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Caleb Sex: boy Born: 18 June, 2004 Age: 7 years & 244 days Birthday in: 121 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: 3 years & 243 days Birthday in: 122 days Starsign: Gemini Development: See the 32 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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Payton Sex: boy Born: 26 August, 2009 Age: 2 years & 174 days Birthday in: 191 days Starsign: Virgo Development: See the 29 months page. Biggest achievement so far: -

Birth details

Original due date: August 26 2009
Type of delivery: Vaginal (without pain relief)
Duration of labor: 3.5 hours of \'this is it\' labor
Weight @ birth: 8lbs 1oz
Length @ birth: 20 inches

Payton's Birth Story
Current mood: bouncy
Category: Life
It's Wednesday,August 26 2009-my due date.....

6:30 am-
After having little sleep,I get woken up by "Mommy,suns just up"...ugh,I think,I'm so tired!!
"Caleb,mommy will be up in just a minute,go play quietly please"..This is my useless attempt at an additional 10-15 minutes of much desired sleep..."Mommy,I'm just hungry"...The whininess wins and I throw off my sheet!!

8:00 am-
The boys are fed breakfast and it's time to take Caleb to daycamp-and I get a much needed break for the day! I've known for the last few days that anyday now could be my last one with Jeremiah at home as my little baby.....

9:30 am-
Jeremiah is playing so nicely and I'm able to lay down on the couch for a bit..I also get some laundry done.I decide that 'what the hey' I'll take some castor oil and see if it gets things moving,after all it only works if things are ready,right?

12:00 noon-
Jeremiah is down for his nap and I watch 'Baby story' and 'Deliver Me' episode after episode..I'm not sure why I put myself through it-I cry with every birth and I get more anxious for my 'time' to arrive.
The castor oil hasn't taken effect yet and I report this to Matt when he calls on his lunch.

2:00 pm-
I start getting some mild cramping and decide to go for a walk...I get more cramps,but they're all over the place...I fold laundry,do dishes,feed the pets,dust and try to stay upright...I watch 'Birthday' I suppose hoping that watching it will send signals to my cervix to dilate......I wait for Matt to show up.

3:00 pm-
I take a long shower now that Matt's here...I call mom and tell her that this might or may not be the day,I'll keep her posted...The cramping is still all over the place and at times I go for 20 minutes without any...We go for a short walk and then go up to Felpausch to grab a few things...

4:30 pm-
Time to head off to get Caleb-the vans are late getting him back to pick up site...I call mom to tell her that I'm not really cramping all that regular or more intensely yet,so it probably won't be today.

5:00 pm-
I start to get really bad back cramps and they are getting more intense-I go inside the office and ask when my son will be there because I'm having contractions...Caleb gets there about 5:10 pm-we go home and I call my mom and tell her that 'This is it'..I need her to pick up the boys at 6:30 so I can get them supper and she can take them to her house and get them in bed before coming up to the hospital to be with me. I also figure this will be good since I can labor at home for another hour or so and I'll have progressed more when I get to Labor and Delivery (nothing like showing up and only being 3 cm dilated!).
I help Matt feed the boys their pizza and I keep getting contractions-some as close as 1 minute apart,some lasting 15 seconds others almost a minute or so...I call Dr Tim and tell him that I'm having contractions and he asks "How far apart are they"?..I tell him that just like my other labors I never really get 'regular' contractions...He tells me it must be 'false labor' then...hah! I agree to lay down and time them and call him back.

6:30 pm-
My contractions are getting more intense-more in my back and that really deep hollowing feeling of pain from my cervix dilating (at least that's what I pin it on!) I'm starting to moan during contractions which tells me that if I can't breathe quietly then things are in motion...I labor (get this!!) in my parking lot awaiting my mothers arrival to get the boys..My neighbors ask if I'm locked out of my house and I respond (between deep breaths) that I'm in labor and waiting for someone to pick up my boys.This leaves them shocked! A pregnant laboring woman outside in the parking lot?surely they must offer assistance.....My mom finally shows up and I kiss my boys goodbye and Matt and I climb into the Van.
We drive almost 3 miles before I get a contraction..But then another immediantly follows that one-how irritating is that??

7:00 pm-
We arrive at the hospital and I have contractions all the way up to Labor and Delivery-about 5 of them in the 5 minutes from the Van to the doors of L&D.
I go to the desk and tell them I'm in labor and I'm pre-registered-hah! Not..My paperwork got lost...I do fine for about 5 minutes-No contractions..Then as I'm filling out my 'emergency contact' I get another contraction...They move me into triage figuring they'd have time to finish paperwork in there.

