Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer is hosting a meme for Labor Day about labor — the kind that results in delivering a child.
Moms do like to talk about labor. I think it is kind of like men’s war stories. It’s something we were afraid of, faced, and survived, and each one is unique…at least for most of us. I did have one friend who said that every time when she was dilated 3 cm, this happened, and then when she was dilated 6 cm, that would happen, etc. I thought it must be nice to have such a regular system! Each one of mine was different.
Here are the questions:
How long were your labors?
Kid #1, about 9 hours.
Kid #2, about 6 hours
Kid #3, 2 weeks. 8 1/2 hours, I think.
How did you know you were in labor?
Kid #1, water breaking.
Kid #2, I was expecting my water to break since that had happened with #1, so it took a while for it to dawn on my that I was having contractions. They had to break the water manually later on.
Kid #3, when the drugs kicked in. I had to be induced: I’d had little things going on for a couple of weeks, but labor just wouldn’t start, and he was 13 days overdue.
Where did you deliver?
Kids #1 and 2, in a very small hospital on the campus of my alma mater. Very cozy.
Kid #3, in a women’s hospital due to his size and overdueness.
Drugs?
I had to have Pitocen with each one as my labor would peter out, a little earlier with each one. No epidurals — I know people rave about them, but I knew a couple of people who had had problems with them, and I was kind of afraid of them. Just had a “local” shot with each one just before delivery.
C-section?
No, thankfully.
Who delivered?
Beloved Christian doctors. We were with the same practice in the same town for all three. One doctor delivered #1 and 3 while the other delivered #2.
Just a little funny story in connection with Jesse’s birth: He ended up being 12 lbs. I don’t know how: I did not have gestational diabetes with him as I had with Jason and my weight gain was the most moderate of the three (and all the rest of his life he has been the skinniest of us all!). He was born in a women’s hospital where the only children patients were newborns, so they only had newborn diapers, but those wouldn’t fit him, so someone had to go out and buy the next size. When Jim went to the hospital cafeteria, he overheard one hospital employee saying to the other, “Did you hear we had a 12-pounder today?”
Shannon has set up a Mr. Linky if you’d like to read other labor stories or link up to your own.
5 Comments
September 1, 2008 at 11:44 am
Well, I can’t be too detailed about this on the web – but for the record, child # 1 took 5 1/2 hrs, child #2 took 2 hours. But I was “weird” – actually started dilating six weeks in advance and was at 7 both times before the dr. broke my water and things got going. Both times! I never knew what early labor was like – I was always in transition when true labor stared.
September 1, 2008 at 4:16 pm
I love to talk about my labors, but not sure if I can do that on my blog! LOL I’ll think about it. It was fun to read about yours.
My husband jokes about labor stories being women’s war stories!
September 1, 2008 at 6:07 pm
I was afraid of the epidural before my first baby too. They say you have to stay very still while its being administered so that you aren’t accidentally paralyzed. I knew for sure – One sneeze and I was done for! …until the mind splitting pitocin inducing kill me right now contractions kicked in. Then I just prayed not to sneeze and He saw me through it, lol! Be Blessed! ~Whitney
September 2, 2008 at 1:51 pm
I did leave out some details not suitable for public broadcast.
September 2, 2008 at 5:24 pm
That is crazy that your baby was SO big!!! I can just hear the hospital staff talking about it!
Thanks for sharing!!
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!