Jadyn and Bodey were both born at 37 weeks, Maddux at 37 and 1/2. My doctor said I would most likely be early again. I felt like I was in labor several times. I really had alot of Braxton Hicks. Especially at 36 weeks, but after getting in the bath and drinking a bunch of water I was able to get the contractions to stop. I have never been so miserable with a pregnancy. Everyone else seemed to go pretty smoothly. But with Kepner the last month I was just really uncomfortable. I couldn't lay on my stomach like all my other pregnancies so I wasn't sleeping well. And my back was killing me! It was also my month to teach sharing time in primary which always stresses me out. My doctor checked me at 37 weeks and I was already dilated to a 3. He also said he was really really low and warned me that he thought he was going to come really fast. The next week was pretty miserable he felt so low. I could feel him really low like not even in my stomach low, I felt like I was trying to keep him from just falling out.
For some reason this time I was really worried about my other 3 kids. I had asked several friends if I could call them to babysit, should I go into labor. But what I really wanted was for my baby to stay in there until Jessica got here. I had a weird feeling about it and really wanted her to make it in time. It was important to me to have someone my kids felt comfortable with. I know heavenly father cares about things that are important to us, and I really felt like he answered my prayers and Kepner waited for Jessica.
Jessica got here late tue night and Kepner was born early wed morning.
My labor went really fast, my water began to leak around 545 and then I started having contractions. Unlike my other pregnancies, these contractions started hurting pretty badly right away. I knew I was in labor, I took a bath and shaved my legs and began to get ready. I began calculating in my mind the things I wanted to get done before I left for the hospital. I wanted to curl my hair, do my make-up and get my kids off to school. I thought ok to play it safe I can maybe labor at home for 1 hour. I thought I could achieve all those things in 1 hour. I knew I didn't want to miss my epidural and wanted to get to the hospital fairly soon. However after getting out of the bath maybe only 20 min later, the contractions were close together and I was in severe pain! I bagged all my plans and called Pat who works 40 min away. I told him he needed to leave now and to hurry up! The baby hospital bag had been packed for weeks. But I hadn't really packed the things I needed and wanted because I use most of them on a daily basis. After throwing a few things in the suitcase in between severe contractions I began to get a bit panicky. Either I didn't remember the pain of having a baby or I was moving along REALLY fast. My worst fear of giving birth is having a baby natural. I realized I needed to get to the hospital soon or I was going to be pushing him out with no epidural. I called Pat back and said forget meeting me at home, I'll have Jessica drive me, just meet me there.
I went downstairs and woke Jessica up, we were in the car within 5 minutes. She looked at me kind of weird and said "what about the kids?" They were all still sleeping and I was about to leave them all home alone. I replied "they will be fine." But what I felt like saying was "who cares just get me to the hospital." Jessica dropped me off and I made my way up to labor and delivery.
Everyone seemed to be moving at the pace of a snail. The nurses told me to go back downstairs and check in at the front desk. Pat still hadn't arrived, and I was trying my hardest to be a nice pleasant person. Inside I felt like screaming at everyone. I politely as I could asked if I could get a room and be checked. It was only at this point that the nurses realized I was already in labor. They got me a room, Pat arrived, headed back downstairs to check us in. Everyone seemed so calm, and my legs were shaking uncontrollably with every contraction. I was in so much pain. They checked me and I was at a 7. I immediately asked for an epidural. The nurse replied that the anesthesiologist was in a c-section at the time, and at the rate I was moving she may not make it. I wanted to cry. My contractions were so close together I wasn't really getting a break and I felt like I couldn't breathe. I felt like something was wrong. I knew birth was a natural process, but this didn't feel natural. Pat began to rub my legs and I asked him "To please not touch me." I hadn't at all planned for a natural birth and I didn't want a natural birth! She told me she would get ahold of my doctor. I looked at Pat and said "I think I am going to die" And at the time I felt like dying was a much better option than delivering a baby. Holy Smokes labor is so painful. I told Pat to come here and rub my legs. I realized that just a few min earlier I had asked him not to touch me. I knew I was acting like a crazy person, but the pain was so unbearable. I was surprised how much the rubbing helped with each contraction. I began praying. At first I thought, should I pray that I can do this? But I didn't want to do it. And I began to beg heavenly father to please somehow let me get an epidural.
