What happened when you had Anthony? PT 1

I realized I never shared Anthony's birth story.  I personally love reading them myself, so I will tell mine!  They're kind of like women's war stories.  Incidentally, the Maya believed that if someone died during fighting a war, or giving birth to a child, they automatically went to the highest level of the afterlife.

The week I had him was so hot.  I was hoping to be induced, partially just to be in the powerful air-conditioning!  I had my induction cancelled twice, due to unprecedented demand for the maternity ward.  Since I kept being healthy, I made it past my due date, still pregnant.  Another reason I wanted to be induced, besides just really being done being pregnant, was the fact that my DR had delivered all of my babies, and I trusted him, and wanted him to be there.  I know I'm not just a uterus to him!

August 9th was our day to go in, and we didn't get put off again!  We were to arrive around 12, but the induction didn't get started until around 3.  Our nurse, who was really nice got me all set up, and shot the breeze with Wesley and I, telling us she became a Maternity nurse, because it turned out she didn't really like sick people.

When they checked me, I was still initially at a 1.5.  I was disappointed I hadn't progressed any in the couple days since my doctor's appointment.  I am just not much for premature dilation!  So they added pitocin to the IV, already hooked up to me.

After a while, contractions started, and my mom and Wesley's mom came down to the hospital.  I was still hungry (always hungry), so I kept eating jello, drinking juice and broth, and generally wishing for something to chew.  I used the birthing ball when it got unpleasant to be in the bed.  At this point I'm starting to wonder why I signed up for labor today!

Before he left being the on=call doctor for the day, my DR came by and checked me.  3 centimeters.  This was unbelievably disappointing, as I had been laboring quite intensely for hours now, and felt that very little had happened for all the hard work.  He just broke my water.  I was a little nonplussed, as I knew that laboring was now going to be way more painful, plus I hate that feeling of being soaked.  He also explained he had to pick up the kids in Portland, so I needed to time my birth right so he could be there.  This upset me, but I knew how hard we'd worked just trying to get me in.

So I kept laboring, much more painfully now...