Zoe's Birth Story

Here is the brief version of my birth story. I was opening a window at 8:30 a.m. when my water broke. I called the clinic right away and Roxie called me back from her home. She asked me if I was having contractions...I was not. She told me to relax and call her when the contractions started or to call her around 1:00 to see how things were progressing. I called my husband and he came home from work around noon. My contactions started around 1:00 and we agreed to meet at the clinic at 2:00. I then paced in circles around the inside of the clinic for about a half hour or so and we were admitted to the hospital around 3:00 p.m. I was 3 cm dialated when I arrived. They wanted me at 4 cm before they oculd administer the epidural. I think I was put on Pitosin and then Roxie manually stretched/massaged me to 4 cm. The contractions were steady and not very rhythmic....I was VERY uncomfortable, expecially when I was stretched to 4 cm. Then the epicural was administered and it was like instant relief. I went to sleep for quite a while...I think from 4:00 p.m. until about 7:30 or 8:00. When I woke up I was ready to push. I had plenty of feeling in my muscles, but could not feel any real pain. I pushed maybe 8 times and Zoe was born in a half an hour at 8:30 p.m. I requested a mirror and watched the whole delivery. It was a great experience. Roxie was amazing. She was right there with me the entire time.. My husband was there, but just to hold my hand. I was really concentrating on and listening to Roxie. Once Zoe was out, Craig and I were able to feel the cord (feel the pulse) before they cut her cord. Zoe was placed on my breast to nurse, which she did automatically. The placenta was delivered easily, it didn't take long at all. Roxie even showed it to me and pointed out some interesting features on it.

So...it was almost 12 hours exactly from the time my water broke to the time she was delivered and half of that time I wasn't in any real pain. It was a wonderful experience....as was the pregnancy.