Kathleen Ann

Just like with anything else, you think we would learn not to compare our experiences... or at least, we shouldn't expect them to be the same. I had so many of the same symptoms with this pregnancy that I was convinced I was having another boy.

I was wrong.

Then, I thought that my labors would be the same - albeit easier this time around - but pretty much the same.

Again, I was wrong.

My due date was December 20th. My husband and I went to his squads' Christmas party, and I brought my birth kit just in case.

The night came...

...and went.

I had gone to 41 weeks with Johnathan, so I figured I might go past the "40 weeks" point...the the next day I wanted to induce. I tried castor oil. Florence and I sat on my bed and ate candy and played cards while timing my contractions which were about 5 minutes apart. Then...

...nothing.

I was having no "signs" of labor, so I decided to take castor oil again on Christmas night at 8 o'clock.

An hour went by and nothing happened. I was very frustrated but decided I wasn't going to take another dose. I didn't feel it would be wise to take more, and beyond that, it tastes horrible, even mixed with Chocolate.

Around 10 o'clock I started having stronger contractions. I could feel dilation. I didn't remember feeling it like this with Johnathan, but my husband and mom said they remember me saying the same thing with my last labor.

Around 10:30, we started timing my contractions... 4 minutes, 3 minutes...

...10, 5, 6... you get the point.

So I just figured that I was not going to go into labor, but I was getting a lot of hard work out of the way. Then, I noticed I started to sing during my contractions...to help me relax.

That happened a few times, and then I felt more pressure in my back. I had Florence pushing on my back then alternate with my mom putting the heating pad on my back.

That didn't last long. Around 1 am, I said it was time to call my midwife. I got into the shower. The warm water really felt good. And suddenly, there was that labor moan that was all too familiar. Even my husband and dad - who were in the living room - said the same thing when they heard it.

I got out of the shower and said I wanted to get in the tub. While it was filling, the phone rang but no one was there so I had to answer, it was my midwife... but I couldn't talk because I was having a really strong contraction and throwing up. Someone took the phone out of my hand and left me there. So I got in the tub and I felt like pushing.

But I didn't want to.

My body started to remember Johnathan getting stuck when I was pushing him, then the episiotomy and ultimately the 3rd degree tears...

...I was scared.

My water broke and Florence told my husband to get in the tub so I could lean on him. I resisted a couple of urges to push. But the head was there and Florence told me I had no choice but to push. So I did and the head came out.

Florence started to empty the tub water and told me to push...the shoulders were just about out and the contraction was ending but Florence said:

"Keep pushing - get the baby out!"

So I continued to bear down and the baby came out so fast, it was such a weird feeling.

December 26th at 1:44 am, weighing 8 lb 14 oz and 21 inches long...

We called my midwife and told her to take her time, because the baby was here. I felt bad. She was really looking forward to my birth.

I did tear along my episiotomy scar which I did not feel - unlike the episiotomy itself - and decided not to get stitches. The healing process was a lot less painful this time around. Even though I think my labor was "easy", at the time, I was thinking that I would never do it again. But now, I would do it in a heartbeat. I look forward to any other gifts God wants to give me!

Note: Kathleen's cord was very short and it was good we drained the tub or she would have been partially under water - a potentially dangerous situation!

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