Labour and Delivery - Kathryn's Experience

From the day I found out I was pregnant one of my biggest fears about pregnancy was labour and delivery. Almost immediately I began imagining the pain that lay ahead of me; worrying about what would happen and how I would cope. Throughout the course of the following 9 months I spent a lot of time reading and watching videos about labour, talking to other moms about their experiences, gathering advice and visualizing what lay ahead. By the time my due date came and went, however, my fear diminished and the anticipation of meeting my baby took over. In all my visualizations of how it would happen, I never imagined being overdue at all – let alone by almost 2 weeks – or being induced.

After a long, long wait and three membrane sweeps (yes, I had 3) I finally began having contractions on a Monday afternoon. That night we went to the hospital, thinking I was in labour, but the contractions slowed down and I was still not dilating beyond 2cm, so I was sent home. I continued to have contractions (although not at regular intervals) on Tuesday and Wednesday – all day and all night. By the time I got to the hospital on Thursday morning for my scheduled induction I was absolutely exhausted. I had previously decided that I wanted to have as natural a labour as possible - I wasn’t ruling out the idea of an epidural, but I was going to try everything in my power not to get one. But, after 3 days and nights of contractions (which I know now were considered only “mild”) I had changed my plan and couldn’t wait to get an epidural. I knew I just didn’t have it in me to go through labour when I was beginning near my breaking point.

Ironically, I ended up going into labour on my own early Thursday morning. By the time I got to the hospital to be induced, my contractions were getting stronger and closer together, I had begun dilating and I was considered to be in “active labour”. We were given a room, introduced to our AMAZING nurse, Jerri, and the waiting began. Things progressed pretty quickly from that point. I was given a shot of morphine (which I didn’t really want but was talked into getting by the doctor) and my contractions got stronger and stronger. When I decided I could bear no more, and realized that the morphine was having no effect, I asked for an epidural. I was in so much pain at this point that I was no longer afraid of the needle, and it was over before I knew it. Up to this point in the day, I was relying fully on my husband, who was amazing at comforting me, praying with me and reminding me of the end result. After the epidural kicked it things changed. I became confined to the bed, but I was so exhausted that I no longer cared. With the morphine making me dopey and the 3 sleepless nights catching up I took the opportunity to nap. The next 5 hours passed very quickly and by 3:30 I was ready to start pushing. I heard from several mothers that pushing came naturally to them, that my body would know what to do, and they were right. It was hard work, and I know I would never have made it through those 90 minutes without the epidural or without the support of my husband and nurse. Finally, at 5:04pm my husband made the announcement: It’s a girl! As Ileana Sofia was placed on my chest all the pain and all the fatigue faded away! (Although I must admit, if I hadn’t see it for myself I wouldn’t have believed it wasn’t a boy).

Ileana Sofia meeting Mommy

The moment I first saw her was like nothing I’ve ever experienced – all the pain, all the uncertainty, all the fear and all the waiting became so worth it. I loved her from the moment I met her. One of my favourite moments of the day came shortly after she was born – when Ileana was placed in the arms of her daddy for the first time. Seeing his instant love for her, his natural ease and gentleness with her, stirred up in me a whole new level of love for him. We were finally a family!

Proud Daddy with his new baby girl

Recovery has been difficult, and adjusting to life as parents is a more of a challenge than I ever expected, but I am so grateful to God for the beautiful gift of our baby girl and am looking forward to all the lessons we have yet to learn as we begin this new adventure together!


(Read about Natasha' experience here.)