It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything – sorry about that. It’s been a busy few weeks with our newborn, Christmas and having company from across the pond.

I feel like this could be a long-winded post, so I’ve decided to break it up in to a few parts and compare part from our first born’s birth too.

Welcome to Part 1.

Baby number 2 was due December 11th 2012, which also happens to be my sister’s birthday. And, our first daughter, Lillian (Lilly) was due on my birthday, July 10th 2010 – but she came 4 weeks early to all of our surprise.

I decided to finish work around 35 weeks pregnant and believe that was the best decision for me. I was able to rest a lot, get a few things done around the house and prepare for baby #2’s arrival.  Once we got past 36 weeks 2 days (the day we had Lilly), I was able to relax a little more and hope to make it to 37 weeks or term. And we did. We made it to 38 weeks 6 days before baby #2 arrived.

It’s amazing how much 2 weeks can make for a baby. Lilly was considered a premature baby and had a few challenges that we had to work through to get her to nurse properly. I’m not just talking a few days/weeks of challenges but more like 2.5 months to get her to latch/nurse properly with the help of a lactation consultant and a osteopath. With baby #2 it was like she was born to nurse – completely different.

Sai and Anna Dec 2nd 2012

Back to the birth.

On Sunday, December 2nd I was feeling a little frustrated and beyond exhausted from being pregnant. I had a little nap in the morning and then had lunch with Lilly and Sai. Once Lilly was down for a nap I was going to go shopping and get a few Christmas items we needed. As Sai was putting Lilly down for a nap I got up to go pee and thought I felt my water break! I surely wasn’t peeing myself but comparing it to my water breaking with Lilly, it wasn’t quite the same. This was around 1pm. At 2:30pm we went into the hospital after calling with my  symptoms – they just wanted to check me over. They couldn’t get a clear sample if my water had broken or not but I was clearly dilating – Was 4-5cm at 4:30pm. They admitted me.

Lilly was hanging out with our friends after her nap and then Grandad came to hang out with her for that night. She was in heaven and my Dad was too.

I figured we’d have the baby by 8:30/9pm as Lilly’s birth was extremely quick (less than 4 hours from my water breaking to her coming out). When 8:30 hit and I was only 6cm, I was rather discouraged and the pain was increasing fast.

Sai and I walked the hallways a lot and I sat on an exercise ball for a long time and then things started to get more painful. I really wanted a natural birth as I had one with Lilly and thought I could do it again. (Man OH MAN – talk about painful!!!).

There was a point when I just couldn’t handle the pain anymore but was confident I didn’t want an epidural or narcotics but was thinking about the “laughing” gas as an alternative. As the contractions grew stronger and more painful I was convinced I wanted the gas and made Sai go tell the nurse that I wanted it. It arrived not too long after and on went the mask when I had a contraction.

Nothing happened 😦

I was expecting to have a little relief of pain but it didn’t happen. So, I kept at it. Inhaling the gas like it was the most enjoyable product known to man kind. After about 5-6 contractions and inhaling the gas, I felt extremely light-headed and sort of fell back in my seat. Ahhhhhhhhh, it was working. I felt a little drugged/drunk as the nurse described I could be. She was right.

My water still had not broken at this point and the contractions were getting closer and closer and MORE painful. Seriously, how more painful can it get – apparently a lot more.

My Doctor arrived at the hospital around 12:30 am and we started discussing my options. At 1:45 am and 8 cm dilated, I decided to have my water broken. All I remember is how warm it was, my contractions still painful and the gas permanently stuck in my left hand for when I needed it.

All of a sudden, it was time to push. I had to push, I couldn’t hold back…this baby was ready to come out and join us.

To be continued….