Nathaniel's Birth Story

This is probably the first and only time I can say I delivered a baby by laughing.

I wasn't laughing about going a week over my due date, of course. I've been ready for him to come for the last three weeks, so as each day went by, I got more and more uncomfortable. Doesn't help matters when there's a whiny two-year-old with cabin fever.

So after my last doctor's appointment, I finally caved in and scheduled the induction for the following week, hoping he would come on his own before then. No such luck! Thursday arrived and the hospital called me to come in at 9:00 am. My parents came over to pick up Audrey, Ammon and my dad gave me a blessing, and off we went.

After getting the rest of the paperwork completed, I got set up in a room around 9:45. I asked for a room with a birthing tub and a ball to try out during labor. I wanted to see if I could get my body to do some work before getting all the IVs. Shortly after getting to the room, the doctor came and checked me and said I was at 3 cm and about 80% effaced. Then he said, "I'm going to break your water and get the pit going." Before I could get another word out, he had done it. Yikes! So much for trying alternative methods.

For the first three hours, it wasn't so bad. The contractions were fairly intense, but I could still talk through them. I just put my focus elsewhere and breathed deeply through the contractions. The nurse came back and checked me and said I was getting close to a 5. I didn't expect to get there so fast, so that was great! I got some grape flavored ice and jello (whee! sugar rush) went back to reading my book.

About an hour later, it started getting to a point where the focusing and breathing just wasn't enough. I decided I needed the epidural. First the nurse gave me a shot of a different painkiller (fentanol?) because the anesthesiologist was backed up in the OR. It lasted just long enough for him to get there. He talked me through his procedure, and before I knew it, sweet relief. It's not a bad thing to get an epi, especially if you get a good one. And this was certainly a good one!

The doctor came in about an hour and a half after I got the epi and said I was nearly a 7. Sweet! I didn't feel much below my waist except for one little spot on my right hip, but with some adjusting that went away too. I was just really relaxed. Ammon and I were able to carry on regular conversations and we joked a lot with the nurse.

Two hours later, my OB started getting behind in seeing his regular office patients, so the nurse went ahead and checked my progress. I was at a 10 and completely effaced! I wasn't feeling any pressure to push yet, so the doctor wasn't too concerned about me rushing through it. So I didn't. I was feeling comfortable and relaxed and I was just waiting to feel that familiar urge of pushing that I felt with Audrey. (Only it hurt a LOT more with her.)

Shortly after this, I told the nurse I was feeling a little pressure, so she decided to check me again to see if she could see the head. She lifted back the blanket and went "Oh! The head's out!" I was shocked cause I hadn't felt it at all, so I said "Seriously?" and gave a little laugh, and plop, out came the rest of Nathaniel's body! I couldn't believe it. I just gave birth to my son by laughing.

She started rubbing him down and he gave his little cry, and suddenly I had a baby boy in my arms, looking as surprised as his mommy. The nurse got the doctor on the intercom and told him what had happened, and he started laughing too. He got down to my room to deliver the placenta, which came out with yet another laugh.

What an amazing way to deliver the baby. Now we're just working on recovery. Nate's got some high bili levels right now, so we're treating that and getting him to eat better.

Audrey's reaction to her baby brother, however, is another story. Each day (and it's only been three) is a new adventure.