Johnathan's Birth Diary

The Pregnancy

My husband and I had been trying to get pregnant for several months. I had taken so many home pregnancy tests that I pretty much "knew" this one would probably be negative too. But "that" morning when the "plus" sign appeared almost instantly, my heart jumped. I remember thinking:

"Now the baby has to come out!"

My husband was excited and said:

"That's great!"

Yeah, easy for him to say!!

My first OB GYN confirmed I was pregnant. This time, I was excited and started to tell everyone.

I remember thinking, this is so easy. All the other pregnant women around me had morning sickness and felt miserable. A couple of weeks later, it hit me. But really, it was not that bad - about a month of queasiness and an aversion to chicken and eggs!

I had started going online and looking up whatever I could find about pregnancy, motherhood, baby names and nursery furniture. I felt the baby move for the first time when I was just about to get off work one evening. That was the most amazing feeling ever. It finally seemed real.

Not long after that I started asking everyone if I was "showing" yet. I was so excited to feel my baby moving inside and for people to see my pregnant belly.

All was good with me...but I was very frustrated with my doctor. I did not like how impersonal the visits were. I felt like I was just another appointment she had to keep. She hardly listened to me and would just brush off my concerns trying to assure me that she was - or would be - taking care of everything. That was not good enough for me. And frankly, I was not convinced.

I had been reading this book Florence had given me called The Joy of Natural Childbirth. It was interesting, but not for me... or so I thought.

The more I learned about it, the more I got frustrated with my doctor. Finally, I decided that going to the Birth Center couldn't be that bad.

What a difference!

I was 34 weeks when I transferred care and it was then that I began to feel really comfortable with everything.

By 38 weeks I was done! The weight gain - 45 pounds - was taking its toll. My back always hurt, I could hardly walk and I was sick and tired of being kicked all the time.

So when I hit 40 weeks I was ready... But Johnathan wasn't!

Johnathan: The Labor

For a whole week, I had been contracting so much that everyday Florence was saying:

"Okay, tonight is the night."

My parents were coming into town and just minutes after I got their call saying that they were close I went into labor. I had taken castor oil - for fear of induction - and let's just say...NOT FUN!!!

Florence and my husband were having a great time eating tacos and yelling out to me in the bathroom:

"Are you okay?"

When the castor oil finished with me and I was able to go back to the living room, my contractions got A LOT stronger. I would get on my knees and lean over the couch and Florence would push on my back. That felt so good!

Mom and dad arrived as I was pacing and rocking back and forth. About a half hour later I decided it was time to go to the birth center. The drive was awful!!!

First, I was crammed into the back of my truck, barely able to lay down on the back seat.

Then, it was 3 miles of dirt road...with washboards. I made mom stop 3 times during contractions before we made it to the pavement. We finally got to town and there was road construction which had detours.

Finally - over an hour later - around 11:30 pm, we arrived. I couldn't get into the center fast enough and I made a bee line for the birthing room.

I was back and forth between the toilet and the bed.

I could not get comfortable. And it DID NOT help that the midwife didn't think I was really in labor. I had refused internal checks...she was insisting on it.

Finally, to get her to believe me and so we could get the bath water started, I let her check me. And what do you know...9 1/2cm!!! Amazing, I really was in labor.

I got into the tub. I felt so relaxed. The contractions were so intense. I was very loud in my "releasing" noises during those contractions...

Johnathan: The Birth

Then I got "pushy."

Unfortunately, Johnathan's heart rate was dropping and the midwife made me get out of the tub.

So I sat on the birthing stool. Suddenly, my body just forced down, hard. I had started pushing. And to my amazement, IT DID NOT HURT!! It felt good to push.

The baby's head crowned.

Then progress stopped. Now here is the frustrating part, I absolutely did not want an episiotomy - a cutting of the vaginal opening. But the midwife started to panic because they could not find Johnathan's heartbeat for about a minute (even though his head was still pink) - because he had gone under my pubic bone - and she made me get on the bed, flat on my back.

It was very awkward to walk with a head between my legs!!

But I got on the bed and I continued to deny the episiotomy. Finally she threatened a possible C-section so I agreed. That was the worst part of the birth.

It hurt!...Bad!

Two pushes later Johnathan was born...with his elbow up by his ear!!

He was born at 1:37 am weighing 9 lb 4 oz and he was 20" long!

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