Sunday evening around 7pm, I started to frequently feel minor cramps. I had already felt them before, but it wasn't until Sunday that I started to recognize a pattern. Will suggested downloading a contraction app to keep track of the duration and frequency. It was about 10 minutes between contractions when we started to record them.
I was pleasantly surprised at how little pain there was, and if they weren't regular, I probably wouldn't have known it was the beginning of labor. However, later in the night, I started to realize how inexperienced I was. Minor cramps turned into big cramps, and later turned into full-blown pain. I had to control my breathing to not scream near 3am. Dr. Sigman was right -- you will definitely feel it!
Around 5am, contractions became five minutes apart and in half an hour, they were only 2 minutes apart. I woke up Will and demanded we head for the hospital (Ed. It's not like Will disagreed ;-)).
We checked into the delivery wing and a nurse measured that I was only dilated 1cm. She said they might send us home since it will take a while to fully dilate. I was not happy with the suggestion; the pain was growing stronger and I couldn't stand spending time on the road while baby could come any minute.
Luckily Dr. Sigman came around 8am and said my water was bulging, which probably meant that it could break any time. She broke the water and suggested that we wait. I told her that my mom delivered me in 3-4 hours. She was optimistic that I would do the same.
I was debating if I should have epidural. When the contractions hurt so much that I had to scream, and Dr. Sigman explained to Will that at the end, the pain level will double, I immediately asked for the epidural. Time after that felt like a breeze. I was even able to take a nap.
Dilating from 1cm to 4cm took from 6am to 11am. And it took only 2 hours to dilate from 4cm to 7cm. A little after 2pm, I was fully dilated, and I told the nurse that I could feel him pushing out. She wasn't going to ask Dr. Sigman to come until I pushed a little, but after we did a trial push, she called her to come immediately.
After 3 or 4 pushes, Jackson was born! I saw him in doctor's hand and remembered asking why he was not crying. Doctor said soon and then I heard his loud cries. Tears rushed to my eyes and he was on top of my chest -- our baby boy was born!
I was pleasantly surprised at how little pain there was, and if they weren't regular, I probably wouldn't have known it was the beginning of labor. However, later in the night, I started to realize how inexperienced I was. Minor cramps turned into big cramps, and later turned into full-blown pain. I had to control my breathing to not scream near 3am. Dr. Sigman was right -- you will definitely feel it!
Around 5am, contractions became five minutes apart and in half an hour, they were only 2 minutes apart. I woke up Will and demanded we head for the hospital (Ed. It's not like Will disagreed ;-)).
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| Tianhong Ready to Go |
Luckily Dr. Sigman came around 8am and said my water was bulging, which probably meant that it could break any time. She broke the water and suggested that we wait. I told her that my mom delivered me in 3-4 hours. She was optimistic that I would do the same.
I was debating if I should have epidural. When the contractions hurt so much that I had to scream, and Dr. Sigman explained to Will that at the end, the pain level will double, I immediately asked for the epidural. Time after that felt like a breeze. I was even able to take a nap.
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| Contractions Two Minutes Apart |
After 3 or 4 pushes, Jackson was born! I saw him in doctor's hand and remembered asking why he was not crying. Doctor said soon and then I heard his loud cries. Tears rushed to my eyes and he was on top of my chest -- our baby boy was born!
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