Labor Day meme
In honor of the Labor Day weekend, Shannon has posted a labor meme. This works especially well for us since nearly all of my labors were on holidays. I've blogged the details of all my births already, but here is a quick summary.
To play along, just copy the questions to your own post and go leave your link with Mr. Linky at Shannon's place. Please take a moment to leave your link here in the comments too - I would love to read your post!
How long were your labors?
- 4 months. Braxton Hicks contractions started at 5 months and simply evolved into labor. All of my labors were like this. Or you could say 7 hours of really painful stuff.
- 5 hours of the painful stuff.
- 5 hours of pain.
- 5 hours of pain. OK, I'm estimating based on my memory. Are you buying this?
- 30 hours of steady contractions, but only 2-3 hours that were really not fun.
- Labor? What labor? This one arrived unexpectedly in the tub, with no one around but me.
- I think I quit counting around this time. 5'ish?
- A long time. Days, on and off. But again, just a couple hours of owwwww.
- 4 or 5 hours of please God when is this going be over?
How did you know you were in labor?
- When I realized that 4 months of steady contractions were becoming painful.
- Ditto.
- Ditto.
- Ditto. This one was born on Memorial Day. I like to say that Memorial Day was Labor Day that year.
- Ditto.
- Not long before the baby arrived. In the tub. With nobody else around. Did I mention that already?
- See 2-5
- Ditto.
- Ditto.
Where did you deliver?
All 9 were delivered at home: 6 in Ohio (3 each in two different houses); 1 at my parents' house here in Texas, and 2 in a small birthing pool on our deck.
Drugs?
Only if liquid calcium counts. It's my labor drug of choice. I did mention to my midwife last time that it sure would be nice if she happened to have the stuff handy for an epidural, but the suggestion got me nowhere.
C-section?
Yikes. Eww. I've never had a stitch in my life, let alone those huge staples they use to close you up. Anyone who has been through that and lived to tell the tale is my hero.
Who delivered?
A midwife was present each time, if that's what you're asking. We've had 4 different midwives in all, plus the occasional assistant midwife. But just hold on a minute. The midwife just said encouraging things and sucked the slime out of the baby's mouth. I want credit for delivering. I was the one who did all the hard work each time.
Fun? Go do your own! And since you're here, don't forget our girls' fundraiser for the Persecution Project!
Related posts:
- False labor and more on pregnancy
- Birth stories: #1-4
- A live-labor record from way back
- Liquid calcium for labor
- The year Labor Day fell on Memorial Day
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Filed under: Huh? Category?
Thank you for posting this! I was looking through the pages listed on the meme and I was beginning to think I was the only drug-free birthing woman!
I did my Labor Day Mene
How long were your labors?
1. Approximately 2.5 hours from the 911 call to the appearance of my preemie.
How did you know you were in labor?
1. When blood began gushing out of me at 33 weeks.
Drugs?
1. I had to be put out via general anesthesia because I was sliding into shock.
C-section?
1. Yes, emergency C-section that I’m still recovering from, 6 months on.
Who delivered?
1. My husband was five states away on a business trip at the time, and I have no local family. My doctors and midwife didn’t have privileges at the hospital the ambulance took me to, so I was delivered by the stranger who was on call. 5 days in the hospital for me, 17 days in the NICU for our son. To God be the glory for preserving us both!
Thanks for the link! I did mine, as well. I love labor stories!
I did the Labor Day meme too! I’m loving reading everyone’s birth stories! The only problem is the questions don’t encourage lots of good birth story details! I’m all about the details!
I find this appropriate to post that we are expecting another blessing again! Due end of April 2009! We are rejoicing and praising the Lord for this news! #6 for us!
Too fun, thanks for sharing!
Our first was a C-section, unplanned one even though we knew. She was breach and was not coming out bottom down without surgical help (even after attempts at an external version and soaking in the pool for over half an hour each day at the town home we lived in, and doing all those exercises they recommend! and even the old wives tales, hey, I was very desperate!).
Number 2 is due September 19, but is scheduled for a C-section on September 10, if we make it that long (if she goes any further south I have no idea where she will go!), but there are some medical things that make it clear i am not a good VBAC candidate. Oh well, as much fun as it is not, it is worth it for a healthy baby.
And I just trust that the Lord is protecting us from something we don’t know about.
Great stories! We too did the meme…its fun to see those who come from all walks of life
It was fun to read your meme response and I’m so glad I found your site because of it! Your camera review is great too by the way – really helpful, especially about the cheaper method of getting lenses!!
Kim,
I just wanted to thank you for getting us into Shannon’s game. Like some other women I have 4 c-sections under my waistband. Praise God for each of them too! I would do it again too, even though the doctors over here want me to stop. My God knows what is best & He will decide. Blessings!
I did it, too!
Wonderful!
I found this meme on someone’s blog, and now yours?! And following your link I see it on 150 other blogs! I am going to enjoy at least an hour of my bedrest reading about birth.
And praying anxiously that this lil one waits until March.
Posted my mine too Kim. How fun. With Marshall I went home on Labor Day.
I am number 200 on the Mr Linky thing. It was fun, but now I have the “ovarian guilt” thing because I can’t remember all the details for all the children.
LOL MamaOlive, I have some blanks in mine. I thought I should dig out their birth certificates in hopes that it would trigger something. But never quit got there.
I just posted on my blog, too. And I added a few details here & there.
God bless you! Nine births and nothing out of the ordinary. That is AMAZING! Thank you so much for sharing. My eyes opened REAL big when reading that #6 was delivered with nobody around. By then you were a pro at it though.
Wow, those are pretty amazing deliveries. I like the bathtub one the best…. I’m sure it was…shocking!
Thanks for sharing!!
I’m so glad I found this Labor Day event hosted by Rocks in My Dryer! I am due in exactly 4 weeks, so I’m glad to read all these labor stories!