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Natural Birth
vszapp
member
My too-fast-for-hypnobabies birth story
vszapp
member
With DD, my water broke and I didn't go into active labor for 36 hours and had to be induced. I was hoping for a NB, but after 8 hours of cytotec-induced hell and only being at 3cm, I got an epi to get through. I was really hoping for a positive and natural experience this time. I practiced hypnobabies, and though I'm not sure I absorbed all of it, I felt well-equipped to relax during labor.
On the same day of the pregnancy (38w+4d), sometime during Thursday evening, I sprung a small leak in my water. I had been having a bloody show for 2 days, but it became too liquidy to be just mucus. I was having no real contractions, and though I was tempted to wait to contact the birth center (attached to a hospital, and has a 24h policy before inducing), since I didn't know exactly when my water broke, we decided to go in at 2am Friday morning. It felt like deja vu all over again. I was put on a clock to go into active labor, but was having less BH contractions that I usually did. As the morning wore on, I tried squats, etc but also became comfortable with the idea that I would probably have to be induced again. I thought my body simply didn't understand how to go into labor. The MW suggested I try castor oil, which I did (didn't work last time). It certainly cleaned me out but I was having only sporadic, very manageable contractions afterward. The MW said at 18h she would sweep my membranes as a last ditch effort.
While we were waiting, I asked DH to try nipple stimulation. We googled how to do it for induction and got to work. He did one side, and afterward I had a stronger (though still easy to talk through) contraction! We waited 2 minutes and tried the other side. Boom - another contraction! In the middle of it, I felt like I got kicked in the gut, but not by the baby. I had NO idea what it was, but when I stood up we realized it was my main bag of water (we later learned it was the forebag before). I began gushing fluid, and immediately had another, stronger contraction. Maybe this was it, we thought. I sat on the birthing ball, and about 2 minutes later I had a strong contraction where I really had to focus. Call the doula! At this point it was about 2:35pm. Everybody rushed to action while I asked DH to put on the hypnobabies. The contractions quickly ramped up to where I really had to focus on hypnosis - within a few minutes. They were coming every 2-3 minutes with almost no break in between. What the heck? I thought they were supposed to be at 7 min, then 5 min, etc. Not for me... They got stronger and stronger over the next 30 minutes to where I was shaking and almost unresponsive in between. DH was worried that I wasn't relaxed, but it was totally uncontrollable. The tub was finally ready, so I basically fell into it during the 30 seconds I had in between contractions. It felt better, and the only position I could labor was on all fours. I had maybe 4 contractions in there (it is all a blur at this point), and all of the sudden I felt like I needed to push. At this point it was 3:45. There's no way, right? I had not been checked for dilation in several hours, at last check I was at 1cm, barely. DH looked confused and thought I had really lost it, but I think the MW knew better because of the intensity and frequency of the contractions and the shaking. She checked and said, "you're 10cm and +1, go for it". She told me though, that I had to be either in or out of the water, not half way. Well, I really couldn't be in any other position, so they got me out and onto the bed on all fours - agony. A few minutes of pushing later, baby Rowan arrived, at 3:56pm! I literally went from 1cm and no labor to baby in under 90 minutes. There is no history of precipitous labor in my family, so I have no clue why/how that happened. It was by far the most intense experience I've ever had, at times I really was despondent thinking I could be laboring like that for hours - I had no idea I was already in transition. I can't say I really used my hypnobabies training other than to try to relax during the contractions (there was NO anethesia, though). I do think that relaxation may have sped up the labor. All in all it certainly wasn't the experience I expected, but it was a wonderful natural birth nonetheless, and I feel totally empowered that I was able to endure it. I thank my lucky stars I was already at the birth center where the MW and nurse could help me through the outrageous intensity of the labor. What a ride!
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Re: My too-fast-for-hypnobabies birth story
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
My second baby was a 0 to birth in 90 minutes as well, I totally understand the craziness. I found the recovery so much easier with a short birth, hope you find the same:)