I had reached 42 weeks, nothing much happening. I had finally started having some B/H contractions sporadically over the last few days. I had passed being scared of the pain. I'd really struggled with that over the last few months. Don't know why, just did. Not like I haven't done labor before, I was just really struggling with it this time. Finally, starting Memorial Day weekend, having spent a lot of time in prayer, I was really not fighting the idea of working thru the labor pains. So, my prayers shifted off of the pain, and onto going into labor spontainiously (I've had to kick start some help before), low pain level (ok, so I wasn't totally off the pain thing) and a short, not drawn out, labor (silly me... sheesh).
I doubt it made any difference, but I had bbq on Memorial day, 'cause I wanted it and it was yummy, and had Taco Bell tuesday night, 'cause it was yummy. I also went out walking during dh's softball game on tuesday night. I had my oldest son with me to run for help should anything happen... and nothing did. LOL When I took a bath that night, I checked dilitation, and there was no change from where I had been for about the last month.
Wednesday morning (42w3d), I was still having some random b/h contrax, very high, very light, nothing low or powerful. About 9:15am I really had to go to the bathroom.... and, for politeness sake, let's just say, bowel and bladder emptied. I figured that was a good sign, but not necessarily expecting it to kick off labor, it hasn't in the past. Just a few minutes after that, I had my first contraction that signaled to me something was happening. It was in my back, and in my legs. ok, no problem. Let's see if I have any more and if they hook up to a pattern. (My last totally spontainious labor started with the same back pain, and labor took a total of 5 hours). I had another light one, in my back, so I called dh (@9:21). I told him this felt like labor starting, and that he needed to come home, but it was just starting and should take a little while. (yeah, I was very wrong... LOL) I called my labor support girlfriend too (@9:22), and told her the same, so she was grabbing her bag and heading over. One more call to another friend(@9:25) to come pick up 6 of my 7 children. I walked into the livingroom, and told Natasha (12) and Michael (13) that I thought labor was starting and they needed to get the littles ready. This all took maybe 5-7 minutes? and I was having contrax about every 2-3 min? I know they were close, but not curl my toes, have to stop and moan contrax. (love my cell phone for keeping track of times :-) and helping my time sense... LOL ) I had one real good contraction that I had to stop for, while I was still in the livingroom giving directions to the kids, and posting to FB that I was in labor (@9:29). While I was posting to FB, I told Michael and Natasha to get in my room and uncover the birth spa, and managed to miss a phone call from my dh.. LOL
Once the top was off the spa, I called dh back(@930 he told me he was on the interstate, just minutes away) and remember that my legs started shaking a bit, and I started feeling a touch sick to my stomache. Somewhere in the back of my brain, I remember thinking that I was in transition, and needed a trash can (in case I threw up) and to get into the spa. Back to the toilet to disrobe, and potty one more time, and noticed I finally had a touch of bloody show... and I mean just a touch. My labor support friend called (@9:35) to see if I needed anything, I said no, and that I was getting into the tub. She asked if I wanted her to stay on the phone, and I said no, just to come straight over. I hung up @936ish, yelled for Natasha to bring in a trash can with a bag in it.
She walked in and closed the door just in time for me to feel a pop of the waterbag, to look down and register light menconium in my brain and then my body to start to push. LOL She had actually asked what I needed, and I said something along the lines of "nothing, hang on right there, roar... " LOL I remember thinking 1. I need to remind her that this is normal, my body is just delivering the head (which I did say to her out loud) because I didn't want her to think anything was wrong since everything was happening so fast. and 2. this is happening really really fast so I need to relax and totally go with it, not push it harder, just to relax into it an let my body open. Self supported my perinium, and talked/growled while her head emerged. I remember rubbing her head, saying (as much to Natasha, who just stood by quietly, as to myself) the head is out, everythings fine, totally normal, the head is out, that was the hardest, just relax. I have the distinct memory of rubbing her head and sliding the membrains off her head and feeling her hair. I just relaxed for a minute or so, talking and waiting for the next contraction for the shoulders. I remember the shoulder contraction being really light too, as she slipped out into my hands. I rolled her over underwater to unwrap the cord, which was very lightly draped around her neck, and to make sure she had no menconium around her face or mouth. While unwrapping her from the cord, I noticed she was a girl, and lifted my new daughter out of the water to say hello. I told Natasha she had a sister, and had to look at the time on the phone- 9:39, less than half an hour from when I had first had to go to the bathroom, and about 20 minutes from when the first contraction hit.
I felt both wonderful (it really was a very peaceful easy birth) that she was here, and sad that my dh missed it. This is the first birth my dh had missed.. LOL I told Natasha to go tell Michael and the other children that they had a sister. When Jim walked in to the house a couple of minutes later, Michael turned to him and said "I have a sister!" LOL Dh was stunned that I had already delivered... he had talked to me less than 10 minutes prior. While dh was walking in, I had Natasha calling my labor support friend, to let her know the baby was here and it was a girl. The only name I had been given for a girl from God was Willow.. I didn't even have a middle name, and wasn't really sure that I had heard her name correctly. About an hour later, I asked dh if he was ok with the name Willow Anne, and he said he loved it. :-) Willow Anne she is.
