My Birth Story (& how I think I successfully induced myself) *Update - Pic Added! =)
I had my beautiful baby girl, Makenzie Anne, on Monday at 12:27am. She was 7lbs 7oz and 18.5in long. Here's my story 
On Sunday I was 37+4 weeks pregnant. At my doctor's appointment just a few days before I was only 1/2cm dilated and 50% effaced. My pregnancy with my second daughter went to over 41 weeks until they induced me so I didn't want that to happen again. I decided I was going to try all the simple things to jump start the process. Saturday my husband and I brought our daughters to the park. I made sure I was on my feet all day and did tons of walking around. We even walked around a huge lake which was very exhausting but so worth it. Sunday my husband and I had sex at about 3pm. I always got braxton hicks contractions after him and I would have sex. This time was no different. They started right away but were the same as every other time. So I started to do squats too hoping at the same time I would move my daughter down a little. I could only do 2 sets of 10 squats at a time, but I did them a few times over the next couple hours. The contractions were still coming but not hurting at all so I thought nothing of it. I also did the acupressure between my pointer finger and thumb. I honestly don't think that did anything but I have no real way of knowing so I figured I would add it in here. By about 5pm I started to feel the contractions and I knew they were no longer braxton hicks. They still didn't "hurt" though and couldn't even time them yet so I didn't think anything of it. This same thing happened the last time my husband and I had sex the week before. I got contractions for about 4 hours then they just stopped. I figured the same would happen this time. At this point I wanted to know if they were going to stop so I did things to try and make them stop (laid on my left side, changed positions, drank tons of water, ect). They weren't stopping. By 8pm they were 4-5 minutes apart and I was calling my mom asking her what she thought. They were also stronger now. I know most people would go to the hospital by this point but I didn't want to because I was still convinced they were going to stop and I would just get sent home. By 9:30 the contractions were really bothering me and they were 3 min apart. I couldn't walk or talk through them. That's when I decided to call the doctor. He said "This is your 3rd kid, if you are telling me you are in labor then I believe you so head on in". I was still so hesitant because I just didn't want to be sent home so I took my time getting ready. I finished packing my bags and had to get our other daughter's bags together. We packed up the car and headed to my mom's house to drop off our 2 daughters.
We didn't get to the hospital until 11pm. By the time I got up to labor & delivery my contractions were 2 minutes apart and they were hurting. They started my IV and when my doctor got there (about 20 minutes after me) he checked me and I was 8cm dilated already! I went from being able to tolerate the pain to practically in tears in just minutes. I wanted the epidural sooo badly but there was no time. I had it with my other 2 daughters and I couldn't imagine pushing a baby out without one. I had no choice though. They broke my water and by that time I knew it was time to push already. I had the urge to push and I felt like she was coming out! They checked me again and said i was right, it was time to push. My baby was head up so the doctor wanted to turn her. When I pushed the first time he successfully turned her. Then with my next push, she was out. 2 pushes! Makenzie Anne was born at 12:27am...only an hour and a half after I got to the hospital! I can't believe I stayed home until I was 8cm. Could you imagine if I procrastinated any longer getting to the hospital!
Learn from this - only truly try to induce yourself if your doctor gives you the okay because it just might work. And don't procrastinate getting to the hospital. If I got there sooner I would have been able to get the epidural and if I waited any longer my husband would have been delivering her on the side of the highway! LoL
Makenzie is healthy, happy and absolutely perfect! I have truly been blessed.
On Sunday I was 37+4 weeks pregnant. At my doctor's appointment just a few days before I was only 1/2cm dilated and 50% effaced. My pregnancy with my second daughter went to over 41 weeks until they induced me so I didn't want that to happen again. I decided I was going to try all the simple things to jump start the process. Saturday my husband and I brought our daughters to the park. I made sure I was on my feet all day and did tons of walking around. We even walked around a huge lake which was very exhausting but so worth it. Sunday my husband and I had sex at about 3pm. I always got braxton hicks contractions after him and I would have sex. This time was no different. They started right away but were the same as every other time. So I started to do squats too hoping at the same time I would move my daughter down a little. I could only do 2 sets of 10 squats at a time, but I did them a few times over the next couple hours. The contractions were still coming but not hurting at all so I thought nothing of it. I also did the acupressure between my pointer finger and thumb. I honestly don't think that did anything but I have no real way of knowing so I figured I would add it in here. By about 5pm I started to feel the contractions and I knew they were no longer braxton hicks. They still didn't "hurt" though and couldn't even time them yet so I didn't think anything of it. This same thing happened the last time my husband and I had sex the week before. I got contractions for about 4 hours then they just stopped. I figured the same would happen this time. At this point I wanted to know if they were going to stop so I did things to try and make them stop (laid on my left side, changed positions, drank tons of water, ect). They weren't stopping. By 8pm they were 4-5 minutes apart and I was calling my mom asking her what she thought. They were also stronger now. I know most people would go to the hospital by this point but I didn't want to because I was still convinced they were going to stop and I would just get sent home. By 9:30 the contractions were really bothering me and they were 3 min apart. I couldn't walk or talk through them. That's when I decided to call the doctor. He said "This is your 3rd kid, if you are telling me you are in labor then I believe you so head on in". I was still so hesitant because I just didn't want to be sent home so I took my time getting ready. I finished packing my bags and had to get our other daughter's bags together. We packed up the car and headed to my mom's house to drop off our 2 daughters.
We didn't get to the hospital until 11pm. By the time I got up to labor & delivery my contractions were 2 minutes apart and they were hurting. They started my IV and when my doctor got there (about 20 minutes after me) he checked me and I was 8cm dilated already! I went from being able to tolerate the pain to practically in tears in just minutes. I wanted the epidural sooo badly but there was no time. I had it with my other 2 daughters and I couldn't imagine pushing a baby out without one. I had no choice though. They broke my water and by that time I knew it was time to push already. I had the urge to push and I felt like she was coming out! They checked me again and said i was right, it was time to push. My baby was head up so the doctor wanted to turn her. When I pushed the first time he successfully turned her. Then with my next push, she was out. 2 pushes! Makenzie Anne was born at 12:27am...only an hour and a half after I got to the hospital! I can't believe I stayed home until I was 8cm. Could you imagine if I procrastinated any longer getting to the hospital!
Learn from this - only truly try to induce yourself if your doctor gives you the okay because it just might work. And don't procrastinate getting to the hospital. If I got there sooner I would have been able to get the epidural and if I waited any longer my husband would have been delivering her on the side of the highway! LoL
Makenzie is healthy, happy and absolutely perfect! I have truly been blessed.
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