Birth weight, length and birth story!

[papal]

After reading that a few of your had 10lbs babies.. i am in total admiration (and feeling like a total wimp for crying out 'epidural' for my 6pound 7 ouncer!).

How about we go around sharing our babies birth weights and lengths when they were born and now. (and birth stories!). I love reading birth stories

I'll go first:
Leela was born at 6pounds 7ounces, 17inches.. and arrived one day before her due date.
At almost 10weeks she is now 9pounds and 21 inches.

[AngelaS]

Adrienne was induced three days before her due date due to my preeclampsia. Breaking my water was all it took to start regular contractions. It was a 15 hour labor, which I spent in bed, with moniters in every opening of my body it seemed. I had lots of drugs and pushed for two hours. She arrived on Christmas morning, 6 years ago weighing 7lbs 4oz and was 21 inches long. Adrienne is now in about the 75% for height and weight.

Gabrielle was induced 3 days before her due date also. My midwife was leaving town, I was at 4+cm already and she knew I wanted to try to go naturally, so she broke my water. I walked the hospital halls, sat in the whirlpool, got my back rubbed and after 9 hours and FOUR pushes, 8 lb, 20 inch long Gabrielle was born. :D Gabrielle's a bit of a runt. She's under the 15% for both height and weight...at 18 months she was 21.25lbs and 30.25 inches. :D

[C99]

Well, I must be a complete wimp, because I got the epidural at 2.5-cm dilated for my 5-pound, 12-ounce, 18-inches-long baby! That was at his birth, 5 weeks before my EDD. The Kissaluvs were *huge* on him -- they went almost up to his armpit! Now, he's something like 21 lbs. and 28 inches tall and he's just going into the larges now.

[lizajane]

don't give me too much credit... i did have an epidural! best decision i ever made... whew!

schuyler was born 8 days early, 9lbs 9.5 ounces and 22 inches long. labor was 11 hours (but i did have to have pitocin) and i pushed for 30-45 minutes. i also went from 4-5 cms to 10cms in about 45 minutes!

i was 90% effaced, 2cm dialted and he was at -1 station a week or two before he was born. so when labor started, he was trying to GET OUT before i was dialted and it HURT like no pain i can describe. a friend had to same thing- her baby started out at -1 station- and she experienced the same unreal pain from the very start of labor.

the noodle has an appt on monday, so we will find out his current percentiles. but he is 21lbs and 30 inches tall. at 6 months, he was 75% for weight and 90th for height.

we skipped newborn proraps and went right for smalls.

[parkersmama]

Parker was born on his due date (I went into labor naturally) by c-section because he was breech. He weighed 7lbs, 3oz. and I can't remember his height without checking his baby book! LOL!

Wesley was born 2 weeks before his due date after about 21 hours of labor. He was born by VBAC with an epidural and weighed 8lbs, 1 oz (also can't remember height!).

Amy Grace was born 6 days past her due date after about 11 hours of labor. She was also a VBAC with an epidural and weighed 9lbs, 2oz (really 3oz cause it was 2.8!! LOL!). Of course, I can't even remember her height even though it's only been 8 months! Must be having more than one child that does that to you!

The kids got progressively bigger although as the months go by they seem to even out and all are about the same weights/heights at the same ages with Wesley being slightly the largest for his age.

[daisymommy]

I went in for a check up 3 days before my due date, and my midwife laughed, tellin me I was already 5-6 cm. and 100% effaced. I didn't ebelieve her, but she said, "Honey, I woudln't jok about a thing like this! You'll have this baby by tonight!" I was so happy that I was half way thorugh labor, and hadn't felt a thing. She told me when my contractions were 4-5 minutes apart to come in to teh hospital.
So, I left and finished my baby shopping at BRU, went grocery shopping to stock up on food, and then went home to cook. I was really nesting!

Two days later I still felt nothing, and went in to be checked out again just in case, because I was worried I would be having Joshua on the kitchen floor before I knew he was coming. It was a good thing we went in prepared, because I was 7-8 cm., and still feeling no pain. I have no idea why! We were admitted to the hospital.

