hours of c-section threats. Milk came in less than a day I nursed son #1 through the whole pregnancy. Son #2 was also the story of many many ultrasounds and every tech and Dr said the baby was a girl. I had 8 ultrasounds. I had a boy, prankster.