Natalie's Birth Story...Part Uno!

First, I so appreciate all of you dear friends giving me the time to adjust to being a new mommy and forgiving my lack of blogging.  I have found it incredibly difficult to fit in between the constant nursing, diaper changing, and snuggling with my little girl.  Hopefully we'll develop more of a routine soon, but until then, my days are determined by a 4 week old...


So...January 14th.  Seems like so long ago!  I had a doctor's appointment in the morning and was finally able to get my membranes stripped.  I was 39 weeks so I thought LET'S GO FOR IT!  Plus, I was sick of putting it off. 

And you know what?  It didn't hurt me one bit.  I was actually still waiting for her to do it when she was done!  She commented that she thought my pain tolerance was incredibly high as most of her patients were in tears during the procedure.  Go me!

After that, I stayed for my non-stress test and I was already having contractions!  I wasn't really feeling anything other than a little cramping so I headed home.  I tried to get some rest but around 11:30 the contractions started to feel more like, "Okay, I'm really in labor" contractions.  Not super painful, but enough to make napping impossible.  The couch became too uncomfortable for me so I headed upstairs to rest in bed.  I spent the rest of the day battling inconsistent contractions and wondering if this was really it.  I had read so many posts of people having contractions after getting their membranes stripped...only for them to stop.  So part of me didn't believe I was really in labor.  Little did I know...

Matt came home around 8 p.m.  I hadn't called him and told him I was having contractions because they weren't super consistent.  But by the time he got home, they were definitely painful and definitely coming more frequently.  After we ate, we headed upstairs to get the rest of our things together for the hospital.  He began timing my contractions for the next hour.  My doctor had instructed me to call when they were five minutes apart for one hour.  Well, after one hour of checking...they were four minute apart.  Whoops!

Matt called the hospital and let them know that we were on our way.  We arrived just before 11:30 p.m.  As you may recall, I was already 4 cm two weeks prior.  Well, when we got to the hospital, I was already...

To be continued....