From: sinnott@tc4.fi.ameslab.gov (Susan B. Sinnott)
Subject: Birth Announcement and Labor Story (long)
Organization: Iowa State University
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 00:26:13 GMT

  John and Susan Sinnott are very proud to announce the birth of their
son, Joseph Scott Sinnott at 8:05 AM on Saturday, August 22 (4 days
before due date).  Weight was 7 lb. 10 oz., 21.50 inches long.

  Two weeks ago last Friday, my OB told me that I was 85% thinned out
and dialated to 2 cm.  He told me that there was a very good chance that the
baby could come "at any time".  My husband and I were very excited.  The
following week, there was still no baby.  My OB's partner examined me that
time and said that everything was still the same.  Last Friday, my OB told
me that, frankly, he didn't understand why I hadn't had the baby yet.  He
said that he would try to use some reverse psychology on me and left me with
"you won't have the baby this week".  That night at 11:30 PM my water
broke.
  In the car on the way to the hospital, I had me first contraction.  It
was pretty mild, and the next one was 4 minutes after the first.  We 
checked in OK and I was put on a moniter for 30 minutes (standard
procedure).  Then, it was disconnected and not used again.  (The nurses
used the amplified stethescope (sorry, don't know the technical term for
it) the rest of the time).  My doctor didn't want me walking because I
had extra fluid and he was afraid that the cord would fall out first.  I
know I leaked for a long time.  My husband and I played backgammon while
he timmed the contractions.  After a couple of hours, though, the 
contractions were hard enough that we started doing our breathing.  By
4:15, the contractions were very tough.  I had a number of coupled 
contractions that were very hard to get through.  My husband was 
wonderful.  I would sometimes break my breathing exercises and start 
crying because the pain was so bad and he would say "Don't cry.  BREATH
with me."  He was what kept me going.  Still, by 4:10 I really felt the
need for some help, so I got some pain medication.  I got Stadol (sp?).
  I can see where some people would have negative experiences with this
type of medication, because the pain was still there and I was still doing
me breathing through the contractions.  In my case, though, I feel that it
was absolutely the right decision.  The main adavantage was that in between
contractions I was able to relax completely.  Before, my muscules were still
tense in between because the pain was so great.  Again, people with very
good relaxation preperation might not have needed it.
  The next thing I knew, I was feeling the urge to push.  I remember thinking
"Already?"  I pushed for an hour and a half.  In between contractions I 
dozed, as did John (he was very tired - he hadn't gotten any sleep at all!).
And then, Joseph was born.  My doctor had two patients giving birth at 
roughly the same moment - the nurses were talking to each other via intercome,
and we both crowned at the same moment.  As soon as my doctor cut the cord,
he ran out to deliver the other baby!  Then he came back and stiched me up.
I did not have an epeziotemy and I had minimal tearing ("skid marks" was
the way my doctor discribed them).
  Afterwards I felt great!  I thought "that wasn't bad at all!"  My son
is just beautiful.  My husband is telling everyone that we since we are
both scientists we are very good at making unbiased observations and we
have both observed that our son is the cutest baby in the world and therefore
he must be! :-)

Susan Sinnott
sinnott@tc4.fi.ameslab.gov


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