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Caleb Sex: boy Born: 18 June, 2004 Age: 4 years & 121 days Birthday in: 244 days Starsign: Gemini Development: See the 32 months page. Biggest achievement so far: -

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Jeremiah Sex: boy Born: 18 June, 2008 Age: 0 years & 120 days Birthday in: 245 days Starsign: Gemini Development: See the 4 months page. Biggest achievement so far: -

Birth details

Type of delivery: Vaginal (without pain relief)
Duration of labor: 8.5 hours
Weight @ birth: 7 lbs 9 oz
Length @ birth: 20 Inches

I was 3 days over due and ready to have my baby..My doctors wanted to induce,but I wanted something more natural..I called a midwife friend of mine and she suggested a castor oil concoction...I tried it and within 3 1/2 hours I was having real contractions...They were mild,but painful enough that I knew with them coming and going that it was time!

I was home with my son and my boyfriend was on his was over...I decided it would be more comfortable in the bath tub so I took a hot bath....My boyfriend got to my house and my contractions were very irratic..Not time-able at all....Since this was my second baby I wanted to get to the hospital pretty soon so I wouldn't be delivering him at home! (my first labor was 10 hours...and I figured this one would go faster)

We went to the hospital at 6:00 pm and they checked I was only 3 cm dilated....I was monitored for a bit and then they admitted me and got me to my room....I used the jacuzzi tub for a while and then was checked I was 4 cm..Then my stand-in doctor wanted to break my water..I of course told her "No" and she wasn't too happy (apparently docs think that breaking your water makes things go faster,but I know differently) and I walked for an hour or so..Then I used the tub again..At 11:00 pm I was still only at 5 cm,BUT I was completely thinned out and my nurse said things would go much faster after that....I was having the WORST back labor (even worse than my first labor) and the nurses kept asking if I wanted pain medication..I kept saying no (even though I was in terrible pain....ERRRR) and I just breathed my way through every contraction and kept thinking "Just get through THIS contraction"..The problem was that my contractions were all over the place..Some were back-to-back and I didn't get a break...I was sqeezing my mom and Matts hands and begging them to push on my lower back 'harder'!! (Counter pressure relieved some of the horrible pain!!)..The nurse checked me around 11:15 because I was feeling pressure down there and she said I was almost at 7 cm and the pressure was because the baby's head was 'right there'...Every contraction I felt un-bearable pressure for 10 seconds or so...My contractions were about 1 minute long and were coming all over the place.....I used Calebs picture during some of the contractions as a focal point....Matt kept using a cold cloth on my face and I kept crying it hurt so bad...I just wanted to be done!!

The nurse just KEPT checking me because I kept feeling so much pressure like I needed to push....She'd check about every 10 minutes or so and everytime I was showing progress....By 1:00 am they knew I was really close....They started setting things up and had me get into position....They couldn't get a good reading on baby's heartrate with the external monitor,so they inserted an internal...At 1:15 am they told me to push and I didn't take it as a joke..I pushed through 2 contractions-which was about 4 pushes and then they told me to stop because the baby had the cord around his neck (it wasn't wrapped,just like he was slipping through it on his was out) and they suctioned him...Then I pushed about 2 more times during the next contraction and at 1:20 am, there he was!! He came out really fast because I really bared-down and pushed for only about 5 minutes...Matt cut the cord and they placed Jeremiah on my chest and wiped him down...He was 7lbs 9oz and 20 inches long and had some slight bruising from his fast trip out...All I could say was "Hi baby,you're here" and "I did it,I'm done!!" . All while crying I was so happy and relieved to be done and have a healthy baby!! I suffered no tears either!!

It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life (Calebs birth being the other!) and I'm very greatful to my mom and Matt who were so supportive and made an amazing birth team.

I had pretty much the birth experience that I'd wanted and in the end feel very empowered to have done it without pain medication (not that I blame anyone for wanting it!!) and I'm estatic to have my baby boy in my arms!!

Jeremiah was born on his big brother Calebs birthday..So now my two children have the same birthday:)

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