Birth Stories

Huge Baby w/ no drugs!

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The Story of Benjamin?s Birth

 

 

At 4am on Sunday, November 2, 2008 -- my due date, and daylight savings time to add to the confusion -- my water broke (and broke, and broke, and broke for like 6 hours- nobody prepared me for that much liquid!) at home in my bed right after a trip to the bathroom.  Though at the time it seemed to happen without warning, when looking back, Jason and I think that I may have been in early labor the whole night before.  In the afternoon we went to the park where I walked 3 miles.  Then in the evening I was whining and sometimes even in tears from discomfort and pressure in my butt.  I couldn?t stay still or sit on most of the living room furniture without pain, so ate dinner and watched SNL (w/ Ben Affleck and John McCain-hysterical!) sitting on my yoga ball. I wonder if the walking or the Chinese food helped bring on labor. Not once did this pain come in waves or result in a hard abdomen so we never suspected contractions or labor.

 

When my water broke, after waking Jason up, I jumped in the shower since the fluid was EVERYWHERE and called my MW when I got out.  She said to take my time, eat, rest, pack and get to the hospital by 6:30-7 ish.  MWs really are calm about these things- she said no rush even though I was GBS+!  After that phone call I noticed cramping that was timeable, but zero tightness in the abdomen- nothing like I expected contractions to feel like.  So I lied down and played a relaxation CD while Jason took a shower.  The cramps were 5-7 mins apart now and remained that way through the 45 min ride to the hospital including a stop for gas, and we arrived at about 7:15.  When I got out of the car I was covered in fluid & in lots of pain, a doc in the parking garage brought a wheelchair over and we went upstairs to L &D triage.

 

There they hooked me up to a monitor which shows absolutely no contractions.  I kind of felt like they?d slowed since sitting but were still there.  I thought if these aren?t contractions, wtf is all this pain???  I was having high BP readings and they found meconium in the amniotic fluid, and my water had broken already about 4 hours ago, so the MW informed me that she wants to give me cervadil to induce.  She said this could take up to 12 hours so we called my Mom and told her not to bother coming yet.  I started crying b/c I wanted no interference with natural labor PLUS I felt like I am already and don?t need to be induced!  She reminded me that w/ the high BP I?d had for the past few weeks and the ?big baby? that was showing on my sonos, if I had been seeing an MD, I would have been induced weeks ago.

 

So they moved me to an L & D room to start Cervadil at 10:30.  We both got comfy b/c they tell us we?ll be there a while.  Some loud bitchy nurse came in and said if you?re lying down like that ready to take a rest, you?re nowhere near 4cm.  When it hurt a lot more, hours from now, then you will be.  But the contractions became so painful that Jason got me up out of bed to keep labor going and not stalled (thank you, Bradley classes!) and he convinced the MW to do an internal.  Sure enough I?m already 4cm- their stupid monitor still was not registering my contractions!  So no need to induce but the MW says the average is 1 cm per hour so I?ll likely deliver in about 6 hours.  But Jason noticed that while leaning on the yoga ball & rocking on the rocking chair my pain is so great that he believed I must be further along.  When I told him that I wanted to push (kind of an exaggeration b/c I want an internal so I might have an epidural if I truly have 6 hours of hell to go), he ran for the MW and nurse who had just left the room.  They came back to do an internal to see what the status is-either to push or give the epidural that I am now begging for- natural childbirth plan be damned,  this pain is increasing too fast!  Lo and behold, only about an hour after I was 4cm I am suddenly fully dilated and ready to push!  Then I was glad I hadn?t needed an epidural and that Jason had talked me out of it.

 

But I was terrified of the pushing, and for good reason -- it hurt so much!  At one point I remember screaming ?just pull him out!? Luckily since the monitor still wasn?t picking up my contractions I was sort of in control of the room.  I got to decide how many pushes per contraction because only I could say went they started & stopped.  I remember that in spite of my pain I was worried about Jason looking at my stretching crotch and I kept asking him if he really wanted to be looking at all that- which made the MW laugh.  Pushing feels like there?s a baby coming out of your butt by the way, not your vagina!  About 45 minutes worth of pushing later, when the head got close, the MW used her finger to stretch the perineum down and the head and the rest of the body then just flew out, daddy called out ?it?s a boy!? and he was on my belly all warm and wiggly, just like that!  I look terrified in those first pictures, Jason looked thrilled- I can still vividly remember the huge grin on his face!  My Benjamin Lewis ?Big Ben? was born at 12:59 pm weighing 10 lbs 6 oz and 21 ?? long and thanks to my hubby?s coaching I had the intervention and drug-free birth I wanted.

