O Baby

"What to expect when you are expecting" great book, check it out if you are still expecting. It's won awards and no wonder, it was my bible(or anything else that you hold to a high importance) for my entire pregnancy.

I want this to be a forum for sharing stories, information and experiences from:
- Moms
- dads,
- grandparents
- aunts & uncles
- Basically anyone with an opinion and of course experience dealing with these little darlings is a prerequisite.

Baby stories are just so entering they have whole TV shows dedicated to how they arrive, multiples, how to parent them, etc, so why not a forum for it. Have you seen those TV shows about people who didn't think they were pregnant until they were in hospital in LABOUR! I can't imagine how all the wonderful...ahem...signs of pregnancy can go un-noticed. I had a very easy pregnancy with my little angel but that doesn't mean I didn't have sleepless nights, fatigue, body aches, nausea, food aversions and changes in my body that I don't even want to get into. But how can you not know? This leads me to wonder if these stories are for real??? Anyone have any of these stories??? Or know someone who has?

Ok so I'm veering off topic back to what I wanted this to be about. I want stories of your baby's arrival, stories of their development, stories of your worries and qualms and if you ever got answers to them. I've been trying to take in all the great resources there are out there for new parents (there are a surprising amount out there, and most for free!) and will use those resources to answer any questions you might have, I am by no means proclaiming myself an expert in any of this but I will consult a professional and do my best to get answers for you.

So I've been told countless times that I had a easy pregnancy and an even easier delivery, I didn't think it was a picnic but I guess compared to others I did.

It all started on my due date, I had my weekly appointment and was eager actually had been eager for weeks now to get on with the delivery. My husband was due to go overseas to check out a job with the possibility of moving there if things went well at the begining of May, Larah was due April 21. Needless to say I was anxious for my husband to meet his baby before being separated for an undisclosed amount of time.

Anyways I went to doctors with not even a pinch of pain. I verbalised my yearning to have this baby ASAP only to be met with a " I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do to make it go any faster, not without a medical reason anyways" Needless to say I was dissapointed. But there was something less drastic than pulling my baby out of my loins...a "membrane sweep". This procedure is uncomfortable at best, but I was willing to try anything.

I was sent home with a warning that I might feel some cramping and hopefully it'll move things along.

Hours later I still felt nothing...after complaining that I went through all that for nothing I went to get changed into something more comfortable when I felt that blissful urge to pee. I had barely made it to the bathroom before the "flood gates" opened. As most of you that have been through this know that it's not just a one time gush...it keeps going and going...

I love telling this story but it does get long...so let's condence it.

830 pm called the doctor, they called the hospital and informed them I was coming in. Husband, sisters and bags in tow we headed for the hospital.

915 pm Got checked out and released as I was only 1.5 cm dialated. Was told that if I don't feel contractions tonight that they will call me in the next morning to be induced (have now been told you aren't supposed to leave the hospital if your water has broken).

Went home, took a shower packed some more snacks in my bag and waited for the pain to commence.

1130 pm or so Started to feel some slight cramping, by 12am cramps were getting more painful. Called the hospital and was informed to call back when my contractions were 5 mins apart. 2 am ok now I was in some real pain but my contractions weren't consistantly 5 mins apart, called the hospital anyways, they said if I wanted I can come in and they can give me something for the pain, but I will probably have to go home until they are more consistant (really?!). They suggested to sit in a warm bath or get a back rub. My husband well meaning as he was, was passed out beside me and my mom was at my feet every two minutes asking me how I was. I just wanted some quiet to breath. Anyways after another 1/2 hour or so I was ready for ANYTHING that would help me with the pain.

So I woke my husband up and we along with my mom made our way to the hospital. After being wheeled into the ward and getting another highly unpleasant check I was told I was 9 CM dialated. I was ready to have this baby.

I was then wheeled into delivery and with no time to lose delivered my sweet baby girl after 6 pushes and 56 mins after I arrived at the hospital. I didn't even have time to use any of the pain medications that I had been debating about using for weeks!

I did needed some stiches for a 1 degree tear I got but that's it. But in no terms was my labour easy.