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Birth Story (Long and maybe some TMI)
Thursday, I had an OB checkup and NST. I was 2 cm dilated and the NST was registering some pretty strong contractions. The nurse said she was surprised I wasn't more uncomfortable. After the appt. I went to work and continued to have sporadic contractions all day.
Friday, I woke up and continued having contractions. They were very mild and about 8-10 minutes apart all day. I spent the day cleaning the house just in case I went into labor that night. We went out for some chinese food and then took a long walk under the full moon 
Saturday, I woke up at 5 am with contractions that were more intense than any I had up to that point. So, I got up, ate breakfast, bounced on my ball, etc. When DH woke up, we went for some laps around the neighborhood. I also called my Doula to give her a heads up. I spent the morning baking cookies and brownies for the nurses (which DH left in the car. LOL) to help keep my mind off of timing them nonstop. After lunch, they started getting more intense, so I called my Doula again and she offered to come over. I said I was still working through them okay on my own at this point, so she told me to call every hour. I decided to try out the tub for a little while and it felt sooooo good! I was still talking on the phone with my sister, but pausing the conversation during contractions. At this point, they were 3-6 minutes apart and 45-60 seconds long. DH brought me snacks and coconut water, which I ended up throwing up a little while later from the intensity of the contractions. It probably didn't help that I was a swayer either - I preferred bending forward and swaying my hips from side to side with a lower back rub from DH at the same time. He was awesome at massaging me as much as I wanted!
A few hours later, they picked up again, so I had my Doula come over. She got to our house around 4 pm. I worked through a few more by walking around, bending over, hanging on DH, etc and then got in the tub again for a few hours. They were still coming in anywhere from 3-6 minutes apart, but getting more intense... especially in my back.
By 6 or 7 pm, DH went and made some dinner and my Doula helped me work through the contractions. I was able to eat 3 bites of rice and that was it. Then, I threw up again. The nausea during the contractions was almost worse than the pain to me. I was also very shaky from here on out. The contractions were still very sporadic and not consistent at all. My Doula said that it was very weird that they weren't getting into a regular pattern by now and that in her experience, I could potentially be looking at all night and part or all of the next day like this. It was tough at this point, but still manageable, so I was willing to keep pushing forward.
By 9 pm, they were still just as sporadic, but even more intense. She said with the intensity of the contractions I was having, they should be around 1-2 min apart by now and that in her experience (over 400 births), a lot of times this means my body isn't dilating much and she would hate for us to go to the hospital and be sent home. So, she suggested I try to rest for a few hours because she's noticed that a lot of times when you get some sleep, you wake up and they've regulated themselves. So, she went downstairs to give DH and I some time to try to rest. I laid on the bed on my side with DH behind me. He rubbed my back constantly and kept telling me how good I was doing and how proud he was of me. It was near impossible to rest, but I tried!
Around 10 pm, they got WAY more intense. There was absolutely no resting going on! I was almost paralyzed in place though. I started doubting that I could do this. A pushed through a few more and then told DH "I'm so sorry, but I don't think I can keep doing this.... especially not all night and day tomorrow" I was just getting very frustrated with my body wondering why they were so strong if they weren't doing anything. He reassured me that I could do it and kept saying "let's just try one more, you're doing awesome, you've got this!" We went through this pretty much with every contraction.
Finally, around 11 pm, I said "I'm serious, if I knew this was nearing the end, I would push through it, but I just can't to it anymore. We have to go to the hospital and I don't care if I need an epidural, I just can't keep this up." I was devastated and he knew it, but he kept reassuring me that it was okay. I kept apologizing and he kept telling me that he supports me no matter what and that he's already so proud of me! My Doula said she didn't blame me and that I needed some rest, so we started getting ready to head out. So, DH threw everything in the car and my Doula helped me get ready.
I decided I better go to the bathroom before heading out. As soon as I sat on the toilet, I had a small gush, but wasn't sure if my water actually broke. They helped me in the car and off we went. On the ride over, they started coming closer together ... FINALLY! I didn't really notice because I was too busy working through them, but afterwards, DH said he was silently timing them and getting excited.
We got to the hospital around 11:45 pm. Funny thing was that DH and I had planned out what to bring in right away and what to leave in the car for a bit. Poor DH was so disheveled that he left the stuff we needed right away and brought the stuff that was supposed to stay! haha Poor guy! Anyhow, I was having to stop like every 20 feet to bend over and work through a contraction and they were lasting a long time. We did the paperwork and were sent to triage. I had to sit in an office to answer some questions. The lady asked if my water had broken and I said "I think so, but not 100% sure." Then, I leaked more fluid on her chair. I said "actually, I'm pretty sure it did and I just leaked more on your chair" LOL oops. So, then they take me to a triage room to get checked. By this time, it was about 12:30 pm. It was very interesting trying to get undressed with the contractions that intense and close together. I got on the table and the nurse checked me - 6 cm. Ugh - that's it?! They asked if I wanted an epidural and as much as I wanted to say yes, I wanted to say no, so I just said "I'm not sure yet" and figured I would ty to work through a few more and see what happened.
The next contraction came and I felt Margot move around more than I had all day and her heartbeat tanked to 30 bpm. They threw me on my side, gave me oxygen, and hooked me up to an IV. They said either her cord was getting constricted or she just dropped. So, they checked me again and the nurse said "Whoa, she's right there and you're almost 8 cm. We need to get her a room asap!" Then, they told one of the nurses that she was too slow, called for another one who could run faster, and they ran me through the halls, into the elevator and upstairs to a room. We got upstairs, and the anesthesiologist ran through my options with me and asked if I wanted natural, IV pain meds, or an epidural and I said "I'm going all natural!" Woot! Knowing it was nearing the end gave me such a high and I loved saying that!
