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Main Page Site Index Getting Pregnant Pregnancy Parenting Pregnancy and Parenting Journals Fertility Nutrition Pregnant Moms Morning Sickness Women's Health Child Health	Shannon's birth story By Christine My husband and I had been trying for about two months to conceive when I discovered I was pregnant in mid-March. I couldn't wait to get home that day to tell him, and when he heard the news, he was so happy that he cried, and couldn't fall asleep that night. I had a very uneventful and enjoyable pregnancy with minimal nausea, no swelling, and I even felt sorry towards the end of my pregnancy because everyone was so good to me. My EDD came and went (Nov. 19, 1999) with no sign of the baby arriving, and my doctor was concerned, because the ultrasound showed the baby to be over 6lbs and still gaining weight; he was worried that I would have a difficult time if I wanted to have a natural birth (I am petite). He scheduled me for an induction on Nov. 22, 1999, which was a Monday, and I spent the entire weekend feeling anxious and worried because I had read so many horror stories about induction on the internet. I couldn't sleep at all on Sunday night; on Monday morning I felt like I was going to a death sentence, but fortunately my husband was really supporting and loving through it all. I got settled in the labour room, and my OB came and inserted medication in my vagina to soften and open up my cervix. I progressed rather quickly from 1cm dilated at 8am to 8cm by four in the afternoon. The contractions really hurt at first, and when it became unbearable, my OB agreed to let me have an epidural, which felt heavenly!!! By 4:30pm, the nurse was coaching me to practice pushing, and I was sent into the delivery room soon after. They turned off the epidural in the delivery room so I would be able to feel when to push, and what suprised me was that it was my anus that hurt the most, instead of the vagina. The nurses said it was because of the baby's head bearing down. I pushed for about 8 times before my OB came and gave me a small incision, which I didn't even feel because the pain from pushing was too great, and after two more pushes, I saw my OB slowly lift my baby out of me from between my legs, and the pain immediately went away. I remember feeling such a huge sense of relief and accomplishment at that time; I chatted with my OB while he was stitching me up, and then the nurse brought my baby for me to hold, and I let her try to suckle my breast, which she latched on to immediately. She was so tiny and cute, and she didn't wail at all; she just looked around wonderingly at everything. I felt so happy after the birth that I wasn't able to sleep that night in the hospital. Now we have our little Shannon home with us, and she is growing and changing everyday. I learned a lot from all the birth stories here, and I hope my experience can contribute to someone else too. I would like to express my love and thanks to my wonderful husband, who was and still is unbelievably patient, understanding and loving, and also my gratitude to my wonderful OB Dr. Lu Farn, who has been caring and encouraging through everything. Good luck to all expectant moms out there! Search the Birth Stories Match All Terms Any Term and show results in Standard Form in Compact Form Hint! Enclose phrases in quotes. For example "home birth" Return to Section 42 Birth Stories