All births should be like this.

It’s been less than two weeks since Logan was born and I feel like I am already forgetting the details of his birth. I’ve decided that I should write it down. It really was a great experience, one that I don’t want to forget.

My mom flew in on March 14 to be here for the big event. Since Connor was almost three weeks early, we all figured that Logan would follow suit. On March 15, I went to my weekly doctor’s appointment only to find out that I was barely dilated and not effaced at all. We were all a little bummed that he most likely wouldn’t be born that week. But, no ones ever been pregnant forever so I knew Logan would join us soon enough.

Fast forward one week later. I was anxious as my mom, Connor, and I headed to my weekly appointment. Would I be more dilated? Had all the contractions I’d been having done anything? Would my doctor want to talk about inducing? My doctor checked me and much to my relief I had progressed a little bit-I was 2 cm and 50% effaced. Dr. Araki decided to strip my membranes. Basically, this means she gave me the internal exam from hades! She ran her fingers (not gently, I might add) between the amniotic sac and my cervix. The theory is that this releases oxytocin and can stimulate contractions. She couldn’t tell me if it would work for sure or not, but it was worth a try.

After the internal, Dr. Araki and I talked about an induction. Because Connor was a vacuum delivery and Dr. Araki really wanted to avoid that with Logan, we decided that I would go to the hospital that evening to be induced. I was excited and nervous all at the same time. Appearantly, the anxiousness of it all caused a little bit of high blood pressure. My blood pressure is normally 120 something/ 70 something. That day it was 125/95. I was monitored for about 20 minutes and it didn’t go down. Because of this, Dr. Araki sent me right to the hospital. I didn’t even get to go home and get my stuff. I drove to the hospital and my mom went back to the apartment to get Derek and my stuff. We would be having a baby very soon!

It was about 11:00 a.m. when I was finally checked in, situated in the room, and wearing the oh-so-lovely hospital gown. I figured it was going to be a long day and night. Dr. Araki wanted to start with Cervadil, something they put in my cervix that will help it dilate and thin. If in 12 hours I wasn’t in labor, she would start the pitocin. However, Dr. Araki never had a chance to do either of those things. By 12:30 p.m. I knew I was in labor. The stripping of the membranes worked. I was contracting every 3 minutes or so and they were painful. There is no mistaking real contractions with braxton hicks!

At 2:00 p.m., Dr. Araki came in to see how I was progressing. I was 4 cm and 80% effaced. While she was checking me, my water broke. No turning back now! If my labor was anything like Connor’s from this point on, I knew it wouldn’t be long before I was ready to push. At 3:00 p.m., it was time for an epidural. Coming into this labor, I thought I might try and do it without drugs. Forget that! Once the contractions got really painful and I was only about 5 cm I knew I wanted the epidural. It was wonderful. It took away the pain, but I could still feel the pressure of the contractions. It was about 3:30 when my epidural was finished and I was 5 cm dilated.

Right after the epidural, Logan’s heart rate dropped drastically. It was in the 70s and 80s instead of 140s like it had been. I’m sure it was only a few minutes, but it felt like forever. Suddenly my room was filled with nurses. They put an oxygen mask on me, flipped me around in all different positions, and immediately put in an internal monitor to get a more accurate reading. The epidural made my blood pressure drop, which caused Logan to wig out for a few minutes. Luckily, his heart rate came back up pretty quickly.

At this point, I figured I had some time to sit back, relax, maybe watch a little Oprah. Boy was I wrong! Less than 30 minutes later I had this overwhelming pressure. I have never felt anything like it before. I was sure Logan was trying to enter the world from the wrong opening. My nurse checked me and I was ready to push! The pressure was Logan’s head, right there ready to come out. My nurse ran out of the room to get Dr. Araki. I did not believe her that it was time. I didn’t know it was possible to dialate so fast. Five cm in a half an hour?! No way. But, it was true. Dr. Araki came in and I started pushing.

It was so much easier this time because I could feel when I was contracting and I could feel the right way to push. I pushed through about 4 or 5 contractions and at 4:18 p.m., Logan Bennett entered the world. It was so amazing. They put him right up on my belly for a few seconds. He had a good, strong cry after just a minute or so. I remember looking over at him and just immediately being in love with him. It’s an amazing experience, one that doesn’t compare to anything else.

So, that’s the story. I feel so lucky to have had such a great birth experience. And I feel even luckier to have been blessed with not one, but two beautiful sons. Does life get any sweeter?