Sunday, August 31, 2008

Labor Day

Rocks in My Dryer has questions about Labor on her blog. I borrowed them. You can too; just check Rocks in My Dryer at the preceding link.

How long were your labors?
Good question. With the last two, I had contractions off and on for 3 weeks.

Daughter #1:
I got to the hospital in the early afternoon, daughter was born the next morning at 3:05.
Daughter #2: light contractions all night, one hour of being uncomfortable the next morning, water broke, and 15 minutes later we had a baby. Easy. Fun.
Daughter #3: called the midwife at 6 p.m., daughter was born at 10....something. Or was it 9 something. The pregnancy fog never cleared from my brain.

How did you know you were in labor?
Contractions increased in frequency and intensity.

Where did you deliver?

First daughter: in a hospital, in a birthing tub.
2nd and 3rd: at home. In a birthing tub. 2nd dd would have been born at home whether we planned it or not...so I'm glad we planned it that way!

Drugs?
No. The birthing tub is all I need.

After baby is born, I always have a piece of pie. It's great: the first really enjoyable taste in 9 months.

Who delivered?
Daughter #1: Nurse practitioner midwife.
2 and 3: Home birth midwife.
I loved both of them, and was barely aware of their presence during delivery....all three deliveries were perfect. Actually the phrases "the doctor delivered" or "the midwife delivered" are confusing to me. Perhaps other women have births like the ones I see on tv with the doctor yelling commands. I have not had that experience or the need for instruction during the birthing process. Pregnancy is difficult for me....birth has been a breeze.

4 comments:

canadacole said...

Nice to see someone else express the same sentiment! I wouldn't call it a breeze but I didn't need instruction either. Just let my body do what it does naturally and have someone there to catch!

Laura Paxton said...

Oh so good to see someone else who had a homebirth, and who doesn't think drugs are the be-all, end-all!

Kama said...

I have a friend who did home birth. I'm so glad I found this Labor Day event hosted by Rocks in My Dryer! I am due in exactly 4 weeks, so I'm glad to read all these labor stories! :) Thanks for sharing!!

Ritsumei said...

I totally hear ya on the contractions on & off for a long time prior to birth. Mine actually got as close as 1-2 min apart a couple of times there in the last few days. Made my Mom so nervous that we stayed home for those. But I wasn't about to be sent home again: they can't send me home if I don't go in!

I didn't listen to the little bit of instructions that they gave me (don't tell me don't push!!), and I agree, birth's not awful at all!