MY BIRTH STORY

Hallie Elizabeth was born at 7:33 a.m. on August 22nd 2007. She was 21 1/2 long and weighed 9lbs 10.2 oz. I had gone up to OB at the hospital after work Tuesday because I had not felt any movement all day and most of the night before. I had been up there two times before during my pregnancy, but this time was different because she wasn't just sleepy, she was distressed. Hallie's heartbeat wasn't fluctuating with the contractions like they should and an ultrasound showed too little movement. So, the on-call Dr. said the best thing to do was to call the dad and anyone else who planned to be there for the delivery because they needed to break my water and get baby out. I absolutely panicked and basically couldn't breathe for about 1/2 hr. I wasn't prepared for that at all. They immediately took me into the birthing room and broke my water and checked my cervix. I was dialted between 2-3 when I went into the hospital so it was definately time. After about another hour, I was given pitocin and not longer than another hour was having back to back contractions that I though were going to kill me. I have said all along I was going to try not to be a huge baby but I was begging for drugs about 3 1/2 hrs of them. The epidural was instant relief. They gave me the first drug which INSTANTLY stopped ALL pain. Then, it took about 10 minutes for him to have the rest of it done. I felt no more pain the entire rest of my labor. And for anyone who hasn't had one and is scared they are going to hurt, they don't. It was nothing compared to the hell of the back to back contractions. Comparible to maybe a bee sting. Sean, my mom, my sister and all 4 of my nieces were there the entire time. Only the oldest who is 13 stayed in the room thru the entire thing. I started feeling a LOT of pressure (still no pain) around 5 a.m. wednesday and they checked my cervix and I was dialated to 10. Around 5:30, the Dr. came in and said I could start pushing with each contraction, so with Sean holding my hand, my sister on one leg and a nurse on the other, I started pushing. It was an absolute breeze for me. Took around two hours after that before she came out. I had no idea that her shoulders were too wide to go through my pelvis. Her head ended up coming halfway out and stuck. The had a nurse pushing with all her weight on my stomach to break Hallie's left clavicle so she could come out. All I remember is the look they were all giving eachother. Since I chose not to view the birth through the mirror, I didn't see the Dr. put her hands in me and twist the baby loose. She wasn't breathing when she came out and was completely blue. I knew something wasn't right because no one said anything when I asked if she was OK. They just took her over to the warmer and worked on her. Sean, my mom, and my sister and niece were all crying. They all thought she was dead. But, luckily, in a matter of seconds, she was fine and breathing and had turned a beautiful pink. They decided after she came out that she was younger than we thought. The Dr. said she was only 36 weeks because she didn't yet have the creases in the bottom of her feet, had tiny nipples and still had more downy on her body than a 37 1/2 week baby would. I put a picture of her on myspace, but I need more on there because her swelling and bruising is pretty much gone and she looks so different. I can't belive how much I love her.

If you'd like to visit my myspace, the link is www.myspace.com/babybunny30