Thomas's Birth Story
This pregnancy was much different from the others. I was throwing up everyday for at least two months. At least it was during summer break from homeschool. Finally (!) I started to feel better just in time to finish up the college distance ed. course I was taking. I actually had a lot of energy throughout the rest of the pregnancy, despite daily nosebleeds and heart palpatations. (Those weird pregnancy symptoms!) Anyway, I was due February 2, Ground Hog's Day. That day came and went. No surpise, since I have been overdue with all seven.
I started contractions on Monday morning maybe around 5am. My last few labors had gone fast so we were expecting a quick trip to the hospital and a girl. All of our girls have been born in the a.m. and all of the boys have been born in the p.m. (We also don't find out the sex of the babies until they're born.) The contractions were strong, but not enough to make me head to the hospital. I like to stay home as long as possible. Once you get to the hospital they practically tie you down. So noon came and went, and the kids knew it was a boy. The contractions were definately getting stronger by about 1 pm, but I still didn't feel like I was "there" yet. Brittany was timing all the contractions and they were all around 7-8 minutes, but sometimes there were 11 minutes in between. Finally, at about three, David said, "Let's just go!" It's a 40 minute drive to the hospital. There are closer hospitals, but this one is the only one with midwives.
So, we drove to the hospital and the contractions were 3-4 minutes by this point. You know, the can't-walk-moan-through-them kind. They get me set up in a room and check me out- about 8cm. "Why is this taking so long?" I keep asking all day. This is my 7th baby- don't I at least get to have it over with quickly? Apparently not. Thomas has other plans. Thomas is doing gymnastics in my abdomen. The little stinker wouldn't stop moving-and man- did it hurt! They went ahead and put in the IV despite my puppy dog eyes asking them not to. (Darn those hospital policies!) I had already sworn off epidurals. They never take on one side, and I always end up throwing up. Towards the end I thought that maybe that was a bad idea.
The midwife arrived, and I had never met her before. She was fairly new to the practice and I hadn't had any appointments with her. She was very nice, and capable, but now I can't recall her name. Probably around 5pm-maybe a little later- I was complete and ready to push. I was so ready for it to have been over a looong time before then. I was holding onto David's hand so hard that my IV came out. (I told them I didn't want it!) Thomas was literally turning around and around, and finally came out facing sideways, screaming before he was completely born. (That's been his attitude ever since.) All 10 pounds 2 ounces and 21 and a half inches of him.
It wasn't over yet. The placenta just wouldn't detach. So the nurse and midwife kept pushing on my stomach (ouch!) and after an eternity it finally detached. Then I had to "message" my abdomen because I didn't get the pitocen in my IV (since it had come out) so my uterus would start to shrink back. David said that this was definately the best birth so far. I guess he meant that everything just went really well, and I seemed to "bounce back" quicker since I didn't have any drugs. By the way, this was my 6th vbac.
I want to give God great praise in the birth of Thomas. Not only was the cord wrapped around his neck, it was tied in two-yes, two- true knots.
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