The Fast and the Furious

Ever since I got the go ahead for natural childbirth I have been obsessed with the signs of labor and such. Ask my friends and family and they will tell you I have been drilling them with questions about Braxton Hicks, contractions, mucus plugs and breaking water. I am sure I will recognize the signs once they arrive but its makes me feel better to ask questions. It makes me feel like I am doing something rather than just sitting here waiting for the fruit to ripen.

So while we are all waiting, here are two stories to illustrate that the baby comes when the baby is ready.

My cousin, Alina, had gestational diabetes during her 2nd pregnancy and as a result once the baby was far enough along they decided to induce. Well she and her husband check into the hospital the night before so they could be ready bright and early to start the induction. At some point that night she began to feel some pain and the nurse were letting her have pain meds and get in the tub to help ease them. Some time late that night she wanted more meds so she sent her husband to get the nurse. The nurse came into check her to see if she was dilated or something to that effect. When she lifted up the sheet the baby was crowning. The nurse freaked out because she was just a floor nurse not a labor and delivery nurse. Alina says at that point the baby just 'shot out' on to the bed. Everyone was pretty shocked it had happened so fast.

Not to be out done.... My cousin Jason and his wife were expecting their third girl on November 11th. She had been feeling some contractions early Saturday morning, the 10th but by noonish
they had gone away. Feeling like they were close to delivery, they started making arrangements for their two other girls to be cared for in case they needed to got to the hospital that night. Jason left the house with both little girls to run a last minute errand. On his way back home he gets a call from his wife, the contractions have started again and he needs to get home NOW! Jason arrives, unloads the girls and goes to get his wife ready to leave for the hospital. He's trying to call the doctor at the same time to let them know they are on the way. He finds his wife in the bathroom. She take a step towards him and says "You are going to have to catch this baby." He drops the phone and catches the baby. Jason says the whole thing took about 3 minutes. By this time the doctor is on the line coaching him through the delivery of the placenta. EMTs show up soon there after, clamped off the cord and give them a ride to the hospital.
Jason said "I don't know why we need to go to the hospital after I did all the work!"

So at this point to one up each of them I would have to give birth in my car or on my desk at work. Let's hope that doesn't happen.