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Ellie's birth story (long)
So, last Thursday morning I took Owen to music class, dropped off stuff at the dry cleaner's, hit Starbucks, came home, and gave Owen lunch. The plan after lunch was to put him down for a nap, get stuff done around the house, and then later in the afternoon buy new windshield wipers and go for a walk in the spring-like weather. Instead, as I was clearing Owen's lunch dishes, I felt a little gush and wondered if my water had broken. I had a couple of false alarms with Owen, though, so I was unsure and I googled. The advice I got was to change my underwear and lay down; if it had broken, the fluid would pool and gush again when I stood up...so I tried it. Of course, Owen was still strapped in his booster at the table and the markers/paper I gave him to stay entertained didn't last long, so I didn't get to lay down for more than a couple of minutes. Regardless, I went through four pair of underwear in about 5 minutes, so I was convinced -- my water had broken a little over two weeks early! From that point forward, I was a walking waterfall and pads didn't do much. I went downstairs pantless to rescue Owen from the chair, then laid down on my side on the living room floor to call the midwives, call MH, and call my sister. Owen thought this was a great game and was divebombing/climbing all over me. What a sight I must have been -- no pants, laying on the floor, toddler all over me. I stayed there on the floor for a while, but eventually had to get up because I was in no way ready to leave for the hospital. I quickly packed a bag for Owen to go to my sister's, called my mom, then started packing a bag for MH & I to take to the hospital (nope, I hadn't done that yet -- oops).
Fast forward a couple of hours -- Owen was at my sister's, MH came home and we tore around the house like headless chickens to get everything together (write up Owen instructions for my folks, finish packing, etc.), and headed to the hospital to be admitted for an NST. I wasn't really having any contractions, though, and the baby looked fine, so they sent us home and told us to come back by 10pm. We went home and ordered a pizza, and I logged on and worked for several hours while MH set up the PNP, put the bouncy chair together, sterilized pacifiers, etc. Then back to the hospital for another NST and an ultrasound, but still no real feel-able contractions. Sent home once again to sleep.
Overnight I was woken by contractions once in a while that hurt, and in the morning when I got up, I had decently strong contractions every 10-12 minutes for about an hour and a half...but then at 8am they stopped. Back to the hospital at 11am, this time for good. They checked me out and I was only a "fingertip" open, so around 1pm they started Pitocin at a low dose. Contractions came back, feel-able, but not bad. Then at 2:30 they turned the Pit up a little, and contractions came on stronger, the kind that stop you in your tracks. We walked a lot around L&D and I would have to stop and lean on MH (and that stupid IV pole that I hate so so much). They went on like that for several hours, every 3-6 minutes. It was cool to walk around, though, because you could hear other babies being born. I wasn't even put off by the yelling of the women, mostly I was just excited by it and the cries of the babies. Man, I was starving though. The part where you can only eat the "clears/liquids" on Pit is really annoying. I had chicken and beef broth, jello, juice, and Italian ice for dinner. Bah. I really really wanted pumpkin bread and was feeling nauseated from the hunger, plus I had a massive headache that was only slightly helped by Tylenol.
Around 7:00 or so the contractions started to get really bad and I had to stay in bed most of the time. I was also really tired. Amazingly, I somehow drifted off to sleep for a minute or two at a time between contractions, which was a godsend. I was kind of aware of MH watching TV and occasionally he would say something to me, but I was really in my own world. I felt mostly (TMI) like I needed to fart or poop or something, and in fact I did poop like three times during labor (in the bathroom, thankfully)...it was a slight relief each time. I also threw up once after a particularly bad contraction. I tried the birth ball and a couple of different positions, but mostly laying on my side was the most comfortable. They kept trying to get me to relax my body through the contractions, but I had to hold on tight to something...first it was the blanket, then the side of the bed, and eventually I was crushing MH's hand. By 9pm, despite the contractions, I was only 2-3cm and was desperately calculating the possible birth time and wondering if I could make it. By 11:30pm, I was only 5 cm and I wanted to cry thinking of several more hours. I couldn't get over the feeling that I was involuntarily pushing with the contractions; my whole midsection was spasming right down to my bum in a way that I couldn't control at all. I was still adamant that I didn't want an epi, but I questioned Nubain. At that point, the MW didn't think it would benefit me, though, so no Nubain for me. Finally around 12:15 or so they agreed with me that I was ready to push and they had me get on my back with my knees up. MH held one knee/foot and the RN held the other, and I pushed three times for each contraction. WHAT A FREAKIN' RELIEF. Man, I would push for hours over having contractions for hours.
I pushed for 16 minutes, four or five contractions worth...and out she came at 12:33am. (I'm almost embarrassed by the primal screams that came out of me during the pushes.) I couldn't believe how quick it was. Unfortunately, that meant that I tore -- badly. I have a 3rd degree tear down to the sphincter and I'm stitched within an inch of my life. No one tells you how much happens to you after the baby is out. First you have to deliver the placenta (which I knew, but was still annoyed by because I wanted to be done), then there were the numbing shots, then the 20-25 minutes of stitching. Later on while she was at the nursery there was a one-time catheter and a blood draw. The next day I had the DTAP and Rhogam shots...it just felt like it never ended. That part was annoying. (Thankfully they let us sign ourselves out a day early, so we were home by Sunday afternoon.)
But, I did get my successful VBAC and along with it the immediate skin-to-skin, and MH got to cut the cord, and I got to nurse her as soon as the stitches were done. She is a nursing CHAMP. She latched immediately and nursed for 30 minutes, and has been great ever since. She sleeps well, too (so far). The only thing she hates is being naked/getting changed -- and man oh man can she SCREECH when that happens. She's a loudmouth.
Oh my oh my I am in love. 
Re: Ellie's birth story (long)
I love your story! I'm so proud of you!!!! That is quite a long labor to go med free, great job mamma.
I can't wait to hear/see more of ms. Ellie
Yay! I'm so glad that you got the birth that you wanted! I would have been going nuts all that time waiting at home, but I'm sure it was much better than sitting at the hospital.
I'm a little jealous over the clears during pitocin? I was only allowed water once that started for me. Although, truth be told it was a day since I had eaten and didn't want anything anyways. I'm learning so much for next time!
I can't wait to see more pictures and more stories of Ellie. Which, I'll say it again, I love the name. It was on my high list.
I am SO happy to hear that you got the VBAC. I am not sure that I would have made it that long med free. My labor was only 5 hours and 45 minutes, so you are much more of a super woman than I am!
Congrats on a beautiful baby girl!
Jake blowing out the candle at Katie's coming home party
Katie Belle
Kristen, Chad, Jake, Katie & Sadie the Wonderdog, est. 6/17/06
Holy crap, I would've cried. You are amazing!
Oh, I did cry. I cried that I didn't want to have a baby anymore. lol. But somehow, I made it drug free. On one thought, I had no idea that many hours passed and another every second felt like an eternity. But I'd do it all over again..the immediate skin to skin, nursing, snuggling and speedy recovery time made it so worth it. Don't you feel like you could accomplish anything now?
The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware; joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware. -Henry Miller
http://cookthehumbletable.blogspot.com/
I'm so happy for you that you got your VBAC!!
And I need to stop reading birth stories at work because without fail, I'm a weepy mess. LOL.