I am enjoying my 5th son and seventh child immensely!
But this sweet little guy didn't come quiet as smoothly and easily as I had so hoped for, or would have thought for my seventh! His birth went something like that of a first time baby. Not as long or quite the same as my first though.
I had been having slight contractions ever once in awhile in the last couple of weeks before he was born. So I had thought at anytime labour would start and I would soon have the baby. I had no clue it would go over due that much by no means. So was getting very frustrated. ON my appointment on May 7th, I was sure the Dr. would tell me that I was very close to having baby, but no such luck. And then he said that if I did not have baby by next check-up on the 14th, that he would set induce date. I was very determined that I would not be in for that check-up!!! There was no way I was going that far over due, and besides my contractions I was having was going to kick in for real very soon, I just knew!! ( or thought I knew )
But May14th came along, and I was there for my check-up though none to happy to be there! Now 10 days over due! I was again determined that when the Dr. checked me he would be telling us that I was already progressing, and we would be having baby soon. But once again, no such luck!! He set the induce date for Friday the 16th of May. I was so worried about being induced, I had heard horror stories of hard and long labours. I did not want that!! I wanted to go in labour on my own, and have it nice and quick like my last!!
I prayed hard after that check-up and walked lots!!! Prayed and walked, prayed and walked, and prayed some more!!
On Thursday the 15th, I started having more contractions than I previously was having. So I started getting excited!! Towards supper time they were more often and getting harder, so I was like, "Yep, here we go, we are going to have this baby tonight!!" I joyfully posted on face book, " No inducing for me!!"
But as it got later the contractions still never got any more any harder, though more frequent. I finally decided though at 11:pm. that we should make the 1 hour drive to the hospital. I had hoped I waited long enough at the house that soon things would kick in with a big bang, and baby may even come before we got to the hospital or at least very soon afterwards. I didn't care if it was born in the van, I wanted a nice short and easy labour and birth! So I told hubby no hurry driving.
The contractions started coming about every 5 minutes apart on our drive up there, (but not painful at all) still though I had thought that I must be surly making some good progress in the right direction. But when we got to the hospital just after 12:00 p.m, when they checked me I was just at 2 cm dilated. Not what this mom wanted to hear I tell you!! Though they did not send me home again cause they too felt this being my 7th , that it really could come fast yet. But we were all wrong!!
Through that night I continued to have contractions, though they were not nearly as often any more, nor any more painful. I tried sleeping some, but didn't get a lot of sleep. By morning when the Dr. came into see me, I was still at about 3 cm. I was upset to say the least!!
I then gave up trying to rest, and started sitting and bouncing on the big exercise ball, walking around in the room, and in the shower: alternating back in forth with those things.
By noon Dr. came in again. I still was not much further along. At that time he broke my waters. After that the contractions started to pick-up in frequency and harder. I was in the shower a couple more times, and on sitting on the ball. I did this through out the afternoon, in between being on the monitor. By 5 p.m I was still only at 4 cm. At that point the Dr. said that my contractions were hard he could tell, but he said they were not hard enough to make this baby come. He said the baby was very post tier, the reason the baby was taking so long in coming. He said he would have to put be on the drip to help induce labour.
So after supper by about 7 p.m they had me started on the drip. The contractions started to pick-up in frequency and strength quite quickly. And they soon were very unbearable. They gave me laughing gas, plus something else to take the edge of the pain through my I.V. Both really helped me, but especially the laughing gas. I know I would have gone crazy with out it! I put it over my face just as soon as I felt a contraction coming on, and breathed deep and let it out , and repeated over and over again as needed. That is the only thing that kept me sane in the last few hours of labour when the contractions were coming nearly one on top of the other. I can not believe I made it through that whole labour with out losing it and hollering even once like I am well noted for in my other labours!! :) I think I thoroughly impressed my husband!!
Boy being on the drip like that is crazy, no relief or rest between! Then when the Dr. said I was at 10 cm. and was ready to push, there was no rest or break between pushing like I had been use to for my other labours. But at least that may that part of it much quicker that way. Normally my pushing time is very long, in fact any where form 30 min. ( my shortest) to 6 hours . I believe the pushing time this time must have been only 10 min. or less. But it was bad!! I just had to keep at it till he was born. Again only the laughing gas kept me going smoothly. Normally I holler pretty good through this stage. :)
Our little sweet heart was born at 11:18 p.m on May 16th. Twelve days over my due date, and 23 hours after being in the hospital. I was very tried and worn out to say the least.
But I was instantly praising God that it was all over, and our sweet baby was now here! And I praised and thanked God for helping me through that hard and long labour. I knew as I was going through it and managing as well as I did, that it was all contributed to HIM and HIM alone!! During the whole labour I was praying off and on for His strength and comfort over me, and especially so nearing the end when things were the most toughest. And I felt God with me. I knew it was all HIM. Even with the laughing gas, it was still all HIM, and only HIM that kept me going. Praise be to God!!
Now we are a very blessed and happy family of nine!!
In Him,
Mae
note:
Earlier on my blog I posted about buying a product called Gentle Birth Formula from Mountain Meadow Herbs. (
www.mountainmeadowherbs.com ) That product is noted for helping to make an easier labour and birth. Your probably thinking that it must not be as good as they say it is. So I need to clarify that I only ended up taking it for about 3 weeks before I ran out about a week before my due date. ( I had the 2 oz. bottle) instead of the 4oz. bottle that would have been for the whole 5 weeks before delivery as it is intended. I started using it only 4 weeks before my due date. Then it ran out a week before my due date, and baby was born 12 days after my due date. So I feel that the product was not in my system at all by the time my baby was born. And even if I did take it right up to delivery I still doubt it would have helped me because of the position of my baby. So for me I still believe the product if everything it it is said to be! I would so use it again for a future baby.
Also I was using an essential oil called Clary Sage that I had heard helped to induce labour. I started using that right after my due date. You apply and massage in drops to the inside of your ankles. Again that did not appear to help me much. But I believe again it was not because of the oil, it was just my situation. This baby need something more powerful to make it come. I have never had to be induced with any of my labours previously, but this one was just different. I would defiantly use the Clary Sage oil again for another labour if necessary.
I Just ordered this book from www.christianbook.com 
My awesome 7 blessings here all in a row! We are so truly blessed! And hoping God will give us more if it's His will!
Our newest blessing arrived on May 16th, 11:18 p.m. He weighs 9 lb.s, 6 oz.s, and 21 in. long. His 4 older brothers and 2 sisters are completely in love with him. Praising the Lord for this sweet guy!!!