She was born on Sunday the 22nd... we were 42 weeks on that day. Here's a quick birth story for you all:
as you probably know, I was feeling desparate to have this baby. So we tried castor oil (and it worked!)
10:15 am. - took 3 Tb. castor oil
no signs of anything until 1:15, and then it was all diarrhea (sorry TMI!!!)
3:00 - some vague contractions started. they putzed along for a long time. They didn't seem serious. Around 5:00 they started to get a bit painful, but I thought I was a LONG time from the real thing. There were only a few contractions each hour. There was no pattern. I rested from 5:00-5:45. Unfortunately I had more diarrhea after that, and (this is really TMI!) ... very painful hemmorrhoids. So I spent all my time focusing on my painful behind! Not realizing that my contractions were getting stronger. In fact, I felt like this baby wasn't going to come until Monday morning sometime. I didn't feel like I was getting anywhere fast, at all.
So I was upstairs trying to soothe my hemorrhoids around 7:00. My MW and her assistant were already at our house b/c they knew I'd done the castor oil. Everyone was just relaxing and waiting downstairs in the living room, until...
7:20 - my water broke while I was sitting on the floor, followed by an excruciating contraction. I called for DH, everyone came upstairs. They put the plastic on the bed, I climbed onto the bed, had 2 more unbearable (so they seemed at the time) contractions, saying "I can't do this" ... I guess I was in transition then,
With the next contraction I shouted, "I need to PUSH!" The MW was still trying to get her gloves on... everyone told me to breathe through it, not to push, which I guess is what I was (somehow) able to do.
One more contraction and everyone exclaimed they could see the hair... one more contraction and her head crowned (I remember saying "it's burning!"), one more contraction and her head was out, and of course one more contraction and the rest of her was born. apparently i managed never to push at all (with their coaching in my ear, helping me to breathe through the contractions instead). her body eased out with the contractions on its own.
she was born at 7:36, 16 minutes after my water broke and i realized i was in active labor! how crazy is that? She was doing well right away, alert, wanted to nurse, and everything
The placenta was delivered only around 8:00. the MW laughed that that seemed like the longest part of the labor! I had a small tear which will heal on its own. the hemorrhoids are another story i guess!
Her name is Dhanya Clare. She was 7 lb. 6 oz. (all my girls have been that size even though they are born late), 21 inches long.
what a relief to not be pregnant anymore!
as you probably know, I was feeling desparate to have this baby. So we tried castor oil (and it worked!)
10:15 am. - took 3 Tb. castor oil
no signs of anything until 1:15, and then it was all diarrhea (sorry TMI!!!)
3:00 - some vague contractions started. they putzed along for a long time. They didn't seem serious. Around 5:00 they started to get a bit painful, but I thought I was a LONG time from the real thing. There were only a few contractions each hour. There was no pattern. I rested from 5:00-5:45. Unfortunately I had more diarrhea after that, and (this is really TMI!) ... very painful hemmorrhoids. So I spent all my time focusing on my painful behind! Not realizing that my contractions were getting stronger. In fact, I felt like this baby wasn't going to come until Monday morning sometime. I didn't feel like I was getting anywhere fast, at all.
So I was upstairs trying to soothe my hemorrhoids around 7:00. My MW and her assistant were already at our house b/c they knew I'd done the castor oil. Everyone was just relaxing and waiting downstairs in the living room, until...
7:20 - my water broke while I was sitting on the floor, followed by an excruciating contraction. I called for DH, everyone came upstairs. They put the plastic on the bed, I climbed onto the bed, had 2 more unbearable (so they seemed at the time) contractions, saying "I can't do this" ... I guess I was in transition then,
With the next contraction I shouted, "I need to PUSH!" The MW was still trying to get her gloves on... everyone told me to breathe through it, not to push, which I guess is what I was (somehow) able to do.
One more contraction and everyone exclaimed they could see the hair... one more contraction and her head crowned (I remember saying "it's burning!"), one more contraction and her head was out, and of course one more contraction and the rest of her was born. apparently i managed never to push at all (with their coaching in my ear, helping me to breathe through the contractions instead). her body eased out with the contractions on its own.
she was born at 7:36, 16 minutes after my water broke and i realized i was in active labor! how crazy is that? She was doing well right away, alert, wanted to nurse, and everything
The placenta was delivered only around 8:00. the MW laughed that that seemed like the longest part of the labor! I had a small tear which will heal on its own. the hemorrhoids are another story i guess!
Her name is Dhanya Clare. She was 7 lb. 6 oz. (all my girls have been that size even though they are born late), 21 inches long.
what a relief to not be pregnant anymore!
Great job!
