Grace's fast smooth med free arrival (PIP)!
AshasaurusRex
member
On the morning of Tuesday, Jan 25th my sleep kept being interrupted every 15-20 minutes by cramping and a mild back ache. I had been experiencing similar symptoms for the past week and a half along with my regular Braxton hicks so I didn't think much of it, except the fact that they seemed to be on a pattern. Around 9:00am I got up to pee and noticed the rest of my MP which I had been losing for the past couple of weeks and some bloody show. Whoa, that was different; I didn't have any bloody show with DS until I was 5cm dilated. I knew this was it.
It was DH's day off, so I woke him up by whispering in his ear, "So, you feel like having a baby today?" Hi eyes flew open. I told him I was 99% sure that I was going into labor and asked him to help me straighten the house. I have never seen him help me clean so willingly and diligently (too bad I can't "go into labor" every day;)) DH washed the leftover dishes in the sink while I got my "labor-aid" ready (apple juice and coconut water), started making Grace's chocolate birthday cake, and got my after-delivery-meal (chicken pot pie) out of the freezer to start thawing, then we had breakfast with DS (who amazingly slept in) for the last time as a family of three.
I texted my MW that I thought I was in labor and she told me if I felt comfortable, to go ahead and come in for my regular weekly appointment that was scheduled for 2:00pm that afternoon and made sure I had an adjustment scheduled with my chiropractor (who works out of the Birthing Center on Tuesdays) which I did.
At 11:00am DS went down for his nap and I got in the bath, shaved my legs, then did my hair and make up just in case this was false labor. I didn't want to go all day looking like I had just crawled out of bed. Meanwhile my contractions really tapered off, I didn't have a single one while in the bath. By the time we needed to leave for the birth center DS was still asleep so we asked DH's sister (next door neighbor) to come over and let him finish his nap then watch him until we got home (I thought I would be coming home, then going BACK out to the birth center if this was labor). We put my bag in the car just in case, but left the food (not sure what my thinking was behind thatJ). I called my mom to let her know what was going on since she would be watching DS and bringing him up to the BC once the baby arrived, but didn't tell anyone else (there are 21 people in our immediate family with cell phones).
On the 45 min car ride out to the birth center I listened to my Hypnobabies Birthing Day Affirmations track which really helped me get in the zone. My contractions picked up a little, but only by becoming time-able again (about every five minutes), they were still VERY mild.
When we arrived at the birth center (a big beautiful house that looks like a bed and breakfast) and I waddled in the door, my MW took one look at me and said obviously disappointed, "Awwww, you're too happy!" which gave me a laugh, Mel cracks me up. My appointment went like it normally did, blood pressure check, pulse check, weight check, urine check, chit chatting and joking around with my MWs and their students. Then we went upstairs to do a fundal measurement, listen to the heart beat and do a pelvic exam. I had been having weekly pelvic exams to determine the position of the baby's head; she had been asynclitic and posterior. I was 4.5 cm dilated and 70% effaced (yay!), but her head was asynclitic again, so here's where the chiropractor came in. My super awesome chiropractor adjusted my pelvis and sacrum, and then worked on repositioning Grace's head for a smoother delivery. We had to pause quite a few times to let me have a contraction, they were definitely picking up, but still so mild I feel weird calling them contractions. After my adjustment Mel checked me again to make sure baby's head was good (which it was) and proclaimed that I had popped open to a full 5 cm dilated if not more and very stretchy. This was DEFINITELY it, so I texted my awesome labor buddies so they could post on TB and let my BGP gals know what was going on.
We decided since I was so far along and it takes 45 min to drive out there that it was best for me to stay, and DH went home to get the food we left, pick up DS and drop him off at my mom's house. Of course SIL was all questions when Dh came home without me so he told her that I was indeed in labor, but NOT to tell anyone else since we didn't want the pressure and distraction of phone calls and people wanting to drive out there just to wait around (best decision EVER).
While my MWs finished up their regular appointments I went to the birthing cottage in the back yard to be alone and focus and prepare my mind for what was coming. I listened to my Hypnobabies Easy First Stage track while pacing back and forth, sitting on the birthing ball and looking out into the yard. I was very nervous since my labor with DS was very long and painful, but I kept telling myself that I could do this, this was a new birth, DS's birth was in the past and I needed to focus on right now. I started getting excited because I was going to meet my baby today (hopefully)!
One thing that kept bothering me though was DS's sleep schedule; he has a very established schedule and doesn't go down well for anyone but me. 8:00pm is his bedtime and I kept thinking over and over that I wanted to have this baby by 8:00pm, the thing is, it was 3:30pm (one can dream right?).
At a little after 4:00 pm Mel came out to the birth cottage (usually only used if there is another birth going on in the main house) and told me that all of the appointments were done and if I wanted to I could come into the main house. Once I got settled into the room where I would be giving birth I noticed my contractions becoming substantial enough for me to need to actually concentrate, but I was still able to make chit chat with the girls and was generally in a good mood, I just wanted DH to get back, he is my rock.
