labor and delivery storyh I woke up around 4:30 am having contractions. They weren't terribly painful but they kept coming about 20 minutes apart and didn't stop coming, so I figured I'd get some rest. I slept on and off until about 11 and ended up in l&d around 3pm. They kept me hooked up on the monitors for about an hour and then let me get in the tub for my planned water birth. I labored in the tub for hours, and around 11pm is when my contractions really seemed to be coming back to back, and let me tell you that pain was unrelenting torture but I was determined and just hoping the baby would come soon. Around 3am is when I really ran out of energy and in the intervals between my contractions which were around a minute or less I couldn't keep my eyes open. I kept trying until I just couldn't take the pain anymore and I knew even if the baby did come in the next few minutes I wouldn't have the energy to push. The only thing keeping me awake was pain. The nurse said I was only dilated to an 8. The clock said 5:30am. I finally got the epidural and got some sleep. I woke up to my contractions coming back sometime after 9 and they realized that the connecting piece to my epidural came apart in my sleep from me laying on it so they fixed it and dosed me again. My midwife broke my water around 11am and they gave me pitocin to speed up my contractions. At that moment I was imagining still being in that tub and stopped being disappointed in myself right then. A little before 2 my midwife came back and said it was time to push. I pushed for 41 minutes and at 2:31 pm on September 29th I gave birth to my first child, my beautiful son Jack.
I had it in my mind to absolutely give birth without medication no matter what and even though this was my first child I never dreamed my labor would be so long and hard. I gave it my best shot. Ladies please don't be ashamed of yourself for having limits. If you plan on a natural birth but decide you need medication, take it. And if you can make it all the way, you are a super hero to me. Good luck with your pregnancies and deliveries. I am so amazed at the creation of life that took place inside of me, and I didn't know I could love someone as much as I love this tiny little human. Enjoy every minute. He's only a little over a week old and he's already getting bigger and smarter!