I've really just been a lurker on this board because I was hoping for a natural birth, but I'm really active on the Oct 13 board. Thought I'd share my natural, med free birth story!
(Short birth story) Georgia Emelia was born October 14th at 4:22am. 7lbs, 3oz and 20 inches long. One day before her due date and on Canadian Thanksgiving! My water broke at about 11:30pm on the 13th and I dilated from 1 to 9.5 cms by 4am. Pushed for about 20 minutes and she was out! No drugs, no tearing! I feel pretty lucky!
(Long birth story) Sunday was a completely normal day, up until about 5:30 pm. Everything was normal, other than I just felt a little "off" and was internally thinking that maybe I would go into labor later in the night or the next day. I kept that to myself though because I knew if I was just overanalyzing things and nothing happened, then I would feel like an idiot.
At about 11:20 pm I laid down to sleep and DH was finishing up his video game when I moved just to set the alarm on my phone and felt a gush. I got right up and an even bigger gush came...my water had officially broken! I told DH and he jumped off his Xbox and woke my mom up, who is visiting from California. I was crazy calm at this point because I wasn't feeling contractions yet and I figured I had to be calm while I could be because DH was freeeaking out! Such a ball of nerves!
It took us 15 minutes to get to the hospital and I went to triage to get checked out. The contractions were coming and weren't too bad yet, but about an hour into being in triage they intensified and I was doing the breathing techniques I had practiced. I never had BH and was at 1 cm and 30% effaced at my 39 week appointment so contractions were a new feeling to me! Soon after, (TMI) I started to feel like puking and having diarrhea and made several trips to the bathroom to do just that, all while contracting. By 2am I was contracting more and it was definitely hurting so the triage nurse decided to check how far dilated I was. I was at a 4, so I figured I still had awhile to go. I had wanted a natural birth and decided to see how long I could go without asking for any drugs.
The pain intensified and I was finally admitted! As soon as DH and I got to our birthing room, my mom joined us and I was doing all I could to not scream in pain, so I decided to try the bouncing ball in the shower. As I got ready to get undressed, I knew it was time to push because I felt like I had to poop! I told the nurses and she got me on the bed and told me I was at 9.5! My plan of a natural birth was happening! My mom and a nurse got on one side to hold a leg and DH held the other and the OB was at the exit point! I have to be honest ladies...pushing...fucking...KIIIILLS! I knew right away when her head was coming because the "ring of fire" is unmistakable! I pushed for about 20 minutes and Georgia arrived at 4:22am! A little less than 5 hours after my water had broken!
So far things are going great! DH is absolutely amazing and has been such an amazing dad. I feel like I am falling in love with him all over again, just watching him care for our daughter. She has stridor (I won't get too into it) but it is something to do with her larynx/vocal chords that make her gasp and weeze when she is worked up, and we have to keep an eye on it until we get into the children's hospital for her appointment. So far she has been amazing. She has been sleeping a bunch and although I'm tired, things are better than I had expected. I am so in love!
If you read this far, thanks!...sorry if it sounds jumbled, I'm multitasking at the moment!
Now, here are some pictures for your time!
Re: My Natural Birth Story-PIP
Is that picture of the three of you shortly after the birth? If so, I'm impressed. You look amazing!
Engaged 10/2/1202
BFP (a lil quicker than expected) 12/7/2012
Married to my best friend 12/24/2012
Beautiful baby girl arrived 8/15/2013
BFP #2 3/13/2016
2010: Infertility
October 2015: missed miscarriage #2 at 11 weeks (trisomy 22)