Brielle’s Birth Story

On Friday, April 27th 2012, Greg and I took an easy morning off. We gardened and weeded and I ignored the fact that little girl hadn’t yet shown up. I had been doing squats, pelvic tilts, and bouncing on my birthing ball as well as evening primrose oil all week.

That afternoon I felt a little twingey, but I resolutely ignored it and insisted we attend our friend’s vows renewal. I was contracting throughout the renewal, but I had been contracting since 38 weeks and ignored that too. We talked, received mounds of advice (and told everyone we would not be trying castor oil thank you very much…I’d rather have pitocin than castor oil!). We swing danced all over the floor–something we’ve enjoyed doing since we got married two years ago (we swung danced–swang danced? Swinged…oh whatever). This surprised quite a few of our friends, who insisted I couldn’t be as pregnant as I said I was.

 

But, as this picture shows, I was actually quite pregnant. 

Atticus’s Birth Story

When I went into labor at 41 weeks, just like any other overdue woman, I was relieved.  After battling weeks of carpal tunnel and PUPPPS rash, I was ready for it all to end.

At 1:30 am on a Thursday, I woke up to mild contractions that I initially thought were cramps.  I went to the bathroom, then returned to bed.  This was my first pregnancy, so I was unsure if I was actually in labor.  Besides the mild cramping, I felt fine.  And because I was a week overdue, I had convinced myself I’d never go into labor; so it never crossed my mind.  Except, a few minutes later, the cramps became so intense I couldn’t ignore them, let alone sleep.

I nudged my husband, Steve. “I think I’m in labor, babe.”