Forums > Labor & BirthPage > 7by: TabithaLove

George's Labor & Delivery

posted 22nd Sep

My mom & Granny have been here since September 10th, & my dad & Granddad came up the 13th. On September 21st, we were sitting on the couch watching Monday Night Football, & my husband was home from lunch. My mom had offered to make dinner, so I gladly obliged! Since I had just been to the midwife appointment earlier, I thought I might be able to go into labor the 22nd.

At 7:35 pm, I had my first real contraction that I could monitor. I looked at my watch curious to see if there would be another one & thought I’d time it. By 7:37, I had another one. However, it was only 20-30 seconds. By 7:40 pm, I had another contraction about the same. I was thinking “I will wait until the contractions are at least one minute long, & it’s the end of the football game.” My husband, James, went back to work about 7:50 & I almost stopped him, but I didn’t want anyone hurrying me & getting impatient because I was thinking “These things take time.”

Right after James left, I sat on my toilet & knew this was the night—no more denial or thinking it was just wishful thinking. I wanted the 22nd to be my baby’s birthday, but I was like “I don’t want to be in pain that long!” I text my mom at 8 pm exactly & told her to come to the bathroom. So she came in there & I asked her to “discretely” get the bags loaded up & to get Charlie dressed in his outfit. Well, she alerted everyone else even though I asked her not to. She told me “Honey, you can’t wait much longer!” I protested saying I didn’t want everyone rushing & worrying. She called the birth center to tell them I was on my way. At exactly 8:10 pm, I called James to come home, change, & pack the camcorder. At this point, everyone was rushing around. I didn’t have anytime between contractions!

I crawled off my toilet on my hands & knees (how dramatic is this?) & crawled to my bedroom. As soon as the pain subsided, I bolted up & out to my mom’s car. My mom, my granny, Charlie, & I piled into her car while James & my dad got into my car. Charlie knew something was up, so every time I’d start having the really bad part of the contraction & breathing heavily, he would breathe with me. In between, Charlie would call “Mommy…Hi, Mommy!” in a cheerful voice, & I would say “Hi baby!” or “Hi Charlie!” He was happy as long as I would confirm it was okay. Every time we’d start to come to a traffic light, he would command it, “Green light, Green!” It worked for all but ONE light! During that light I was having a contraction, so he breathed with me then commanded “Yellow light…green light!” It turned green.

We got to the birth center & my mom went to the door. It didn’t look like anyone was there (only the cleaning lady was there, but she opened the door to us), so I just opened the car door & dropped to all four. I thought I was about to pee in my mom’s car, & I didn’t want to make a mess. Meanwhile, everyone is standing around me (I think my mom was still at the door?) wanting to help, but there was no helping me. All of the sudden, I feel something “there.” As soon as the horrible pain subsided & it was just really bad pain, I jetted inside the door & made a beeline for the birth tub room. I climbed on the bed & rocked on all 4 when my dad came in—he had Charlie propped in one arm & had his other arm on my lower back praying that it would be fast & easy. He also asked for a healthy mommy & baby. When I felt the pain climaxing, I asked him to take Charlie out of the room because “he can’t see me like this.” I really thought I could hold it together if Charlie were around, but I just wanted to cry as I felt the head coming.

My mom ripped the bedspread down & I rolled over onto the protector sheet thing. I was pulling my pants down & she helped me. I told her “Do you see the head?” She got a weird look on her face, nodded her head, & says “yes.” I said “I have to push!” She said “Then push.” As soon as I heard her say that, I took it as the” go ahead”, I grabbed both of my ankles, felt the contraction & pushed. I saw everything again--the head came out & felt my water rush over. I pushed one more time & the body came out…I’m not sure if I pushed once more, but it felt soooo good!

My mom held the baby over her right hand making sure the airway passages were clear, but all I could think of (now that the pain was gone) was, “What is it?! Is it a boy or girl?” My mom turned the baby over & says “It’s a boy!” I said “It’s a boy?!” James heard me say this, & he walks into the room with cell phone to his hear. He was trying to contact someone to come help, & he says into the phone something along the lines of, “We have a baby…it’s a boy…Omg! I missed it!” I was so elated, but I looked at my mom & she was looking a little shocked. I said “He is okay, right?” & she’s all “Yeah, I just don’t know what to do about the chord.” She pushed him into my arms & I tried nursing him (haha). I couldn’t remember what to do! Right after he doesn’t latch, she grabs him back & wraps him into a towel. Poor baby was cold! I was so psyched that I grabbed my phone & started texting “It’s a BOY!” to everyone. (I’m such a ding!)

Well, the rest is a blur…Charlie came sauntering in & met his baby just a few minutes later. The midwife finally got there about 20 minutes after delivery to help cut the chord. The nurse got there shortly after that to help tend to the baby & I. The midwife left after about 30 minutes or so. The nurse weighed him about an hour or so later. He was 7 lbs 4 oz & 20 inches long!

Short version:
7:35 pm--first monitorable contraction
8:00 pm--told my mom
8:10 pm--called my husband
8:20 pm--headed to birthcenter
8:45 pm--arrived at birthcenter
8:53 pm--my mom delivered my son
9:10-15 pm--midwife arrived
9:20--nurse arrived
1:30 am--returned home!

from my album: Family

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from my album: Family

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from my album: Babies

George's Labor & Delivery

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