Finally, Our Labor Story

So, life has been a bit insane the past couple of weeks with Austyn's arrival. I (amanda) haven't answered my phone b/c there haven't been too many "down time" moments. Since many may or may not be wondering-- here is the story (remember- don't read this if you don't want to know what happened)...

Austyn was scheduled to make her debut on November 17th. As with many first babies, she chose to wait a bit longer to come out(1 week exactly). Owen and I began to seriously contemplate inducing b/c I was sooo uncomfortable, but I wanted to have a natural childbirth experience. So, we decided to wait until after she would be a week late.

My parents came in from Oklahoma for the Thanksgiving holiday hoping that Austyn would (should) have arrived by that time. Well, taking after her parents, she chose to be stubbornly late in arriving. I didn't really have many Braxton Hicks contractions to get ready for labor. On Friday, November 24th (the day after Thanksgiving) at 6:00pm, I had what I thought was maybe a contraction. It was stronger than anything I had yet felt, but I didn't want to get my hopes up. So, I just started to "secretly" keep track on when these pains were coming. From 6-7pm, they were every 10-12 minutes apart and lasted about 45 sec-1 min. Owen and I started to think this could be 'the day", so we told my parents I was having contractions. They went back to their 'hotel' room so we could focus on what appeared to be starting- labor!

Well, from 7-8pm the contractions get super close (every 4 minutes for 1 min+ every time). We're thinking that this kid is going to come fast. So, we call our midwife to let her know what's going on about 8:30-9pm. She tells us to go to the hospital, so here we go!! We get there- by the way, walking yourself up to labor and delivery while having contractions is not easy-- as get 'checked' by the nurse. Apparently, I'm just at a 2 but I'm 85% effaced. Owen and I were a little surprised that I wasn't at a 7 or something since the contractions were coming so fast and so hard. That's were hindsight comes in. I had no idea what I was in for. My body likes to do things the hard way, I guess. From 10:30pm until 7:15am (she was born at 7:30am), I had contractions (usually 2 in a row) lasting for about a minute and a half. My midwife later told me that if I would have been induced, she would have turned down my dosage b/c of how fast and on top of one another my contractions were. Fun, eh?

Well, Owen was amazing. My midwife thinks he should consider a career as a doula (a labor support person)! He was with me in the midst of some extreme pain, and I love him so much for that. On with the story.... At 3am, the nurse comes back in to check me and I'm at a 6. Thankfully things were progressing b/c I was seriously considering an epidural. My midwife suggested that I stop rocking on the labor ball and trying sitting in a warm bath (it acts as a 'natural epidual' of sorts). It felt great, but I soon felt like I needed to push. However, my water hadn't broken yet so it felt really odd. My midwife offered to break my water by pinching it since she could touch it (you shouldn't have read this if you didn't want to hear ALL the details). Well, it popped like a balloon- water everywhere, but it felt like a GREAT release of pressure. My midwife, then, checked me to see how dialated I was. "Ten," she says, "Get in a position to push when you are ready." Finally, it's time. I wanted to try the hands and knees position b/c it uses gravity and helps to protect some of the lower muscles as she exited my body. Well, I start to push (much harder to get that head out than you think), the head comes out. They start talking about her dark hair. I'm thinking she is out-- like, completely out. Oh no- time to push the rest of her out- that means the bulky shoulders, people. Wowzers, that was crazy. I was so tired but so elated after she was out.

She had an 8-9 out of 10 on her Apgar. We already know that she's going to be the best at everything. Can you say that we are both competitive :) ?! Well, I just tore a little bit when all was finished. Two weeks later, the stitches have healed up. I think it hurt more getting the stitches(actually, the numbing shots before the stitches- remember, I had no drugs so NOTHING was numbed down there) than pushing Austyn out. She was born on November 25th at 7:35 am at 8 lbs. 2 oz. and 21" long. Not bad for one week overdue. When we went to the pediatrician at the end of her first week, she had maintained her birthweight (the kid can eat, I say!).

Anyways, in the end, my labor was 13 hours long with no medications. I'm really proud of my husband for being such an incredible support the entire time (and every other day). I'm really proud of myself too, but I know it was not by my strength that I labored. Praise be to God for His faithfulness-- in my weakness His strength was made complete!! Glory to Him.