ot- Amy update- RIVER is here!

[Guest guest]

Well...I am so happy and so proud to report our beautiful baby boy (River)

is here! He was born via C section (which I asked for) Wed Dec 28, 8:44 pm

and was 11 pounds, 22 inches long, 14 3/4 inch head and 15 1/2 inch chest. I

am so happy and relieved he is here and healthy and to say I am in love with

him is just not enough. I adore that big guy...he is the man of my dreams )

What happened- well, I went to the hospital (with doula and hubby) to have

my water broke, got there around 11- they think I was in early labor anyway b/c

I was contracting regularly but didn't feel them. My OB and the staff were

very respectful of my VBAC efforts, as I was for their concerns for the baby

and me, it was a positive experience (although I do hate hospitals and only

stayed 2 days)- but they did let me video tape my birth and let me nurse him

in recovery and let my hubby bath him, etc.. Anyway, when I arrived I was

still 2 cm and 70% effaced. They broke my water, which had meconium in it, and

in a short time i began to feel my very regular contractions (3 min apart).

They checked me after 3 hours or so and I was 4 cm and 90% effaced (never got

beyond that)...my contractions were coming harder and harder and were 30 sec

to 1 min apart. OUCH is all I can say...when I think about the pain I just

cant believe how strong some women are to endure that for as long as they do,

words cant describe how much it hurt and how badly I just wanted them to

stop. i am SO glad that is over. The pain really became unbearable, it was

torture, pure torture- no matter what position or what I did to try to minimize

it, I could not take it anymore. I also just had this sudden instinct that

a C section was best for the health of my child...I felt the risk of rupture

was too high, and the risk of him truly not fitting. After much debate in

between contractions that I thought would kill me- I asked for a C section.

The checked me and I had not made anymore progress and i didn't care- I wanted

the pain to stop, I wanted my baby alive and well in my arms asap. My OB

made sure I was at peace with my decision and I was, i still am and dont think

twice about it how he got here, seems so unimportant now. This time it was

MY choice, I was in control and I decided on the suregery, I truly feel it was

necessary, I did waht my body and instincts told me to do. I am just glad

he is here ane he is ok and I dont have to worry or think about it anymore!

After surgery, my OB said he felt I would have ruptured given more time, after

seeing my old incision site- and he also thought given his chest size that

he would have likely had trouble coming out- i believe him, it verified what

my body was tellingme. His head was very coned from the contractions, his

skin was very dry and cracked which I hear is common in post due babies. But

he

is a very healthy big boy! he is nursing VERY well, sleeps on my chest all

day and night, I could not be happier. Thanks for all the support!

Amy