Charlotte Sofia made her arrival 3 days late on Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 5:15 pm. She weighed 7 lbs 8 oz and measured 19 ½ inches long. Here is my story:

I had an OB appointment on June 29th (my due date), and the doctor informed me I was 2cm and 75% effaced. He said we would induce on July 7th if the baby did not come on her own. I was determined NOT to be induced, so I continued with walking and bouncing on my exercise ball, while also taking Evening Primrose Oil and drinking Red Raspberry leaf tea.

The morning of July 1st, I was so distraught about not having the baby yet that I called my best friend up in tears, begging her to walk around the mall with me! We walked for about an hour and I came home in the early afternoon and did more exercises/stretching. I started feeling some mild cramping around midnight and by 3:00 am was feeling mild contractions. I woke my husband around 6:00 am and told him “we are having this baby today”! I let him go back to sleep and I laid on the couch & timed my contractions for the next couple of hours.

I took a shower and at a lite breakfast, and by 9:30am I decided it was time to go to the hospital since the contractions were 2-3 minutes apart and lasting about 45 seconds. I was also spotting at this point. I was admitted at 10:30 am and they told me I was 3 1/2 cm and 100% effaced. I gave the nurses a copy of my birth plan and everyone was very positive. I got a Hep Lock and was free to move around. I only walked the halls once before deciding to try the birthing ball. I sat on it for about 15 minutes and then my water broke. There was a lot of meconium in it, so the staff told me that a neonatologist would have to check the baby immediately after birth. They also said she would have to go to the NICU for observation, so at least we were prepared for that.

After my water broke, I spent about a half hour in the bed sitting up, leaning over the squatting bar. That didn’t provide much relief so I opted for the side relaxation position for the remainder of my labor. Originally it was just going to be my husband and I in the delivery room, but I ended up asking my mother and mother-in-law to stay there while in the midst of labor, which my husband and I are very thankful for since both mothers had experienced natural childbirth before!

The contractions were coming every 1 1/2 to 2 minutes when they checked me around noon, and I was 5 1/2 cm. My next check was around 2:00 pm and I was only 6 cm. The next time they checked me was almost 4:00 and I was at 9 1/2! The nurses told me NOT to push for a little while until I was fully dilated. By then the contractions were on top of each other and it was extremely hard to concentrate on my breathing. By around 4:15 I was 10cm and was able to start pushing (a BIG relief – not painful). It took me an hour to get our little one out (she came out with her hand by her face, just like we predicted!). The doctor honored my request for no episiotomy and let me tear ~ although it ended up being 2nd-3rd degree.

The doctor suctioned Charlotte once her head was out, but she still inhaled some meconium. I was able to hold her briefly and get a picture and then she was taken to NICU and put on 100% oxygen. By 8:00 pm she was already down to 45% oxygen and was looking pinker. After a few rounds of IV antibiotics, Charlotte was able to go home the same day as me on Saturday.

I have to say, the doctor and nurses were incredibly supportive and the whole experience was very positive! My ultimate wish is to have a homebirth, but since my insurance does not cover it, I would do it again at the hospital in a heartbeat!!

April