Preparing for Labor & Delivery

I have been preparing these past few weeks for Labor & Delivery. Granted, I'm still 8 weeks away (more if you consider Paisley and Colby both went WAY past their due dates), but I have decided to devote as much time as I can to preparing for this L & D. This devotion comes mostly from the desire to have an easier birth experience than my last one.

Paisley, my first child, was 10 days overdue when the doctor told me I had to be induced because my water was getting low which was a danger to the baby. I went to the hospital that night, was given a dose of cervadil and woke up early the next morning in active labor. Total labor time was 13 hours which is pretty good for a first baby. She was a small baby, and while it was painful it was definitely manageable pain and I would welcome another L & D experience like this one if given the choice.

Colby, on the other hand, was not so easy to birth. He was 7 days late and perhaps it didn't help that everyone told me time and time again how EASY my second child would be in L & D and that he would just pop right out. I should never have believed them!! I'm sure it's true for most people that each consecutive labor gets easier... but Colby was quite the opposite. Once again, the doctor sent me to the hospital one night to be induced (again low water issues) and they gave me the cervadil which kicked me into labor - this time waking me from sleep in the middle of the night. He was a big baby and descended down while pressing on a bone or nerve that caused me great, great pain with every contraction. This labor lasted 13 hours as well (so much for the quicker 2nd L & D) and I can honestly say I've never felt such excruciating pain as I did that day. I honestly lay there thinking I would adopt my next child - or at least consider an epidural.

So... with this knowledge I am praying for a different outcome, but expecting our 3rd child to arrive late as well and for the doctor to tell me I once again have to be induced. (Sigh!) However, I have been walking an hour each day as well as swimming 25 laps in the pool daily in the attempt to help my body do what it's supposed to these last few weeks to prepare for L & D. I am doing pelvic tilts and squats on a regular basis and I am mentally telling myself that this labor will be easier (isn't there some saying about "mind over matter"?) I am hoping to continue the walking right up to my due date - and come October, if I have to walk 4 hours a day (or even hoe my entire backyard) to get this baby to come on her own... I am prepared to do so. Of course, my first prayer is that she is healthy. My 2nd prayer is that she comes on her own (i.e. no induction). My 3rd prayer is that she is a small baby like Paisley (looking that way so far) and that she comes descends and births easier than Colby did. And my final prayer is that Dr. D (my favorite ObGyn) is on duty to deliver.

I keep telling God that I know this is a tall order, and I should just focus on the healthy baby/ healthy mama angle... but I figure it never hurts to ask. He does care about our every desire!!

Well... I'm off to swim my 25 laps for the day. I sure hope I don't end up with chlorine hair!