Jillian's Birth Story

For those that want to know about the labor, delivery, etc...Here you go: My prayer request with Jillian's birth was simple - I did not want to have a story. Let me explain...Adam was an emergency c-section, Jason was 21 hours of labor and 3 hours of pushing because he was face up, and Beth came too quickly (thanks to pitocin) and involved 2 hours of me screaming in pain and other problems I don't need to discuss here. Now I know many people have much more elaborate stories but just as many people have very simple, "I went into labor, went to the hospital, delivered my baby, end of story." I wanted that. I really, really wanted a VBAC (I hated having a c-section even though many people told me the second c-section was easier than the first). And I really, really wanted to labor on my own, without pitocin (never did that before). All this to say - my prayers were answered. Here's my non-story...I had lots of false labor type contractions for days, especially at night. I'd time them and they'd be mildly uncomfortable and anywhere from 7-20 minutes apart. On Friday night they were 7-8 minutes apart consistently but not too uncomfortable so I went to bed. I woke up at 5:45 and the contractions were more uncomfortable and 5 minutes apart. After timing 3 to be sure, I woke up Andrew who started calling church friends to come be with the kids. I got in the shower. I highly recommend this to all laboring mommies. The contractions got stronger but it was a very calm and comfortable setting. I get why some women deliver in a tub. An elder from our church showed up and we headed to the hospital (it was around 7 am now). The elder likes to say we were calm, Andrew was eating breakfast and I was still smiling. That's not how we remember it but it's nice to now that's the image we portrayed (or at least the one he was sharing). Andrew says I was in increasing pain (3 minutes apart now) and he was scarfing cereal and trying to be sure we remembered everything.
At the hospital the nurse was very amazed to find that I was so calm and coherent because I was 8 1/2 cm dilated (I was shocked, too). Yea, I did it! I went into real labor all by myself (note: because of the previous c-section I wasn't going to get any pitocin so either I went into labor and progressed by myself or I would have to have a c-section so being almost 10 cm dilated was fabulous news!) Jillian arrived at 8:48am. And one more thing: a delivery without pitocin is sooooo much easier for any of you mommies out there. I could talk and breathe and even smile between contractions. All in all, it was simple. I really have no story, just a few details, and God answered my prayers beyond my hopes. Praise Him!