A Labor Day Meme-A Couple of Days Late

Shannon hosted this fun Labor Day meme, about all things related to childbirth and labor, over at Rocks in My Dryer. I'm a few days late but given I'm about 20 weeks or so away from my third "Labor Day" I thought I'd play along anyway.

How long were your labors?

Daisy-31 hours I had the privilege of being in labor with Daisy while I had Influenza A. Actually, I was just beginning to get sick before I went into labor. The extra special part was that my husband was sick too. He was the one who got me sick in the first place. We had an interesting experience to say the least. Coughing and hacking together, quarantined in the hospital with our newborn, wearing face masks to avoid breathing on our fragile baby. Definitely one for the record books!

Simon-17 hours Unfortunately, my mother-in-law became ill when I was about 36 weeks pregnant with Simon. She suffered from Alzheimer's and had begun to develop complications. Hubby spent about a month dividing his time between our home and his mother who lived about an hour and a half away. She passed away 4 days before my due date. I spent most of that month trying not to go into labor. Then, I spent more time trying not to go into labor before the funeral (which was held on my due date). After that, I still tried not to go into labor because I didn't want to have a funeral and a "birth day" so close together. I apparently tried to hard not to go into labor because I was eventually induced.

How did you know you were in labor?

Daisy-water broke at 39 weeks
Simon-induction at 41 weeks

Where did you deliver?

Both children were delivered at our local hospital.

Drugs?

Daisy-I tried desperately to deliver Daisy without drugs but after 20 hours of Pitocin induced contractions, and you know, having the flu-I caved and got an epidural.

Simon-I went in knowing all too well the pain of Pitocin induced contractions and the bliss of an epidural. I got an epidural as soon as I could. Which was 14 hours after the very first Pitocin induced contractions. My body doesn't understand the whole labor concept whatsoever. It took me that long to get from 1cm-4 cm.

C-section?

I was blessed to have been able to avoid a C-section with both my children. However, I'm convinced that Daisy would have been a C-section had I had an OB and not a midwife. I can't imagine how awful it would have been to have recover from a C-section while coughing my lungs out with the flu. My midwife was truly a Godsend.

Who delivered?

My amazing midwife, Lisa, delivered both my children. I may be out of luck this time though because Lisa is expecting her own bundle of joy in November and our baby is due in January. I've met the other midwife in the practice though, and I think we'll get along just fine if Lisa isn't available to deliver this baby.

Let me know if you played along with this meme. I'd love to hear all about your "Labor Days!"