Ashley's Birth Story

I was 37 weeks pregnant and huge. This was my second baby and I was ready, even though I was early. I went to the doctor on Wednesday, June 6 for my 36-week check-up and my blood pressure was getting high and they thought (from an ultrasound the day before) my baby was already more than seven pounds. This was a shocker for me because my first baby was only six pounds, one ounce. I was not dilated or effaced, but I wanted this baby out.

My doctor set up an appointment for an induction for the next week on June 11. I was to go into the hospital the day before and get Cervidil to ripen my cervix. Then, on June 11, my doctor would come in and give me Pitocin to start my labor.

I went to the hospital on June 10 in the afternoon, and when the nurse checked me I was dilated to two and didn't even know I was having contractions every 14 minutes. My doctor was not on call that day so the doctor on call put the Cervidil (which looks like a shoelace) on my cervix at 5:30 p.m. By 6:00, my contractions were about two minutes apart and were lasting one to one-and-a-half minutes. I couldn't believe how quickly it started. By 8:00 p.m. I was dilated to four. My parents called and were shocked when my husband told them that I was having such strong contractions. (My first labor took 25 hours!)

By 10:00 p.m. I was really in good, hard labor and was now dilated to seven. I was begging for an epidural by this time, but the anesthesiologist was in a C-section. He finally arrived and I got an epidural at 11:20 p.m. He felt the epidural wouldn't work in time and he was right. I bet if the doctor had checked me, they wouldn't have even given me the epidural because suddenly, it was time to push. After three small pushes I gave birth to Ashley Nicole at 11:53 p.m. Luckily, the ultrasound was wrong about her weight. She was seven pounds, two ounces and was 19-3/4 inches long. I couldn't believe I was in labor for only six hours and I only had to push three times.

My doctor came into my room the next morning and couldn't believe that I had my baby in my arms. He asked, "What happened?" He was sure he would deliver my baby, but he was seven hours too late!