Introducing Coen Silas

Coen Silas B-
7lb 1oz, 19"
11:03 am Jan 31st

After 2 solid days of painful contractions, they finally got close enough to do something. I showed up at the hospital at 4 am and 4 cm. At the appointment the day before, I was 2-3. I couldn't believe how much pain I was in, but I wanted so badly to birth naturally. At first I visualized my contractions as the tide coming in to the beach. When the tide was in, my son would be here, but I knew it would take each wave to build up. I was a bird, flying above the pain, fully conscious of it but far above.

It was taking so long to get things moving despite the increasing pain. I labored in the bed, on a chair, walking in the hallway, every position I could think of. The jacuzzi helped for a while, and then the doctor showed up and asked if I wanted him to break my water. I said not yet, and labored in the tub for a while. Soon I was not in control anymore.

I got out of the jacuzzi in constant contractions, and I said "go ahead and break my water, and I'll take an IV, whatever." The nurse said the doctor had just left, and when she checked me she said it was almost time anyway. She was so awesome, and she believed in me even though I was ready to quit and go for the interventions. She kept saying how wonderful I was doing (I was not, hehe). My throat is sore from screaming, but it felt better to scream! So when the doctor came to catch and I was pushing, my water still hadn't broken. He said it was bulging, and with the next push, POP! SPLASH! Doctor is covered. Silence. Doctor starts laughing, and that really makes it easier. Just a few pushes and Coen was born. They laid him on me and he nursed for like an hour before I gave him back to get cleaned up and weighed and everything. I didn't even tear, just got a "skidmark" that is really really sore. We're both doing great.