Haha, I just realized that I accidentally posted this on my local board when I meant to post it here. Whoopsies. That's what I get for bumping too soon after birth.
It's a really long birth story, but I'll try to just give you the highlights.
Ctx started at 3:30, Tuesday morning. Contracted all day and night. My doula came over around 6AM Wednesday morning. I labored at home for a few hours and then went into the hospital.
It took me a long time to dilate to 5. Once I was there, they broke my water and it was pretty unbearable. That was in the evening on Wednesday. After that long of labor, I was just so exhausted. I was starting to get tense with each contraction and I was throwing up while I was contracting, too. So my doula and the midwife both thought it would be a good idea to get an epi. I definitely thought it would be a good idea. Well, the epi relaxed me enough so that my body could do the work at dilate. While that was happening, I was able to get some sleep, so could DH and my doula. And they got to go get something to eat and everything, so that was nice.
Once I was at 10 cm, I labored down for a few hours. Baby was moving down pretty well and I started to push. The only problem was that my ctx were spacing out, so it was really hard to keep the momentum going when I had space between. The MW recommended doing a tiny bit of pitocin. I consented to it right away (rather than pushing for a few hours, getting the pitocin anyway, and then pushing even more). So they got the pitocin going (it was between a 1 and 3 out of 20 most of the time). It wasn't too bad and got my ctx closer together and more productive.
I ended up pushing for a total of 3 hours, 45 minutes. I didn't even know it had been that long. The mirror was blocking the clock and I truly had no idea what time it was. I had a teeny tiny tear that didn't require any stitches. The swelling is worse than anything else.
It was amazing, I was able to reach down and catch him and pull him up to me. Unbelievable. I was so happy that I got my vaginal birth in addition to the happiness I was feeling about just having a brand new baby. So it was all wonderful.
I don't regret anything about my labor and delivery. I'm happy I waited for the epi because I think the moving that I did helped me get to a 5. And I'm happy I got the epi because it helped me relax and I think I needed to do that in order to dilate the last half, and I got some sleep and rest before pushing for close to 4 hours.
My doula was worth her weight in gold. It was great to have her there because she really helped me work through the contractions and keep myself together. She also was great because my DH was able to do a lot of coaching too because she showed him the things to say and do.
So yeah, contractions started at 3:30 AM on Tuesday. Jude was born at 5 PM on Thursday evening. He was 8 lbs, 7 oz, and 22 inches long. He's a big guy.
He was worth every second of labor. Good luck to all of you ladies!! It's so worth it to work for the labor and delivery that you want, no matter how you imagine it.
(Also, because I always wonder when I read birth stories... my first c/s was for FTP, and fetal distress after an induction... I never dilated past 1cm the whole time.)
Re: I had my VBAC!
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
great story!!!! i love reading successful VBAC stories!!!!
congrats on the new baby!
DC#2 born silent at 22 weeks 1.11.11
Dc#3 born vbac 1/2012 <bra DC#4 born VBAC 3/2014