Norah's Birth Story

(this is REALLY long, so skip over if you don't want to read... more for my documentation)

I had a doctors appointment 2 days before my 41 week mark and my doctor decided to schedule me to come in the following Monday to be induced (break my water). He figured that if I didn't go into labor on my own before then, I would be close to 42 weeks, and at that point I wouldn't be able to deliver at Family Beginnings, which is a natural birthing center. He figured that if they broke my water on Monday, I would have a good chance of going into labor on my own and wouldn't need potocin. The following day I started getting a little stir crazy because I felt so horrible and was pretty sure I wasn't going to go into labor on my own before Monday.... so why wait until then? I figured I would have the same results on Thursday that I would on Monday. I called my doctor and he agreed for me to come in On Thursday (my 41 week mark) so he could break my water.

We arrived to Family Beginnings at 6:30am. 7:30am the doctor arrived and broke my water. He wasn't 100% that he actually broke the water because her head was so low that it was blocking any fluid from coming out. At about 11am he came back and attached a wire to the top of her head to ensure that my water was indeed broke. At that point they had me on a breast pump and walking to get regular contractions. At about 12pm I was having regular contractions and had started off 2-3 cms dilated. By 4pm my contractions were hurting pretty bad (still bearable though) and they checked me. I thought for sure I had progressed. To my disappointment, they told me I was still 2-3 cms dilated. The problem was that my cervix was VERY posterior (more than normal) and hadn't come forward at all on it's own. So before my cervix could dilate, it had to come all the way in the anterior position. If I had gone into labor on my own, my cervix would have most likely already been in the anterior position and my labor wouldn't have been too long.

Anyway, after they told me I was still only 2-3cms, I cried for a minute and then we started walking the halls again. At about 7:30 or 8pm, my contractions seemed unbearable and I really wanted to get into the tub. They normally don't want you to get into the tub until 5 cms, because it can slow down labor. They checked me and I was at 3cm. Once again, I really wanted to cry. The only good news was that my cervix was FINALLY in the anterior position. They told me to get into the tub anyway since I was in so much pain. Within the next hour of being in the tub, the nurse came in and told me she had to check me because of how I was sounding. She did and I was already at 5-6 cm. She called the doctor and had him come in right away. I labored in the bath for a total of about two hours or so and they had me get out because Norah's heart rate started going up. I moved into the room and ended up delivering Norah at 10:54pm. I really had wanted to do a water birth, but since her heart rate had risen, they didn't want me to get back in. Plus by the time I was ready to push, I frankly didn't care where or how she came out... I just wanted it to be over with. I am SO happy that I went natural, however it was REALLY hard! I kept telling Abe that I was going to die and that I couldn't do it anymore. And I really felt that way! It's amazing what the human body can go through and you really are ok! As soon as Norah came out I immediately felt SO much better! During my labor I kept thinking to myself "now WHY am I going natural?" I'm sure that everyone thinks that though when they are in the worst pain. My nurses were great and it was nice that I was able to eat throughout my entire labor, not be on an iv and be in complete control. My doctor was absolutely amazing as well. He wasn't even on call that night, but stayed on call for me and left his family on New Years Eve to deliver Norah. He even stuck around for a little bit after she was born and talked with us and wanted to look at little Norah.

Our room at family beginnings....


At 6:30am right before they broke my water

Immediately after I delivered Norah.... about 15 hours of labor... yuck!



This week has been going pretty well. My mom left on Tuesday and that was really emotional for me. I wish that we lived closer to family. With us having a new baby and moving to Boston in April, who knows when we will see everyone again... or when anyone else will get to meet Norah.

The hardest part about having two kids for me has been trying to give Adeline enough attention. I really don't want her to feel bad at all and get really jealous. She has been such a good little kid though and loves Norah so much. All day she asks to hold Norah and wants to lay be her. She is always hugging and kissing her and is pretty soft. Of course Adeline seems so old all of a sudden. She has full on conversations with us and is talking unbelievably well. Whenever she wants to do something she has to say after it... "that would be fun!" and she has to put in "probably" in just about every sentence. She cracks me up.

Adeline today before she went outside and played in the snow with daddy

The girls watching Dora together