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Welcome baby Owen James :)

Birth Story

Owen arrived 12 days early. On Tuesday night I started getting a lower back ache (like menstral back ache). The ache continued on Wednesday (Dec 5). By the evening I thought my water might have been leaking so I called the maternity ward and they told me to come in for a non stress test and assessment. We went in and they hooked me up to monitor the baby's heart rate for 30 min. Then the nurse did an internal. She told me she could not feel my cervix because it was up so high and the baby's head was very low (she could feel it). She did the ph test and told me my water was still in tack. She prescribed an antibiotic thinking my back ache was from an UTI. We were sent home feeling as though I wasn't even close :(

After getting home my back ache began to subside. I was very confused as to how my baby's head could be lower than my cervix! On Thursday morning my back started aching again. I took some tylonol and it didn't help at all. Around 11 am the back ache started getting worse for about a minute at a time, around every 15 min. I just thought it was my cervix getting ready and moving down (aparently your cervix moves up and comes down when ready for delivery). That night we headed over to my husband's aunt and uncle's house where they had a little mini baby shower for us. The whole time I was having the back contractions. Throughout the night it was getting worse, but not closer together. (During the day I had pink/bloody discharge, called my doc and was told that was to be expected, I'm assuming from the internal the night before). The discharge started getting wetter. Around 4am we called the maternity ward again to tell them about my contractions and the wetness. They told us to come in again.

So at 5am and -30 celsius, we headed down to the hospital. My water was leaking and I was 1cm dialated. They gave me the option of staying or going home, due to the cold and fear of rush hour traffic, we decided to stay. Around 10am I decided it was time for the epidural. The doctor came in and I was only 3 cm dialated so he broke my water fully and set me up for something that would make me dialate faster. I had the epidural and my husband and I took naps. Around noon I woke up having pains in my lower abdomin. My nurse increased my epidural twice with no result. The anastesologist (sp???) said he would back up to top me off and see why I was still feeling pain. By the time he made it, I was 10cm dialated and ready to push, so no more epidural for me.

I started pushing at about 2:45 and pushed for 2 hours. The nurse could see the baby's head, but everytime he came down, he went back up. Finally after 2 hours, the doctor came and told me he was going to use the vaccum. The vaccum ended up breaking and he had to bring out the forecepts. He had to do an episiotomy, but it all happened so fast I barely knew what was happening, I just wanted the baby out! Within a couple of pushes (with the forecepts) he was out.

Owen was born at 5:33 pm, December 7, 2007. He weighed 6 lbs, 12 ounces and was 20.5 inches long. He has a full head of hair! The doctor had to stitch me up quite a bit, so I am quite sore right now, but it is getting better.

It really amazes me, you really do forget alot of the pain and effort once they get here. I had to update this asap because I was really beginning to forget! Good luck girls, I'm thinking about you as you get closer!

Pregnancy Survey
About You
Name?:	Andrea
Age?:	27
Height?:	5'1"
Pre-pregnancy weight?:	170
About The Father
Name?:	Chris
Age?:	26
Height?:	5'6"
Are you still together?:	Yes
About Your Pregnancy
Is this your first pregnancy?:	Yes
When did you find out you were pregnant?:	When I was 5 weeks pregnant
Was it planned?:	Yes
What was your first reaction?:	Does that thing say what I think it says?
Who was with you when you found out?:	Just me
Who was the first person you told?:	Chris
How did your parents react?:	My Parents are so excited
How far along are you?:	21 weeks
What was your first symptom?:	Period didn't come!
What is your due date?:	December 18th
Do you know the sex of the baby?:	It's a boy!
If so, what is it?:
Have you picked out names?:	yep
If so, what are they?:	Owen James
How much weight have you gained?:	-5
Do you have stretch marks?:	Already had some to begin with, found some new ones :(
Have you felt the baby move?:	A little bit
Have you heard the heartbeat?:	Yes
About the birth
Will you keep the baby?:	Yes
Home or hospital birth?:	Hospital
Natural or medicated birth?:	Medicated
Who will be in the delivery room with you?:	Chris
Will you breastfeed?:	I will try
Do you think you'll need a c-section?:	No, I wish!
Will you cry when you hold the baby for the first time?:	maybe
What's the first thing you might say to him/her?:	Hi, it's about time!
Would you let someone videotape the birth?:	NO!
Are you excited about the birth, or scared?:	Scared to death!
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According to justmommies.com:

Get your bags packed early just in case you need them. Make sure your partner has a phone available when he's away because this baby just might come early. We predict your baby will come 2-3 weeks early. Your baby will most likely be born in the morning. Justmommies predicts that your baby will weigh approximately 7.8 pounds and that your labor will be about 14 hours long.