Water Broke at a Wedding, Smiling at 9.5 cm

I love this picture of Crystal smiling at 9.5cm! Here is her birth story.

July 23rd I felt crampy all day long, but didn’t think anything of it since they weren’t tightening like contractions. I decided to take DD and her BFF to see Ramona and Beezus at 1:40pm still feeling crampy, but no contractions. We took the BFF home and then headed home for a nap. I decided since Sarah had not arrived that DH and I would attend my friend’s Wedding that evening. We got there right on time and it was a beautiful ceremony. I had about 3 contractions in that 30 minute timeframe. DH insisted all the cramps I had been having all day were contractions too, but I didn’t know for sure… maybe it was. LOL

Just as they dismissed everyone for the reception I felt some dampness and told DH I needed to find the restroom. He pointed it out to me and I took 2 steps and down my legs it went.. my water broke right there in the church. ( 7:40 pm)I told DH and he smiled really big and said, “I guess we aren’t staying for the reception”. I waddled on up to the pastor to apologize for the mess and to ask him to explain to the bride and groom. He was exstatic! Don’t think that has happened to him before at a wedding, or maybe at all in the santuary.. its probably a really great omen. LOL

We headed on home to let the kids know and give them kisses before heading up to the hospital. (we only live 8 minutes from the hospital and I wasn’t really having many contractions at this point) After calling the sitter we have set up for us while we are away, and all the moms and key family members we went right up to the Birthing center and DH checked me in at admissions because I was drenched and didn’t feel like going all the way to admissions first.

After we got settled in to our room, the nurse came in to check me and I had not really progressed from 2 days earlier, but the surges were starting to come every 3 minutes. They only felt like cramps to me so I wasn’t feeling them at all! We walked around for a while and quickly went from a 5-7 in 1 hour and then stalled out. My Dr. was pushing Pit on me and I really didn’t want it so he gave me one more hour. I bounced on the birthing ball, and took walks, and rocked in the glider and by the time they checked me an hour later I was 8 1/2. YEAH!! No Pit!!

The hypnobirthing was really working for me.. I was laughing and talking between surges and having an awesome time. The Dr. was amazed at how happy and relaxed I was. I decided to spend some more time on the birthing ball and then after a short time got in bed. I guess I knew what was coming and I was tired. I napped between surges for an hour and a half and then got stuck at a 10 with a lip at +1 station. I was feeling pushy but they were concerned for tearing the cervix so I did agree for just a little Pit, reluctantly ( only 30 seconds between contractions now). 3 or 4 contractions later the urge was unbearable.. they kept telling me to wait, but at this point everything went black and I couldn’t stop pushing, all I could hear was the sound of my husbands voice and someone shouting “Grab the other leg!!”

She was out in two surges , and no tear! I got to enjoy cleaning her off and feeding her right away. We delayed the cord cutting and dad cut the cord. Unfortunately, things happened too quick in the end for dad to come catch her, but he was beaming from ear to ear.