I'm not a doctor, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night...

Monday, August 18th

Well, here is the post that you all have been waiting for with bated breath...

I will start this post by saying that John and I were planning on a "natural birth" which focus on relaxation and knowledge instead of using medication. We decided to do this because studies have shown that babies are subjected to the narcotics that the mom takes during the birthing process (and opiate based drugs can't be good for a little baby). In addition, the use of medication results in a much higher likelihood of a C-section and a lower likelihood of being able to bond/nurse in the first hour of life which is very important for mother-baby bonding. We attended a 2 month class (one night a week), called the "Bradley Method" and we did quite a bit of homework. John and I both read 2-3 books and John even re-read his books a couple of times! We planned on doing the majority of our labor at home since the hospitals really push epidurals and c-sections if the baby isn't on "their timeline". We were prepared at home and in the car, all the way down to an "emergency bag" with sterile water, a large bowl, lots of towels, first aid, knives, and flashlights... We planned to head to the hospital towards the end of 1st stage labor (average is 15-19 hours for a first timer) and arrive before 2nd stage labor (the "pushing labor" which takes an average of 2-4 hours). Alright, now for the good stuff...

5:45AM: I awoke to a loud knock in my pelvis which turned out to be my water breaking. I got out of bed and waited 15 minutes to wake John up.

6:01AM: I woke up John after having 3 contractions in 15 minutes and I told him, "I think this may be the 'real thing'". John immediately put on his "Labor Coach" hat and began to monitor my contractions and note my symptoms to determine where I was in my labor. Because my contractions were so erratic, John decided that I was probably in "false labor" and he recommended going for a walk since that can help stop false labor.

6:15AM: We went for a walk and my contractions stabilized to 2 minutes apart and 45''-60'' in duration and I became more symptomatic (nausea, GI issues). John finally became convinced that this was the "real deal"!!!

6:30AM: We were back in the house and my contractions were still stable at 2 min apart and 60'' in duration. After a bout of vomiting up all the water that John was making me drink, I went to the shower to try and relax. I spent about 20 minutes in the shower letting the water run over my back and tried to relax through the contractions.

6:50AM: John got me out of the shower and dried me off and went back to bed to work on relaxing through the contractions. John coached my labor and massaged and talked me through the contractions. He was so sweet, doing his best to use the relaxation techniques! I think I was more tensed that relaxed most of the time. I would be relaxed as the contraction started, but then as it peaked I would tense up and yelp. These were some really painful contractions and honestly, they were way worse that I thought they would be.

7:15AM: My contractions were still stable and becoming progressively more intense and I tried to convince John to take me to the hospital. John, being the labor coach, knew to watch out for certain signs to take me to the hospital and he thought that I just wanted the drugs (which it was crossing my mind at the moment!). John's job was to keep us at the house until just before the pushing started and considering we had only been in labor for a little over an hour, he didn't think it was time to go yet (like I said before, the average is 15-17 hours of this)!!

7:20AM: I finally convinced John to take me to the hospital. By convinced, I mean I swore at him to "Take me to the ------- hospital!!". John immediately decided that we were a LOT further in labor than we should be at this point.

7:30AM: We finally got to the car. It took 10 minutes to get to the car because my contractions were so close and so strong. We were both starting to get worried because I had a strong urge to push with my contractions (and to be honest, I couldn't NOT push).

7:40AM: John is driving like a man with a purpose trying to get us to the hospital, which was about 35 minutes away on a good day. I am having very painful contractions in the front seat and doing my best not to push while John tries to coach me while driving. Everytime I had a contraction, I told John that I felt the baby coming out. His response was "It's okay, babies aren't born in 2 hours and you've only been pushing for 5 minutes. The baby is NOT coming out." After each of my contractions John would feel for the baby coming out and nothing was there and he would reassure me.

7:45AM: John feels during a contraction and feels the baby "crowning" though my underwear. I swear, his eyes went as big a dinner plates when that happened. He immediately dialed 911 and pulled over to the nearest paved open area that wasn't a gas station. It turned out to be the "Desert Gardens" apartment complex right by Luke AFB.

7:50AM: John is in frantic motion while I am sprawled out on the front seat of out car. I have no pants on, the 911 operator is talking to John through the car's bluetooth headset, and I can look down and see Riley's head poking out. John has a basin of sterile water underneath me and he has the first aid kit out and ready. He sets up clean towels all around and grabs the first passerby ( a girl named Miriam) to help! Let me tell you, there is no modesty in the midst of delivering a baby. I was naked as the day I was born and I didn't care who saw - I just wanted that kid out!

7:53AM: The 911 operator is coaching John through the delivery and John is coaching me through labor. The head comes out and John is worried that Riley isn't breathing or crying and he starts to panic for the first time. Then Miriam says she sees Riley's eyes moving and John gets back into gear yelling for me to PUSH!!! John has a towel around Riley's head and he is gently pulling and I push.

7:55AM: I momentarily get hung up on Riley's shoulder's, but I give one last hard push and he seems to come out all at once. John immediately checks him to make sure he is breathing and okay and then wraps him in the towel and gives him to me to nurse. He is wrapped up on my chest and crying for all he is worth. John cuts a length of shoe lace and ties off the umbilical cord while Riley is on my chest.

7:59AM: The paramedics arrived and the first words out of their mouths is "Well, it looks like you have a pretty good handle on the situation. There is nothing for us to do!". They ended up cutting the cord and driving me to the hospital - and that's it. After the ambulance was ready, I got up and walked myself to the gurney and got in and off I went.

John met me at the hospital a few minutes later and then put us in a labor room while they looked Riley over. 10 fingers, 10 toes, and a healthy cry! A natural birth, through and through, although we both agree that it was a little more natural than we had planned on!!!

Riley Asher Wilson

Born at 7:55am

Weighing 9lbs 4oz (BTW- I didn't even tear!)

21 inches long

And perfect (of course to the new Mom and Dad!)

We had a few visitors in the hospital. Unfortunately, I didn't get pictures of our first visitors- some of my girl friends from the squadron.

Here's Pastor Steve, who came to see Riley and prayed over him- which was amazing of him to stop by!




Tracy and (toddler) Elizabeth stopped by to check out the little guy.

Grandma and Grampa Wilson met us at the hospital as we were being discharged.

More pictures to come from going home.