The Qualls Family: June 2009

Well here it is...and I am not being brief because of time constraints - it's just a brief story - I'll add lots of details to make it seem longer.

I had been having random contractions for a few weeks before Lacey was born, but on Wednesday, June 17, I started having more frequent contractions. They were between 10-20 mins apart and not at all painful most of the day. By evening, they were still 10-20 mins apart, but they were starting to get stronger. I still didn't know if this was 'it', but we decided to go ahead and call the babysitter and drop the boys off just in case. While we were driving the boys to meet the babysitter, the contractions were 15-20 mins apart and were 'ouch-worthy' - but still not 'I'm-definitely-in-labor' painful. We got home around 10pm, ate a snack and went to bed around 11:30pm. I tried to sleep, but the contractions were getting too strong (and I was getting too excited) to sleep, so I went downstairs to lay on the couch. At about 12:30am the contractions were definitely painful - but still about 10 mins apart - I wondered, "if they are getting stronger but not closer together, is it still labor??". About the time I decided to call the hospital, I felt a contraction coming on that I knew was going to be really bad, so I got on my hands and knees and reminded myself that it would be over soon and the next one wouldn't happen for another 10 mins. Then my water broke (12:50am). After that the contractions were very close together and pretty painful. Let me pause to say that with Lance, once my water broke - it was over - time to push. With this in mind, I woke Ben and told him we have to leave NOW! All the way to the hospital (15 mins) I just knew I was going to have the baby in the car, but somehow we made it. When we got into L&D, they started to take me into triage to 'check my progress', but, knowning the baby was about to come and I really didn't want to give birth in a tiny cubicle, I said, "I totally have to push", so they decided to go ahead and get me into a room. So, at 1:15am they got me into the room. They checked me - I had an 'anterior rim' (I was more than 9cm, but not quite 'complete'). They checked the baby's heartbeat - it was good. They said something about starting an IV - at which point I almost started laughing - but then I really had to push. I might have pushed twice - it happened really fast - and Lacey was born at 1:23am. Woohoo!! A completely natural and unmedicated childbirth - I didn't even get an IV! And only 30 minutes of hard labor...is that cheating?? ;)

Oh, and I learned something: you know you are progressing as the contractions get worse. For me: when they start to hurt...GO!