C's birth story

It's been a while, and this is a good post to get back to blogging with. Baby C's birth story. Although I did not get my home birth, and I had to get a new midwife at 34 weeks pregnant, everything went as well as could have been hoped for in the situation. I am very happy with this birth.

C’s birth story.

Sunday February 17^th: I’d been having lots of contractions that had started to feel kind of serious. But I knew better. I knew that they were probably not the real thing, because it was 2 days before my due date, and I always go late. I figured I had another week, at least. We decided to go to Ikea to give me some good walking, and take my mind off of the never-ending contractions.  They continued through Sunday, off and on. So I took a hot shower, and went to bed.

Monday February 18^th: Around 1 AM I got a very strong contraction. Strong enough to wake me up, strong enough I moaned through it. They continued, far apart but strong. I got up about 4, unable to sleep anymore thinking perhaps we were in labor. I timed them all morning. And they were crazy irregular. From 6 – 15 minutes apart. Sobbing, I got dressed and asked Mark to drive me to work. I wasn’t sure  I was in labor, so I didn’t feel like I could call in (again), but I couldn’t drive while having these contractions either. I went to work, and worked 7 hours. Finally at 2:30 I couldn’t stand the pain anymore and came home. All evening the lack of pattern continued. 6 min apart… then 15 min apart. Still moaning through them, I took a hot shower which suddenly made them 20 minutes apart. Frustrated I took a Tylenol PM and went to bed. I continued to wake and moan through my contractions all night, but they were still pretty far apart. Work tomorrow, I concluded.

Tuesday February 19^th (my due date): At 3 AM, I wake to moan through another contraction. In the middle I hear the strangest pop noise from my belly. I sit up… was that my water breaking? Gush. Yep. I wake Mark up and let him know my water broke. I figure we’d labor at home for a bit, but go to the bathroom to clean up first. Then I notice my fluid is green. Uh oh, meconium. Guess we’re going in now. I call my mom, call my midwife, call my doula, call the hospital. Tell the troops we’re a go. During this the contractions suddenly get regular and STRONG. I’m not just moaning through them I’m bouncing, and leaning into mark. Eat a banana, they won’t let me eat there and I know I have hours and hours of labor ahead… grab the bags (packed for weeks) kiss Bekah goodbye (my moaning woke her) and hug my mom. Off to the hospital we go. The roads are empty this early, and that’s good. The contractions start coming about 3 minutes apart. Holy crap they hurt in the car!

We get to the hospital and Mark goes to park while I make my way up to L&D. Stopping to have a contraction by the elevator, stopping in the empty lobby. I finally make it in. While I was undressing, Mark came in, then Marcie, our doula. The midwife hooks me up to all the machines and swabs my fluid (definitely meconium) into a labor room we go. I am so glad we got one with a tub! They have to put an IV in, but I get a hep lock pretty quick. The contractions are moving fast and I want to make sure I can get into that tub! Wireless monitors hooked on, Marcie’s shower cap on, we get in the tub. Ohhh the hot water. My contractions slow, so does baby’s heart-rate. Try a new position? Nope baby doesn’t like the tub, time to get out. But the water feels so good, I’m in control in the water.

I stand up and dry off. Oh gosh I feel LOTS of pressure. I need to push something out. The midwife checks me. Yep, she’s low but no pushing yet you’re not there yet. Marcie suggests we get on the bed, in hands and knees position. Ok, that sounds doable. I can hold the pillow and feel secure. As soon as I get in this position, everything changes. The contractions are so close together, and I don’t really get breaks between them anymore. I need to push. But they keep telling me to pant through them. I try. Pant, pant PUuuuuush. I can’t pant anymore I need to push push push. The midwife has left to deliver another baby next door, but I can feel baby’s head coming out. I tell Mark and Marcie and they keep saying to pant. I think, I can’t pant, there is a baby head right HERE! I feel like I’m climbing the walls. It hurts so much and pushing feels so amazing.

The midwife walks in and says “Oh I see a baby head!” I laugh, because I’m so relieved, I wasn’t crazy, there is a head there and I can push her out! Mark looks so relieved, and Marcie smiles. You can push now. Finally! I give it one big push and feel the ring of fire. Pant pant pant, let her slide out a little and PUSH. In one push she’s out. Midwife literally had to catch her. I take a deep breath and just can’t move.

They tell me to roll over and hold my baby. Oh yeah! I carefully get on my back, and baby is on my stomach… can’t reach any further! She is just covered in meconium and vernix but I don’t care. Let me see her face! Let me see her toes! Let me see those privates… yep still a girl! They tell us the cord cut can’t be delayed because she’s got a bit of fluid in her lungs. It stops pulsing, Mark does the dad thing and cuts it. So cool, he tells me later.

She’s whisked to the corner to have some suction done. She didn’t inhale any meconium, she’s just a little mucus-y. Mark stands by her while they suction. She cries so loud they laugh. Her lungs are just fine. I just lay there in bliss, while I get checked up. Little too much blood, so I get a dose of Pitocin just to close things up. I tore my cervix a little bit, but no stitches needed. No other tears, everything looks good. All of us get wrapped up together and go upstairs. She was born at 7:11 AM. 7 lbs, 4 oz. Perfect.