Luckily for me, my doctor was already in labor and delivery. He pranced into the room a few minutes later I really liked my doctor this time. Seeing him walk in brought this huge sense of relief from the anxiety I was feeling. At this point I'm sure I was at a 8 or 9. I asked him about a epidural and he said he would go put a good word in for me and go get her. I wanted to jump off the bed and kiss him. I really did, and he's an old man! The anesthesiologist came in, within a few min. I scribbled my signature on all the stupid paper work, and I do mean scribbled. It looked nothing like a signature. Within minutes the epidural began to work, but only on one side! My doctor said I would be pushing in a few minutes and then the pain would all be over. But the anesthesiologist said she could try giving me 2 more doses to see if that would work. I said yes. She did and it worked!!! And right after it was time to push! I know I basically went through all of the labor, but I was still so thankful that I was able to have the epidural for the pushing. Tender Mercy!
Jessica got here late tue night and Kepner was born early wed morning.
My labor went really fast, my water began to leak around 545 and then I started having contractions. Unlike my other pregnancies, these contractions started hurting pretty badly right away. I knew I was in labor, I took a bath and shaved my legs and began to get ready. I began calculating in my mind the things I wanted to get done before I left for the hospital. I wanted to curl my hair, do my make-up and get my kids off to school. I thought ok to play it safe I can maybe labor at home for 1 hour. I thought I could achieve all those things in 1 hour. I knew I didn't want to miss my epidural and wanted to get to the hospital fairly soon. However after getting out of the bath maybe only 20 min later, the contractions were close together and I was in severe pain! I bagged all my plans and called Pat who works 40 min away. I told him he needed to leave now and to hurry up! The baby hospital bag had been packed for weeks. But I hadn't really packed the things I needed and wanted because I use most of them on a daily basis. After throwing a few things in the suitcase in between severe contractions I began to get a bit panicky. Either I didn't remember the pain of having a baby or I was moving along REALLY fast. My worst fear of giving birth is having a baby natural. I realized I needed to get to the hospital soon or I was going to be pushing him out with no epidural. I called Pat back and said forget meeting me at home, I'll have Jessica drive me, just meet me there.
I went downstairs and woke Jessica up, we were in the car within 5 minutes. She looked at me kind of weird and said "what about the kids?" They were all still sleeping and I was about to leave them all home alone. I replied "they will be fine." But what I felt like saying was "who cares just get me to the hospital." Jessica dropped me off and I made my way up to labor and delivery.
Everyone seemed to be moving at the pace of a snail. The nurses told me to go back downstairs and check in at the front desk. Pat still hadn't arrived, and I was trying my hardest to be a nice pleasant person. Inside I felt like screaming at everyone. I politely as I could asked if I could get a room and be checked. It was only at this point that the nurses realized I was already in labor. They got me a room, Pat arrived, headed back downstairs to check us in. Everyone seemed so calm, and my legs were shaking uncontrollably with every contraction. I was in so much pain. They checked me and I was at a 7. I immediately asked for an epidural. The nurse replied that the anesthesiologist was in a c-section at the time, and at the rate I was moving she may not make it. I wanted to cry. My contractions were so close together I wasn't really getting a break and I felt like I couldn't breathe. I felt like something was wrong. I knew birth was a natural process, but this didn't feel natural. Pat began to rub my legs and I asked him "To please not touch me." I hadn't at all planned for a natural birth and I didn't want a natural birth! She told me she would get ahold of my doctor. I looked at Pat and said "I think I am going to die" And at the time I felt like dying was a much better option than delivering a baby. Holy Smokes labor is so painful. I told Pat to come here and rub my legs. I realized that just a few min earlier I had asked him not to touch me. I knew I was acting like a crazy person, but the pain was so unbearable. I was surprised how much the rubbing helped with each contraction. I began praying. At first I thought, should I pray that I can do this? But I didn't want to do it. And I began to beg heavenly father to please somehow let me get an epidural.
Luckily for me, my doctor was already in labor and delivery. He pranced into the room a few minutes later I really liked my doctor this time. Seeing him walk in brought this huge sense of relief from the anxiety I was feeling. At this point I'm sure I was at a 8 or 9. I asked him about a epidural and he said he would go put a good word in for me and go get her. I wanted to jump off the bed and kiss him. I really did, and he's an old man! The anesthesiologist came in, within a few min. I scribbled my signature on all the stupid paper work, and I do mean scribbled. It looked nothing like a signature. Within minutes the epidural began to work, but only on one side! My doctor said I would be pushing in a few minutes and then the pain would all be over. But the anesthesiologist said she could try giving me 2 more doses to see if that would work. I said yes. She did and it worked!!! And right after it was time to push! I know I basically went through all of the labor, but I was still so thankful that I was able to have the epidural for the pushing. Tender Mercy!
