My pregnancy had gone real smooth up until my 38th week. I went to my weekly check-up and was feeling ready to have this baby,my hands and feet were swollen,my blood pressure was high,I was having Braxton-Hicks every 5-10 minutes since I was 8mos.pg. I had only dilated to 1cm. After my dr. examined me he asked me and my husband to join him in his office-I was like"yes,maybe I can ask him to induce me over the weekend" Turns out I was on my way to the hospital for bloodwork-he wants to make sure I'm not in early stages of toxemia. We arrived at the hospital at 3:30pm and I was being induced at 5:30pm!

Bloodwork confirmed I was in very early stages of toxemia and he wanted to try inducing me to see if it would throw me into labor. All night I had pain-less contractions and couldn't sleep, just as I was getting ready to doze off in comes my dr. and he announces that we're going to break my water!

So at 6:30am on October 22nd, my water was broke and by 10:30am I was ready for some drugs. They gave me Stadol-and did that help me!!! My dr. said that I could have my epidural between3-4cms. At 1:30pm we decided to get it, and that's when this experience for a first-time mom gets scary. It took 3 different anesthialogists, pokes to my spine, anger, frustration, crying, exhaustion and 1 hour for it to finally work!! Thank god!!!

So from 2:30pm until 7:30pm and an increase of Potocin to get dilated to 8cms-at this time I was beginning to feel some pressure due to the baby's head coming down more and I started getting nasueated,so my nurse Anita gave me some pill that took away my nasueated feeling.

I was getting really uncomfortable an hour later- I was 9cms and barely standing the pressure. My nurse said she would be back in 30mins to check me. I told my husband 15mins later to go get the nurse-I felt like I was going to have a BM! Sure enough I was 10cms and Anita told me I could start pushing.

Well of course this fear came over me and I told my husband-Joe that I don't think I could do this and I said I was scared! But something inside of me just said "push your baby out". So I started pushing and I was so out of breath that I could hardly make it to the 10 count! That's when Anita asked me if I wanted my dr. to help me by using the vacuum extractor-I was hestitant at first but I looked at my husband-(who's been a great supportive coach) and he looked at me and I nodded to him because he knew how tired I was and so did my nurse, so we agreed.

I pushed for about 15-20mins. and I felt this intense burning and lots of pressure and my dr. said "Lisa,look down between your legs and see your baby!" I looked for a brief second then closed my eyes and couldn't believe there was my baby! I didn't feel immediate relief like they say, but my husband cut our son's umbilical cord and then they plopped him up on my chest and I was so overwhelmed that I thought I would cry but I was in amazement over my new baby and still had some pressure down below-after my placenta was delivered I felt better.

I had to get some stitches,only 3. They took my son over and cleaned him up and suctioned ALOT of amniotic fluid out of his mouth-he scored an 9 on his APGAR, put his I.D. bands on him, did his footprints, then bundled him up and Daddy got to hold his son for the first time!

My son, Jacob Joseph McSwiney was born at 9:08pm and he weighed 6lbs 15 1/2ozs. and was 20 in. long. He has blonde hair and blue eyes and he is truly the light of our lives! I have to say that I had an extremely nice experience-my nurse Anita was the greatest and even the nurses on post-delivery were all very nice. They made my room into semi-private for me and my husband to share together. He stayed with me every night until we went home 3 days later and has been so supportive through out my whole pregnancy, coming with me to every dr.'s visit and being there through the delivery. Thank you sweetie! I love you and thank you for our beautiful baby!

Our son Jacob is now a healthy 15mos old and my husband and I have decided to start trying for another baby in December of 99'! I'm so excited about giving Jacob a lil' brother or sister, I can't wait!!! Life can be so rewarding when you have children!!!

If you would like to see our homepage come visit us at: http://pages.ivillage.com/pp/lamm29/index.html

I've enjoyed sharing my story and I look forward to reading more birth stories!!!

Lisa

Jacob