Gracelyn Marie's med free birth

wagneram13

(My early labor occured over 2 days prior to active labor starting so the beginning is kind of boring/slow) 

I had an internal check my 39 week appointment and my midwife Cheri said I was 2.5-3 cm effaced and baby was -2 station. I had a feeling labor would start that weekend but it didn't.

I woke up around midnight on Tues March 27 with mild contractions. These continued through the night so by 6 a.m. I told my husband he should stay home as this is how labor started with my son. However, by the time we got up, the contractions died off. We went to the mall and did some walking for a couple hours trying to bring contractions on again. Nothing. So then I decided we should just go home and rest in the event labor did start up that night. But again nothing happened.

No signs of labor on Wed at all but on Thursday the contractions started again. They were consisent every 5-8 minutes and varied in length. We sent DS to my mom's again thinking labor would be starting soon. I had the contractions all day although they were felt more as downward pressure as opposed to the tightning of the stomach that I remembered with my son. They never increased in strength and eventually died off.

I woke up Friday morning after a good nights rest (my due date) and got ready to go to my 40 week appointment with DH. My midwife Cheri said I was 4 cm and baby was a zero station. She swept my membranes and was confident she would be seeing us later that day. She suggested we not head home and just do some walking (we live 40+ minutes away) So we went to the store & walked & then came back to the hosptital where we met up with my sister & SIL who were both going to be at the birth. We walked the hospital including doing stairs for a couple hours and also found a exercise room were we sat on/bounced on exercise balls. The contrations were getting stronger though I was still able to talk/walk through them. I was starting to have a backache though. I texted Cheri to see if I should get checked before she left for the day. She said to come up so I did and she said I was still 4 cm but that her head was now +1. She suggested that we go to L&D to get checked in and she would break my water. She said it was up to me and if we wanted to go home we could and just come back when things picked up. Since DS was being cared for and we were all there, I decided I would go with this plan. With DS, she broke my water after about 15 or so hours of labor and after that I went from 4cm to 10cm in like 1.5 hours so I felt that this would definitly get things going.

It was 4:00 when I checked into L&D. Since I had just seen Cheri, I was able to avoid triage. I had to have a hep-lock (hospital policy) & I did have to be hooked up to the monitor for 20 minutes monitoring. I requested to sit as opposed to lying on the bed for this. I remember it being very uncomfortable being on my back for this with DS. By now contractions were getting more intense. I was no longer able to talk through them and had to lean over to get through each one. Cheri came in around 5:45. I was now 5 cm and 100% effaced. (I was amazed I was this far along. With DS, by 4 cm I was in my "zone" and very uncomfortable. Here I was at 5 cm. and really just starting to feel like I was in labor.) She broke my water. The contractions died down while I was lying down so she said she wanted me to get moving & have some stronger contractions before getting into the tub. That didn't take long. As soon as I got up, the contractions grew much more intense. I also started having bad leg cramps. My SIL who is also a chiropractor worked on my legs to help relax those muscles as I waited for the tub to fill.

I had Christian music playing and my husband was reading me scripture verses I had written out. I began to feel as though I might get sick during contractions so my husband was holding a vomit bag for me. Thankfully I never did get sick. After a bit I decided I wanted to get into the shower. I liked the tub but thought changing posistions/standing would help to keep things moving. I was so cold when I got into the shower. There are about 5 nozzles in the shower but only one was working. I was too uncomfortable to care. I just wanted to be warm. I wasn't in there for too long and the pressure was getting really intense. Cheri checked me again and I was now at 7cm. I decided to get back into the tub so I could relax a little. I didn't know it then but I was quickly moving into transistion. I am told I was back in the tub for maybe 10 minutes. Cheri was in front of me talking me through contractions along with my husband. I remember feeling very scared. With my son, things moved much slower and this got intense so fast. I kept praying and reminding myself it was almost time. And then I had this overwhelming sense to poop. I told Cheri that I needed to poop and she immediatly told the nurses to get things set up. She said "you don't have to poop, you have to have a baby".

DH helped me out of the tub and over to the bed. Someone suggested I push on my side which is what I had planned since that is what I did with DS. However, I was completly overwhelemed at the thought of lying down. It seemed like an impossible task. There is a picture of me standing there staring at the bed and I can remember exactly how I felt that moment. I remember thinking if I don't start pushing, it will never be over. So I managed to lie down on my side. My SIL held my leg back. I pushed and felt the ring of fire! (Again, so different than with DS because I was elated to be pushing with him and don't even remember it hurting. I think I was so happy to be at that point after 17 hours) This hurt though. I yelled out saying it hurt to which Cheri said "yes does but your are doing it!" She was out in one contractions and to my surprise, I didn't even tear! The did give me pitocin after she was born to help the bleeding.

Gracelyn Marie was born at 7:28 p.m. She came right on her due date like her big brother did! She was 8lbs 2 oz and 21.5 inches long.

She latched right on to nurse and did so for a good 45 minutes. So far things are going well. We are very blessed and I am very thankful for how everything turned out. It is crazy how different this labor was compared to my first. I expected it to go faster but the 2 days of early labor and my mental/emotional state at 4-5 cm the first time to this time was so different.

 I had my sister & SIL take photos during labor & deliver & am so thankful I did as it tells the story. They are photos just for me but am thankful for them. I would suggest it if you think it is something you will like to reflect on.

Now trying to adjust to being the mom of two. I have had some crying spells but having 2 keeps me busy enough and helps with the emotions I think. Hopefully that part will be over soon.