Monday, September 1, 2008

All about Labor

Rocks In My Dryer posted a meme about labor in honor of Labor Day today. I love to talk about my labors. I feel like I earned a badge of courage each time I gave birth to my sweet babies.


How long were your labors?

Kid #1, 8 hours
Kid #2, 6 hours
Kid #3, almost 9 hours
Kid #4, to be determined, IF we have a #4!

Kid #3 could have been born a little sooner, if it hadn't been for my doctor assisting with surgery and putting me off!


How did you know you were in labor?

Kid #1, an IV and a horrible bag with the word Pitocin on it.
Kid #2, same as above.
Kid #3, this time the Pitocin did not bother me too much. I did not feel true pain until the Dr. broke my water. Then I wanted to KILL someone!


Where did you deliver?

With all of them, at a hospital. I am too OCD to try to give birth anywhere other than a hospital!

Drugs?

I had sleepy drugs. I told Ernie that if there is a next time, I will ask for them as soon as my water breaks and not try to go without. An epidural? No way, no how! No one is getting near my back with a needle for a little pain relief. Although when I was in labor with #3 I do recall telling Ernie that I should have asked for an epidural. I'm a scaredy cat, though!


C-section?

Nope.


Who delivered?

Kid #1 was delivered by Dr. Bowling. Horrible personality and bedside manner. I was too young, naive and broke to go to anyone else. I lived through it, by the grace of God! I wanted to beat the man in the delivery room.

Kid #2 was delivered by Dr. Wilson. I loved him during my pregnancy and delivery, but a couple of years later when I had a miscarriage and needed a D&C, he really did not have the bedside manner that I want in a doctor. Maybe I expected too much, but if I'm paying the bill, I don't want the doctor in and out in 5 minutes!

Kid #3 was delivered by Dr. Lee. He was absolutely wonderful! He had the best bedside manner out of all of the doctors I have ever seen. He always had time for a million questions and never batted an eye when my OCD personality came out and I had a sheet full of questions! I think he's the best doctor out there. If we have any more babies, I definitely plan on using him!

I hope everyone is having a great labor day!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is a neat idea for a post! I like to read about other people's birth stories.

I asked my husband about the chalkboard. He said that he bolted pieces of angle iron to the concrete wall, using a masonry drill, concrete anchors and lag bolts. The bottom of the chalkboard rests on the angle iron pieces, which support its weight, and the top is bolted directly to the wall.

I could NEVER do this myself. Thank goodness for handy husbands!

Thanks for visiting my blog :)

Anonymous said...

I love labor stories, too. Mine and everyone else's. :)

You get the Badge of Courage for NOT having an epidural. Pain from needle: itsy bitsy tiny. Pain from birthing a child: ginormous. Please. No comparison. I've only ever made it to 5 cm. and that was PLENTY for me!!! So my first impression of you:
Very impressed, indeed. :)

Nice to meet you! I look forward to getting to know you better soon. Tonight it's late and I'm tired...

but I'll be back.

Jen

Shannon said...

You forgot to mention that you were e-mailing me while you were in labor with Bella! LOL To this day it still cracks me up!!!

Oh yeah...I think you had way more courage than I did! I went Epis all the way with both of my babies!