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"I love you and want for you all things that make you happiest; and I guess you, not I, are the one who knows best what those things are."

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

How Can You Not Know That Your Water Broke?

As promised, Nathan's birth story is finally being posted. Sorry it's taken a few weeks, but as many of you know time with a newborn is precious and I'm not willing to give up those moments in lieu of updating the blog. Instead I've been enjoying our nursing time and trying to keep an equally adorable older brother from loving on Nathan while he's napping.

After weeks of waiting and mild contractions I had resigned myself to being pregnant forever. Okay, I knew that wasn't going to happen, but it sure felt like it. On Sunday, June 13th, Matt, John and I packed up a potluck dish and headed to a MOMS Club picnic at Miner's Park. Right as we were preparing to leave I announced that I wasn't sure if my water was leaking. We took a quick break, I laid down for a few moments, but we decided it wasn't anything and headed off to the picnic.

Shortly after our arrival at the picnic (and after 9,000 people said "I can't believe you're still pregnant") we were caught in a nasty rain storm complete with chest rattling thunder and lightning that was touching down all around us. John and pretty much 20 other children were in hysterics; dads were racing to gather up coolers, toys, and grill supplies. Needless to say, when the storm passed everyone pretty much left because the park equipment was drenched and the pavilion was flooding.

We stopped at my parents house on the way home. After talking with my mom I decided to page the midwife and talk to her since I still wasn't sure if my water had broken. The midwife suggested that I go to the hospital to be checked so we left John with his grandparents and headed to the maternity ward. The nurse who checked me in around 9pm said she still felt my bag of water but did a swab test as well. Shortly thereafter she returned and said I was at the hospital to stay!

The midwife started me on pitocin around 9pm, I got an epidural around midnight, and at 2:15am the nurse said I was at 6cm. However - by 2:20am I was feeling the urge to push. So they checked me again and I was complete and Nathan was on his way down, already at +3 station. They paged the midwife and prepped the room. Twice they went to put my legs up in stirrups and decided against it for fear that Nathan would deliver himself. The nurses also called the front desk to see how far away the midwife was and told the desk staff to send her straight back to the room.

When the midwife arrived she took one look at me and announced that she at least needed some gloves! Two contractions later Nathan was born! The midwife never got her scrubs or smock on; she never put on her mask...she delivered our bundle of joy in her blue jean shorts, t-shirt, and a pair of surgical gloves.

This delivery was much easier than John's. I recovered extremely quickly. I haven't been back to the doctor every week since Nathan's birth. Nathan has been extremely healthy thus far. At his first doctor appointment he was given the all clear and told we didn't need to return for a 2 week check-up because he was already past his birth weight. He's growing like a weed and enjoys being cuddled. John is adjusting well and spends most of his time trying to hug and kiss Nathan.

So overall - given my choice, I'll choose this delivery again over my first delivery.

All is well that ends well.....

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