With Jude's birth, I had the average American labor and birth, induced, epidural, and lots of other medicines. That was something that I didn't want to go through again, because the recovery was terrible. Also, after Jude was born, my body and brain didn't quite connect that I had just given birth, and it took me a while to process that crucial information, thanks to the slew of medicines. I had decided when I first got pregnant, that I wanted to do a natural birth.
On May 2, 2012, I woke up with back pain. I just figured it was the run of the mill end of pregnancy back pain. I went about my morning routine, making breakfast for Kevin and Jude, and at 7:30, Kevin left for work. By the time he went out the door, my pain was intensifying. A thought came up in the back of my mind, saying, "Is this the beginning of labor?" I hopped in the shower to alleviate some of the pain. I tried to do the things you do in the shower, wash your hair, condition, shave legs. But, everything hurt, bending down to shave my legs was a joke. I just stood in the shower for about 15 minutes knowing that I was probably in labor, but I was hurting (and hyper-ventilating) too bad to really process what was going on.
At 8:00, I got out of the shower and called Kevin. At this time, he had just gotten to work, and had to drive all the way back home to come and get me. I couldn't speak on the phone very well at all. I called my parents, and told them that I was pretty sure that "this is it!" and I proceeded to try and get dressed, but I just pretty much stood around, breathing hard, and starting to moan through the pain. When Kevin got back home, around 8:30, he was panicking. He could tell that this was actually happening, so he scooped up Jude, and all of the other things we needed, and put us in the car.
Driving to the hospital was... and experience. Driving to the hospital in morning rush hour, and on the horribly bumpy roads was nerve-wracking and painful. Kevin was stressing, (add road rage here...) and I was trying to calm him down, so he could calm me down. Once we arrived at the hospital, they brought me into the room to assess my progress. I couldn't get up on the bed because of pain, but with some assistance, I made it. They told me I was at 4 cm dilated and about %70 effaced. My contractions at this point were coming very hard, and very strong, about every 1-1.5 minutes apart. I was admitted at 9:10!
Five minutes later, in the labor room, they checked me again, I had moved to 5 cm dilated, and %80 effaced. I was going, and going fast. They called the doctor. Doctor Melendez. Fast forward to 9:30, I am feeling like I need to push. I wasn't dilated enough to push though, so I had to resist that very strong urge to do so. Kevin was helping me with my labor by countering pressure on my knees for every contraction. I was doing this all naturally, without medicine. I had planned on using Hypnobrithing as a pain coping mechanism, but my labor was so fast, intense, and strong that I couldn't ge into my "groove" and do my calming techniques, thus, I was screaming through every contraction. Even the nurses were commenting on how intense my labor was, which, truthfully speaking, is a blessing when you are going naturally.
When Dr. Melendez came in and checked me, he said I was only to 9cm dilated, but the urge to push was so strong, I begged and pleaded with him to let me start pushing. He finally said that I could, so I bore down, and starting the pushing process. When you are pushing, the pressure that comes with contractions is gone. It is a wonderful feeling of relief to be able to push. But, I was having a hard time wrapping my mind around pushing through the pain of a head starting to come out. They had to keep telling me to push harder, (I thought I was!) and eventually, I could feel a head coming out, and then Roman Jack Markle was born at 9:50 am! All in all, my labor was about 2 hours.
Hearing him cry was music to my ears, I was feeling so proud of myself for doing this, and doing it naturally. I was so thankful to Kevin for being such a wonderful support through all of this, and I was thankful to my Father in Heaven who gave me strength to do it.
When Kevin cut the cord, the dr pointed out that the umbilical cord was in a knot. He said that was very unusual, and that it meant that when Roman was just a teeny tiny fetus, he had swum in a loop, and went through the loop, and that we were very lucky that he survived and that he was able to get nourishment and oxygen through a knotted tube. 
When they put him on my chest for the first time, it was so wonderful, I was so full of love, and he was such a beautiful newborn. I was truly blessed. I love Rome so much, he is such a wonderful child, and a wonderful addition to our little family. And we all love him so dearly. I am thankful for him, Jude and Kevin- they are the best boys I could have asked for.
Oh my, a knotted cord! I'm glad you didn't post this while I was still pregnant, or I probably would have freaked out convinced I had the same thing! :) Glad he's okay!
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