Birthing a nearly 11lb baby

My midwife warned me that she suspected he was pretty big. But I doubt she suspected he would be quite that big!

After spending several days trying everything short of castor oil to get contractions started on their own, my good friend Kristi came over at 8pm after I got May to bed so David and I could go to the hospital for the induction.

I was pretty bummed about having to be induced again--and also sad to leave May for so long. I was pretty torn up about not being able to see her for a nearly two days.

We got to the hospital and when I walked in to the emergency entrance I said to the triage nurses, "I'll bet you can guess why I'm here!" They laughed. We were sent up to labor and delivery, and I got changed into my nightgown. The nurse put me on the monitor and discovered I was having mild contractions 7min apart. She called the midwife who said to check me and see how effaced and dialated I was. I was dialted to 3cm--was 2cm the day before. So they had me walk around for an hour to see if anythign progressed. I might not need to be induced after all. But after an hour there wasn't a lot of change, so in went the cervadil to ripen the cervix.

I told David to go home and get some sleep since the chances of anything happening for several hours was slim. I also knew he wouldn't get much sleep on the uncomfortable sofa in my room. And I knew I probably wouldn't get much sleep either. Those L&D beds are not so comfy, and I was finding it hard enough to get comfy in my own bed.

Around 4am I started feeling active labor coming on. My favorite midwife who had spent the last two days delivering 4 babies showed up unexpectedly. Another woman was also in labor (further along than I was) so she had to come back to the hospital since she was still on call until 8am. I was pleased to see her, as I didn't think I would. I called David at 5:30am and told him he should come back. The midwife checked me and said I was already dialated nearly to 6cm and suggested I get in the whirlpool tub if I liked. Sounded like a great idea to me, as the bed was very uncomfortable and contractions were getting harder and closer together. The whirlpool was fanstastic--made dealing with the contractions a lot easier. David arrived around 6:15am while I was still in the tub.

I got out and the midwife checked me again. Now I was about 7cm and she broke my water to speed things up. That made me about 8cm. After monitoring the baby for a bit, I got in the shower for awhile. My cousin Julie was scheduled to relieve Kristi at our house at 8am. I called and said she should take May over to the neighbor's house so she could be here for the delivery because things were moving a lot quicker than they did with May, and they thought I'd have the baby by noon. Julie and her almost 10yr old daughter Holly arrived around 9:30am when I was in the whirlpool tub again. Contractions were getting very close at that point, and quite strong (even though I hadn't even had any pitocin). The tub once again was the only thing that gave me any relief, and I was determined not to have an epidural this time around. I figured if I could go 22hrs without one with May (even though I got one in the end when my labor stalled at 9cm for about 6hrs), I could do it again if I had to, and the chances of a second baby taking that long were slim.

By 11am I was still at 8cm and starting to get a bit discouraged. The midwife once again suggested I get in the tub since it seemed to relax me and help me dialate. I was only too happy to follow her advice. After about 45min of being in the tub and dozing in between contractions, I was at 9cm.

At this point I was getting realy crampy as well, and the pain was getting incredibly intense. It was sheer stubborness that prevented me from getting an epidural at that time. After getting back on the monitor for what seemed like agonizing ages, I finally was able to get back in the whirlpool to try to get some relief, with dopplar heart rate checks every 20min or so.

By this time it was around noon and my midwife Sandy had to go and was being replaced by Gail--another midwife in the practice. I was in excruciating pain at that point, and it was taking every ounce of stubborness and determination to not get an epidural. I felt like things were getting realy close and was feeling the urge to push. I told Gail this and got out of the tub so she could check me. I said, "I swear to God if I'm not 10cm now I'm getting the epidural!!" She checked me and informed me that I was complete. "Thank God!" was my reply. I practically got off the bed and started pushing at that point, not caring that no one had told me to start or that I was in any kind of birthing position..lol. I just didn't care. I just wanted that baby OUT. I was in so much pain that primal instict just took over.

It took my cousin, husband, midwife and nurse to get me in position to push. I could barely move I was in so much pain. Finally in position, I screamed like a banshee while I pushed. He was out in two extremely painful pushes--much to my surprise, since I pushed for 3 hours with May.

He was put on my chest while they suctioned out his mouth. Then I started bleeding heavily--not bad enough to call it a hemhorrage, though. A pitocin drip, cytotec and uterine massage got it stopped pretty quickly. Then it was time to stitch up a small tear. That took all of three stitches.

And yeah, he weighed 10lbs 13oz. I still can't believe I did all that vaginally and with no pain medication. I have to admit that I'm feeling a bit like superwoman.

And now we just have to come up with a name for our big boy....