You can read Luke’s birth story: part 1 here
The hospital is a 20 minute drive from our house. Meghan was just getting back from a walk around the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights with her grandparents as we were leaving. Tim rolled down my window and I managed to say a quick good-bye, even though getting the words out and trying to look normal to my 3 year old were difficult tasks.
The next 25 minutes was the most excruciating car ride ever. Powerful contractions kept coming two minutes apart. Despite how intense they were, I felt like the biggest wimp. Why am I in so much pain? I haven’t been in labor that long. My mind was filled with doubt.
Based on how long I’d been laboring, I assumed that the most I’d be dilated was six centimeters. I couldn’t imagine continuing with what I was feeling for much longer. All I could think about was getting an epidural and having the pain be gone. I couldn’t even argue with myself–the pain had taken over all of my resolve to have natural childbirth.
We arrived at the hospital and parked in the parking garage. Just as we were about to walk in the door, another contraction hit. It brought me straight to my knees. I couldn’t care about the people walking in and out, who must have been staring at me.
There happened to be a hospital worker getting off his shift who noticed me. He dropped his bag, turned around, and got me a wheel chair. Bless his heart. He wheeled me into the elevator and up to the maternity floor. In that time I had another contraction.
At the check in desk, the nurses were nonchalant as they asked us what we needed. They continued to chat amongst themselves as one nurse asked us questions to check us in. Then, another contraction hit. At this point I wasn’t exactly quiet about my contractions. That got them moving a little quicker.
As they led me to my room, I looked at Tim.
“I know I said I didn’t want an epidural, but I need one. I really, really do. I need one. You have no idea how much this hurts,” I pleaded.
“I think this is where I’m supposed to talk you out of it. Are you sure, Maryea? You’re doing great; do you really want an epidural?” He asked, clearly trying to follow the plan we’d discussed.
“I do! I need one!” At this point I wasn’t thinking about anything but having the pain stop. Dear God, let it stop.
In the room the nurse gave me a gown and sent me to the bathroom to put it on. And, big surprise here, while trying to change I had another contraction. Those bad boys were relentless.
I somehow managed to get the gown on and get myself onto the bed.
One nurse said, “Okay, let’s get her IV going.” Even though in my birth plan I stated I didn’t want an IV for hydration, I was beyond caring at this point. Even though I’d drank coconut water at home to help me with hydration, I was extremely thirsty and thought I might actually need the fluids. Besides, being able to move freely wasn’t a concern for me anymore.
A nurse was firing off a million questions that I had to answer. Somehow having to say (shout?) “No!” to the question, “Did you do any heroin during your pregnancy?” made the pain seem worse.
Finally the nurse was ready to check my cervix to see how far I was dilated. As she was checking me, Tim was stumbling through my bag looking for my birth plan. I had multiple copies neatly typed up for all the nurses. Before he had a chance to pass them out, she was finished checking me. She didn’t say anything.
“What am I dilated?!” I asked, incredulous that she didn’t say a word. I thought it must be bad news. Five? Six?
“Well, I need to have someone come and double check for me, but I think you are complete.”
Complete? As in 10 centimeters complete? Tim put the birth plans back into my bag.
Later, Tim told me that I replied, “Does that mean I can’t have an epidural?”
I don’t remember saying that, but I do remember thinking, I’m ten centimeters! That means I can start pushing soon and this will be over. I can do this!
To hear that I was completely dilated was the biggest relief and provided just the boost I needed to keep going.
When the second nurse was checking me, I knew I was going to need to push soon. She urgently said, “Yes, she’s complete. Call her doctor!”
I started pushing with my contractions. There was no way I could hold back. One nurse said, “Don’t push!”
“I have to!” I cried.
“Oh, let her push,” said a second nurse.
Someone walked in the room and said, “Her doctor’s on the phone and wants to talk to one of you.”
“Did you tell him she’s complete?”
“Yes, I told him. But he still wants to talk to you.”
“Well tell him to get his butt here! She can’t stop pushing and the baby’s moving fast!”