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Re: Huge Baby w/ no drugs!

  • Congrats! He is adorable!
  • Congrats! You are an inspiration!

    I am due March 1 and hoping for similar success.

    Cyndi

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  • Thanks for sharing.  I am also hoping for a similar delivery, in March. It is a testiment to the saying "mother knows best".   I think it's inspiring that you let your instincts guide you through labor, regardless of the (mistaken)medical opinion about your lack of contractions.  And, it's fantastic that you and your husband prepared yourself through the Bradley classes so he was able to understand you and support your decisions.  You both trusted your body, and let it happen--GREAT JOB!  Congrats & enjoy baby!
  • You are my new hero!  And my hoo haa now hurts :-(
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  • Why did you put yourself through that? It sounds awful. I had what I consider a traumatic hospital experience but I'd take mine ANY day over that.?

    ?Just so you know not everyone thinks you are a hero or even did anything great by going bradley.

  • imagemarrymemylove:

    Why did you put yourself through that? It sounds awful. I had what I consider a traumatic hospital experience but I'd take mine ANY day over that. 

     Just so you know not everyone thinks you are a hero or even did anything great by going bradley.

     

    Was that really necessary?  She never mentioned trying to be a hero.  It was what she wanted.  Maybe she has other reasons for wanting it (aversion to needles, etc). 

    I am happy her labor and delivery went the way she wished.  It sounds like she had a very supportive DH.

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  • I was prompted by a combination of the tone of the story, the use of exclamation mark (like this was a big deal) and the words "hero" and "inspiration" applied by others.

    Onya for having the birth you wanted but it is no huge achievement as seems to be implied by the OP and replies. The baby will come out whether you like it or not, whether you work hard or not, whether you have pain relief or not. You could be strapped to a board with your knees on your nose for 2 days and the baby would still come out. Doesn't mean you did anything spectacular.

    Perhaps this is why I didn't even bother to write a birth story for over 2 years. BEcause apart from warning other women of pitfalls and such I just don't think patting ourselves on the back is really that warranted. Your body did what it had to. You chose to put yourself through that awful pain for no good reason. So what??

  • imagemarrymemylove:

    Why did you put yourself through that? It sounds awful. I had what I consider a traumatic hospital experience but I'd take mine ANY day over that. 

     Just so you know not everyone thinks you are a hero or even did anything great by going bradley.

    No one thinks you're a hero for coming on here acting like a betch either. Just so you know.

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  • Oh I'm totally not. But I was never pretending to be. That's the difference.
  • Oh yes making the personal choice to have a drug free birth is absolutely playing the role of hero. You're right. I guess I just got all caught up the awesomeness of her super powers there for a minute. Sorry about that.
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  • OMG - congratulations! I gave birth drug free to a 7 pound 15 oz-er and a 5 pound 15 oz-er -  I can't imagine 10 pounds, 6 ounces! Congrats to you - you desire it!
  • Congrats and way to go supportive hubby!
  • imageHyfagal:
    Oh yes making the personal choice to have a drug free birth is absolutely playing the role of hero. You're right. I guess I just got all caught up the awesomeness of?her super powers there for a minute. Sorry about that.

    Yeah apparently you think they are super powers. Because that is EXACTLY what it looked like. You thought you were being sarcastic but irony turns back on you.?

  • Wow, I can't believe the negativity that some people have on here!  Some people don't realize that having drugs and other interventions can actually lead your body to NOT do what it's supposed to do.  I think you did awesome and you should be proud and you do have superpowers

     :)

  • imageErinT529:

    Some people don't realize that having drugs and other interventions can actually lead your body to NOT do what it's supposed to do.?

