When Your Birth Plan Doesn't Go Quite The Way You Expected...

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When Your Birth Plan Doesn't Go Quite The Way You Expected... ^Sponsored

_{Started by jennifer , author of Tatertots and Jello} _{11/10/2011 3:00:10 AM}

Last month I wrote about my youngest daughter's premature birth, this month for the Million Moms Challenge, I am going back in time 15 years ago to the over-due birth of my oldest daughter.

My second pregnancy was going perfectly as planned and I was thrilled when I discovered I was having a girl. I had made a birth plan, my mother was coming out two days before I was to be induced to help with the new baby and to help care for our almost two-year-old son. Plus my husband had asked for time off from work.

I went into my last doctor's appointment confident that everything was turning out exactly as I had envisioned. My mom was scheduled to fly out the next day and I would have a baby within the week. Then things started to go off the grid. My doctor informed me that he didn't think my dates were right and he wondered if the baby was ready to be born. I had a strep test and it came back positive for Strep B which meant I needed to have antibiotics before the baby came. And I also needed an amniocentesis to find out if my baby's lungs were developed. What???

I was still confident that this baby was coming soon. My mom arrived and then I got the call with the results of the amniocentesis -- the baby's lungs weren't ready. It might be a couple of weeks before I could have the baby. I was measuring right but they weren't sure on my due date because of the amnio results.

So the waiting began. My mom played with my son. My son had his birthday and my due date came and went. Finally the day before my mom was going to fly back home, the doctor called and scheduled me to be induced. Hallelujah!!

The actual labor and delivery of my daughter went pretty quickly. She was a big baby, so delivering her was a challenge and there were some tense moments and a pretty bigepisiotomy because of her large head (she's still strong-willed by the way LOL).

{my oldest and youngest daughters}

But when I finally looked into her sweet face, I knew that love that I had also felt with my son and my other two children as well. It's as if a piece of your heart is outside of your body. Being a mother has changed my life for the better. I can't imagine my life any other way.

Childbirth is such an incredible moment, and I’d love to know what went through your mind when you held your baby for the first time? By replying, you will be entered to win an exclusive Million Moms Challenge Gift Pack, which includes an iPad2, a custom-made Million Moms Challenge pendant and a $50 donation in your name to Global Giving.

Please join the Million Moms Challenge and sign up today!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Million Moms Challenge. The opinions and text are all mine. Contest runs October 17 to November 13, 2011. A random winner will be announced by November 15, 2011.

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Reply by Katie

_{11/10/2011 5:57:15 PM}

I was in shock and so in love within an instant. I was two weeks overdue and had to be induced. The induction/labor lasted 19 hours and I was so tired by the end, but once I saw him coming towards me, all the pain and time was completely forgotten.

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Reply by Amanda

_{11/10/2011 6:02:15 PM}

The first time I held my first born, it was just utter bliss. After a long labor, and lots of pain, all of that was overtaken by feelings of pure love. With my second son, it was thankfulness just running through my head, as well as complete and utter awe of the miracle that lay on my chest. He had issues with his heart my entire pregnancy, and against the odds, he was born perfectly healthy! I'm not pregnant with my third, and I know one thing for sure. I will feel that same overwhelming love, the second this baby is placed on my chest.

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Reply by Connie

_{11/10/2011 6:21:23 PM}

It sounds sappy, but we both looked into each others eyes and I said, and felt with my whole heart, I love you.

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Reply by Kim

_{11/10/2011 6:32:53 PM}

I hemorrhaged when my first child was born and he came was coming out with the cord wrapped around his neck two times and as a result was having a hard time breathing. Needless to say, they whisked him off to the NICU and I was worked on for 2.5 hours (and many stitches later) to stop the bleeding. I didn't get to hold my son for 3 long afters after he was born. But when I did it was such an intense, immediate love. I had waited so long for him to come and he was so beautiful. I still feel my heart swell with the feeling of that day!

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Reply by Melissa

_{11/10/2011 6:45:37 PM}

I just had my second daughter on Halloween. Last fall we lost a little girl when I was 19 weeks pregnant to a fatal skeletal dysplasia. While most people ask if the baby has 10 fingers and 10 toes, I asked if she had arms and legs, and boy did she ever - all 22 inches of her are perfect!

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Reply by Brittany

_{11/10/2011 6:58:09 PM}

I know this is not a sappy response, but seriously I think my first thought was "how do they trust me to take care of this sweet, tiny thing???"

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Reply by Charisse

_{11/10/2011 7:03:26 PM}

The thing that I remember the most when I held my babies was "finally" and ultimate relief. My first born was evicted at 2 weeks overdue. I hadn't wanted to be induced but 2 weeks was plenty of time to wait and I was getting more and more depressed. The induction didn't take well and I started to hyper-contract with no actual benefit. Not until I had an epidural as well as saline was I able to progress. I was so exhausted that I quite literally had no idea how to push. My 2nd came on her due date, completely natural and in a birthing tub. Still I felt ultimately relief as it was now over. Not very spiritual or endearing but emotional all the same.

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Reply by Jessica

_{author of Nuchey's Mommy} _{11/10/2011 7:28:07 PM}

Hey Jen! Thanks for sharing your story :)I'm always interested in hearing people's birthing stories. My son (my only) delivery was very tramatic as he was rushed to ICU immediately so I didn't get to hold him right away. When I finally did get to see him a couple hours later, he was in a little incubater and I remember just looking at him and singing "you are my sunshine" then I finally got to hold him:) BEST gift ever :) You are right, being a mom changes you in so many way....for the better!

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Reply by Candace

_{11/10/2011 7:35:05 PM}

With my firstborn, it was all so surreal. We just stared at each other for the longest time, and I was so relieved to have gone through childbirth. With my second (a girl), the doctor delivered her halfway, and I was able to reach down and pull her out. I placed her on my chest and thought about how I couldn't wait for her to meet her big brother.

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Reply by Mariellen

_{11/10/2011 8:01:28 PM}

It's so funny to look back on the birth of our first daughter. I hired a doula, had a detailed birth plan and care plan for the baby, and a playlist on our ipod so she would enter the world hearing music we hand picked for her. (She arrived to Van Morrison singing Into the Mystic.). What's that they say about the best laid plans????? At 42 weeks I had to be induced, which resulted in non-stop contractions, which in turn led me to eventually have an epidural. At this point my birth plan was null and void! During the twelve hours of non-stop contractions, my senses were overloaded....music, lights, touch were impossible for me to handle. All of it didn't matter when she was born. I remember when I first saw her, I was overwhelmed with love. She was the greatest blessing I've ever received. Three weeks ago today I gave birth to our second daughter.....no birth plan, doula, or playlistist, although she did arrive to some Amos Lee as we had hoped she would, and she was greeted with as much joy as her sister was.

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