I don’t know how she knew this, but I was glad to hear it. I was also nervous that my doctor wasn’t going to make it as he lives in the same town I do, 20 minutes from the hospital. Would all that praying and focusing on going into labor when my doctor was on call be in vain?
Another doctor was brought in the room and stood in the corner as I just continued having contractions and pushing. Even though I was pushing during my contractions, it wasn’t productive pushing. I wasn’t in a good pushing position and I suppose the nurses just wanted me to wait until my doctor got there to really do it right.
Finally, my doctor arrived. I may have heard angels singing as he walked in the door.
He quickly got himself ready and helped me get into a better position. He looked me straight in the eye and said, “Okay, let’s have this baby.” His kind eyes and comforting words spread over me like a warm blanket in the winter. I was ready to do it.
After my first push, he told me I was going to tear and needed to do a “little cut”. After a tear-free birth with Meghan, I was upset to hear this, but he later told me how fast births are much more likely to tear and I was lucky that I only needed a very small cut (one stitch).
With another strong push, I knew the baby was crowning. It was energizing just knowing that he was so close to being born. Two more pushes and he was out.
The doctor exclaimed, “You did it!”, quickly followed by, “He’s a big baby!”
My first words were “He’s so cute! He’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!” It was an exhilarating moment. All the pain I’d just finished enduring seemed to evaporate in an instant as I looked at my fresh baby boy.
I was able to hold him immediately and my heart burst with joy and love. I looked over at his daddy and he was crying as he watched us both.
Looking back, this is the birth that I envisioned during my pregnancy. I hoped for a quick labor with minimal time at the hospital. We arrived at the hospital at 7:30 PM and Luke was born at 8:15 PM. I really wanted to have my doctor there to deliver the baby and he was.
Was every detail perfect? No, of course not. But I could not ask for a more perfect family for me and wouldn’t change a moment of this story.
The result was totally worth every detail.
I just found your blog and love the recipe ideas so I put it on my favorites bar. I also LOVE birth stories! You have an amazing one. As I read it, I thought you were going to say that you had the baby at home or in the car. I have had 6 very fast births and your descriptions were right on for transition. I am surprised you were able to wait that long! Also, just an FYI, the reason it hurt so much is because of how fast it went. My longest labor was three and a half hours and was really intense but nothing compared to the one the nurse caught. My second child came in an hour and fifteen minutes. I was praying that God would let me die it hurt so badly. But like you said, it all goes away the minute that precious little one is in your arms. One last thing, that was my fastest and then they got a little longer again so no worries that you have to camp out on the hospital lawn or anything if you happen to get another little blessing. You did good! Congratulations on your beautiful family.
Oh, thank you, Michelle! I was totally caught off guard as I was in labor for 17+ hours with my first baby. I really had no clue I was as close to giving birth as I was!
Wow, great story. My birth story for my second was very similar. My water broke at home, luckily with my husband there and the kids in childcare, had a 25 minute ride of agony to the hospital, and was complete when I got there. I couldn’t stop from pushing, it was so crazy. They said I couldn’t get an epidural, but I begged and got one. It was almost impossible to sit still during the epidural, I was pushing while sitting up! My doctor got there right after the epidural, so I don’t think it did much of anything. He was out on the second push!
I know–isn’t it crazy how your body just takes over? There was no stopping myself from pushing!
Awesome story! Glad you had a good labor adn delivery. It is so great that you did most of your labor at home and had minimal time in the hospital delivery room!! He is just precious!
oh wow!! what a story and i am so happy for you! he is the cutest thing i’ve ever seen you are glowing. I love it. Congrats Maryea!
Congrats on the new little one! I don’t have kids, nor am I even married yet, but recently it seems like everyone around me wants to share scary/gruesome experiences about having babies and it almost makes me question whether or not I can do it. I mean I am young and fine in the baby making area, however I’ve become quite terrified of giving birth…although I know I want to be a mom.
