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laughter {a birth story}

It's no mystery my body likes to be pregnant. And, with three of my four pregnancies going "past term," it's also no mystery my body likes to stay pregnant.

With no sign of labor other than small movements forward we decided to schedule an induction on Saturday, March 8th. I've had three inductions, and all were preceded by some amount of labor on my own. This time would be no different. As we were heading to bed for the last night of sleep before the newborn fog sets in my darling husband says to me, "Wouldn't it be funny if you go into labor tonight, and don't even need to be induced? Well, except that you wouldn't get any sleep." Irony. Not my favorite.

At 1:00 a.m. I was woken up by a far too familiar pain in my lower abdomen. I used the restroom and laid back down. For the next two hours off and on I was brought out of sleep by the same and worsening pain. Around 3:00 I knew it was time to get into the shower. I was uncomfortable laying down, squatting or doing anything that resembled a woman who had been in labor before and knew what to do. The shower is my sancutary. It was when I had Cora, and I can rest in there with the hot water, and my labor play list playing from my ipod.

My moaning and breathing, and maybe the grabbing and squeezing of his arm, woke the hubby around 4. It was dark and couldn't see, but if he could he'd have known I was glaring at him for wishing this upon me unintentionally. I tried to lay down and rest, though that seemed to prolong my contractions and each time I'd start to fully relax and drift to sleep another huge wave would crash over my belly. I was back in the shower at 5:30. I couldn't get comfortable. I knew to just hold out till we needed to leave because we were heading to the hospital at 6:30 anyway. I really really wanted to get there, and I really really wanted to see my drug dealer.

My mother in law arrived on time, and got to witness a few of the contractions take over my body. Being that she had only had C-sections she was completely freaked out, my husband assured her this wasn't even that bad. Off to the hospital we went and were checked in right away. After being hooked up, the doctor who I've been waiting for three pregnancies to finally deliver me checked to see how far I was progressed. I was a 5! Half way there, and my body was so ready that my water broke during my exam. Fantastic, that meant no pitocin! Any woman who has had pitocin knows that it is the devils juice and you don't want it.

I hadn't been feeling well leading up to the delivery so I decided to give myself a break and take the yummy drugs. I was continuing to progress on my own, and in 45 mins had progressed to a 6 before my epidural. I received the epidural, enjoyed it's numbing glory and rested.

Around 11:00 my nurse came in the check on me and said she might as well see where I'm at. I told her the story of Hazel's birth and how we just happened to have our nurse check and the baby was on her way out. She laughed as she told me not to sneeze because that was the exact same situation we were in.

Thankfully my doctor was on the floor and not at home as the last two were. We got all set and ready to go, the nurse told me to take a deep breath and push, but the doctor said, "No. It's your fourth, just do what you feel you need to do." So, being so good at following orders I took a breath and started to push. Just a little half push. My husband praised me saying, "Good job babe." And our doctor, the jokester that he is, says, "Aw, thanks hon." I laughed out loud and with that my fourth baby was born. And, that made everyone in the room laugh.

I didn't need to do anything to get our girl out but laugh. How very fitting, our last baby was born with laughter surrounding her at 11:21 a.m.
 Anne Monroe Kneisler





She was 8 lbs 11oz and perfectly perfect. We love her, and she is just the sweetest.

Things got very crazy the next day when we were discharged, but that is a story I will write later.
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