In honor of Labor Day, I am reposting this Labor Day Meme that I participated in last year. After all, the labor of bringing children into this world is the hardest and yet most rewarding labor I’ve ever done.
How long were your labors?
EA & MC: I didn’t labor at all. They were delivered by emergency c-section at 30 weeks gestation.
Will: 20 hours (at least, that’s all that I’m counting)
How did you know you were in labor?
EA & MC: I guess I didn’t. My doctors decided to deliver because I had preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome…I wasn’t doing well at all and we waited exactly 48 hours after I was given a shot of steroids for their lung development.
Will: I was in pre-labor/early labor for a couple of days and decided to go hiking with Keith and the girls the morning before I went in for my 39 week OB visit. She thought I would be ready the next day, so she planned an induction.
Where did you deliver?
EA & MC: Greenville Memoral Hospital in South Carolina
Will: Blanchfield Army Community Hospital at Ft. Campbell
Drugs?
Yes, oh, yes! With Will I didn’t realize just how much pain I was in until I got the beloved epidural. What relief!
C-section?
EA & MC: yes, emergency c-section
Will: VBAC….no c-section!
Who delivered?
EA & MC: my OB, accompanied by lots of specialists and doctors from the NICU
Will: I think it was a midwife….after being with me for over 12 hours, my OB had to leave. She turned me over to the OB in charge of the department who had to attend a meeting. The midwife stepped in when it was time to deliver.
Here are pictures of each of them after birth:
EA (3 lbs 5 oz)
MC (2 lbs 8 oz)
Will (9 lbs 3 oz)
I hope you enjoyed learning a little more about me and my labor experiences. There will be more detailed stories to come in the future.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
What precious baby pictures. I can’t imagine being in labor for 20 hours. Luckily I got my babies already made! (These were my stepchildren who I’ve had since toddler age so I never had to do the birthing process.) Thanks for sharing your stories.
Do you remember how long it took all of our girls to need the same size diapers Will had when he was born?! What special memories.
How I remember coming to the hospital when your sweet girls were born and praying so hard for their little lives. Its amazing to see their pictures now! God is so good!
thank you for sharing!! i loved this idea for a post so much i posted some stories about my boys!
What a great post. I might steal it!
What beautiful babies. Such a big difference in the girls and Will.
Oh Monica – You made me cry this morning. What a wonderful post/story. Isn’t it just amazing… Your friend, Emily Porter, is right. God is good that your girls, my boys, all the babies are well… healthy, happy and with loving mamas!
I wish I had been home in time to participate in such a fun carnival. It was great to hear your labor stories and I look forward to learning more about their births. Praise God that despite the scary preterm labor, your girls are doing so well now.
Beautiful pictures!!
Such sweet pictures! I am due in less than 4 weeks, so I’ve enjoyed (mostly) reading the stories of everyone from RIMD. My friends are also giving me some advice on our blog thanks to “labor” day. Thanks for sharing!!
what an awesome post, monica! i definately have to steal this idea too and post about my kids’ labor/birth
How fun to read about your labor stories! I also had a c-section (due to my first being breeched) followed by a VBAC.
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Oh my goodness, Will must have seemed HUGE after those tiny little babies. Thank God for the drugs right?
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