For some reason, this story made me feel better. You were able to give birth naturally and it went quickly. Maybe you just didn’t share how painful the actual birth was, but the part where you said your pain went away upon seeing your new precious gift brought me to tears!
Thanks for sharing this story and I hope you are enjoying your little ones! 🙂
It’s almost been a month now, and the pain is just a distant memory! Don’t worry, anything you have to go through to give birth is totally worth the reward in the end. 🙂
Wait, so you didn’t do heroin while pregnant? I thought everyone did. 🙂
Congratulations to you and your sweet family! I’m wishing you grace and patience as you get used to life with two kids, complete with sleepless nights and leaky breasts. You can do this!! I actually found the first weeks of life with my second to be exponentially easier than the first weeks with my first. I look forward to reading about your experiences.
I have found it much easier with #2, too! I think I’m more confident and am not questioning every little thing as much as I did with #1. I’m still really sleep deprived though. That hasn’t changed. 🙂
Hie! I’ve been reading your blog since I was pregnant (I’m week 39 now), and loved all your healthy cooking tips. Congrats on the precious addition to your family. It’s my first little bubs, so it’s encouraging to read about strong mums like you! Well done!
Ooooh you’re so close! I hope your birth goes well–good luck! 🙂
what a beautiful story!! congratulations. 🙂
I just found your website…can’t wait to try your yummy recipes.
Welcome! Thanks for stopping by and hopefully I’ll get back on a regular posting schedule soon. Still adjusting to life with two little ones. 🙂
Yup, tears here too! But I am around 20 weeks with Baby #2 so it can probably be attributed to that 🙂 Great story Maryea…thanks for sharing! Luke is adorable 🙂
I’m so happy that you had a quick labor! I guess your quick labor paid off for those horrible contractions. I love the name Luke and he is adorable! You have such a beautiful family, God bless you all! XOXO
WOW! What a great birth story. Can’t believe how fast it went for you!!
Luke is absolutely precious and the perfect addition to your family!
Congrats!! 🙂
Maryea, you have such a beautiful glow to you 🙂 Thanks for sharing your story!
I did not have the experience that I wanted at the hospital when I had our daughter, but things do not always happen the way that we anticipate.
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
you’re a great story teller! The first part really got me hopping (even more) for you guys! Congratullations to the whole family. Love from Brazil
I love a good birth story! Thx so much for sharing all the details! It sounds amazingly similar to mine with the birth of #3. I couldn’t seem to convince the nurses that they needed to check and call my doctor before they hooked up the monitors, etc. I knew it was close since it was my 3rd natural delivery. When they finally checked me I was a 9.5. All of sudden my room was full of people. The doctor made it in time to say “push”. He even parked illegally trying to make it in time. I walked into the hospital at 6:00 and had her at 6:28. Wouldn’t change a thing, though. Soooo happy for you and what a beautiful baby boy!!
Well done, well done! How amazing is having a natural birth? I had my little boy without any medication, and seriously, I was high on those feel good hormones for about 2 weeks after!
Such an incredible experience, giving birth is just mind blowing. I feel sorry for men who will never experience the empowerment that pushing out a baby brings you…. nowadays my motivation for anything is – I’ve pushed out a baby, I can get through this!
Enjoy your beautiful little baby boy – I can’t believe how quickly that first year goes… my baby is now a little dude! 🙂
You are amazing! Such a beautiful story! You are your family are so gorgeous – congrats!!!
Aw that IS pretty perfect! 😀 Your story reminds me so much of how things happened with my daughter although my doctor didn’t make it in time, lol! Kind of scary but it all worked out. I’m so glad you got your doctor though, I bet that was a huge relief. What a perfect little family you have! I love the last picture of you all 😀
What an awesome story. You made me cry also (quite possibly from my pregnancy). I am so happy for you and your family. He is a beautiful little boy. Enjoy every moment with those precious litle ones, they grow up so fast. My oldest just turned 14 and it seems like only yesterday I was holding her in my arms for the first time. My other babies are growing up so fast too. In 58 days I will be having our last little addition to our family. Congratulations and thanks for sharing your story.