the "NORMAL" one

Every birth is a little different, and I think classifying some as "normal" can make doctors and other caregivers overreact a bit when what they expect doesn't come to pass. But I must say it was nice this time to follow the textbook, so to speak.

My original due date was August 9th but my doctor in Japan pushed it back to the 13th based on early measurements of the baby. I was really hoping my increased walking and activity level would encourage the baby to come a little early but the 9th came and went along with the 13th. For several weeks leading up to the birth I was having occasional contractions and I was pretty uncomfortable in general but the real test was just being on edge, waiting for something to happen for so many days. My labor with Wiley was very short so I was constantly assessing my body for any early warning signs that would help us get to the hospital with a little more time to spare this round.

I had an acupuncture appointment at noon on the 21st hoping to induce labor naturally. It was a lovely, relaxing experience but I left pretty certain that it had accomplished nothing. Whether it did or whether I was a week plus overdue and just ready to have the baby, who can say, but around 4pm I felt a shift, literally. I think the baby must have dropped because all the sudden I had to pee and felt a nerve pain when I walked. I also started to have some more intense contractions. My mom was visiting and we decided she should just go ahead and take the kids on home with her. Graham was finishing up a meeting at work so my friend Corie came over and we walked around the block hoping to keep the momentum going. The contractions were still really irregular, and almost non-existent if I was sitting, but they were strong. And I remembered a midwife saying at one point that the strength was more important than the regularity. My last appointment a few days prior I had been measuring just shy of 5cm. Graham arrived home around 6pm, we called the doctor (the midwife was on call! yay!) and she said to come on to the hospital. My contractions picked up on the way and by the time I was there and in bed I was measuring 6.5cm. That was around 7pm. I sat in the bed and answered a whole slew of boring questions (how much did you weigh before you got pregnant? how much do you weigh now? etc...) for about an hour. Then I got up and stood at the side of the bed for about thirty minutes when my water broke just after 8:30pm. I got back in the bed for a bit and then pushed for another bit and Brother was born at 8:56pm. My sister and the above mentioned Corie got to be in the room during the birth which was fun for all.

I said all along that my planned hospital birth would be the one where I didn't need it. And that was true! Third time's the charm.