Looking for Labor Stories

[Flynn]

I was induced both times.

I went to 42 weeks with NOTHING happening on #1 -- and DD was 9 lbs 13 oz (I'm not a big person so OUCH).

On #2 we induced at 40 weeks due to size of DD and DS was 9 lbs 5 oz.

I have never went into labor naturally so...I guess I've got NOTHING for ya!

DD#1 (Maya): My water broke and she came 1-1/2 hrs later. DH decided he wanted to take a shower first before taking me to the hospital since he was supposed to be working. (He had just started residency.) Little did he know my labor was going to be so short. I was 34-1/2 wks.

DD#2 (Clare): I actually had contractions to time. She came about 2-1/2 hours later. DH didn't take a shower this time. Maya came with us and DH almost missed the delivery because he was trying to call my friend to come and get Maya. They obviously wouldn't let her stay while I delivered. A nurse ended up grabbing DH and she stayed with Maya until baby was out. Nurse brought her back into the room shortly after delivery. I was 37 wks.

DS#1 (Zachary): I had contractions. We brought Maya & Clare with us. They lured them out of the delivery room with popsicles just as I was crowning. They came back in shortly after. Gotta love the nurses! I was 35 wks.

DD#3 (Grace): I went for an OB appt and she told me I was in labor and had me admitted. This was the most controlled delivery I had. My mom was in town so the other kids stayed at home. I was actually monitered instead of rushing to the hospital to give birth soon after. I was 36 wks.

DS#2 (due Nov): I hope it's a good experience. With a history of preterm labor, I'm trying to take it easy. Usually, I'm very active, doing home improvement projects, walking, etc. DH wants at least one baby who is term.

[mommax3]

I always worried about a violent start to labor, and always had a pretty easy, controlled start. I remember that the nurse who taught the childbirth class I took the first time compared labor pains to a belt being tightened and then released around my belly, and that is exactly how it felt to me the first time around. I think my first labor was about 12 hours long, with the first six hours being not too bad, but increasing in intensity. I got to the hospital about 6 a.m., and had to wait a little bit (until I got to 4) before I could get an epidural.....the last part of that wait was not fun! I pushed for three hours, starting at 9 a.m., and just before the doc was going to use the vacuum thingie on me, I delivered my 8 lb. 11 oz. firstborn! He was born six days before his due date. I had a second degree tear.

My second child was born one day before his due date. I had been getting my membranes stripped about every third day for two weeks, because DH was scheduled to start a T-Surg rotation for a month, and rumor had it that they wouldn't give him a paternity leave at all. My labor started at home, in the afternoon, and I knew it was the real thing, but I didn't feel panicked about it, because DH was due home, *not* on call, and my in-laws were flying in that night. DH got home, and I was able to get through most of the night, just breathing through the contractions and even sleeping some. Of course, my in-laws flight got delayed due to a storm and they didn't arrive until 3 in the morning......we left for the hospital about 45 minutes later. My contrax were getting more and more intense, and they were ready to give me the epidural as soon as I was admitted, BUT......it never worked properly.....my legs were numb to the tops of my thighs, but that wasn't a whole lot of help to me. I was complete and pushed once and thought they would have to knock me on the head with something and just get the baby out because there was no way in hell that I was going to purposefully push again, knowing that kind of pain was in store. They ended up giving me a spinal, which worked great, although I was kind of gorked out for a couple of hours after giving birth. I only pushed 3 times (much better than 3 hours!) and DS #2 was 8 lbs. 5 oz.....another second degree tear.

With my third, DH was finished with residency and we had recently moved to an Air Force base that had *one* other practicing OB. It was a Friday and was going to be DH's weekend off.....I had been having some labor pain, so I went in for an appt. and DH's partner broke my water in the exam room so that the baby would be born while DH was already off. I was very nervous about the epidural working this time, but it worked like a dream. I pushed one time, and he was born......no tears at all, which was so nice. He was 8 pounds, 10 ounces, born 8 days before his due date.

I definitely lucked out in that I never had to go beyond my due date with any of my kids. After my experience with my second baby, I am in awe of people who choose to give birth without drugs. The one unmedicated push I did convinced me that *for me* an epidural was the way to go.

I clearly remember the stress of wondering what I would do with my other kids while I was pregnant the second and third times. It all worked out, but it was not fun trying to figure it out ahead of time!

Sally

[Malpka]

Post term pregnancy is defintely hell. I went to 42 weeks the first time and 41w5d the second I should have taken that as my first cue that I was birthing the worlds most stubborn children.