7:15 pm-
I'm in a 'gown' which I can't stand and the strap is broken! I'm having really bad contractions in my lower back and that 'hollowing' pain in my cervix is really getting annoying..They need me to lay down and get hooked up to moniters etc...They ask if I plan on an epidural-I say "I want one,but I'm not going to get one"....They ask how the pain is on a 'scale from 1-10' I say "Compared to how it's going to be,-6"!!
My nurse checks me and I'm already 5-6 cm and 90% effaced!! Wow..Matt comes back in the room and I tell him-we're in shock!
Matt and the nurse leave the room (something about something to drink and calling the doctor) and I realize "Somebody needs to call my mom"!!!!
Matt gets back and calls her and she is getting Jeremiah in bed and she'll come right up.

7:25 pm-
We head down to my labor and delivery room (which is not ready-I guess they figure I'll give them plenty of time to get things set up) I have one contraction on the way there.
I have about 2-3 more contractions and then I get into bed for my 'decent strip' of babys heartrate on the monitor...I'm not happy,but I'll do it.

7:30 pm-
Dr Tim comes in and says he's going to check me and break my water...."I don't want my water broken yet" I say...He's not listening to me. "We need to break the water to make sure there's no meconium or distress"....I asked if I'll be able to get up at all. "You're too far into this to be getting up" I'm ticked off by now....I tell him that I'm requesting a different doctor..He says there isn't one...Finally after my nurse intervenes with her 'understanding nature' I agree that Dr Tim can 'check' my progress...

7:45 pm-I hear my mom say "I'm her mom" and I'm relieved she made it in time and maybe she'll help me stick up for myself...Dr Tim is still checking me and say's "You're at 8 cm and 90 %"...I agree that since I'm that far he can break my water.
He's 'nice' enough to mention after-the-fact that things will start to get intense.
He's not joking-they get intense right away!But the contractions get pretty regular-about 90 seconds apart and lasting about 40 seconds I guess.
They continue to ask me questions inbetween contractions (things they normally ask in triage and have TIME to ask before things get intense)

8:00 pm-
The pain in my back is horrible! I feel the most intense pain and I just breathe a deep "Oooohhhh" Like actually saying 'O',over and over.I'm burning up and I remind Matt that we need a thing of ice water to dip a cloth into for my head.
My mom keeps bringing it over to me...fresh and icy-cold.
I keep saying "I don't like this,it hurts" and "Please,I just want to get this over with"
I'm getting tired.The pain is barely bearable-but what choice do I have at this point?
I can only take one contraction at a time and hope it's the last one before I can deliver my baby.At least that's what they keep telling me-"You're doing good Denee,this could be one of your last contractions,breath honey".......I enter this state of mind where I'm in my own way-it's kinda spiritual and a total body experience...Only I can do this and I HAVE to deliver this baby.There is no way out but one,for me and this baby.I have jut get through this,just THIS contraction..It was a big blur.
I'm checked a couple of times and I'm finally at 9 cm and 100%...It's moving so quickly,yet I'm so worn out already...weird.

8:15 pm-
I feel slight pressure that the begining of a couple of contractions and the nurse checks me and says I have an 'anterior lip' (I had that with Caleb too) which is where you're fully dilated except one side is still slightly intact.Basically I'm 9.5 cm and she says I can probably start pushing and push through it...That was all I needed to hear-it confirmed my desire/need to push.....

8:17 pm-
The nurse went in the hall and I heard her telling the doctor "She's ready" He told her to have me go ahead and start.
I was on my side and the urge just 'took over'....I knew I needed to flip to the 'basic' delivery position on my back and I was 'involuntarily' pushing the whole time...I kept saying "I'm pushing"!!!! Over and over...I remember making this noise,like a 'hummmm' or something,it was like a relief...

8:18 pm-
I felt SO much pressure and I couldn't stop from pushing even though Matt was freaking out telling me "Hunny,don't push..breathe"!!
Nobody else was telling me not to push,so I kept pushing-I did try to stop and 'pant' at one point,but I couldn't,so I assisited the baby and my uterus in the delivery process.It felt awesome...The doctor was getting on his gown and there was a nurse next to me and a couple of nurses rushing about across the room.But NOBODY was at my feet!!
I couldn't exactly hold off for these people!

8:19pm-
I felt his head crowning and the doctor rushed over with ONE glove on to catch my baby...It was such an easy delivery-painful,but the pushing stage was like a breeze!
Dr Tim clamped the cord and I remember telling him "Matt wants to cut it"! after the cord was cut,they placed Payton on my belly and I just kept saying, "I did it,thank you"! "You're here baby" And I was rubbing him and crying......I was SO glad it was over and he was okay.I just held him close and wept in pure happiness.
It went so fast I could hardly blink,but it was amazing!!!

They left Payton with me for quite awhile and only took him when I was ready.
I didn't tear and was able to start nursing within just a while of giving birth and Payton is a pro little nurser!
Later the nurse and Dr Tim both came in and needed me to sign a 'consent to deliver' form-SO FUNNY..What if I'd refused?!?! Hahaha.

Payton Matthew Metzger
August/26/2009
8:19 pm
8lbs 1oz
20 Inches long
Brown hair
Almond shaped Blue eyes
Born at Battle Creek Health Systems

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