Josephine' Birth

This will be the somewhat condensed version as I really need a nap!

So, I was induced with Cervidil tape on Monday morning. I felt a little crampy afterwards and had mild surges throughout the day. Nothing much, nothing that got me excited or anything.

Around 9:00 p.m. Jordan and I started watching some t.v. The surges started and by 10:30 they were fairly intense and about 4 minutes apart. I told Jordan to call his mom over to come watch Abby. He called and in the meantime I decided to start listening to my hypnobirthing relaxation cds. About 10 minutes into that I said, call her back and tell her not to bother coming. They aren't even painful anymore. We listened and practiced hypnobirthing for about 2 hours and honestly I had decided that I wasn't in labor anymore and it wasn't the least bit painful. I stood up and walked to the kitchen for a few minutes (it's about 12:30 a.m.) by now and the surges got strong again. I hopped back into bed and they setttled back down. I had read earlier that if you change positions and the labor slows down or surges become less painful that it was likely false labor. So, we turned off the hypnobirthing CDs and decided to just go to bed, hoping to wake up in real labor in the middle of the night. About 1:00 I got a really really intense surge. 3 minutes later I got another really strong one. I told Jordan to call his mom because something was definitely happening after all.

I pretty much lost it about there. The surges were very intense and my entire body was shaking. Jordan's mom was at our place within 15 minutes and we were out the door. I tried to remain calm in the car but it wasn't working. I told Jordan that if I got to the hospital and was 3 cm dilated or something lame like that I was going to puke because it was seriously INTENSE!

We got to the hospital at 1:40 a.m. The nurse asked me for a urine sample and I said "No, I can't. Seriously, something is happening!" She told me to lay down, she checked me and said "You are fully dialated!" Just then I felt the urge to push and so I did. Within 13 minutes of getting to the Labor & Birth Josephine was born! HOLY MOLY! I couldn't stop shaking for at least an hour afterwards. Adrenaline or something. No doctor attended my birth as it was a little rushed and no one had time to make it. Laughing

Anyway- it was really really crazy. I keep wondering what would have happened if we would have been stopped by a train, or if Jordan's mom took a few more minutes to get to our place. Shocked 13 MINUTES!

I can't believe I went through the entire labor painfree, up until the last 45 minutes or so. YAY HYPNOBIRTHING! (And thanks Marie!!!) I did get a little tiny tear with one stitch but I didn't even feel that.

So, Josephine Lauren arrived at 1:53 a.m. September 25th weighing 8 lbs 10.5 oz. and measuring 20.5".

She does bare some resemblance to Abby but I think it's decided that she looks a lot more like my side of the family this time around. Smile

Abby is delighted! She loves being a big sister and is constantly covering her in kisses.

I'm feeling pretty great. I got home this morning. I'm a little tender in spots but feeling about a thousand times better than I did after birthing Abby.

   Written by Jen Dalsin,

   Regina  (September 2007).