My blood pressure started to become dangerously high, so my water was broken to speed things along a little more quickly. My midwife was worried about Josh and I, and said if he wasn't delivered soon, I would need a C-section. Breaking my water didn't help any. Even though I was walking all over the hospital. So, I was given Pitocin. That took me to 9 cm. All of a sudden there was a horrible POP! inside, and I nearly fell to the ground. I was in the worst pain of my life. I could hardly speak. I got an epidural (which really makes me mad, because I was only 1 cm. away from pushing, but I couldn't think straight at that point, and no one knew what had happened to cause the sudden pain).

1 hour later I was pushing, and the midwife realizes the pain was caused by Josh's arm slipping up over top of his head, so now it's stuck up there (not fun to push that out!). Another hour later I deliver Joshua, and pass out! Literally! I had to be put on oxygen, and didn't even get a chance to hold him until much later because I was so out of it. It was crazy.

So, what started out as my dream come true all-natural labor and delivery ended in a complete circus, where I had practically everything done to me! I was so dissapointed. I have to keep reminding myself that what matters is I have a healthy happy little boy.

He was 7lbs. 3oz. , and 18.5 inches long at birth. Now he is 30lbs. and 34" long at 16 months. He is in the 75% for weight, 50% for height.

[nathansmom]

Nathan was 8 lbs. 14 ounces and 19 inches long. He was born 8 days before his due date.

Birth story-
Went in to the doctor for my checkup no dilation. Blood pressure was very high, lots of protien in the urine and Nathans heartbeat was low. Sent to the hospital for induction. They placed creme on my cervix 2 times in a 8 hour period with no dilation. 2 am. my water broke with force. I was dilated to a tight 1. Was started on piction and was screaming for a epidural by 3am. Dilation check at 4am I was barely a 2.
5 am nurse shift change and I finally got my epidural. Was dilated to a 3, piction upped. Around 6:45 am my blood pressure drops and they lose Nathan's heartbeat. They stablize me and find Nathan's heartbeat but its weak. 7:15 the nurse says she 911 the doctor and he's on his way gives me a paper to sign for a csection and was prepped for a csection. They check me again I was dilated to a tight 4. The doctor comes in and asks me what my feelings were about the csection. Before we could discuss anything my blood pressure drops again and they lose Nathan's heartbeat again. I was rushed into the operating room. As soon as I stablized again the doctor cut into me and Nathan was born at 7:49 am. He was rushed to NICU and I was sent to ICU. Once Nathan stablized a little they took him to see me bt he was back in the NICU within 5 minutes. I had to wait another 12 hours to see him again. I was released from the hospital on Sunday morning and took Nathan home on Monday although they wanted him for another day.

At his 9 month appointment he was 17lbs. 5 ounces (10%) and 26 inches (5%).

[liamsmama]

I went into labor at 38w5d. Liam never dropped. :-( I was in excruciating pain for two days--never made it past 4 cm. After planning for a natural birth, this was not what I had hoped for. Anyway, I had an epidural after about 40ish hours and finally ended up with a c section. Good thing they got him out though because he had meconium aspiration syndrome, a pneumothorax and had to spend 5 days in NICU.

He is super healthy now though! No lasting effects or anything. :-)

Anyway, he was 8 lbs 5 oz and 19.5" at birth. At his last checkup a month ago (6.5 months) he was 18 lbs, 27" so I'm guessing he's around 18.5 and about 27.5" now.

[AngelaS]

I forgot, Gabrielle was born with her arm up by her head too! I was so motivated to push tho, that it didn't slow my down and my midwife just pushed against her little fist so that her head came out first. :D

[junior503]

DS birth weight - 7 lb 5 oz, length 19.5 in. Current weight 16 lb 9 oz at just under 8 mos.

Length of labor - 47 hrs of back labor - 22 hrs of hard labor. Wanted to go naturally, but ended getting some nubane around 31 hrs, pitocin around 40 hrs, an epidural around 43 hrs, water was broken around 44 hrs (or was it 46?). I pushed for 45 minutes and ended up having an episiotomy, which wasn't that bad and sure beat the tear that heading upward.

