On the day Junior was born, I did not expect to give birth.  He was two weeks and two days early.  I was sitting in the middle of the living room floor sorting the baby laundry so I could wash it.  It was my day to get ready for his arrival.  I also planned on packing my hospital bag that night.  While I was sitting there, my water broke.  It was just a little bit of fluid at first and I wasn't sure that it was really my bag of waters breaking.  When I went into the bathroom I felt a sudden gush and there could be no denying what it was.  I called my husband who was away with the National Guard for the AZ wildfires.  Then I called my doctor's office.  It was 5:45 pm.

The nurse on call at my doctor's office told me to go to the hospital.  I objected, explaining that contractions hadn't started and saying that I wanted to spend my early labor at home.  The nurse told me I HAD to go to the hospital.  I was scared, so I called my husband back and told him he'd better come home.  About an hour later my mother-in-law showed up to drive me the 25 miles to the hospital.

All day long I had been having "gas pressure".  On the way to the hospital, the pressure got worse.  I felt like I was going to pop.  I kept wishing that the gas would pass so I could be comfortable again.  At the hospital they put me in a triage room and I waited for a nurse.  I was hooked up to the monitor.  I was becoming very irritated because of the gas.

At about 8:00, the nurse came in and examined me.  She exclaimed "Good for you" and told me that I was dilated to 4 centimeters.  I couldn't understand how this could be, because I hadn't had any contractions.  She looked at the monitor and said I was having contractions and they were 2 minutes apart.  I was surprised.  The nurse asked me some questions and did a few other things.  She then unhooked me so I could use the bathroom.  I went into the restroom and although I had been constipated, I was able to go without any problems.  I was worried because I knew this was a sign of labor.  I knew the time was near and my husband had not arrived yet.

When I went back into the room, the nurse and another woman came in and had me sign admittance papers.  I was a little mad because I wanted to go home.  I thought I had hours to go and I wanted to spend them at home using the Bradley Method that my husband and I had been learning about.

Sometime between 9 and 9:30, my "gas pressure" became a real nuisance.  I also began to feel like I had low blood sugar; I got weak and sweaty.  Suddenly, I had a strong urge to use the bathroom.  Thinking that I had not completed things the last time, I told the nurse I needed to go.  She asked me to wait 5 minutes because then I would me in my LDR room.  I told her I could not wait.  When I went into the bathroom I sat on the toilet and all that happened was one big "convulsion".  I didn't know what was happening.  I thought I was getting sick.  I went back into the room and got into the bed.  A couple of minutes later, the nurse brought me some juice (because of the blood sugar thing) and I had another convulsion.  The nurse looked at me and said, "What are you doing?"  I exclaimed, "I don't know."  She looked at the monitor and then gave me another exam.  Looking surprised she opened up the door and yelled something I didn't understand.  I asked her what was going on and she said I was dilated to 9 centimeters.  I began to cry because my husband wasn't there yet.  How would I get through all of the pushing without him?

I was very quickly wheeled into an LDR.  My doctor had been called but only told that I was at 4 centimeters.  They called him again but because things were progressing so quickly, they starting talking about a "floating" doctor.  Now I was really worried.  I started having another convulsion (which I now knew was a pushing contraction).  The staff told me not to push (which is very funny).  This was very uncomfortable for me.  After two "held" contractions, my doctor showed up.  When I started to push it was just before 10:00 pm on July 16, 2003.

The doctor had me push on my side because Junior was coming out posterior (face up).  He pulled the ceiling mirror down so I could watch the delivery.  The doctor pointed out where you could see some of the baby's head.  That really got me motivated.  Two pushes later, my husband walked in.  He looked quite surprised to see me so far advanced.  He was expecting me to be in stage one labor.  I only pushed for about 30 minutes.  The last pushes were the most productive.  Before I knew it, with a powerful push Junior's head was out.  My husband got to hold the head as soon as it came out.  I got to touch it, too.  Then the doctor and my husband told me to push one more time.  I didn't feel a contraction, but I pushed anyway.  Suddenly, it felt like a water balloon popped and out came the baby!  It was so exciting.  My husband "caught" Junior and put him on my chest!  Then the placenta was delivered.  The doctor showed it to us.  It was neat to see where Junior had lived all of those months.  Next the doctor stitched me up (I had a small tear).

This birth was so different from what I had expected.  We had practiced the Bradley Method, expecting a long natural childbirth process.  This went so quickly I didn't even have time to think about anything.  Also, there was nothing I'd describe as pain during the delivery.  The pushing was hard work, though.  It was like a week's worth of exercise all compressed into 30 minutes.  Also, I had spent A LOT of time learning about how to relax through a stage one contraction, and I didn't even need it.  My contractions felt like gas.  I can only hope that my future deliveries will be like this!

How did this happen?  Especially considering the hard labors of other women in my family?  I can only say that I had learned a lot about the birth process.  I wasn't scared at all about it.  I knew what to expect and I had written a short and clear birth plan I discussed with my doctor.  Whenever I tell people this story, they look like they don't believe me!

Lloyd Jr.

July 16, 10:27 pm

7lb, 7oz 20.5 inches