On November 7th, our second child was born. Alistair Augustus arrived at 1 AM weighing 8 lbs 2 oz and measuring 19 1/2 inches long. It happened all so quickly and I was not always aware of what was going on. Here is my side of his story.
My regular, weekly appointment scheduled on Thursday was normal. I had been feeling more pressure in my back and shooting nerve pains down my legs starting the day before. My doctor measured my cervix at 2 cm.
Since Thursday the 5th was the first due date we were given, we went to Chili's to initiate contractions. Hey, it happened last time, why not this time? For Gabe, I decided to get a half rack of ribs which is out of the ordinary. Leading up to the 5th Evan and I were discussing how I would re-order the ribs because that was obviously the key to unlocking labor. Well, I didn't actually feel like ribs that day, so I ordered the chicken enchiladas. No contractions during dinner. We went home and went to bed like normal. Obviously, I should have gotten the ribs.
Friday, Evan had to go to school briefly in the morning to get his FluMist. Naturally, he was tired from it and took a nap. I was folding laundry when the contractions started at 1:30 PM while Gabe was on my computer playing PBS games. I woke Evan up to tell him, "I think I just had a contraction." He looked at me, looked at his watch, and then closed his eyes again. A few minutes later, I had another one. This went on and on for several hours where the contractions were 5 minutes apart. During that time, we packed Gabe's overnight bag to stay at a friend's house. Then we packed our bag.
While the contractions gradually increased in intensity they were still bearable. The typical rule is to go into the hospital after an hour of contractions that are 5 minutes apart and lasting for a minute each. We figured we should take Gabe to his friend's house and for us to go to the hospital to get checked out.
Despite 6 hours of steady contractions there had been no cervical change by 7:30 PM and we left. We walked around the nearby shopping center. Almost immediately after we left the hospital the contractions increased in pace and intensity. We went home where I would be more comfortable. After the pain was too much for me, we got into the car to head back to the hospital.
We checked into the hospital (again) at 10 PM and I was dilated to 5 cm. The staff got the room prepped for delivery. The pain was rough but I did NOT want an epidural. Evan was a big asset in me reaching my goal. He held my hand and talked me through each contraction, the constant shakes, and fetched me water. He even tried to drown me once. And when I told him to shut up or stop breathing in my face, he did just that without taking offense.
Anyway, when I measured about 8.5 cm my contractions were at a point where they were causing me to push. If you've ever tried to prevent yourself from having an involuntary impulse (such as hiccups or sneezing) then you know just how difficult it can be to not push during a contraction. Yeah, it wasn't working. The water had not broken on its own yet and the offer to have them broken was presented. I accepted. 9 cm. Pushing was unstoppable. My doctor agreed, thankfully.
This doesn't make things easier. There is not enough evidence to support or refute the idea of "pushing too soon" or before complete dilation. My doctor thought it was best to stretch the cervix around Alistair's head. Yep...it was as enjoyable as it sounds. The pain was different than the contractions, but it wasn't unbearable. The sensation was definitely something I had never felt before and cannot compare it anything else. Evan tells me that during the second stage of labor all I could say was "Ow! Ow! Ow!" It lasted 3 minutes. It was quick and then it was over. He was born at 1 AM.
He was placed immediately on my chest and I closed my eyes and rested my head from relief and exhaustion. He is sweet, asleep most of the time, and so loved.