Lisa

[elvisfan]

Those of us who opted for epidurals are not wimps.

[parkersmama]

You're absolutely right! No apologies from me on getting epidurals! If it weren't for the epis and the pitocin, I'd have ended up with 3 c-sections instead of 1. I wanted natural originally but I'm hightly satisfied with my "assisted" births! :)

[MelissaTC]

Matthew was 7 lbs, 10 oz, 20.5 inches long. He arrived 12 days after his due date. I went into labor on a Friday at 6 pm and had him at 12:48 pm Sunday by c-section. I had my epidural around 8 am Sunday. It was terrible since I wasn't dilating and he was trying to get out. Turns out he had the cord wrapped around his neck a few times. I wanted a non-invasive, natural labor. Well, that's not what I got! But I am happy my little guy is here! He has been 50% for his height consistently but always between 0-10% for his weight. We'll see where he is at on Monday, as he is having his 18 month appointment...

[liya]

Birth Story:


Soooooooo at 41 wks and 4 days Ari still didnt want to come into this world. I saw the dr on a wednesday she said that i was still not dialating and that i was only 1 cm so she said we would induce thursday at 5 am. She stripped my membranes and at 2am in the morning my mucus plug came out and the contractions began. I got to the hospital and still at 5am when the dr came i was only 1.5cm dialated. So they put that gel inside me thats supposed to help thin you out...Hummm no such luck 6 hrs on the thing plus pitocin and i was still 3cm. I was in the worst pain ever and believe me my back was killing me...My husband said i kept pissing him off cause i said i needed to go pee, so he put that uncomfortable tray under me and said every time i would say "pee pee" i would fall asleep with the tray under me and not pee at all...LOL Ok back to story..Anyhow so 16 hrs go by no epidural(dont congratulate me gals..LOL they just dont do epi's here in PR till your 4cm dialated...plus 1000.00 wasnt an option..LOL) Pain up in my rear when the DR said that if i didnt improve i would be a c section. Since she had broken my water already there wasnt much she could do..So she checked me and i was 3cm alls the sudden she said push a tad for me...and i was 6 cm and she said push a tad more and i was 10cm...YAYYYYYYYY!!!!!! So the nurse said "you have to wait till the dr gets ready" and i will never forget i told her "i dont care whos infront of me someone catch this baby cause im pushing...LOL" 3 pushes and he was out..~~!!!

There was my 21in 6pd 11ounce baby... :)

[toomanystrollers]

I'm enjoying reading everyone's stories! Here's ours (abbrev. form - too many kids)!

#1 Tess: got to the hospital @6 am and had her in less than an hour. The hospital had to rush to get a birthing unit ready. Holy smokes - but I tore terribly. She was 3 weeks early - 7lbs., 3 oz., 21"

#2 Shea: Big head -need I say more. I was induced with him at only one day after my due date b/c my midwife and I were convince that he would be a rapid delivery too - wrong!!!, plus I was walking around @ 5 cm for the past 2 weeks. I managed to go "au natural" for pain relief and had about 4 hours of pure hell after some nasty pitocin. I started to panic near the end - his heart rate was dropping and some forceful pushing got him out in time.
Shea was 9lbs., 8 oz., 22 3/4"

#3 Neve: can you say "epidural"? I really wanted to know what this stuff was like after having two w/o pain medication. No induction - thank God and She was absolutely the most pleasant labor, delivery and recovery even at a whopping 10lbs., 23" . At her 4 month checkup, she's still in the 99% for height.

[JenaW]

I am almost embarassed to post my birth story. I work in OB and have seen it all, so I was convinced I was going to have the labor from hell....but it was the exact opposite.

