Levi's Story

3:30 am I woke up in pain. I thought I must have a very full bladder so I rushed to the washroom. Once my bladder was no longer full the pain continued and it hit me... Im in labour. Levi is on his way.

Now, I was prepared for the labour to stap at around 5 in the morning and to restart again in the evening... the way it went with Matthew. So I paced and paced, I rocked and breathed... and the labour didnt stop. I thought of getting some sleep but everytime I tried to sleep it hurt too much. The pain was intensifying and it wasnt stopping. This was good.

I had a good attitude about it all because I was so determined to have Levi TODAY!

I accepted the pain of the labour as helpful. I actually visuallized a baby head decending into the canal with every contraction. I breathed with the pain and stayed as relaxed as I could.

I didnt wake Dave until 8 am. I was beginning to get a bit paniced because the contractions were very close together... especially if I moved. I was just about ready to say we had to go, right away.

Dave woke up to my forehead on his feet (he was asleep on the couch) in the middle of a contraction.

"are you in labout?" he asked.
"oh ya" i responded.

I didnt communicate well with Dave at that point about just how intense the pain was because he got up, got Matty some breakfast and then decided he would have a shower. In my head Im thinking: "what? a shower? hello there, I need a hospital!"

Anyways, once he got out I had brought bags to the front door and clothes for Matthew out and pretty much told DAve that we had to get going. And we did just that. We rushed Matty upstairs to my sister in laws and they brought him to church and to Oma and Pake. I slowly and painfully headed to the car where Dave had put my bags and we were off.

A brief stop at the coffee shop in the hospital before we went and checked in (Dave needed sustenance) and then we were in a room, wiating to be examed.

Once examed they were excited to see I was 5 1/2 cm dialated and they got me to a delivery room right away. At this point it was 9:30. I met the OB who would be delivering my baby as well as the nurse and a student who would be observing and helping where she could. My docotor also showed up shortly after I got into my room.

I laboured calmly in the tub and in my room and very quickly got to 10 cm. They werent surprised. They were expecting a very quick delivery because of red hair. That silly observation that people with red hair have quick deliveries. Anyways, things had gone quickly so far and now I was ready to push.

After one push they were certain Levi would be born in the next few pushes. I had a strong push and the contractions were good and close. They were wrong. Levi has the same issue as Matty. His head was turned the wrong way and it was stuck. After 45 minutes or pushing they thought they should bring in a specialist to try and turn his head manually. Boy did I pray. I knew it would hirt to have someone go in there and turn his head. Sure enough, when she came and observed my push, Levi turned his head and immediately lowered into the canal. A few more pushes and his hair was showing (his bald little head with just a bit of hair).

In the end, Levi was born after 1 hour and 15 minutes of pushing. Exactly the same as Matthew. What relief when he finally came out. It was so intence. It was an experience without any medication. It was actually quite helpful too... knowing where to feel the pressure and where to focus the push. But I was so wasted.

Levi was born, and I heard his little cry from across the room. I was done pregnancy stage and was now on the end I was so looking forward to. Mothering two boys, not just one.