Our Body 37 Weeks

Well folks, this past Wednesday was an exciting step for us. We were finally declared to be full term and ready to deliver at 37 weeks. It has been an amazing journey and I have been waiting for this point so I can finally relax and be okay if Ty decided it was time to come out of his nestled area.

And what perfect timing because at 1:55 am that morning he decided he wanted to being his journey out. I woke up to the feeling of regular contractions. I laid in bed just tracking them for a while, before waking Chris up to tell him. We started actually documenting the contractions and they were coming every 5-7 minutes and lasting around :50 seconds each. So around 6:00 we made the call to my midwife and to our Douala and started to get ready to head to the birthing center.

Between me being slightly unmovable and in pain from the contractions we didn't arrive to the birthing center until 7:15 but Alice was there ready for us to start. She checked me and I was already at 4cm, which is huge because at our check up on Monday we discovered we had actually went from 3.5cm down to 2. So to be back up at 4 was very comforting. Once my Douala arrived we started our techniques, walking - squatting - bouncing on the ball and we managed to get to 5cm in just under 2 hours. We continued with those exercises for sometime however, they didn't have the same effect anymore. By 2:30pm we were still 5cm and my midwife decided that she didn't want us pushing it so she sent us home with strict instructions to get some sleep and take some medication to allow my body to relax. If we started up again we should call her and decide if we should head back.

We did just that, relaxed ... took the meds ... and sleep. At around 5:30 I woke up in the middle of some serious contractions. I shook Chris awake and we started tracking them again. We didn't take long this time because they were so strong and intense I knew it wouldn't be long. We made the call and started to head back to the Birthing Cottage. Let me tell you ... that was the longest car ride ever. Having contractions while stuck in the same position is evil. Everyone was already there waiting for us when we arrived and got checked ... I was at 8 cm. Wow, that was quick. First things first, we headed to the tub so I could 'relax' and labor in the tub. Yeah, it was anything but relaxing ... okay the warm water felt nice and there wasn't as much pressure but the contractions still kicked my butt. But we weren't in the tub for very long. While my midwife got the IV started for my antibiotics ... I continued to contract in the tub, my Douala supported me and Chris, bless his heart ran around being the greatest husband in the world. Just after the antibiotics kicked in and the IV removed I had the last contraction that I can remember. All I recall is looking at my Douala and screaming ... I HAVE TO PUSH ... I CAN'T STOP!!! I saw the panic in her face, and Chris' face and everyone scattered to find the midwife. She came and checked and said ... 'Yep, he's there and ready ... where do you want to push in the tub or in the bed?' All I could think of was that Chris did not want a tub birth so I said every so politely 'THE BED' (btw ... all caps means I can screaming).

We began yet another long and exhausting journey from the bathroom to the room. I never realized how big that place was until then. When we got to the room I first labored like I had hoped to, kneeling on the floor besides the bed. But after just a few moments and a few pushes it was clear that it really wasn't the best position for everyone that needed to work. So we changed and I got up on the bed. After then I can remember about 4-5 real pushes and then a lot of commotion telling me to stop. I was told his head was out and was asked if I wanted to touch it. What did I say?? NO! Then I was asked if I wanted a mirrow to see him come out. Again, NO!. Finally I was given the okay to push again and he was out and placed on my tummy. WOW, shocked, amazed, confused and wow. It was over ... 19 hours of labor and 12 minutes of pushing with no pain meds at all. Born at 9:02 on 09/02 and was a whopping 6 lbs 10 oz and 19 inches long. Wow.

Would I change a thing ... no. Would I do it again ... later ... much much much much later.

Since then we have been trying to adjust. We arrived home about 7 hours later at 4am and starting or life as new parents. So far so good. He has already had his first doctor visit and was checked out A-OK. Now the real fun begins.

Stay tuned as we now track his progress throughout his first year of life.