    ?Erin if you really believe that you have been sooooo duped. There is plenty of evidence that epidurals (let alone just being in a hospital) does not contribute to either other interventions, longer labor or anything else negative.

    If you enjoy pain and want to go to the pain party at your homebirth good for you. But don't dupe other women with the BIG LIE. You aren't a better person for having no drugs. You aren't even doing any better by your baby by having no drugs. You serve absolutely no purpose other than personal preference for pain by having no drugs.

    If women who had drug free births were honest they would admit that it is based on fear of the drugs, not a love of pain. And then we could work on your problem and show you the drugs are as safe as anything related to birth and you could have beautiful painless labours.?

    As for "natural", if I could interview 1 million women from 100 or 1000 or 10,000 years ago I bet 100% of them would say "a way to en labor pain - bring it on!" The natural choice is to alleviate pain. The fact they were stuck with it isn't evidence of anything but making do with what you have.

  • Wow, I am so sorry for all the negativity! I think you are amazing for having a natural birth! You did it and that is such a great accomplishment that you wanted for yourself! I truly believe having an unmedicated birth is better for mommy and baby and hope to accomplish a natural birth very soon.?

    Congratulations to you and your new little one!?

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  • imageGabe&Dana:

    I truly believe having an unmedicated birth is better for mommy and baby?

    You poor poor woman. I really feel sorry for you believing that lie.?

  • marrymemylove - you sound really bitter that other people had the birth they wanted and you did not. I'm sorry you're still having trouble with that and this is your outlet. There are therapists that can help with birth trauma...

    I also believe med free is the best route IF the mother and baby both cope well this way. If not and drugs are used, great. The point is to get a healthy baby and mommy out of it, regardless.

    FWIW, I was so relieved I didn't use drugs because I was able to get up and move around, etc. right after she was born. I also got the surge of euphoric hormones that can be inhibited if drugs are used and I felt AMAZING. I didn't need to worry about the possible side effects of the drugs on both myself and my daughter. (headaches, backaches, etc.) 

    That was the best route for ME, not everyone. Let's be respectful of others' choices for their own bodies, shall we? All mommas are heroes...

  • imagelisaroo:
    I also believe med free is the best route IF the mother and baby both cope well this way. If not and drugs are used, great. The point is to get a healthy baby and mommy out of it, regardless.

    FWIW, I was so relieved I didn't use drugs because I was able to get up and move around, etc. right after she was born. I also got the surge of euphoric hormones that can be inhibited if drugs are used and I felt AMAZING. I didn't need to worry about the possible side effects of the drugs on both myself and my daughter. (headaches, backaches, etc.)?

    This is so ignorant. It is either safe or its not. There is no "safe for you but not for me". For women smart enough to get good pain relief it isn't about "coping" it is about not having to cope.

    Also your ignorance totally shows because I was perfectly capable of walking IN labor with DS, as well as straight afterwards. The fact you think that epidurals mean you can't get up straight way shows what a victim of fear you are.

    And I'm not even going to bother with the personal attacks. I'm angry and rightly so that even the hospital which should know better kept pushing unmedicated birth on me. Even though the relevant Drs at the same institution knew and supported that it was a) safe b) smart c) advisable for other reasons specific to me.

    Have your babies in agony if you wish, that's your business. Don't paint ti as heroic. IT isn't. Any animal can give birth. And I say that having given birth myself. The hard part is parenting. Birth is not in the race. Even an agonizing birth.?

  • I'm so sorry you're to this level of anger. I am not ignorant, the polar opposite actually, but if it helps you sleep a little better to call me such (and by the way, you did personally attack me right before you proclaimed you were not going to personally attack me :) ), by all means. I am secure in my knowledge of FACTS and my personal decisions.

    Again, there are therapists that focus on these issues. It's not healthy to go through life so angry and bitter. I wish you luck!

  • And your logical fallacy that it is safe for you if you "need it to cope" but not if you don't?

    Or is it ok to put the baby at risk if you hurt enough?

    Sorry but you ARE ignorant if you think that's the axis of this issue. Epidurals are not only safe, and they don't just allow women to get up and walk around during and immediately after labor (to which I can personally attest) they also can PREVENT c sections.

    Oh boy you didn't know that did you. Bingo!?

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