Around 5:30 DH finally got back and that's when things really started to pick up. My Hypnobabies Easy First Stage was playing softly in the background while I sat on the birthing ball next to DH holding his hand. Each contraction I had I would close my eyes and circle my hips on the ball while telling myself "open open open" and visualizing all my birthing muscles going limp, lose, and completely relaxing. In between each contraction DH would have me drink a few sips of my "labor-aid" to keep me hydrated and energized, and he would tell me how great I was doing.
I was so in my zone that I'm not really sure in what order exactly things happened, I labored on the birthing ball for a while then decided I wanted to walk around and "hula hoop" my hips during contractions. Contractions were coming stronger and closer and were making relaxing more difficult, but I just kept visualizing my cervix as a soft golden ring opening for my baby. I kept telling myself with each contraction, "this is good, this is supposed to be happening, this is bringing me closer to meeting my baby." I also made sure to keep my face (mouth especially), shoulders, and hands relaxed.
As I went into transition Grace's heart rated began to decelerate during contractions so they had me breathing oxygen and lay on my left side on the bed while monitoring her. Around 7:00pm Mel checked my progress, she didn't tell me what my dilation was, but just told me that I was making great progress (I told myself I was 8cm so I wouldn't get discouraged, I was actually only at a 6.5). I knew I was in transition because I had the shakes, you would have though I was FREEZING because my teeth were chattering and I was shaking like crazy, it was actually making me laugh. The interesting part was that every time I would have a wave of shakes, Grace's heart rate would jump up.
It was getting very difficult to stay relaxed especially while lying down, but my wonderful awesome amazing DH kept giving me my Hypnobabies cues, pressing firmly on my forehead and telling me softly to relax and release while one of my MWs massaged my hips. I would look over at Mel who was timing and recording Grace's heart rate and she would be looking at me with a big smile telling me I was doing great. Even though transition was physically very difficult, I felt so supported and surrounded by love that it made the time actually a very special and fond memory for me.
I'm guessing it was around 7:45 when I was allowed to get off the bed and into whatever position was most comfortable for me since Grace's heart rate had been fine for a while. I really wanted to stand up and walk around. My contractions were very intense and I was feeling a LOT of pressure and pain in my cervix, and noticed that it was slightly more bearable if I pushed ever so gently. My MW told me to just go with what my body was telling me to do. At that point I asked if they thought it was a good idea that I take my pants and underwear off, they insisted that I did just that. Then out of nowhere my body started pushing without me. That's when I started to freak out. I had only really been in labor for almost 4 hours, there was NO WAY I was dilated enough, it hadn't been painful enough for long enough and I knew that if I let myself push that I would end up in the hospital with a swollen cervix! I kept saying, "I don't want my cervix to swell, I'm not dilated enough!!!" in between the involuntary pushes while gripping the bedrail at the end of the bed. Mel quickly checked me while I was standing there (not sure how that worked but it did), and told me that I only had a small lip and was so stretchy that if I pushed it would move out of the way.
Pushing DS out, he had been so low in my pelvis for so long that I didn't feel anything, no ring of fire, and I could barely even feel my contractions to know when to push. This experience was TOTALLY different. My body was pushing my baby out for me without my help and it's a good thing too because it hurt worse than anything else had up to that point. I know if I had to actually consciously push her out it would not have happened. I felt the ring of fire literally down to my toes! After my first really hard push my water broke and I heard, "She's coming! Reach down, feel her head!" So I reached down and could feel her head coming (really cool and weird). At some point I started to squat down instinctually and then asked for the birthing stool. I also remember requesting someone to protect my perineum (it's funny the things that pop into your head while pushing a baby out). I think once I actually got on to the birthing stool I pushed once and her head was out (she was already crying!). I paused to catch my breath and at 8:04pm pushed her the rest of the way out!
I helped pull her up into my arms while crying, "My baby my baby! I can't believe she's here, and its 8:00!" I looked around the room at all the smiling faces around me in shock that I had just had my baby when I only started having real contractions four hours earlier. My chiropractor who had come back (I think my MW had called her to come give me an adjustment earlier when Grace's heart rate was low) remembered me saying something about DS's bedtime so she knew what the significance of 8:00 was for me:). She came out perfectly pink, crying, with a thick head of long black hair, and got all 10s on her Apgar score!
I moved to the bed and immediately nursed her, she latched on right away and has been an awesome nurser ever since. We immediately called my mom who was just about to put DS to bed, but brought him up to meet his new little sister instead. Then DH got to call his family and let them know that Grace was here (they were quite surprised to say the least) and I got to enjoy homemade chicken pot pie and chocolate birthday cake while waiting for family to arrive!
My entire pregnancy with Grace I visualized her birth the exact way I wanted it to be. It could not have gone any better or any closer to what I had envisioned. I feel so incredibly blessed to have had the amazing positive experience of giving birth to my sweet daughter born Jan 25th at 8:04 pm, 7lbs 11oz, 20in surrounded by the love and support of my wonderful husband and incredible birth team!
My baby!
First bath.
Big brother meeting little sister.
Siggy check.
Re: Grace's fast smooth med free arrival (PIP)!
Wow! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful birth story. I hope my birth goes that well. I am planning for a natural birth. That's what I have always wanted.
Your babies are beutiful. Congrats!