My Birth story- Natural Labor
It started on friday 12/11 at night about 10 pm. I started having light contractions. As the night progressed they started to get somewhat stronger but had no pattern so i tried to rest and sleep through them but i was not able to fully rest . In the morning i called my midwife and my Doula b/c the Ctxs were getting stronger and closer together. So at 10am we head off to the hospital.
When i get there at 11a i am only 3cm and 90% effaced. At this point i am so Exhausted but i get the strength to walk the halls and sway back and forth the birthing balls squatting etc. to get labor progressing but i beg them for just one nap. @ 4:30pm i somehow fall fast asleep as they are monitoring the baby. During that time my Ctxs stopped completely and i was sent home at 5pm.
So im home trying to get something to eat and drink but i dont want to eat a thing..i manage to get down some fruit and water. As i try to nap the ctxs start up again at 7 and by 9pm they are 5 mins apart...but somewhat irregular in duration. But by midnight they were 4 mins apart and consistent so we headed back to the hospital (thank god its only 5 min down the street) It was about 25 degrees out..so It wasnt the car ride that sucked it was the walk from the car to the main entrance.. (it was so cold!)When i arrive i am 5 cm 90@effaced. Labor was definitely intense and i also had back labor so my doula and hubby took turns applying counter pressure. It felt like really amped up menstrual cramps but back labor felt like my back was on fire. My midwife suggested i get in the shower and OMG! was that the best i highly suggest it...GET IN THE SHOWER! The hot water on my belly and back made the Ctxs almost disappear i was crying in there it felt so good. But two hours later i had a weak moment and when my midwife came in i asked if she could give me something to take the edge off...She suggested i get checked first..I was so afraid i was still at 5cm but when she said i was 8 cm I cried again and told myself I CAN DO THIS!!! I continued to labor until 430a Then they got out the Tub.
The Tub was nice but i preferred the shower b/c the tub didnt have a heater so when that water began to cool...i got aggravated FAST! The thing that also annoyed me were the Fluids they wanted to give me via IV...I have small veins so i got poked so many times..then the IV was leaking they had to do it again different hand..i have 4 poke marks each hand. At one point i told them to leave me the Heck alone! I apologized for that later. And i understood i had gone so long w/ no rest or adequate food or water and that could effect the babys Heart rate so i needed fluids. Finally the water in the tub is too cold i get out of there and get checked again
615a i was 9cm 100% effaced. Ctxs were close..i think i remember asking them to get a mallet and knock me out lol! I started squatting and swaying to get the baby down.
At 7a as im laboring things start to feel different as if i want to go the bathroom BAD! I get back in bed to be checked and the bag of water breaks at 8a. I'm at 10cm! They instruct me to push lightly..so we use different positions..I didn't like squatting at all..side lying was ok. Pushing was something i had not prepared for and the way it felt scared me..i had to push with each contraction but the pressure down there i didn't expect so i would tense up! The position that worked for me was in bed with the bar and a blanket in the middle where i would pull myself up causing me to push and bear down automatically.
<side note> I guess i use to watch too many birth stories b.c i figured once you start pushing he is out in a matter of minutes....
Nope not my luck...I pushed for over 2hours from what im told even though its all a blur. I do remember them placing a mirror where i could see the progress..Everyone would ooo and ahhh but i saw nothing and called them all Liars i couldn't see the progress they all saw...I was able to sleep btwn each 1 min Ctxn and i remember everyone around me resting with their eyes closed and then as soon as id squirm they would wake up and get into position....then id push fall asleep then they would rest again..lol..just as i thought i was making no progress...eventually i saw hair and the head..and by 1135a he was crowning and i wanted to get him out..I do remember the "ring of fire" not as painful but as the moment when i realized this guy is coming out...I gathered my strength again...and pushed...
1136a Lawrence Thomas was born when they put him on me..OMG! I burst into tears..This is the little guy who not even a week ago was moving his feet around when i sang to him and had the hiccups 2-3x a day and because of him I loved strawberries and watermelon and hated chocolate.... He is finally here!
It was such a long exhausting & challenging journey for everyone..i had a 2nd degree tear b/c his hand was resting on his chin as he came out (i guess he decided to nap) He received a 9 out of 10 apgar score. They got the placenta out, stitched me up, and i finally got to eat!
It was truly an amazing experience...there is no way to describe the feeling when my son was on my chest looking around..no words... Birth is such an amazing thing!
Re: My Birth story- Natural Labor
This made me cry! Beautiful!
Congrats, Mama! Welcome Lawrence. Great birth story - thanks for all the details. You rock woman!
This completely!! Your story was inspiring!!