PRAISE AND THANKS BE TO GOD FOR A FAST, NATURAL AND SAFE DELIVERY. We labored for under 5 hours, with no epidural, and gave birth to a healthy baby girl. January 15, I woke up to my husband getting ready to go to our friend's engagement party. Time check, approx 8am. I had been experiencing slight abdominal and back pains that night but that was nothing unusual. I attributed it to being exhausted from the baby shower the day before. Hubby went to take a shower and I lay back in bed to catch more Zzzs. Not long after, I heard a pop, similar to the sound of a bone being dislocated but coming from inside my belly. I got a bit worried thinking something had happened to Lima Bean. She let out a gentle kick as if to comfort me that she was ok. Then I felt the trickle... It was light at first, but as I stood from the bed it started to flow. I screamed to Vince... ITS TIME! MY BAG JUST BROKE! We started scrambling around in a calm panic, calling everyone that needed to be informed and getting our labor bag together. The contractions started to kick in but it felt very manageable. I was determined to feel fresh so I took a quick shower, put on light makeup (for the pictures! haha), then headed to the hospital. By that time the contractions started to get stronger but still manageable. I had to stop what I was doing everytime a contraction would kick in just to keep my bearings. We got to the hospital and went through the whole standard hospital ops until I eventually found myself in the OB Gyn complex getting an IE. Time check, a bit passed 9am. True enough, my bag had broken. A quick IE showed that I was already 5-6cm dilated, 80% effaced. Baby was on +1 station though, still a bit high. I was in active labor. The pain was very tolerable at this point. I was still able to talk cheerfully between each contraction. I stuck to my breathing and forgot about each contraction by the time it had passed. Then I was wheeled to the birthing room just as my mom arrived. There they strapped me to a monitor and put an IV of saline to keep me hydrated. Time check, probably around 10am. It was now all up to my body to do what God intended it to do. Vince, Mom and I just waited for nature to take its course. The contractions started to quickly get stronger to a point where I could no longer talk during a contraction but still smile and speak when the contraction was done. I remember thinking... this is EASY! The pain was there for sure, but nothing excruciating. Another IE showed I was a good 6cm dilated, but still +1 station. Then things got a bit blurry from here. Time flew very fast. I estimate it was around 11am when the OB and the pedia arrived. A quick IE showed I was 8cm but still +1 station. Baby had to start coming down now! The pain was worse, it was harder for me to smile for pictures (although I still did, hehe). In my mind I thought, this is not as bad as I imagined! I remembered everyone telling me the pain was going to be like none Ive ever felt... I thought, yeah its painful but its not THAT crazy! Then like a train it hit me. Really quickly it went from manageable to crazy painful, then to I think Im losing it, to I think Im gonna die kind of pain!!!! YUP! It was like NO PAIN IVE EVER FELT. But I had gone so far! No way Im gonna quit now! Plus I kept thinking, if I get an epidural the doc will ask me to hold still while he sticks a needle through my back? How am I supposed to hold still like this? So instead, I kept at it. I visualized the pain with a purpose. I needed these crazy contractions to get our baby out. I kept a steady breathing pattern (or tried to at least) and whined like a cat with each breath. I listened to my mom's coaching telling me to get above the contraction, telling me that the contractions were good contractions, reminding me to relax and breathe. And I found comfort in the hand of my husband (that I gripped so tightly he thought it would break) and his voice telling me how many seconds I had left before the contraction would pass. Next thing I remember was my OB coming in to do another IE. I was 10cm, zero station (still high but better). I remember feeling my baby's head grinding down below and knowing that it was time! Doc went to change to a sterile gown while the nurses set up the room to deliver that baby. I remember at that point the contractions started to get less crazy. When everything was ready, Doc said to try to push on the next contraction. With one push the baby's head started to become visible! A few pushes later though, our baby's heartbeat started to drop. That's when I sensed that the OB wanted to get that baby out. A resident doctor stood beside me, put 2 fists on my top belly, and with her whole weight started to push down on me! I felt like I was being massacred!!! Looking back, it was kind of crazy but during that time all I could think of was that we had to get that baby out fast!!! With each mash, I helped best I could by pushing as hard as I could - with or without a contraction. A few seconds later I felt the pressure let loose below and her head pop out. With that, our little Sophie greeted the world with a healthy cry. Time check, 12:48pm. Later on I found out that the drop in her heartbeat was caused by her cord wrapped around her neck... but just as expected, our Sophie was strong and healthy as can be. She was given a 9/10 apgar score! Welcome to the world Sophia Alessandra!
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