A Crash Course in Labor and Delivery

My younger sister is due with her very first baby any day now. I wanted to do something to help her out--a break from the know-it-all, stuffy, medically-oriented books that all new moms read over at least three times before their baby's due date. So though I haven't recently given birth, I decided to pick the brains of my friends who have.

Thanks to my dear friends Sarah and Hillary (and little bits from me, here and there), here's a rundown of the labor and delivery experience from other first-time moms who had no idea what they were doing, either.

Labor and Delivery

Preparing for my induction. Well, as much as you can prepare, anyways.

What was the best part?

Sarah, whose little Ana was born February 4th, 2011, said, "The very best part of having a baby is the baby part. I was overjoyed the moment I saw my beautiful little girl. All at once she seemed both far too big to have ever fit inside me and far too tiny to be outside in the world. Her puffy, red face was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. My name instantly became Mommy. I’ve never felt anything so profound."

Hillary had little Zoie on September 26th, 2010. She continues to blog about her little girl and her family adventures. She said, "The best part for me would probably be right after she came out. I had a feeling of relief and when I saw Zoie, I saw a piece of heaven! Amazing feeling and probably the best way I (we moms) can get to feel the power of Christ's atonement."

What was the hardest part?

Sarah recalled, "My husband had to leave during the epidural. Not having him there to hold my hand through the contractions was definitely the hardest part. I had three very intense contractions before the needle was in. They were such vulnerable moments for me. It seemed too much to have to share with a stranger. Having my husband’s hand in mine would have made those moments much easier."

Hillary said the hardest part for her was "getting myself to relax. I struggled with that so much that I wasn’t able to dialate, so I spent 2 days with hard core contractions. So do your best to relax."

My baby, minutes after birth. Proof that babies can be
quite scary-looking and super-precious at the same time.

What do you wish you had known beforehand?

Sarah wished she "had known that the staff would keep the baby in the nursery until her temperature was stable. After they took her to the nursery to clean her up they put a diaper on her and laid her in a bassinette without blankets or clothing. She lay there for almost four hours before I saw her again, which was far too long! The nurse told me she still wasn’t holding her temperature well, but I just told her to bring me my baby anyway. I was her mother and if she was cold I would just hold her and warm her up. I wish I had said so sooner."

Hillary said, "This is silly but I wish I knew that I could have showered and cleaned myself up after delivering. I also wish I knew I could have put Zoie in her own clothes."

What do you wish you had done differently?

From Sarah: "I wish I hadn’t laid on my right side to watch the machine that recorded my contractions. The anesthetic drained into the right side of my body, and left the other side clear to feel the contractions."

And Hillary added: "I wish I would have brought some food for me to snack on in between the meals you get from the hospital. I also wish I would have taken the nurses up on their offer to keep Zoie in the nursery one night so I could get some sleep. I know as a new mom you want to keep your baby with you by your side at all times, but trust me--you would love and enjoy a night of sleep to relax your body from all the contractions, pushing, and all the other difficult and hard things it went through. Oh, and I wish I took more pictures after she was born--especially with me."

Sweet sweet baby Cambrie.

What are you very glad you did?

Sarah said, "I am very glad I got an epidural. I asked the anesthesiologist to give me a lower dose right from the start. That way I could still feel the contractions, so I knew when they were happening and for how long, but they felt more like cramps than unbearable pain. Having it made the entire experience much more pleasant. I had time to talk with my husband and just enjoy the anticipation without the interruption and pain of contractions.

"I’m also extremely grateful that we had a video camera. I had my husband film the birth, we strict instructions to record only from my shoulders up. Now we can look back and see the expression on my face the moment I saw our daughter come into the world."

Hillary had a very different experience: "I am very glad that I was able to do an all natural birth. It sounds scary, but I found that it made me a stronger woman."

I (Stephanie) would like to add here that for Cambrie's, birth, I was hoping to do it naturally. I wanted that experience of feeling I could do it on my own, and I was terrified of that awful needle. However, because of the super-long induction (and all the Pitocin and other drugs they used to coax my little on into this world), I ended up opting for an epidural. I still hope I can try for a natural birth in the future, but oh my goodness that epidural was 100% a gift from heaven. Seriously, I could hear the angels singing as the drug kicked in. :-)

What product or trick was super useful?

Sarah, whom I can attest is neither silly nor vain, said, "This is silly and vain, but the best product I used during labor was my makeup kit. I knew there were going to be pictures and I knew I would want to look at them in the future, and I didn’t want them to be too awful. Starting out with well-done makeup made me feel like I was prepared and had things under control. Besides, next to your wedding day, this is one of the happiest days of your life. Why wouldn’t you dress for the occasion?"

Hillary shared: "Doing yoga was very useful in delivery. Also, when you push use your abs and not your back. It’ll make pushing eaiser, quicker, and longer."

Thanks so much to Sarah and Hillary for their awesome advice! I know everyone's experiences are so different, but sometimes hearing these different stories helps prep us for our own impending visit to Labor and Delivery. Good luck, sister dear! We hope you get to meet your little girl soon!