I managed to fall asleep around 8 on the couch and waddled up to bed around 1030… Slept pretty darn good til 3 am when the dog was hogging the bed and my back pain got quite intense. I got up for a heating pad and dozed for about an hour when all of a sudden I felt an internal “pop” and a gush. I thought to myself, yeah right was that my waters breaking?!? It felt all to typical? I got up, gush… Changed into new pajamas and laid back down… Again in denial and googling “pop and gush..” I noted the time 0417 and found on the internet to lie down for awhile again and to get up in 20 minutes, a gush again would be pretty indicative… Well it happened. I started to feel a lot of pressure then so I got up, not wanting to wake my husband just yet, to call the hospital.
I explained to them what I thought was going on, and was informed that United hospital was full, and if I was comfortable staying at home for awhile if things got more intense they would find a new place for us to go.
Well then things started to get intense, like really intense… Worst goddess pose of your life!! 🙂
I, finally, at about 0530 decided to wake up my husband, with a good ‘ol, this is actually it and my water broke!
Then he witnessed a contraction and was like, oh my goodness!! Next problem, our lovely doula, Sam’s sister, lives in Montana and wasn’t expected til the 22nd. We called her to tell her what was up and she helped me get through the contractions, because at this point I was getting so uncomfortable and “high” with my breathing. I got on all fours and got really low “oooooohs” with my breaths going all the way to my bottom, relaxing my jaw/face and trying to imagine my cervix opening… And trying to avoid the fear and tension my doula could hear over the phone… She told me to get in the tub, which I did for about 20 minutes and found that I wasn’t getting much rest or relief between contractions. Meanwhile my husband is on the phone finding out where we can go to deliver this baby, also while trying to pack things up, let the dog out and help me breath… I did not want to be touched!!
Finally got out of the bathtub, contraction, tried to get dressed, contraction… Walked out of the bedroom, contraction, down the stairs, contraction… They were really close, it took way to long to get out to the car and I’m thinking we’re going to need an ambulance to get there faster!!!
It was the worst car ride of my life, our Jetta, turns out is way to little to labor in! We got rerouted to St. Joe’s, which I was so happy about, because I actually wanted to deliver there instead. Finally got to the hospital about 7 am up to L & D. It was kind of difficult because they did not have much information about us, which I was in no condition to answer questions and my poor husband Sam is trying to answer questions and get me through my breathing. By this time I don’t think I had opened my eyes once and by the time they convinced me to roll on my back to check me… the nurse says, oh my, you’re 9+ cm!!! I completed by a little before 8… Birthed actually on my back, which I really didn’t want but I just wanted this baby out and could not fathom moving.
From there things were pretty blurry and amazing at the same time.. I was encouraged to drink between contractions and pushing and praised on how good of job I was doing and I was going to have this baby on my chest really soon. Which was perfect because one one of my biggest fears was that I was going to be convinced to get an IV, pain meds, and all these things I wanted to avoid. But, at 0909 our amazing miracle was born, Hans David (pronounced like Lance, but with an “h”). He was immediately placed on my chest, I am crying just thinking how amazing that feeling was… Even though he was a little early, he is so healthy. He was able to stay on my chest for 2 hours and I was able to breast feed… And then Sam got his skin to skin time and it was amazing! Those were all the really important things I wanted for this birth! We are so blessed and happy!!