My second child was due one day prior to my first son’s second birthday. No problem, I thought, my first son was born 11 days early! But as I got closer and closer I got a little more worried. I really wanted them to each have a special day. I was really getting tired of being pregnant and asked my Dr. to be induced. Of course she comes back with a scheduled date of my first sons birthday! I did not care anymore, plus my first labor was so long there was still no much chance of being on the same day. At 12:20am, on my first sons birthday, I woke up in labor. Of course! By this time I had learned how to let my body do what it needed, and it was really pretty easy. I did not want to go to the hospital too early again, so I waited it out, waiting for the time when I felt like I did when I had asked for the epidural in my first labor. That did not come, but I started to not feel well, so I agreed that we should go. Well, one more contraction in the driveway and we were off, at 3:30am, 3 hours after I went into labor. As we were driving onto the on-ramp my body suddenly told me "PUSH"! So there we were, me hanging onto the bar in the car, holding myself up, while my poor husband was driving 115mph down the freeway. When we were one exit from the hospital I suddenly felt my water break, and the head of my baby start to come out. We ran so many stop lights, I couldn't even count them. My husband screeched into the emergency room parking, but too close to another car for me to open the door, after he moved it (while hitting the other car), the ER attendant came out and told me to stop pushing- HA! NOT POSSIBLE! The put me in a chair, while I propped myself up off of what I felt coming out, and took me back. By the time I got to the room, another contraction came and they had to yell at me to get me on the bed. The nurses took off my shorts, and saw the head ( I wont write here what they said!). One contraction later, as my husband walked into the room, my little boy popped out, caught by the nurses, at 3:43am, 13 minutes after we left the house. Looking back on the experience it was truly amazing, and incredibly empowering to feel such surges through my body. I had not planned it, but I had taken control of my birth, I had not given it over to another, and I feel stronger because of it. I missed my epidural, however the joy and rush of emotions that came from having a natural birth, as well as the hormones that were at sky high levels more than made up for it. I felt elated and in love after that birth, not sleepy and drugged as my first birth. I had always heard second babies come faster, but going from a 17 hour first labor to a 3 1/2 hour second labor, was truly unexpected, and yes, they share a birthday! :-)
Submitted by Tracy
Birth Doula-DONA trained
Childbirth Educator- CAPPA trained
Member- DONA, DASC, APA, CAPPA
(951)551-1538
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