What a night, our new daughter came at 0228 in the morning. She was 8lbs 5 oz, 19.5 inches, WTF you say? I hear you, I made the nurse re-weigh her twice, being sure she couldn't be over 7 lbs.
We made the decision to go in to VCU at 1800 and get things "started" after another day and night of variable degrees of contractions. Dilated to 4cm, random contractions, we requested to be ROM'd (breaking the water), nothing exciting happened, so let's start some "pit" (oxytocin, for augmentation of labor). A few hours later the contractions are booming every 2 minutes and really starting to hurt. Of course labor progressed and after about 7 hrs of increasing intensity, a lot of loud noises, tears and writhing in pain, my wife did it!. She was dilated to 9cm almost completely effaced, felt like she had to push and really couldn't stand the pain anymore. So, she pushed a little, the baby crowned, I coached her to focused and turn the pain into good pushes, and after about 6 0r 7 real good pushes that beautiful baby came out. Oh and did I mention the attending, had to insert her hand and physically push the cervix up over her head so she could come out. Yeah, ouch!
What an amazing woman, to fight through what could only be described from a bystander as the most obviously, excrutiatingly painful endeavour few women volunteer for now-a-days. I was so proud of her, she really did a great job with no epidural, no complications, and just true grit to pull through it. You are so amazing, baby, I love you. Thank you for another amazingly, beautiful baby girl!
