Labor Story

I believe labor started for me early morning on Thursday. I wasn't quite sure I was in labor, but I was having consistent contractions about every 10 minutes from 5:30 until 9:30. J asked if he should go into work and I said yes because I wasn't sure if I was in true labor. He went to work and I continued my day as normal. I noticed my contractions starting to go away.

I really had to get my license renewed so I decided to get that taken care of before I had this baby. When I went into the DMV the lady looked at me funny and said are you okay? I told her that I thought I might be in labor. I think she thought I was crazy for being there.

I then started contracting on and off again throughout the rest of the day. Around 9:30 in the evening they started coming on a bit stronger and coming every 10 minutes. Little did I know that that was the beginning of a very long night. I stayed up all night contracting about every 10 minutes wondering if I really was in labor. My contractions started lasting 45 seconds but still weren't getting any closer. I called my mom around 2:30 and told her I probably was in labor. She was supposed to fly into Portland by 10 a.m. the next morning. I then called my doctor at 4:30 and told him that I was contracting regularly. He said he would call the hospital and let them know I was coming.

We then called my mother in law because she was going to take care of Camo until he woke up. We told her not to hurry because I was worried I would get to the hospital and be a 3 and have to labor there for a long time. That is what happened with Camo.

We finally left the house at 6:30 and got to the hospital around 7 in the morning. When I got there I told J to snap a few shots of me for my last pictures as a pregnant lady. I walked very slowly into the hospital and got checked into my room. When the nurse checked me I was an 8 and said we would be having this baby shortly. I immediately started to cry. The nurse asked me if they were tears of joy or tears of being scared. I told her joy. I couldn't believe that I had labored that long at home. I also can't believe I was telling J to snap pictures of me outside the hospital.

I knew that I wanted to do it natural again. My doctor came in and broke my water about an hour after we got there. I then dilated back to a 7 which was a little discouraging. I continued laboring for the next couple hours and still I wasn't progressing very fast. My doctor ended up going back to his office for a bit to take care of some of his patients.

My mom then showed up at around 10.  I then started to feel the need to push. The nurses were trying to tell me to breathe through the contractions instead of pushing, but that wasn't working. In natural childbirth your body just naturally pushes. It's almost like you can't control it. I then yelled out, "I need to push! Is there anyone in this room that can deliver a baby!?" The nurses both looked at each other and said I can. I believe my mom and mother in law also said they could. Haha. So about 4 hours after getting to the hospital TJ was born. My doctor showed up about 30 seconds after I pushed TJ out so the nurses delivered him. I can't believe my mom made it just in time for the delivery.  She got there at 10 and he was born at 10:50.  He was born on July 6th about 9 days before my due date. So these pictures are of me at 39 weeks. He was 8 pounds 2 ounces and 20 inches long. We are so in love with him.

Here are some pictures of me at 39 weeks outside the hospital. Remember I was up all night laboring so I don't look my best.

These last two pictures are the reason why women get an epidural. They don't have to be in this much pain. I am pretty sure I might have asked for an epidural but I think I was too far dilated.