Johnson Family Blog: Max's Birth- Sara's Version

I had been waiting (very impatiently) for this day to come. At my 37 week appointment, I was 2 cm dilated, and the midwife told me that I probably wouldn't go past my due date. I came back for my 38 week appointment, and I was 3 cm dilated. She said that I was ready to go, and she didn't expect to see me at my next appointment.

That Saturday, my mom came down to visit. She told me to tell her any time I was feeling any pain. Well, I was having very mild pain every 15-20 minutes. She was convinced I was going to have a baby, which, in turn, convinced me. I mean, what do I know about having babies? My mom had four, so I figured she knew better than I. Well, after many hours and the pain never getting worse, my mom went home. We were still thinking it could be any moment. All of my 38th week went by this way.
I showed up for my 39 week appointment. I am 4 cm dilated and completely effaced. She said that she definitely won't see me next week. Well, I spend all week noticing every pain, thinking that I'll be going in to labor. My due date comes and goes, and I have to go in for my 40 week appointment (which was really at 40 weeks and 4 days). At my 40 week appointment, they tell me that I will be induced on Sunday if the baby doesn't come before then. But after examining me and determining that I am 5 cm, they decide that today is the day to have the baby. I called Nic and my mom from Labor and Delivery. They were on their way, and I was waiting for a room. They started to give me a room, and then decided that someone else needed it more. So, I wait a bit longer, and they have a room for me. I got undressed and started watching TV when they came to kick me out again. They take me to a tiny observation room. When I'm hooked up to all the machines, we can see that I am having fairly regular contractions (5 minutes apart), but I don't feel them (see picture below: I was feeling fine, and happy to be having a baby).

The medical staff was thinking I might not even need Pitocin to get my labor kicked up a notch, but after a few hours I haven't progressed much at all. They take me to my room and start Pitocin. I still wasn't really feeling my contractions. My main problem was that I was STARVING! I was motivated to get that baby out so that I could eat the Snickers bar that my mom and dad had gotten from the vending machine.

Then the midwife came in and broke my water, which hurt really bad. Painful contractions started immediately afterward. Luckily, they had already ordered my epidural, so I only felt the contractions for a few minutes. The epidural worked so well that I took a little nap. Not long after waking up, they came to check me and I was fully dilated. I was also starting to get very uncomfortable. I was feeling lots of pressure, and the epidural was starting to wear off. They wanted to let me labor for awhile, but I felt like I needed to push. So, I sent Nic to get the nurse.

Pushing was very hard. It took all of my strength, and I felt like I wasn't getting anywhere. I pushed for two very difficult hours. Every one could see that Max was right there, but in between pushes, he would slip back up the birth canal. Then the midwife suggested I turn on my side. Within minutes our sweet baby boy had arrived. Instantly, I felt like all of the effort was worth it. In the weeks prior, I had been nervous about holding my newborn baby. I was anything but nervous at the time. I don't think I'd ever wanted anything more than to hold my baby the instant he was born. I felt a crazy rush of love, and it still hasn't worn off.