I am just getting around to sharing the news 
After 52 hours of labor, Bixby James was born at home on Tuesday, June 29, 2010, at 9:07 a.m., 22 inches long and weighing 10 pounds 2 oz.!!
Sunday morning I woke up at 2:30 with mild cramps and bloody show. After going back to sleep for a few hours, I woke around 5:30 with contractions that came every 5 minutes. All day Sunday I hung out with my hubby and began making preparations around the house for our home birth - I was so excited! That evening I felt things were getting more intense and we called my Mom, our doula, and midwives, and they all came over. Throughout the night I had strong contractions but they eventually slowed. When my midwife checked me around 5:00 a.m. on Monday morning I was 5 cm dilated, and she suggested we send everyone home & I try to rest. She said this was going to be a birth "on the installment plan".
I tried not to be disappointed, but it was hard to keep my spirits up the rest of the day. My hubby and I watched movies, ate, and I tried to nap between contractions (which were coming every half hour). By Monday evening around 7:00, things started to pick up again, with contractions every 5 min, getting very intense. I started to feel nervous about them getting stronger, I was worried I wouldn't be able to handle it. I had B fill the birth tub and called the midwives and doula to come over. Around 2:30 a.m. one of the midwives checked me and my water broke while she was checking me - and then I dilated to 8 cm right then! This was exciting, and immediately things started getting really intense.
At 5 she checked me again and said there was no cervix and I could start pushing whenever I wanted. I was so relieved! But also was becoming VERY exhausted. Everyone kept giving me honey, emergen-c, juice, recharge, etc., to keep my strength up. I pushed in all sorts of positions, my arms and legs were SO TIRED! I ended up on my bed with my doula & husband helping pull my knees to chest as I pushed my baby out. The pushing to me was not as painful as the contractions nearing transition - but the fatigue was really tough to work through as I approached 52 hours of labor. Finally, I remember one of the midwives saying "this is the contraction that will deliver your baby" - and it was!!
And oh MY he was huge!! I held my gorgeous boy and he breastfed right away. I was so elated - both to finally have my baby AND to finally be done with labor!! LOL!! Afterwards I was bleeding quite a bit and they gave me a shot of pitocin just to be on the safe side, and I delivered the placenta shortly after. Unfortunately, I needed tons of stitches - the midwives were very apologetic about this, but I know they did everything they possibly could to protect my perineum. They said Bixby had the largest head measurement at birth of any baby they have delivered in 20 years!
We are settling in this week and enjoying our little babyland bubble
After 52 hours of labor, Bixby James was born at home on Tuesday, June 29, 2010, at 9:07 a.m., 22 inches long and weighing 10 pounds 2 oz.!!
Sunday morning I woke up at 2:30 with mild cramps and bloody show. After going back to sleep for a few hours, I woke around 5:30 with contractions that came every 5 minutes. All day Sunday I hung out with my hubby and began making preparations around the house for our home birth - I was so excited! That evening I felt things were getting more intense and we called my Mom, our doula, and midwives, and they all came over. Throughout the night I had strong contractions but they eventually slowed. When my midwife checked me around 5:00 a.m. on Monday morning I was 5 cm dilated, and she suggested we send everyone home & I try to rest. She said this was going to be a birth "on the installment plan".
I tried not to be disappointed, but it was hard to keep my spirits up the rest of the day. My hubby and I watched movies, ate, and I tried to nap between contractions (which were coming every half hour). By Monday evening around 7:00, things started to pick up again, with contractions every 5 min, getting very intense. I started to feel nervous about them getting stronger, I was worried I wouldn't be able to handle it. I had B fill the birth tub and called the midwives and doula to come over. Around 2:30 a.m. one of the midwives checked me and my water broke while she was checking me - and then I dilated to 8 cm right then! This was exciting, and immediately things started getting really intense.
At 5 she checked me again and said there was no cervix and I could start pushing whenever I wanted. I was so relieved! But also was becoming VERY exhausted. Everyone kept giving me honey, emergen-c, juice, recharge, etc., to keep my strength up. I pushed in all sorts of positions, my arms and legs were SO TIRED! I ended up on my bed with my doula & husband helping pull my knees to chest as I pushed my baby out. The pushing to me was not as painful as the contractions nearing transition - but the fatigue was really tough to work through as I approached 52 hours of labor. Finally, I remember one of the midwives saying "this is the contraction that will deliver your baby" - and it was!!
And oh MY he was huge!! I held my gorgeous boy and he breastfed right away. I was so elated - both to finally have my baby AND to finally be done with labor!! LOL!! Afterwards I was bleeding quite a bit and they gave me a shot of pitocin just to be on the safe side, and I delivered the placenta shortly after. Unfortunately, I needed tons of stitches - the midwives were very apologetic about this, but I know they did everything they possibly could to protect my perineum. They said Bixby had the largest head measurement at birth of any baby they have delivered in 20 years!
We are settling in this week and enjoying our little babyland bubble
