The pregnancy was really great. I had a lot more fatigue than the first time around, but he grew really well and kicked all the time. I gained a bit more weight, around 35 lbs.
May 29, 2010
I was 21 years old. I had my 37 week OB appointment the day before, and he said my cervix was very soft and I was dilated to a 3 already. He said not to get my hopes up, but he wouldn't be surprised if I delivered that weekend. I ate dinner with my family, checked my blood pressure (which was good), and went to a favorite coffee shop with my husband and son before heading home for the night. It was there, at about 9:00 that I felt the beginnings of my water breaking. Since this was nothing like my previous experience (one huge gush during a wretched contraction), I wasn't entirely sure, but we headed home anyway. It continued on and off for about 20 minutes, clear liquid, and I decided to call the hospital. The nurse told me to come on in, and so we called Trevor's parents to pick up Asher and brought the bag with us (just in case).
They got to us right away since it was so late, and we hung out in the room while they checked heart rates and ran a test on the liquid to make sure it was amniotic fluid. Since the test took awhile, we ended up being there for about 2 hours, but we were perfectly happy to be there, giggling and enjoying each other's company. Around 11:30, they let us know that it was, in fact, my water breaking, and we were led to our room and encouraged to walk around for awhile. They gave Trev some coffee and I had ice water, and we lazily made laps around the quiet hallways, pushing each other like a couple of flirty teenagers. What can I say? We were giddy about this one; it was beautiful to see my body doing this on its own, and it started things off very peacefully.
My contractions were mild and felt satisfying in some way. I easily kept a smile on my face or carried on a conversation without wincing. After a bit, I decided to get into the tub to relax a bit, which was enjoyable (I would've liked to have stayed there for the whole thing). We decided to attempt sleep around 1am because things didn't seem to be progressing, so we put on a movie and closed our eyes.
Of course, 20 minutes later, the real contractions started in. It was gradual and it felt like each contraction was doing something big. I felt good, despite the pain. They kept the lights dim which really helped the mood, and there was one sweet nurse who sat at the end of the bed and rubbed my feet. I couldn't believe how much this helped with the pain! Once again, everything progressed very quickly, and by 3:00 I was fully dilated. I am lucky to be blessed with quick labors and healthy pregnancies, and I hope this trend continues :)
I stayed in the same position as last time, but I felt much more comfortable and aware of my surroundings. I pushed for a little less time, maybe half an hour, and he was there in my arms. 7lbs 10oz and lovely, I held him for awhile before I let them clean him off. My mother was allowed to come in after he was born, even though it was 3:57am, and so my mother and Trevor took pictures of him again, while I finished my labor.
A more experienced daddy :)
The afterbirth was easy enough, I do remember it this time and got to see the umbilical cord (which all the nurses exclaimed was really thick, not sure what that means) and the placenta. It was really cool to get to see that; I was in such a daze with the first that I never got to. No episiotomy this time, and I healed up just fine. AND, I could walk :) Breastfeeding went well, also. I was a MUCH happier camper this time around.
Other good news: they let us leave a day early! It was great to be at home.
Brothers!
To wrap things up, I had a much better experience the second time, with no drugs and minimal invasive procedures. I would love to try a home birth next time around, with a Midwife and my family near me. Unfortunately, midwives are illegal here in South Dakota, but my family and I are moving back to my hometown (Mesa, AZ) this winter and we hope to have our next child there.
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