The arrival of my DD via natural vaginal delivery

I?d been having a lot of pressure and discomfort for a week or two, as the baby had dropped very low. Most of the last month, baby was head down, but facing sideways instead of toward my back. I?d had some random contractions, mostly in the evenings, but nothing that lasted or regulated.

At 38 weeks 6 days, we had a sudden hail storm around 5 pm. I?d been out on the carport, and had just gone in to make dinner when the storm came and I had a strong contraction that made me stop what I was doing and grip the counter. They began to come every 10 minutes or so. I finished making dinner and ate with the family. Sitting in our dining room chairs was uncomfortable due to baby?s low position, so I sat on an exercise ball. After dinner, I sat on the ball a while longer, with 2 ? year old DS on my lap, looking at pictures on the computer, bouncing gently, until it became too distracting to have him there.

I laid down for maybe 15 minutes, but by that point the contractions were getting closer together, and laying down was not working for me. I took a hot shower and did a last minute check of our bags. We called the midwife and agreed that since my labor with DS progressed fairly quickly, that we?d go in to the hospital soon (15 min drive) and get checked out. By the time we got together, contacted our sitter, and drove to the hospital, it was 8:30pm. The sitter met DH and DS in the parking lot while I checked in. I had never spent a night away from DS before, and was really anxious for him. I didn?t get to kiss him goodnight because I thought they were coming in to wait for the sitter

I waited in front of the registration desk for at least 10 minutes, pacing and breathing through at least 4 contractions before a staff member came back on duty from break and checked us in. DH and I finally were able to follow a nurse up to L/D. I was hooked up to the monitors for maybe 20-30 minutes, and my contractions were about 4-5 minutes apart. The nurse checked and said I was only 2 cm, so we began to walk the halls for the next hour. Back on the monitors, and shortly thereafter, my midwife came in to check me herself. She said I was about 2-3 cm and fully effaced. She asked if I wanted my water broken (which a Dr had done with my first labor, as well as stretched my cervix, and it really got my labor progressing). We suspected after my first birth experience, that I have a bit of scar tissue or banding on my cervix, which stalls me in early labor.  I felt a little bad for requesting any ?interventions? but felt it was a fairly harmless one, and if it helped me to progress it was worth it. I didn?t? want to be up all night with contractions if I could have the baby that night while I still had some strength, and then sleep a bit. I said ?let?s get this show on the road!?  So the midwife tried to break my water, but had a lot of difficulty due to baby?s low position. I also then suspected that maybe I?d been leaking a small amount of fluid for the past day or two (I?d felt like I had to pee every 15 minutes lately). While she was trying to break the water, she worked on stretching my cervix, and after an uncomfortable few minutes, she pronounced I was now 5 cm! We joked whether I?d have the baby in my arms by midnight.

At this point the contractions really intensified, and began to hurt much worse in my lower back. I never had back labor with DS, and found it to be more painful/difficult to focus through. I was technically admitted at this time. This is of course where details start to get a bit fuzzy and I lose track of time.

The midwife suggested I try to labor on the toilet through a half dozen contractions, during which she talked to me a bit and told me that I was in transition.  Then she suggested I labor on all fours on the bed, with my chest on the ball. My back was really hurting at this point, and so MW and DH put counter pressure on my back. I remember yelling at DH to PRESS HARD.  After a while, the midwife suggested I get in the shower to aim the hot water on my back. The showers in this hospital are small stalls, but we put a stool in there, and set the ball on top. I crammed in the stall, with my upper body draped over the ball, and kind of squatted my legs a bit so the shower stream hit my lower back.

After a while in there I began to feel more and more pressure, so the nurse suggested I get out. (which was easier said than done) I had one tremendous contraction while DH and the nurse were helping me dry off, and after taking 2 steps toward the bed, I sat on the toilet as the next contraction began. I was immediately struck by the unstoppable urge to push, and the nurse pressed the call button to get the midwife in there N-O-W! I managed to get to the bed and the midwife came in. She said she wasn?t even going to check me, but gave orders which began a flurry of activity as they broke down the bed, and prepped for delivery. My first push I wasn?t maintaining long enough, so baby was slipping back. Then I pushed another good one, maybe two (?) and the pressure was unbelievable. I screamed that I couldn?t do it, but of course at that point, baby?s head was right there, and the midwife was massaging to help ease baby out.

One more push and baby was out at 12:08am! The midwife said ?look what you?ve got!!? and DH announced it was a girl! We were both rather surprised, but pleased. I immediately noticed her huge cheeks, and figured she was bigger than DS had been (6 lbs 3 oz). Like her brother, she?d taken her first poo on the way out, so they cleaner her up a bit before handing her over to me. I had a first degree tear along my scar line, so then came the dreaded numbing shots and stitches. I swear that this part was more uncomfortable again for me than delivery. No problems with the placenta delivery, and DD latched very well, but didn?t try to nurse for very long. Her weight was taken later, and she was a perfectly healthy 7 lbs 4 oz.  She looked huge to me, but it seemed like most of her weight was in her cheeks!  It was good that DD was a girl, because DH and I had not come to an agreement for any boy names. Mae was a name we?d liked for DS (if he?d been a girl of course) and we found out later that it is DH?s maternal grandmother?s middle name, and her grandmother?s as well. Aspen was the middle name we chose ? DH is a gardener, and we wanted a plant name. DS?s middle name is also a tree name. Both kids have the same initials as DH.

 

Nursing started well, but DD had an extremely strong latch (as the LC attested to) and I was eager for my milk to come in so that she?d hopefully back off a bit. We spent the rest of Wednesday night, and Thursday in the hospital, and were finally released at about noon Friday. My parents drove the 7 hours from their home, and made it to see us and meet their grand-daughter Thursday evening. Apparently it was the talk of the nurse?s station later that I?d given birth without so much as an IV.

At our 5 day check up with the pediatrician, they were concerned about her jaundice level, and after the test results came in, ordered us to use a bili blanket. If her levels didn?t drop in the next 24 hours, she would be readmitted to the hospital for intensive phototherapy. Luckily, they dropped and after 3 days on the bili blanket, we were able to turn it back in (good riddance!)  Her weight hasn?t come up as quickly as the doctors would like, so we have a check tomorrow at 3 weeks. Hoping she?s gained substantially so I don?t get pressured to use formula or have to come back to the office for more check ups.

My post-partum healing was remarkably fast this time. Although I had stitches, they didn?t bother me much, and after maybe 4-5 days, I was really not sore down there at all. My bleeding after the first day or two was light. I used my cloth pads at home, and I wonder if that helped with faster healing and lighter bleeding. The cramps were trying for a few days, but nothing that some Motrin didn?t take care of. The worst parts for me were the cracked nipples from DD?s strong latch, and the back aches. My back is still somewhat troubling three weeks later, but feeling more and more normal each day now. DD is a fairly low key baby thus far, though I am starting to see some signs of possible reflux   DS has taken to big-brotherhood like a champ. He is super helpful and loving with his baby sister. We had a few days of potty-training regression, but he is now out of diapers 90% of the time. Our days while DH is working consist of lots of snuggly story time while baby sister is nursing. DS likes to change imaginary diapers on his stuffed animals while I tend to his sister.  He has alto taken to carrying a small stuffed bunny around tightly swaddled in a little blankie. I am so looking forward to seeing their sibling relationship bloom over time ? I know they will be such buddies!