Okay, a little background information first...
Around 30 weeks or so the Doctor told me that I was measuring 2 weeks ahead (which is completely normal). Then at 35 weeks she checked me and said that I was already dilating (1cm) and thinning out. She said that that was great for 35 weeks. She also got me a little excited because she was so enthusiastic herself when explaining all this to me. Then at my 36 week appointment I just met with the midwife who said I was still measuring ahead, but did not check me or anything. I proceeded to my 37 week appointment, which I was really 37 weeks and 2 days. The midwife checked me and said, "How dilated were you at your last appointment?" I told her that I wasn't checked last week, but that at 35 weeks I was 1cm. She then goes, "Well honey, you are 4 cm dilated and extremely soft." I about fell off the table. Because Jong and I had just had our birthing class we learned that 1-3cm was early labor, 4-7 was active, etc... So I asked her "isn't that considered active labor?" She just said that if I was contracting they would have sent me to the hospital, but I was not contracting, and just continued to have mild cramping for several days. They next 2 days I was for sure that I was going to go into labor in the middle of the night. However, I woke up each morning and nothing...
So the story begins...
Around 11pm saturday the 17th, I felt a little uncomfortable cramp. I then felt it several more times and it hit me that these could be contractions; which only took me about 30 minutes to come to that realization. I had never felt any before, not even braxton hicks throughout my pregnancy. So around 11:30pm I started to time them. They were about 7 minutes apart and still I was in no pain, so I thought they were fake. Then about 1am the contractions were still coming and were still consistent, so I did what any girl would do and called my mom. Her and my dad said they sounded like the real thing, but to stay at home and wait to see if they got closer together. Well, this got me super excited and I told Jong that we might be having this baby today... He then got extremely anxious and started timing them with me. Well around 3am the contractions had stayed consistent and started to get closer together. I called the doctor, and NO answer! I freaked, so I called again, still no answer. So again I called my parents and asked their advice on what to do, because if I went to the hospital , I did not want to get sent home. My dad, working in a hospital himself, said call them back, it may take them a while to answer. So I did, and I let it ring and ring and ring and ring, it finally jusy cut me off. Well, in the meantime I had had several close contractions, like 3 minutes apart, but then they would go to 5 minutes, 7 minutes, and back to 3 minutes. I got scared because since I was already 4cm dilated I didn't know how fast I would progress and I did not want to have this baby in my bathroom! I was upset and crying that no one answered the phone. So I got out of bed, grabbed my bag and said to Jong , "Come on, we are going to have this baby!"
We made it to the hospital all anxious and excited, still not knowing if this was "it" or not. But they admitted us, put us in the room, and had a nurse come and check me. Now I thought all the staff was wonderful, however this particular nurse I could tell was thinking "Why is this girl at the hospital?" I mean I was contracting but I wasn't in any pain (yet...) She checked me and told me I was more like 3cm dilated. I thought to myself, "There's no way, I couldn't have gone backwards." But I just told myself that my midwife had more training so my midwife was probably correct. A few minutes later the head nurse came in and told me that my midwife wanted to keep me for an hour and see what changes my body made on its on. Also, because I was 37 weeks they would not give me anything to help the process along-I had to go all on my on-and may I just say I was just 2 days shy of 38 weeks, but they still just considered me 37 weeks. So I walked around the room for an hour and Jong helped me do some squats. The nurse came back in and checked me again and said that I was a real good 4, so since I had made progress she'd talk to my midwife and see what she wanted me to do next. Next, I got to relax in the tub for 45 minutes. I didn't know this at the time but if you get in the tub and are having "fake"contractions it will help to stop them, but if they are "real" then it helps them along and you'll progress. I noticed while in the tub that my contractions were more intense, but I still wasn't in horrible pain or anything.
After the 45 minutes, my nurse came back in and told me that my midwife was coming to see me and check me again. She also was very encouraging and told me that she really thought I wasn't going home without a baby. I was checked again and I was a good 6 cm! Whoo hoo! My midwife said "Wow, you're going to go quick...and Oh! did you feel that? Your water just broke!" I thought to myself "thank gosh I didn't just pee on myself! After my water broke the pain started-my contractions were intense and I was ready for the epidural! They had known I wanted the epidural, so they got everything started quickly and within 30 minutes I felt good and relaxed!
This was all around 8:30am and we finally knew that we were not leaving the hospital without our sweet little girl! This is when ALL the phone calls were made! I got to relax for 2 hours since I hadn't had any sleep and Jong and I both started texting and calling away!
About 11am my nurses came in and we pushed for 30 minutes. I say "we" because it is definitely a team effort! Then they turned down my epidural so I would feel more pressure and flipped me on my side and let me lay in that position for 20 minutes. They wanted the baby to move down a little on her on without me doing more pushing. I then started to feel more pressure so I called them back in and we pushed again for about 30 minutes and finally our sweet little bundle of joy was here!
I can't describe the feeling. It was truly amazing and such a gift from God. To finally have her here and look at her and hold her. My emotions were all over the place, as were Jong's. And that's our story of our baby girls arrival. I was very fortunate to have an easy and quick labor and such a wonderful team helping me all along the way!
Kensleigh Parker Kim
Born September 18th 2011
Our first family shot. Both of us hadn't slept in like 36 hours, so please excuse the tired eyes!!!