I was induced 4 days past my due date because my pre-eclampsia was getting worse and my amniotic fluid was too low. I was completely unprepared....had gone in for a routine non-stress test, and was admitted from there. My OB placed cervidil (to ripen my cervix) at 5:15pm on Tuesday. We thought we would be having a baby late the next day or even early Thursday. HA! At 6:15, the cervidil was removed becuase it was hyperstimulating my uterus. They told me the contractions would probably stop, and I would need pitocin. Carter was NOT tolerating labor at all, and c/section was mentioned several times. I had every monitor and line possible it seemed - two IVs, internal contraction monitor, fetal scalp monitor to record his heart rate, urinary catheter, catheter in my uterus to infuse saline since my amniotic fluid was so low. The contractions did not stop though, and by 8pm I was having them in triplets every 1-2 minutes. I was in excruciating pain (NO IDEA HOW PEOPLE DO THIS NATURALLY, AND FOR HOURS!!!!!). Since I was at 4cm, my OB broke my water, and called anesthesia for my epidural. It finally got placed around 9:30, but only worked on one side. I was checked at 9:55 and was 5cm. The anesthesiologist came back to play with my epidural and all of a sudden Carter had a HUGE deceleration in his heart rate. They threw an oxygen mask on me, flipped me from side to side, and called my OB. He checked me again at said, "we are having this baby NOW!!!" I was convinced I was headed for the OR. But then I heard him say, "Jera, it's time to push!" Carter was born at 10:27pm, after 5 pushes. He was a little peanut (and still is). He weighed 6lbs 8oz, and was 21 inches. Now, at 7 1/2 mos, he weighs 15lbs and is 28 inches.

Jera
Mom to Carter ~ 05.13.03

[todzwife]

My water broke at midnight on the dot on October 8th. We drove to the hospital and got all checked in, meanwhile I am gushing EVERYWHERE and looked like I wet my pants...lovely. They finally get me in the room (meanwhile I am already contracting 3 minutes apart) and they check me...1 cm dialated. What!?! So they gave me Nubain (sp?) that didn't take the pain away at all, but made me groggy. By this time it was about 1 AM and I was hurting so bad I couldn't sleep, and unfortunately I couldn't get an epidural until I was 4 cm. Ok, I never had ANY plans of going without an epidural, I am a self admitted weenie. I couldn't lay down so they let me get in the shower. I really wanted to die at that point. Did I mention that DS was facing sideways and was stuck? Anyway, It took 6 hours before I was dialated enough to get the epidural, but in the mean time they gave me MORE Nubain and I couldn't even keep my head up! I got the epidural sometime around 6 AM and fell asleep for 2 hours before they came to empty my bladder. Fun. I was dialated to a 9 at that point and they came back 15 minutes later and DS was crowning. I asked for the mirror and saw that little head with a full head of hair! Woah! They had me push a couple of times, but said because of the epidural my "pushing was ineffective" so they turned it OFF! And left me for 3 hours! I was writhing in pain and called the nurse at the front desk. I told her I wanted the baby out NOW! She came and checked me and was surprised that he was crowning (DUH! That was 3 hours ago people!) I told her he was stuck and I needed help. I could push and push and he wouldn't move. She got the midwife on call and she put a vacuum on DS's head and I pushed even though Iwasn't having contractions. I wanted him OUT! 4 pushes later with the help of the vacuum, he came out, FINALLY! I tore horribly and couldn't sit for a week, but I would do it all again in a heartbeat. I am so grateful for my beautiful little boy, who BTW is an absolute ANGEL so I guess that was my payment for the terrible pregnancy, labor and delivery. LOL! He was 9 days early and weighed a healthy 7 pounds and was 19 1/2 inches long. At his 2 month he was 11 pounds and 14 oz and 22 1/2 inches long. :)

[teachermommy]

Here are my birth stories:

Erin- I found out she was a complete breech 3 weeks before my due date. The doctor tried to turn her, but there was no budging. We scheduled a c-section for Jan. 5, 2000. Guess what? My water broke at 9:30 pm Jan. 3. After a scary two hour drive, through terrible snow, we checked into the hospital. Since I wasn't contracting much they were going to wait until morning when my own doctor was on duty. Well, the contractions came and she was delivered by c-section at 3:03 am Jan. 4, 2000 weighing 7 lbs. 4 oz. and 19 inches long. She looked like a little bean with her knees pulled up to her chest.

