Noah's Birth

Noah means peace and rest from the Lord and his entire pregnancy was wonderful. Of course, I had the normal discomforts, but perhaps because he was my third I had grown accustomed to them because I really enjoyed my pregnancy with him. It was wonderful. I felt even keeled the entire time. I thoroughly enjoyed my pregnancy with him.

I was due November 10, 2006, but after Elijah's late arrival, I fully intended to be late and I most definitely was! I remember getting all kinds of phone calls once I was late from friends and family wondering if "anything was going on" or "what's happening", but nothing happened. I was at the Dr.'s office on the 16th for an U/S, non stress test, and check. I was having some contractions and was already 4-5 cm, but no labor.

This time around, I was fully prepared to be late and really didn't mind. I felt fine. Friday, the 17th, I decided to re-organize quite a few things in the house, I babysat Abbi's kids and I can't remember what else I did. I should have known that the time was coming! That evening we ordered pizza (see Friday night pizza brought on labor for both boys, LOL) and our family danced around the living room all evening long to the demo music on the digital piano. Chopin and 9 months pregnant, no wonder I started having contractions!

I started having contractions that evening. We went to bed. I called my sister for someone to talk to, as I couldn't sleep and Graeme was already asleep. The third...husband sleeps through labor. :) Finally, in the night we decided it was time to go to the hospital - Graeme did wake up. My Dad came down and slept at our house with the kids. I wore my nightgown to the hospital. Every bump on the ride was very painful.

When we got to the hospital I was 7 cm and got to use my favorite labor-aid, the jacuzzi. That was calming. Noah was not posterior as the others were, which was a huge answer to prayer as it made labor much more manageable. He was in a good poisition and they told me that if they broke my water I would be complete in 45 minutes or so, but I was gunshy after having my water breaking with Elijah and then stalling, so I waited.

Noah's labor was surprisingly easy, my contractions stayed far apart, but each contraction was long. I had an on-call Dr. and I can't remember when I was complete, but I started pushing - my least favorite part of birthing - and nothing happened. Finally, the Dr. came, and I was told my cervix had swelled. Which brought about a lot of admonition from the Dr. with very unpleasant bedside manners and a lot of painful poking. He was so unassuring, I didn't know how bad this kind of a complication was, but he made me very scared. I remember pushing so hard that everything went black several times and also thinking to myself, "I suppose this is what death feels like". I have never experienced that kind of pain in my entire life. Elijah's birth was exhausting and long, but the pain of Noah's delivery was much, much more intense. Thankfully, however, it didn't last too long.

He was such a little handsome thing when he was finally born at 7:53 am on Saturday, November 18, 2006. He weighed 9 pounds, 3 ounces and was 21 1/2 inches long.

So, there you have it, the records of all my chitlins births for posterity. We'll see how #4 goes, but as I write this I am thinking, "epidural?"!