Cyan's Birth (Really long/Detailed)

I'm finally getting around to sharing this. It took me a while to compose it all together. Sorry it's so long, but I really wanted to share all of it!
 
My labor was long, even for a first time labor. In reality, during labor, your body is in another place. It was the most amazing and life-changing experience of my life.
 
Pre-Labor
My due date was April 1, 2010. The weekend following my due date, I was having contractions that were mild, like menstrual cramps, not painful, but disturbing. They were coming in clusters every 10-20 minutes or so for a few hours, then they?d go away. I didn?t sleep much the nights before active labor actually started.

On Sunday, we hung out in the park with some friends. Sunday night we got some spicy Thai food, to help things along. It only seemed to make my heartburn and stomach feel worse! The contractions were still far apart, but enough to keep me from sleeping well. Monday passed?more of the same. Tuesday Matt stayed home with me. The contractions were disturbing enough that he had to massage my back during them.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010
We called the midwife at 11:30pm once the contractions seemed to be getting stronger and ranging from 3-6 minutes apart. We arrived at The Birth Center (TBC) at about 1am. We were the only ones there, and got to check into our Green Room. The midwife, Gazelle, examined me to find I was at 4cm. My blood pressure was also high. Gazelle was concerned that I hadn't gotten sleep in the past few days, and offered me either Benedryl-type meds or Morphine to help me sleep, so I'd wake up and be ready for labor. I didn't want to do either of those.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010
So she offered us another option to rest for a bit, and she?d check me in a few hours. She said she?d let us rest until 4am. I wasn?t able to sleep because the contractions were coming every few minutes.

At 4am, Gazelle came in and checked on me. I was now at 6cm, but my blood pressure was still high. She thought sending me to the hospital was the best thing to do. This way they could run some tests (checking for preeclampsia). I reluctantly agreed. Matt put everything in the car, and drove us across the street to the hospital (FYI-my Birth Center and hospital are affiliated and work together in the case of one of the Birth Center client's needing to be transferred there. The Midwife goes with you)

Everyone was really nice in the hospital, but there were a lot of people. The one nurse said, ?Wow, you look great for 6cm!? They strapped me into a bed and made me fill out paperwork in between contractions. They poked around in my hands to put an IV in, bruising me twice, before calling in someone who knew what they were doing. I was getting really discouraged and upset.

The good news? My blood pressure appeared totally normal. They ran a bunch of tests to make sure, and the only thing wrong was that my ketones were low. I just needed a saline drip/fluids!

My doula, Ren?e arrived at some point during all of this. She tells me that she thinks Nancy (now my Midwife) will take me back to TBC. At this point the thought of going back there sounds like a terrible idea in my laboring head. I don?t feel like making the long journey (across the street!). She reminds me that there is no Jacuzzi tub here, only a shower. They?re right, I decide. And back to TBC we go.

10am: We arrive back at TBC. First thing Nancy did was put me on a Saline drip. I was measured; the whole time at the hospital, I had remained at 6 cm. Nancy decided to break my water. It just felt warm when she broke it. I got into the Jacuzzi tub, we had ambient rain/soft/soothing music playing and lit candles around the tub. The contractions picked up because of my water being broken.

I remember some of the contractions feeling stronger than others. Someone was at my side the whole time, rubbing my back and telling me how great I was doing. I remember a few of the really intense ones felt like I was riding a wave in the tub. Ren?e said, ?This is it, you?re already doing it.? ?Stay on top of it.? I remember thinking, ?She?s right. This is awesome. I?m so proud of myself.? I mostly focused on my breathing. I had read to imagine your pain as a package, and package it up and send it away. So I just kept doing that.

At one point I remember Matt?s wallet falling into the tub! I remember just focusing on what I was doing, and not even caring that that had happened.

1pm: Got out of tub to be checked?I was at 8 cm! I started shivering, and was covered with warm towels. Got back into tub, but on the chair using showerhead to try and stimulate nipples and bring back steady contractions.

1:30pm: Got back in tub and used breast pump to bring on consistent contractions. We realized I hadn?t eaten anything since dinner the night before (besides half a popsicle at the hospital). I had another fruit popsicle. Then all of the sudden out of nowhere, I said, ?You know, I?m not feeling so well.? Two seconds later, I?m over the toilet puking.

Things got really strong and intense. At this point I remember thinking for a while, I don?t know how much longer I can do this. I am so exhausted. I?m thinking if this doesn?t progress, I really don?t want to go back to the hospital. I remember thinking how easy it would be to have them take me back to the hospital and get the baby out for me. Welcome to transition! I finally speak up to the team and admit, ?I don?t know how much longer I can do this.? Matt reassured me of how well I?m doing, and how our baby was going to be here so soon.

3pm: After begging Nancy to check me, I got out of the tub, was checked and at 10 cm and 100% effaced. The nurse Patti also entered the room. It was time to push, but I was not sure that I felt the urge. I felt some pressure, so Nancy said to use that as the cue to push. I was laying on the bed, with knees bent, half sitting up for the beginning of pushing. Then tried to be on my knees, ball on the bed, leaning over the ball. This wasn?t so comfortable, so we tried another position.

4pm: Moved to sit on birthing stool for more pushing. The vibe in the room completely changed, got brighter. Everyone began chatting more and realizing this is it. Matt put some more upbeat music on. He sat behind me in the stool, during each contraction, running his hands down my back, mimicking the baby coming down. This really helped with the pushing. Nancy held the mirror so I could see the head.

4:30pm: Nancy decided that I needed a small dose of Pitocin in my saline to make sure the placenta came out. She was afraid my uterus would collapse and cause bleeding, since my contractions hadn?t been consistent on their own. This would be administered right after the baby was born.

I moved back to bed, with legs being held bent in the air, continued to push. Nancy used olive oil to keep everything lubricated and prevent tearing. Nancy gets ready in her outfit and gloves. I watched the head coming out in the mirror with every push. The pushing did not hurt at all. If anything it felt a little tight, but I wouldn?t describe it as pain. It did take a while to get the hang of pushing. It was definitely hard work! But knowing that our baby was so close to arrival and that we?d get to see him or her and find out if it was a girl or a boy was such great motivation.

5:15pm: Matt washed his hands in preparation. I gave one push, and the head came out facing downwards. Nancy did the bulb in the nose to get rid of mucus and clean it out. The cord was around the baby?s neck, so she clamped it and Matt cut it right away. One more push, and the whole body came out. Matt announced it was a girl! They immediately put her on my chest and wiped her off. She found the nipple and began feeding. No words can describe the feeling of your baby sliding out of you, and holding her for the first time. You know all along there's a baby in there, but to actually see them is just amazing. Pure joy overwhelmed me, as I sat there holding this beautiful girl with Matt sitting next to me. Nothing else in the world mattered at that moment.

I pushed out the placenta easily sometime during the excitement of holding our baby girl, Cyan. Nancy said I had 2 small tears. She used a numbing spray and put a couple of stitches in.

Cyan was born at 5:21pm on Wednesday, April 7. 8lbs 9oz and 21" long.