Carson- My due date was Dec. 19, 2002. We scheduled a c-section for Dec. 12th. I walked in the hospital at 10:30 for preop. and he came into the world at 1:03 pm weighing 7 lbs. 11.5 oz. and 22.5 inches long. He looked like a little noodle because he was so long. We just had his 1 year check up and he weighed 20 lbs. 5 oz. and was 31 incheslong.

[justlearning]

Fun thread!

Here's my story...

It was three days past my due date and I had gotten so used to experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions that I thought that's what I was feeling that day. I wasn't any more uncomfortable than I had been in the weeks prior and in fact spent the day cooking lasagna and other foods to freeze.

Around 4:30 I started experiencing excruiciating pain--which I thought was pain related to a need to have a B.M.. I didn't think I was in labor then because I was having the pain so close together that it didn't seem like regular contractions (that would be spaced out). By 5:00, though, I yelled out to my husband, "I don't care if I'm not in labor, I need an epidural NOW!!" That's when he started packing all of our stuff up into our car.

When we got to the hospital around 6:00, they said I was indeed already in labor--I was already dilated to 7cm! I said I wanted an epidural--the pain was horrendous--but I was too far along to get one. By the time the anisthesiologist got to me about an hour later, I was already dilated to 9cm. He gave me an intrathecal (spelling?), which was GREAT! I started joking with everyone, applying makeup, etc. I soon had to start pushing, though. I ended up pushing for about 2 1/2 hours. The worst part was that for the last hour or so--including during when DS came out--I felt EVERYTHING because the medication had already worn off.

It turns out that DS's size was probably making it hard for me to push him out, although he finally did come out with a little assitance from a vacuum. He weighed 10 lbs. 13 oz. and was 22" long at birth. He grew very quickly during the first three months but has since slowed down and currently weighs 20-21 lbs and is 30" long at 7 months.

What worries me is that I've been told--and it seems to be true from others' experience on here--that babies get bigger with each one that you have. I think with our next child I might ask to be induced before my due date because I really don't want to push out an 11-pounder! :)

[amp]

I gave birth to Jacob by a late scheduled CS 3 days before his due date. We had been monitoring him with frequent US due to an issue with his kidneys, but my OB was concerned about his weight and my narrow pelvis. Who'da thunk that an overweight gal like me could have a narrow pelvis!? Anyway, she was adamant that she didn't think I would safely deliver a baby over about 7-8 lbs, so she was monitoring his weight closely. The US the week before Jake's due date estimated him to be 10 lbs. 11 oz. The US tech literally turned the screen away from me when it gave the estimate! I just about freaked out!

We saw my doc right after that and she said "When do you want your CS honey?" I tried to tell her she was nuts, that these US estimates of fetal weight are notoriously wrong, but she said she expected it to be within 1/2 lb of the estimate. She told me she would be completely accepting of my desire to labor if I wanted to try it that way, but added that she strongly believed I would put myself and the baby at higher risk if I did so and that she believed the birth would end in a CS anyway. I trusted her implicitly and agreed to the CS. She scheduled it for 3 days before his due date, and I did actually start having labor contractions at about 4 am the morning of the CS. I wasn't sure if I was in labor or not, until we got to the hospital as scheduled and they put me on the monitor. Sure enough...contractions. Luckily, they weren't too bad and not very consistent, and I was scheduled for surgery very soon after that.

The CS turned out just fine. I was terrified, but it was a good decision. Jake was born at 20" and 10 lbs 9 oz! Just under 1/2 lb of the estimate! I knew he must be big when I heard both docs and the nurses exclaiming as they pulled him from my belly. I distinctly heard, "Oh My God!" And they laughed, so I knew it wasn't something wrong. I was definitely glad we made the decision to go the way that we did since both me and baby were just fine.

He had grown like a weed since birth and has consistently been in the 75th to over 100th percentile for height, weight and head cir. I think his growth has just started slowing in the last couple of months. He is currently about 20-21 lbs and is 27 1/2".

[esianoyam3]

Malia was 8 lbs 14 ounces, and 20 inches long. She was born 2 weeks and 1 day before her due date. My doctor had predicted a 7 pound baby, and said she wouldn't have believed the baby came from me if she hadn't been the one to deliver her!

