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Birth Stories
My Bradley Birth Story (long labor + big baby!)
I was on ?team green? and I had a bouncing little boy! Jacob was born on October 30th at 9:39pm after 35 hours of labor (including almost four hours of pushing). He weighed 9 lbs 11.4 oz and was 20? long. (Our OB estimated his weight at 7 lbs 10 oz.)
Here are the basic highlights of my natural birth. It was much more physically intense than I ever imagined, but was also incredibly spiritual, yogic, and beautiful. Simply amazing!
- My DH and I worked really hard to prepare for a natural birth. We took the Bradley Method classes, hired a doula, and read lots of books (like Ina May Gaskin?s).
- We were 12 days past our due date. I tried every induction old wives tales out there (except castor oil) and NOTHING worked!
- My water broke on the morning of the 29th. (A consistent mini-gush?no ?pop.?) Our original plan was to labor at home as long as possible but I could tell there was meconium in the amniotic fluid (green/brown color) so we went to the hospital for confirmation. Our OB wanted us to stay at the hospital for intermittent fetal monitoring because of the meconium staining.
- We got a room with a tub and that made ALL the difference for labor. I spent half the labor in the tub...can't imagine going without it! (The fetal monitors were wireless and waterproof.) I also used a birth ball and walked the halls. The room was dark with candles flickering and my relaxing labor playlist on the iPod. I chanted "OM" through each contraction while DH or our doula applied counter-pressure on my back.
- Our doula was a godsend for both DH and me. We also can't imagine the birth experience without her. She was perfect and worth her weight in gold!!!
- We had a situation where our OB pushed me to take pitocin because I hadn't "progressed" from 7cm in six hours and it had been around 30 hours since my water broke. Knowing about the natural alignment plateau (from Bradley Method) and also wanting to avoid medical intervention, we told her to give us an hour to progress naturally. We walked and lunged around the halls and came back at 9cm. Victory!
- When I thought it was time to push, a nurse checked me and said I was fully dilated. Well, after two hours of pushing, I thought I was ready to deliver and the OB came in to catch the baby...but her exam showed I was not even fully dilated...there was a cervical lip. She said if I were anyone else she would have sent me in for a c-section (concerns with cervical swelling, 32 hours since water broke, and meconium staining) but because we were prepared for a natural birth she agreed to try something else. She broke my waters because the bag had resealed. Then, with my pushing and her hands moving the cervix (ow!), we got the baby to start coming down...thank goodness.
- I pushed for another hour and a half while the OB massaged my perineum and said I wasn't going to tear...but then little Jacob came out with both arms crossed in front of his face with his elbows out. A second-degree tear.
- Although DS was covered in meconium when he was born, he looked great and didn't need to go to the NICU. The doctor thinks his size contributed to the long labor.
- Everything is going so well? DS seems like a natural breastfeeder. He is a big wiggler (like he was in utero) and he has to be swaddled in a Kiddopotomus wrap, like a straightjacket. I put cabbage leaves in my bra after every feeding and that has helped prevent engorgement and nipple bleeding.
- My biggest tip for those of you planning a natural birth?remember to use the contractions for your benefit. Work with them; don?t just let them happen to you. That made all the difference for me! I had 24 hours of very hard active labor but I was in this weird mental zone and time had no meaning.
Best wishes to all of you as you eagerly wait for the arrival of your little ones! If you have any questions for me about my experience then feel free to send me an email: hippyhabibi at gmail dot com.
Here are the basic highlights of my natural birth. It was much more physically intense than I ever imagined, but was also incredibly spiritual, yogic, and beautiful. Simply amazing!
- My DH and I worked really hard to prepare for a natural birth. We took the Bradley Method classes, hired a doula, and read lots of books (like Ina May Gaskin?s).
- We were 12 days past our due date. I tried every induction old wives tales out there (except castor oil) and NOTHING worked!
- My water broke on the morning of the 29th. (A consistent mini-gush?no ?pop.?) Our original plan was to labor at home as long as possible but I could tell there was meconium in the amniotic fluid (green/brown color) so we went to the hospital for confirmation. Our OB wanted us to stay at the hospital for intermittent fetal monitoring because of the meconium staining.
- We got a room with a tub and that made ALL the difference for labor. I spent half the labor in the tub...can't imagine going without it! (The fetal monitors were wireless and waterproof.) I also used a birth ball and walked the halls. The room was dark with candles flickering and my relaxing labor playlist on the iPod. I chanted "OM" through each contraction while DH or our doula applied counter-pressure on my back.
- Our doula was a godsend for both DH and me. We also can't imagine the birth experience without her. She was perfect and worth her weight in gold!!!
- We had a situation where our OB pushed me to take pitocin because I hadn't "progressed" from 7cm in six hours and it had been around 30 hours since my water broke. Knowing about the natural alignment plateau (from Bradley Method) and also wanting to avoid medical intervention, we told her to give us an hour to progress naturally. We walked and lunged around the halls and came back at 9cm. Victory!
- When I thought it was time to push, a nurse checked me and said I was fully dilated. Well, after two hours of pushing, I thought I was ready to deliver and the OB came in to catch the baby...but her exam showed I was not even fully dilated...there was a cervical lip. She said if I were anyone else she would have sent me in for a c-section (concerns with cervical swelling, 32 hours since water broke, and meconium staining) but because we were prepared for a natural birth she agreed to try something else. She broke my waters because the bag had resealed. Then, with my pushing and her hands moving the cervix (ow!), we got the baby to start coming down...thank goodness.
- I pushed for another hour and a half while the OB massaged my perineum and said I wasn't going to tear...but then little Jacob came out with both arms crossed in front of his face with his elbows out. A second-degree tear.
- Although DS was covered in meconium when he was born, he looked great and didn't need to go to the NICU. The doctor thinks his size contributed to the long labor.
- Everything is going so well? DS seems like a natural breastfeeder. He is a big wiggler (like he was in utero) and he has to be swaddled in a Kiddopotomus wrap, like a straightjacket. I put cabbage leaves in my bra after every feeding and that has helped prevent engorgement and nipple bleeding.
- My biggest tip for those of you planning a natural birth?remember to use the contractions for your benefit. Work with them; don?t just let them happen to you. That made all the difference for me! I had 24 hours of very hard active labor but I was in this weird mental zone and time had no meaning.
Best wishes to all of you as you eagerly wait for the arrival of your little ones! If you have any questions for me about my experience then feel free to send me an email: hippyhabibi at gmail dot com.
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Re: My Bradley Birth Story (long labor + big baby!)
Really a wonderful and inspiring birth story. We are planning a Bradley birth at a birthing center, and I'm thrilled to read a story where things weren't "textbook" but you were able to stick to your natural birth plan. Kudos for declining the Pitocin! I'm really proud of you.
I've read Natural Birth the Bradley Way and was considering getting Ina May's book. Did it really help?
Thanks for sharing your story.
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Your boy is beautiful!
Thanks for sharing your story: we begin our Bradley classes in January and can't wait!