The Biggest Day!

Well, the craziness has finally calmed and though I'm exhausted, I thought I would make an effort to tell the story, and show some pic. So, here goes-- I appologize if there are typos and such- I haven't slept in three days.

It all started on Father's Day (well, actually-- about 9 months before that...) Amie and I were enjoying my first "unofficial/official" fathers day- doing some shopping for some fun new baby stuff. I don't know if little Amelia just wanted to make it OFFICIAL/official, or if she just likes the whole "unplanned" theme shes got going, but in the evening of Sunday, Father's day, Amie started to get very labor-like contractions.

We, were fairly sure it was just that Amie was very tired- Amelia wasn't due until July 9th.So, even though the contractions kept comming, Amie just stayed in bed all day Monday. Tuesday morning at 2 a.m. After several sleepless hours, Amie woke me and was sure she was going into labor. I didn't want to over-react- still thinking Amie had just been on her feet too much the day before. But I was concerned there might be something wrong because of the pain she was experiencing. So we decided to go to the hospital and have her checked.That was 3 a.m. on Tuesday.

After monitoring the contractions the Dr. thought it might be labor but still to soon to tell. He wanted us to take some time and then come back and check again. So we went home, and Amie continued to have contractions about every 5 min. At 3 p.m. we decided to go back to the hospital. They monitored Amie in the triage for about two hours, and then decided to admit her because she was 3cm dialated and in a lot of pain. We were officially in Labor.

Now, Amie and I have done quite a bit of studying about natural birthing and some negative possibilities of the medicated smash-n-grab births on mother and child, so it was our intention to go as natural a possible. So for the next Six hours, Amie went through labor contractions (now 3 min apart) without any painkillers or epidural. It was an amazing effort. She fought hard to stay focused and relaxed throught the pain and nausea. I did what I could to support and massage, and her mother arrived from MA, to help as well. the nurses and midwife were awesome, but by 11pm, after so much effort and pain, she had gained no progress in her dialation - she was still only 3-4 cm. At this point the Dr. urged us to have the epidural-- so that Amie could rest and sleep, while her body prepared for the big push. He was concerned that she would not have the strength to push out the baby. And she was truly spent. So we agreed, and she was given the epidural.

What a difference, she soon had her spirit back, and the next 6 hours were very productive, and she reached full dialation-- and got about an hour nap as well.

So at 6 a.m., Amie asked that the epidural be turned off so that she could feel the natual urge to push and regulate the pressure she used. With the midwife coaching, she began to push. And push, and push, and push. For four hours, she pushed with all the strength she had left. But Amelia just wouldn't come out. The contractions were getting far apart and not very strong-- the uterous was worn out too. And finally the midwife had to convince Amy that she needed additional intervention. She recommended Pitocin to encourage the uterous to contract, and Amie refused-- "nothing that might harm the baby!" But when faced with the truth that the hospital was near to insisting on c-section to "get that baby out" Amie finally accepted the pitocin.

But while they added the drug to the IV, Amie said, "do I have to wait for the drug- I want to push" "Of course you can push" answered the midwife. So Amie pushed and pushed again-- I don't know where she found the strength, but within 10 minutes, Amie and the midwife, had pushed and pulled little Amelia into this amazing, beautiful and scary world.

Amie struggled to bring out our little girl for over 40 hours without food or sleep. I don't know where she found that kind of strength. I'm humbled by her and so very, very proud.

And Amelia is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

Here are some photos.