Don't feel bad about the epidural- I had one, too... I was actually doing hypnobirthing, because I didn't want to have an epidural, but by the time I was dilated to a 6, I was having really bad back labor, and I knew I would never be able to relax enough if I didn't have help.

I ended up having a 9 and a half hour labor, and got the baby out in 3 pushes, and I really don't regret having the epidural. I'm probably just a major wimp, but it made the birth a process that I don't mind remembering. :-)

[cvharris]

Ben was born two days before his due date. I went into labor naturally on a Friday evening. The contractions got steadily worse, then stopped. (After eating eggplant parmesan of all things!) Around 11PM they started again - they were all in my back. We were on the phone with my midwife, who had advised me to take a warm bath and get some sleep but it got so bad that we met my midwife at the hospital at 2:30 AM. I was 4 cm when they checked me. My bag of water was broken at 3 AM, I was 5 cm then. At 4:30 AM, I was 7cm, exhausted, in excruciating pain, panicking about not being able to control the contractions, and telling my husband there was no way I was going to make it without pain meds. I was given a bit of Stadol (was dilating too fast for Nubain or any other pain relief) and that helped me relax. I was complete by 6AM. I started pushing, but Ben's heartrate decelerated and a neonatologist and OB were called in, the OB turned his head a quarter turn and the heartrate went back up. After that, they wanted to get him out ASAP and I was really worried after the heartrate scare, so I pushed 'A Baby Story' style (on by back holding my legs up) for an hour and he finally came out...22", 8 lbs, 15 oz. After he was born, I had a ton of broken capillaries around my eyes from all the intense pushing. I felt everything, and the pressure was the worst thing of all. When he came out, I remember being shocked at how big he was.

At six months, Ben measured 29 1/4", and 19 lbs even. We started using cloth sometime around 2 months or so. We started with medium sizes and are still using the same sizes. His growth has slowed down a lot. He was 27 3/4" and 17 lbs 2 oz at four months.

[lizamann]

Nora was born 12 days past her due date(!), at 7 lbs 12 oz and 18 3/4 inches long.

Since I was past due, I was having non stress tests every 3 days. On the day she was born, they did a US and found that the fluid was low and said I had to have the baby then and there. My midwife stripped my membranes, and then they started me on pitocin at 6pm. The contrax started fast and furious, but I honestly didn't feel them for the longest time. They started getting bad around 9pm. I was planning on no pain meds but this was getting pretty intense. So I made a little deal with myself - if I was only at 3 cm or less, I would get the epi (I certainly felt like I was further along, but you never really know with a first baby). But when they checked me, I was at 6-7 cm, so I knew I was pretty much at the peak of the intensity and skipped the pain meds. The fact that I'd made it to 7cm so quickly and relatively easily gave me a huge confidence boost that carried me through the rest of my labor. From start to finish it took less than 8 hours, and I think I have the pitocin to thank for that.

I completely enjoyed the whole experience, even at it's height, and would certainly do it again!

[papal]

Thanks for sharing your birth stories everyone! It was so much fun reading each one. Isn't it amazing that each story is so unique and yet the end result is always a precious little baby!

I never did share my birth story... so here it goes:
On Thursday night at 11.00p my contractions started.. mild at first. Around 4am I had to start doing the simple breathing exercises to get through them. Around 7am I finished packing our hospital bags. Then I took a hot shower and wished I had done it before because I felt MUCH better after that. Since we had a ob/gyn appt later that day I called the clinic to see if I should cancel/go to the hospital and they said to come to the clinic right away. So off we went and the dr. said i was 1cm dilated and 80% effaced and to go back home. Around 4pm I was getting really tired.. the contractions were still 6mins apart but lasting longer. I insisted we get to the hospital because i wanted some meds! We checked in around 5.0p, and the babys heart rate was dropping eith each contraction so they told me not to walk around..that made me more miserable because walking was lessening the pain.. that is when i starting saying 'EPIDURAL NOW!!!'. Because I had a low blood platelet count they had to do a CBC first.. that came back a half hour later and my blood count was just under the limit for an epi... arrrrghhh!! so they had to do a skin test.. ofcourse by this time i was really in pain and at 9cms and wanted to PUSH really badly. So no epidural! After about 8 pushes, aided with the vacuum, Leela was born at 8.47p. I never ever ever can forget the moment they handed her to me. My sweet baby. She was here. She was real. She was FINE.
I had lots of tearing and took 4 weeks to recover (i carried the donut cushion with me everywhere!) but would do it over again in a heartbeat. :)

