Birth experience in Norway

Anders finally arrived on July 29th at 3:15 am. Since I use this blog as a sort of diary I am going to detail out my birth experience (it won't be too graphic I promise ;)

I had been having contractions off and on for a little over a week so I figured he would be born close to his due date of the 28th. I was, however, a little surprised when my contractions got regular on the 28th as I figured I would at least go a few days overdue. At around 8 pm the contractions started getting regular at around 12 minutes and that's when I called Elisabeth to tell her that Avery might be staying over at her house that night. At about 9:30 my water broke and I knew it was time to go. Elisabeth ran over to get Avery and we took off to St. Olaf's Hospital. When we got to the labor ward we were met with a midwife. She hooked me up to a fetal monitor and timed my contractions. At that point they were pretty irregular so she told us we could wait there or go home and come back when the contractions got five minutes apart. We choose to go home so that Jeff could get some sleep. I went upstairs to time my contractions and within an hour I went from 5 minutes apart to 2 minutes apart so I knew it was time to go. Poor Jeff had just fallen asleep when I told him time to get our asses to the hospital so he better hurry up. He wanted to make coffe and I started yelling at him that I did not want to have the baby in the car. My contractions were coming so quick at this point I was a little worried. By time we got to the hospital I was already at 5 cm and within an hour I was ready for Anders to be born. I had hoped for a natural birth and the midwife was wonderful in helping me with my wish. I was given heating pads to put on my belly and back and when things got a little intense I choose to have nitrous oxide to take the edge off. They did not hook me up to an IV (which was wonderful) and they did not put a fetal monitor on me so I was allowed to labor in any position I wanted and push in any position I choose. The birth was quick with no complications and my recovery has been quick. Truthfully my birthing experience in Norway was exactly what I had hoped for. Norway midwives push natural births and I have a feeling that if I had expectations of getting pain meds or an epidural I may have been disappointed but for a natural birth I couldn't have asked for a more pleasant experience.

After Anders arrived we stayed for four hours in the delivery room before Anders and I were driven underground in a golf type cart to the recovery hotel. The hotel really is like a hotel except there are nurses on the floor and a pediatrician during the week. The rooms have red buttons to push if any help is needed. I loved the beds and the flat screen TV with cable. There was a restaurant on the first floor, I was on the 5th, that I could go down to and eat anything I wanted for free. It was a little odd to have to push Anders bed down to a restaurant yet I am guessing it is there way of making the new Mother get out and walk. In true Norwegian fashion the restaurant had a sort of buffet that consisted of many different types of breads that you sliced yourself and a number of toppings such as; smoked salmon, crawfish, brown cheese, cheese, salami, mayo, and many different jellies. Each meal also had a couple of warm choices. I stayed in the hotel for two nights while Jeff stayed home with Avery. We took Anders home on Sunday.

A few days after we arrived home a nurse came to our house, yes she actually came to us, to make sure that I was settling in, answer any questions, check his umbilical chord and help with any breast feeding concerns. It was wonderful to not have to take Anders out to the the Dr. when he was so little.

So we are settling in. Mom came and helped us out for ten days and in a couple weeks we get a visit from Grandma Lori. I will post pictures soon of our new little bundle of joy ;)