I hobbled into bed on Sunday night, convinced that I was going to go down in history as the world’s first woman to experience Eternal Pregnancy, since the baby seemed to be showing no signs of readying for her arrival. When I roused at two o’clock for my first pee of the night, I felt a painful twinge across my abdomen and deep in my pelvis, but dismissed it as just another teaser contraction like the ones I’d been having for weeks. Then another came, less than two minutes later. “These actually kind of hurt,” I thought. “But I’m sure they’re nothing.”
I didn’t want to wake my husband unnecessarily for the sake of a false alarm so I tried to just go back to bed. The contractions started to intensify, however, and I quickly found myself in too much pain to even think about sleeping. I got up, packed up our toiletries and bags for the hospital, then woke Steve up with the cliched phrase, “I think it’s TIME.”
He was groggy and as we packed up our final things I was finding the pains to be coming faster and stronger each minute. My mother-in-law had been staying at our house so we let her know we were heading to the hospital and she came upstairs to be near the girls.
We hopped in the van and took off. The contractions were coming so close together and I was having to moan my way through them, clutching the handle of the door as we rounded the corners of the highway. It was a ten minute drive to the hospital and as we neared the city I kept on saying, “Go faster! I’m feeling some pressure!”
We got checked in to the Labour and Delivery ward and by that point I couldn’t even walk. I tried to joke with the staff that I had a one-word birth plan: Epidural, but that since it was the middle of the night I’d probably have to wait for a while.
The nurse checked me and declared I was at 8 cm.
WHAT?!
The pain was crazy and I was barfing and shaking and then my water broke and I screamed, “I need to PUSH!” and in (no lie) one primal push she was born. We’d been at the hospital less than 20 minutes!
From the time I woke up with that first contraction to the time she was born was just over an hour. I’ve never been one of those women who dreams of a drug-free, natural childbirth, but I got one whether I wanted it or not!
I couldn’t believe it. When they placed her on my chest it was just so surreal. How had I been pregnant a mere hour ago and now there was a beautiful, slimy, healthy little girl latched onto my breast?
We are so thankful.
Her name is Brinley Anna and she is more than we could have hoped for.
My delivery with Becky was almost identical, except we were at the hospital only 10 min. She was also our 4th. Congrats, God bless, Nelly
You look beautiful – a totally different look I ‘ve not seen on your face before.
Wonderful! God is good!
she’s gorgeous, you look beautiful, and i love her name the most out of of all your girls!
One hour?! Dude. (A friend of mine had her second that quicky…on the rug in her living room as she was trying to hobble to the car!)
You’re a champ, Amanda. And you look radiant as always.
Congrats! She is beautiful!!
Congratulations to you all. She is beautiful and with a beautiful name to boot!
Congratulations!!! Your story hit home – I arrived at the hospital at 9cm and baby was born within 1/2 hour of being admitted….and people don’t understand why that super-quick labor/delivery was, in some ways, more difficult than the slower one (more intense, right?). You look beautiful, fabulous necklace (who thinks of that?!)
Doesn’t it feel great to be able to see your toes again, to be able to sit down and stand up with ease, to be able to cross your legsamd put on shoes with laces….I could go on and on. Man it feels good to get those babies out!!! Aside from the pain of child birth of course. I think your new baby girl is beautiful. I wish our girls could meet. It feels like they had matching stories. I look forward to reading more about Brinley. Take care Amanda.
CONGRATULATIONS!!! You’re both absolutely lovely, and what an awesome birth story. 😀 Thanks so much for sharing… Welcome to the world, Brinley!
Congratulations!!! That is wonderful! THough i’m sad the forty week wait will come to an end! Hope you’ll keep us updated on your three beauties!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You look absolutely beautiful, even after just giving birth!!! You are a rockstar!!!
Woohoo!!!! congratulations and welcome Brinley! and I’m with Ashley – gorgeous necklace.
Congratulations! She is darling. So glad everything went well (and quickly) for you both.
So glad she’s arrived and that it wasn’t super long. After whirlwind Audrey blew threw I know how you feel. Fast labours, while great to be done, make me long for an epidural.
And also, fabulous necklace. Did you a)forget to take it off the night before, b)put it on in hopes of stunning your new baby with your fashion forwardness or c)put it on just for the photo?
She’s gorgeous (so are you)! Congrats!
Congrats Amanda, she’s gorgeous. What a great birth story.
SO glad she’s here. I’m glad it was fast and you didn’t have endure another forty hour labour. Your body just knows what to do now I guess hey? You look so amazing in the picture. Such a picture of the fist moments of a new baby. Exhausted yet content.
Congratulations! I’m so happy she is here, I felt so bad for you. One hour is very quick! I hope you are doing alright and Brinley is nursing like a champ!
Congratulations, Amanda! What a great story and the picture is just beautiful.
So exciting…you look wonderful, baby looks perfect, and I love her name too!
Congratulations, AMAZING story. We can’t wait to meet her soon!!!
Yay, you guys! You definitely earned a fast labour after your first two. 🙂
i was wondering what was going on! now _that’s_ how it’s done 🙂 sounds like the perfect birth to me!
So this is how you look in the middle of the night, and after just giving birth? I hate you just a little bit. (You wear jewelry to bed?) lol
What an awesome birth story, Amanda! And now I’m feeling bad for making my mom go through thirty-six! hours of labor with me. Yee-ikes.
Wow! After 4 hours of pushing (and a day of labor), I am in awe of you (and a little envious). Congrats on your baby girl!
That’s amazing! Congrats to you and the entire family – she’s beautiful! I would be interested in your thoughts now that you’ve done both the natural and the epidural way. Of course, it would be hard to compare a ONE HOUR labor & birth to any other labor & delivery since that’s a category of birthing all on its own 🙂
Congratulations!
Is it just me or are you the only one to dawn a beautiful necklace at 2am in order to give birth?
Welcome to the “it-takes-me-longer-to-make-chili-than-give-birth” club.
Very cute tired turtle. Perfect description. What an entrance! Already got her sisters’ flair for the dramatic. 🙂 Laura – you’re so right, the 3rd is such a wild card. My third came 11 days late in the middle of a snowstorm in the wee hours of Christmas Day.
Congratulations!
You might as well have just stayed home. (kidding!)
She looks beautiful, and you look great. What an amazing and fast labour and delivery. Those 3rd babies are certainly a wild card!
Congratulations! Her name is beautiful too 🙂
Quick labours are scary intense but its lovely to have it over so soon. Hooray for the end of an eternal pregnancy!
I got a little misty reading that. So crazy! I’m glad it went fast for you though, over and done with!
Congratulations!
Congrats! So glad to hear you are both doing well. Can’t wait to see mire pictures of your beautiful little girl. Welcome to the world Brinley Anna!
Wow!!! What a story! Congrats to you and your family! She is beautiful and I love the name!! My birth story is very similar, but it was my first. I feel very blessed for such a quick labor! Enjoy your new sweet pea!!
Congrats! That’s amazing!!! She is adorable.
You look beautiful!!!
What a great birth story. I’m glad she gave you a break after the first labor you experienced!
Congratulations! Love the name, and glad it was quick, painfree or not. 🙂
Girl. I am in awe. When I saw Angella’s post a few days ago, I was stunned. Stunned probably isn’t even the right word.
You’re a superhero. SO SO glad that you’re all happy & healthy, and the picture of Avelyn…*PRICELESS*
*Hugs from afar*