Leela was 6pounds 7 ounces when she was born and at her 2 month checkup she was almost 9 pounds and 21 inches. She is now 11 weeks old and holding her head up.. cooing, drooling and starting to roll over. And we love her love her love her more than anyone or anything!

I wish I could summarize better but i tend to ramble.. forgive the long message!

[jmofarrill]

Oh, I want to share, too! LOL

After being convinced that Anwyn would be early since EVERYONE in my family and dh's family delivered early, I was shocked to be going in for an induction a week after the due date at 3cm/70%. They put me on pitocin on a Friday, but it was pretty ineffective (after 6 hours, I was at 3.5cm/70%), so we opted to stop the drip and rest over the night and start back up on Saturday. A nurse came in and started the drip at 6AM, but I was asleep. I woke up at 7AM with contractions on top of each other and in pretty rough pain; I was at 4cm/100% by then. I asked for an iv pain med, and I think they gave me nubane (sp?). I really didn't want an epi because of a history of back troubles in my family. The pain med didn't help much with the pain, but it put me in a time warp, so it didn't matter as much. By 8:30AM I was climbing the rails on the bed whimpering with pain and asking for more pain med, but it was too soon. The ob came in to break my water, but I was trying to refuse to let him since I thought it would make the pain worse. He checked me, though, and I was at 10cm/100%, so I was ready to start pushing! Yay! Anwyn was born at 10:03AM weighing 7 lbs. 6 oz. and 20.5 in long.

At her 7 mo checkup, she weighed 15 lbs. and was 27 in. long. We are in medium cds right now, but she's really bordering between smalls and mediums. Shes still wearing her 3-6 mo clothes, and the 6-9/12 are huge on her right now.

[new_mommy25]

Great thread, though I'm jumping on a little late.
I was due on Sept 6th but I was secretly hoping for DS to be born early on Labor day. (get it, haha). On the morning of my due date I woke up at 6 am with mild contractions. DH asked if he should go to work and I told him go ahead. The contractions progressed and I called everyone I knew. At 10 am I freaked out because, get this, I did not have a bathrobe! So I seriously walked 8 blocks to Target and bought a robe and magazines (which I never read). As I was walking home I had to stop every few steps because my contractions were so strong. When I got home I timed my contractions at 5 minutes apart. I called the DR. who told me to come on in. I called DH who flew home,battling traffic. While waiting for DH I took a hot shower and even put on a little makeup. lol. We were at the hospital by 1 pm. I was 3 cent. dilated. DH and I walked endless circles around the labor ward and at 5 cent. I opted to have an epidural and they broke my water. I'm really glad I did because my contractions got so strong they were lasting 5-7 minutes. They were affecting baby's breathing so they unfortunetly had to poke him in the head to moniter him more closely. The Dr. came in screaming "Turn down the pit, turn it down" and the nurse was like, "She's not on any". They gave me something to slow down the contractions which unfortunetly slowed down everything. I was pushing about 2-3 hours, but honestly now it seems like no big deal. Unfortunatly the cord was wrapped around DS's neck so the Dr. gave me an episiotomy without even telling me. I swear I still can feel it even though it's all healed up.

Finally at 11:03 pm that night, September the 6th '03, DS was born weighing 8 lbs. 2 oz and 19 3/4" long.

