Details of Your Belly Departure

My labor began... I didn't have labor. 7 days before the due date, I had a scheduled Cesarian Section.

July 20, 2011 at 11:42am

Where I was when the contractions started, and who helped me get ready:We arrived at the hospital at 9:30am. We had scheduled a c-section at our last OB appointment due to the baby being in prime breech position. When they did the final ultrasound at around 9:48 that morning, the baby was still in breech position, his little legs were crossed under his bottom and his arms were crossed across his chest.

Having a C-Section was very frightening for me, I had never had a surgery or procedure of any sort. I didn't have any of the usual pains associated with labor and the pain from the C-Section actually went away surprisingly quickly. By the next night, I had asked if I could cut out the oxycontin and just take Tylenol and Ibuprofen for pain management. I was told by the nurses that I was one of the very few women who refused to have a hand-activated medication pump.

Where I was when my water broke:
I was in the surgical suite when the water broke. The doctors broke the amniotic sack during the procedure.

One of the nice things about the C-Section was the surgery took less than an hour. No labor pains, no pushing, no having to deal with hours and hours of labor. The worst part was when they were trying to get the epidural in so that they could start the surgery. It took almost an hour to get the epidural in because I was not able to arch my back very well. Finally, I was able to get it to arch just enough so they could get it placed properly.

At first, the idea of a C-Section really frightened me; but it was more than worth it. Little Anthony Robert came into this world on July 20, 2011 at 11:42am weighing 7lb 9oz and measuring 19.75 inches in length. He is a perfect little boy - he's absolutely precious - he looks more like a toy than a child.

The little man is such a good baby. He only cries when he's hungry or has a dirty diaper. If he gets fussy before feeding time, I only have to say something to him and he's content.

Just when I thought I couldn't possibly love anything more.... I feel as though my heart could literally explode with love for this little guy.

Total number of hours that I was in labor:Due to the C-Section, I was not ever in labor. The baby was breech, so they didn't want me to go into labor with him in the wrong position. The entire time for the procedure was about 45 minutes to 1 hour, once they got the epidural placed. (Due to my inability to bend over well, it took an hour to get the epidural placed.)

The Lamaze breathing....I'm glad I didn't take a class for this, because it would have been useless.

So...this is what labor feels like:I never felt labor due to the scheduled procedure. The procedure scared me at first, but it was more than worth it. Our little Anthony came into this world with wide eyes and a healthy set of lungs. He's healthy and happy... and I wouldn't trade him for the world. He's absolutely the most perfect and gorgeous baby I have ever seen... I know I'm biased, but I have complete strangers confirm this every single time I take him out in public. He's our perfect little angel.