Taylor's Birth

On Wednesday, July 11 I was watching tv with my step-daughter, Brittney, when I had a feeling like my period had started. This was at about 9pm. I went to the bathroom and saw that it was just clear fluid. At first I thought it was just urine leaking like maybe he was sitting on my bladder. I went back to watching tv. I joked with Brittney, saying what if it was my water breaking! We laughed about it knowing my husband would freak out! Well, a few minutes later, it did it again. I started to wonder if it wasn't my water after all, because I had just gone to the bathroom. I called my dr. and asked him how I would know if it was my water, or just urine. I told him what I had noticed and he said it was probably urine. I had an appointment that Friday, so he said I would be ok til then.

I started having contractions that woke me up at midnight. They were coming every 15 minutes and lasting about 30 seconds. They felt like pretty strong menstrual cramps. I was still having them at 10 that morning so I decided to call my dr again. The receptionist told me he was at the hospital so I should go on in there to get checked. I was still leaking fluid also. I got to the hospital at 10:45am and got in a room. They checked me and SURPRISE! it was my water. I was 2cm and 80% effaced at that time. I called my husband to tell him to come on in since this was it. He called my parents and told them to start their trip. They started me on an antibiotic since it had been so long since my water broke. Then the pitocin was started.

I tried to use my lamaze breathing, but the contractions went from every 15 minutes to every 2 minutes within 10 minutes of the pitocin starting. I had so badly wanted to go natural, but I lost control of my breathing and started to hyperventilate. I asked for an epidural at 3pm. I was about 4cm when I asked for it. Unfortunately, about 5 other women had asked for epidurals before I did, so it wasn't until 4pm that I got it. At that time, I was 5cm. The epidural kicked in after about 10-15 minutes and I was in heaven. The nurse checked me at 5:45pm and I was complete!

Yeah!! I started pushing, but I couldn't feel a thing because of the epidural. My dr got there and we really started working. He had a nurse push down really hard on my belly to help get the baby out. He had to do an episiotomy because he thought I would tear. I got concerned when he called for forceps because he said the baby's head might be too big. Thank goodness it all worked out and my wonderful Taylor was born at 6:27pm. Unfortunately I forgot to tell them that we wanted my husband to cut the cord. I was pretty upset that they didn't tell me the baby was out. I just happened to look down after a push, and the doctor was holding him. They wouldn't lay him on my stomach for me to hold right away. I really should have put together a birth plan. Then maybe I would have gotten to do all the things I wanted. He didn't want to cry at first, but by the time they got him over to the table to clean off, he was howling away. He weighed 7lbs and was 19 1/4 inches long with apgar scores of 9 and 9. I couldn't take my eyes off him as my doctor sewed me up and they got me situated. When they brought him to me, all I could do was stare at him and cry.

Today, he is a wonderful 4 week old baby. I am already so proud of him and he is the light of my life.