My Birth Story

Every woman's birth story is completely different, like the kids we bring into this world.  I was one of those women that everyone hates, my pregnancy was ridiculously easy.  I didn't even know I was pregnant until I was almost eight weeks along. I never got morning sickness,  or backaches, or growing pains...if it weren't for my growing belly and the occasional headache and heartburn, I really wouldn't have even known I was pregnant.  My birth story is pretty much the same, completely different than your "typical" (if there is such a thing) birth story. I had Braxton Hicks contractions on and off from 22 weeks on.  We lived over an hour away from the hospital at the time and my doctor was concerned that my labor would go very quickly due to all the practice my body was having. So a week before I delivered my daughter, my husband and I were sent to the hospital's hotel where I spent my days while my husband was at work.  Exactly one week after we checked in to the hotel I went with my mom to a regular doctors visit, it was still three weeks before my due date so I told my husband to go to work because nothing was going to happen.  I met my mom and sister (who had literally just arrived from New York) at my doctor's office.  We went in and she started my regular exam, however within a few minutes she stepped back and said "Pam do you know you're in labor?" I looked at her shocked and said "No!" She then told me that I was 3 1/2 cm dilated and that I needed to go to the hospital NOW.

I wasn't feeling any contractions or anything, so I convinced my mom and sister to let me walk the two blocks to the hospital (I know I'm crazy).  We went to the L&D ward and I was checked in. Once we got settled into the LD&R room I was at 4 1/2 cm. At that time my doctor broke my water and the contractions REALLY started!  I labored for about an hour and half naturally because I really wanted to have a completely natural birth.  However, I wasn't able to walk around because my blood pressure rose and I have a heart condition. Since I wasn't able to move as much as I wanted (even though the hospital was VERY occomidating) I eventually asked for an epidural. It took an half hour or so for the anesthesiologist to arrive and give me the epidural.  After that everything was nice and calm. I was talking to my mom and husband (who had made the hour drive in less than 45 minutes), when the nurse told me to let her know if I felt any pressure.  I told her that I had been feeling pressure for over an hour. She and another nurse examined me, their eyes grew to half the size of their heads and they said, "the baby's almost here don't push we're going to get the doctor." They ran off and a couple minutes later the doctor came in and told me that I was ready to go!

I began pushing and everything was going great. The doctor even asked my husband to hold my leg...he tried but then looked like he was about to pass out so my mom did it (got to love moms). I pushed for about an hour and a half and then my beautiful baby girl came into this world, after an overall quick labor of 6 1/2 hours! It was the most magical and amazing day of my life and I still remember every detail of it, with so much joy.  For my next posts on this blog, I will be going over pregnancy week by week and give you all the details of THIS very different pregnancy!