Noah is now 4 months old. As of two days ago he is 15 lbs. 14 oz. and 25 inches long. If you all don't mind I'd also like to add in a little mommy brag to say that my son is now sitting up unassisted in the tripod postion :)

[SeekerMage]

Jumping in a little late here too but here goes our crazy story!
Kathryn Celestia was 9lb 30z and 20 3/4 in and born three days before her due date 11/24/03

I went in to be induced a week before I was due...after a whole day of labor and pitocin they sent me home and told us to wait...grrr!
So we walked the mall over the weekend and Monday morning at 5:26am when I went to get into bed I felt a pop and out gushed my water hehehe!
We got to the hospital about 6:45 and at 7:00am I was checked and was 6cm. By 11am they gave me pitocin because I was only 8cm....at about 12 I asked for an epidural...three epidurals later they thought they had it...nope I screamed when they put in my cathedar (and they arent supposed to hurt let alone with an epidural!) sooo they gave me some staydal (sp??) and then did a fourth epidural SHEESH! I was not to happy with the sedative because it made me sleepy...but I slept through all my labor...by 4pm I was 9 1/2 so they had me start pushing and I kept telling them I was in pain, not horrible but still not like the epidural should have been since it was still going....well it was going alright but it had unplugged! sooo my whole labor was basically natural because the stupid thing wasnt plugged in! Any how...two hours of pushing and she was ready about a quarter to 6...but the dr wasnt there yet...and of course up until then I had no urge to push, when I did they told me not to push so I had to wait through several contractions (about 20 mins) for the dr....four pushes later she was born at 6:16pm. According to my mom the babys head was about two inches out by the time the doc got there thats why the urge was so great. Her head was a little odd shaped because of being in the canal for so long, and she was a little blue but she pinked up right away and by the next day it was nice and round.

Now at six weeks old she is 10lb 6oz and 22 1/2in long...and growing like a weed!

[mommyj]

I've enjoyed reading everyone's stories, and am finally getting around to writing mine.
Dylan was due July 31, but I went into labor for the first time July 8th. I'd gone for an appt that morning and found out DS was still footling breech, so they had me go to the hospital after I called. I was having contractions every 3 minutes for over an hour, and my stomach was making dramatic movements you could see from the outside to try to flip my little guy. My doctor gave me an injection to stop my contractions and then tried an external version. OUCH! It hurt a lot, but DS didn't flip.
We went to the hospital again on the 11th for the external version that we'd scheduled before I went into labor the first time. Two doctors tried to flip my little man, but his feet were caught in my pelvis and he just wouldn't flip. I was originally planning on having a totally drug-free childbirth, but that all went out the window. My doctor said we would have to schedule a cesarean, or they would just do the c-section if I went into labor before my due date.
Dylan was totally done with all the attempts to flip him, and he was ready to come out (I'd been doing all the at home things you can do to flip your baby, but they hadn't worked). I went into labor the next night at around 11pm. This time my contractions weren't as regular, and I wasn't really sure I was in labor. They didn't hurt like they had the first time I went into labor, and I thought it might have been in my imagination because I wanted to meet my baby so badly. I spent the next 3 hours keeping track of my contractions, but wondering if they were really contractions. In retrospect, this was pretty dumb, but it was so different from my labor the first night, I really thought I was imagining the contractions. By 3am, I woke my mom up to help me time the contractions, and decided I would call the doctor at 4am if I really was having contractions. At 3:45, I heard a pop. My water had broken, and it was getting everywhere. DH, my mom, and I were in the car on the way to the hospital in less than 5 minutes. We called the doctor on the way there, because there's an increased danger of cord prolapse with a breech baby. She had me lay my seat all the way back to help make sure DS' cord wouldn;t slip out. Afer my water broke, my contractions intensified and started to hurt a lot. When we got to the hospital, I was 2.5 cm dilated and 100% effaced. That time, the injection they gave me to stop my contractions didn't even slow them down. I had them until they did my spinal for my c-section. I was happy because I at least got to experience some of the childbirth process drug-free :) The nurse said she thinks I'll have a really short labor if I have a VBAC for my next baby.
DH was in the room with me the whole time. The c-section went totally smoothly. DS' head got a little bit stuck for a minute, but then they pulled him out. DH said, "It's a boy," and then I waited to hear his first cry. He was born ay 6:04am on July 13. He weighed 6 lbs 12 oz, and was 20 inches long. He has his 6 month appt next week, and I'm guessing he weighs between 19 and 20 lbs. The past 6 months have been the most amazing of my life. DH and I are having a blast!