Natural hospital birth

britneyfaye · November 2014

I had been having early signs of labor since Thursday (10/16 at 40+6), lost my mucus plug, crampy and achy. Sunday (10/19 at 41+2) night I couldn't get to sleep which was not abnormal as I was experiencing insomnia for the last few weeks. I took a bath at 3am on Monday, 10/20 at 41 weeks 3 days and started cramping mildly in my lower back and abdomen. By 5am, I was laying in bed but couldn't sleep because of back pain...holy back pain! My husband (Tyler) got up and I sent him on to work around 7:50am. I just knew it wasn't labor because we had an appointment that afternoon at 3:15 to schedule our induction and I was mentally prepared to have that conversation. I had to text mom and told her to come over, because the pain had increased but I still wasn't sure. By the time she got there 8:15am, contractions had picked up and stayed in my back. She asked if they were mild, moderate or intense. I answered it hurts like sh*t. She said she knew at that point that this was probably the real deal, to hear me yell that out loud. Lol. My doula came around 10am and declared that this was the real deal...finally! We walked around the neighborhood and I kept having to stop for contractions. Walking felt great early on and helped ease some of the back pain. Everything was in my back, our doula said Lana was probably facing my front which is not the best position, because the back of her head was pressing against my spine. Our doula had me get on my hands and knees to try to get Lana to turn. She also used a rebozo to try to rotate her head. Tyler came home at 10:40am and couldn't sit still. He was keeping himself busy, but when the time came, he was amazing! He called our OB and told him I was in labor. I talked to my Ob in between contractions and he told me I was doing great, just to stay at home as long as possible. Our photographer got to the house around 1:45pm and contractions were so close I couldn't walk across the living room without having to stop and just breathe. I honestly was so quiet and just breathed through it, our doula said it was almost hard to tell when I was contracting because I was so zoned in and silent. I kept my eyes closed and just tuned everything out through most of labor. It's like I was in a world all by myself. About 2pm, she said we had to go now! Got in the car and contractions picked up even more! Tyler, who never speeds...ever was over 80 just about the whole way. I was on the edge of the seat the whole way and started moaning with contractions. We arrived to the hospital about 2:45pm and got checked in. My OB was at the desk waiting. He asked how I was, I managed a thumbs up and had to stop in the hall for contractions. Yes, I refused a wheelchair because I knew if I was walking, she was moving down. Once in the room he checked me and I was 7cm and 100% effaced. He said I did amazing. Our doula said if she had to guess, we would be holding Lana before supper. They unhooked me from the monitors, so I could move. I labored on the toilet for a good amount of time because it took some of the pressure off my back and walked the room countless times. The toilet felt so good to labor on because I could relax during contractions and Gravity was working in our favor with each contraction. Walking wasn't my favorite, but I knew it would speed labor. Our doula was steady massaging my back due to the pain I was experiencing. I moaned so loudly with each contraction as they just got stronger and longer with less of a break inbetween. She wanted me to continue walking around and allow the contractions to pick up. They started coming after I would take only 2-3 steps. I kept moaning with each exhale saying "almost there" and "I'm doing it." Mom, Tyler and our doula kept saying you are there, you are doing it. My OB came in about 4:20pm and checked me standing up because I could not get in bed. When I leaned up, blood started leaking. He said 9cm. I knew I was almost there! I had almost done this and I would finish strong! He said that he had to be at the medical center (another hospital) and needed to leave by 5, he could break my water and I could potentially deliver by 5 or wait and Dr. Williams (on call doctor) would deliver. I decided not to have my water broken, because I knew the pain would be way worse! Shortly after he checked me, the pressure got real. They kept asking me when I was contracting if I felt the need to push. I couldn't tell what was a contraction or not, the nurse was having to feel my stomach since I wasn't on monitors. Our doula set the bed with the back straight up so I could lean against the head of the bed while squatting. Soon after that, I apparently yelled, "oh my butt." Within minutes I heard a slight pop and my water broke on its own! The room filled with nurses and my OB came in. I tried my best to stay in a squat and started feeling the urge to push. My OB came in and allowed me to push squatting instead of on my back! He would have delivered with me squatting. I was originally so thankful and scared that he was allowing this instead of making me get on my back with stirrups. My doula kept saying push with contractions. I kept trying to stand up on the bed during contractions instead of squatting because the pressure was so intense and by this time I started second guessing my ability to do this. My OB yelled my name and said you are doing this but you can't stand up, when you stand, she's going back up because you're not opening your pelvis. I regained composure, pulled my gown off and got on my back. I knew I could finish this, I was doing this and it was almost over! They counted my pushes out loud for me and my OB told me to reach down and feel her. I reached down and felt a head full of hair! As soon as I felt that I knew I was almost done! I felt so empowered and got the biggest rush of energy. Pushing was by far the hardest part to me. I was worn out, hadn't eaten anything except yogurt all day and hadn't slept since my nap on Sunday afternoon. I pushed for less than 10 minutes and she was out at 4:55pm. My OB was thrilled that he got to deliver her before he left for the other hospital. The cord was wrapped around her neck twice but he quickly unwrapped and she was crying on my chest! Tyler cut the cord and it was done! I had a small first degree tear and that was it. I feel blessed and honored that God allowed my body to do this. I wouldn't change a thing, I now know that I'm capable of more than I could have imagined and its an amazing feeling.