Now, it's about 12:45 pm. The Midwife came in and told me to let her know when I felt pressure down there. In the meantime, she asked to see my birth plan. She told me that it was great and she sees no reason they can't accommodate all of it. Woohoo! A few contractions later, I felt pressure, so she checked me and said I was a solid 9 cm and almost a 10, but there was still a small bag of waters there. She said "I bet if I break it, it will take you to a 10. Are you okay with that?" I practically screamed "do it!" So, she broke the water bag and sure enough I was a 10 in seconds, but there was some meconium in the water, which broke my heart because I knew that meant they would take her away from me right away. My midwife apologized because she knew I wanted her on me right away. She then told me to let her know when I felt the urge to push. 2 contractions later, I felt the urge to push. They still had me on my side because of Margot's heart drop, but I was almost paralyzed into place regardless and don't think I could have changed positions if I wanted. So, with the urge to push, Dh rubbed my back, my Doula and I held my knee up, and I started pushing. This was probably around 1 am. A few pushes in, I could feel her making her way down. I asked how close she was and they said "she's close and has tons of hair. Why don't you bring your hand down and feel her." It was the craziest and neatest thing ever! After feeling, how close she was, I really built up some steam and even more determined that ever, so I pushed like crazy! I wanted my baby and I wanted her now... and I was over being in labor! So, after about 30-40 min of pushing, Margot made her way into the world at 1:37 am.
They cut the cord quickly and whisked her away to the baby area in my room. I was able to hold her for about 3 minutes before they took her to the transitional nursery for 2 hours for monitoring because of the meconium aspiration. DH was so conflicted because he wanted to be with both of us, but I demanded that he go be with Margot, so off they went. In the meantime, I birthed the placenta without any Pitocin pretty soon afterwards. The midwife said I only had minor tearing and they probably would be okay without stitches, but she wanted to do a few anyways. So, she took care of that, I rested a bit, and then they started the uterine massages every 15 minutes. Ouch, those hurt... and just when you think you're done! Every time they came in, I said "oh good" sarcastically and they all said "I know, I'm sorry!" haha
Finally, after a very long 2.5 hours, I was in the Mother/Baby room and Margot joined me! I nursed her and she took to it right away like a champ! We got absolutely no sleep that night, but it was so worth every second of it! I was so ecstatic that I was able to get the birth I really wanted after thinking I was giving in and it was over for me! And of course, after looking at Margot all of the memories of the pain disappear in an instant! It was just such an incredible experience!
I never would have been able to do it without my DH or my Doula! DH was way beyond incredible during the whole thing and so so very supportive and I'm so thankful to him for that! My Doula was awesome because she kept me going at home. If we had gotten to the hospital any sooner, I probably would have caved thinking I still had a long road ahead of me... any later and I may have had her in the car! haha The timing there was perfect!
I also have to tell you... the next day, my family came and DH started crying telling them how amazing it was and how he can't explain how proud he was of me and how incredible I did. Let me tell you, my DH never cries!!! So, then we all lost it - it was so very sweet! And then he did the same thing talking to his Mom! And of course, I cried again too!
So, that's my crazy story - I hope it wasn't terribly TMI!!
Re: Birth Story (Long and maybe some TMI)
Oh Kristen, I'm so happy for you! Of course I'm in tears, so glad that everything worked out how you hoped it would. I feel like we had such similar birth experiences and reading yours takes me right back to mine! From the puking, to getting to that point that you doubt yourself (I totally had that), the drop in heart rate and how fast she was born from when you started pushing.
Did you get the shakes after the birth was over? I remember feeling like I had the flu, the shakes and chills were so tremendous. And those uterine massages - UGH! I so hated those too, so not fair when you thought the pain was supposed to be over.
So glad she is nursing well, what a relief for you!
It sounds like your H was a total champ at assisting you. Congrats again! Hope you're healing well and taking it easy!
Yes, I definitely got the shakes afterwards! I thought I was just cold, but one of the nurses had commented on how warm it was in the room and then they told me the shaking was normal. So crazy! We definitely did have a lot of similarities in our stories!
Fabulous story! Congratulations! I am so impressed with your determination and so happy for you that you knew what you wanted and you chose to do it.
I love DH's reaction. I too was surprised by DH's reaction to the birth and overwhelmed with how proud of me he was.
Margot is unbelievably beautiful and I'm so happy for you guys.
Oh, I forgot about the uterine massages. Yeowch!
Congratulations again!
What a wonderful story, Kristen.
I'm so impressed with you.
And I'm also whimpering like a little kid.
Don't worry, it's all minimal when you look at the outcome
I can tell you, I've already forgotten what the pain felt like and am now considering another kid after all (I joked with H that this guy would be our only kid afterwards)
This is so true! The next day I told DH we can wait a few years for another one because I don't need to do this again anytime soon. That was like 5 days ago and I'm already over it
What an amazing story!!!!!
So glad everything turned out as planned. They talk so much about self doubt in the Bradley book and that you are almost there.
Congrats on getting the birth that you wanted!
How is CDing going?
I am so amazed by you ladies doing so much of your labor at home and sticking to med free. I'm proud of you too!
Two questions: what's meconium and what are uterine massages?
The Sand in My Snow Boots
Meconium is baby's first stool, before they make poop. It's sticky black stuff.
Uterine massage is to help the uterus contract after childbirth. The area is obviously quite sensitive at that time. Contracting the uterus helps the bleeding stop.
Oct.'13 Siggy Challenge: Cheers to Easter!
this!