Ivan's Birth Story

[Disclaimer: You are being warned of the graphic nature of this content. Do not read if you're not into that sort of thing.]

The story starts out much like Norah's birth story. I showed up at my 37 week check-up, prepared for what I was about to hear. The doctor said, "Well, I don't know how you're not in labor, you're 5cm dilated." Off to the hospital we went. We checked in at about 11am. My contractions were irregular and not painful. I am really grateful for my body. Really. I watched the woman in the next room's contractions on my monitor (who the nurse told us was not dilating). Poor woman. When they asked, I told them my pain level was at a 0, and it was. Big mistake! I think that the anesthesiologist gave me a very low dose epidural since I wasn't in any pain, which was fine for the 2 hours preceding Ivan's birth. However, once my doctor broke my water when I was dilated to a 7 (at about 2:00), the contractions immediately were coming back to back and were strong. I was feeling everything. I told the nurse I was feeling a lot of pain and she quickly responded that if they gave me anything else for the pain I wouldn't be able to push. HELLO, I was in no pain with Norah and pushed her out in 12 minutes! I was pretty upset. Within a half hour I was feeling a ton of pressure and Joe had to go find the nurse who then went to find the doctor. He checks me and tells me I'm fully dilated and the baby's head is right there (really? I could have told you that, doc), then he stands back and waits for the 65 year old nurse to set up her stuff as I'm clenching to the bed trying to keep this baby in me. He eventually picks up on how uncomfortable I was and tells her, "You know what I'm just going to deliver her right now." 3 minutes later at 2:44pm, Ivan entered the world. So overall, the labor wasn't my favorite experience but I'm lucky I have fast ones and healthy babies! The recovery has been great this time around too, a lot faster than the first time! Nursing has been a lot less painful as well :) We are loving our little man. He is such a good baby (unlike his sister) and is just so content. Norah is adjusting wonderfully. It seems like she has matured overnight and suddenly she really is a BIG girl!