Joshua Max Miller was Born at 5:15pm April 11, 1998 in HONG KONG weighing 9 lbs 5oz Apgar 9, 9 He has a full head of dark brown hair --we almost named him "ELVIS."
My Birth Story: We saw our doctor on Wednesday April 8. She said that I was 2cm dilated and 80% effaced ..so we knew the baby was coming any day. Plus I was having lots of false labor ..diarrhea, cramping, Braxton Hicks contractions ...etc. I started having mild contractions early Saturday(4-11) morning around 7am--and we thought this is it! We called the Hospital to let them know we were coming. We got to the hospital around 9:00 am. I was put into a private labor room with private Bathroom, TV, Refrigerator --it was very nice and comfortable! I was assigned a midwife. She checked us in and then she hooked me up to a fetal monitor to check the baby's heartbeat and to see how strong and fast my contractions were coming. The contractions didn't really hurt at this point --they were just uncomfortable. The midwife also did an internal to see how dilated I was ...I was still only 2cm. She informed me that my contractions weren't coming fast or strong enough and she gave us the option of either going home and coming back after my contractions were stronger or to be induced --put on a Pitocin drip. We decided we didn't want to leave so I was hooked up to the Pitocin drip around 10:00 am. After about 30 minutes on the drip the contractions started coming REALLY STRONG. About an hour later the pain was so terrible -- I started crying. I wasn't able to do the breathing exercises I had learned in my birthing class. I started to be hysterical ..screaming through each contraction. The midwife asked if I wanted the Epidural (looking back I should have accepted) I said "NO" and that I wanted to have the Demerol(Morphine) shot instead. By the time she returned with the shot ..I had completely lost it --I was in TOTAL PAIN! I agreed to the Epidural. This was about 1pm. After i got the Epidural i felt great. Around 2pm the midwife checked to see how dilated i was --Wow--I was 10cm. Around this same time the Epidural was wearing off and the contractions were becoming extremely painful again. The midwife asked if i wanted to push the baby out naturally and i said 'yes" so she didn't top off the Epidural(which i later regretted)! So around this time the Epidural had completely worn off and i was starting to Push --which was extremely painful. I pushed with NO pain relief for 3 hours! By 5pm i was exhausted and just couldn't push any longer. I could see the baby's head but i still couldn't get enough steam going to finish the job. So i asked the doctor to do what ever needed to be done--but to get the baby OUT! She decided to use Forceps and i agreed! She had to do an Episiotomy (she cut all the way to my anus --ouch)! And at 5:15 April 11, 1998 baby was out and the Doctor stitched me up. Afterwards I swore never to give birth again--IT WAS WAY PAINFUL! Now that it's 9 days later I've forgotten all about the pain and I'm ready to have three more--haha!