If you don't want all the gory details...because there is no way around gore when it comes to a birth...then here is the general story:
1. Water kind of broke...maybe
2. No labor started, waited hours, tried everything, felt stressy
3. Was given Pitocin and had the rest of my water broken with a "crochet hook"
4. Violent, unbearable pain
5. Baby came flying out and surprised everyone (except me)!
If you want to know the details of how it all played out....keep reading:
It all started with my mom's chicken pot pie. Because this was the last meal I ate before giving birth to daughter #1. And given that it was a day past my official due date of March 5th my Mom was desperate to try anything to get to meet her newest grand baby. As for me, I love my Mom's chicken pot pie and meeting this baby would be nice. We went over to my Mom's for dinner and the chicken pot pie was so delicious I kept eating and eating. Seconds, thirds, and "one more helping." Right before dessert I suddenly felt sick. And started to get cramps. And then contractions. Then I went into the bathroom and out came bloody mucous plug. My Mom was delighted. No dessert for me. I went home and went immediately to bed while loosely timing contractions. Daddy stayed up and I'm pretty sure spent the night nesting on my behalf. Worked on framing pictures for baby's room and making food. I had weird dreams and contractions throughout the night. I woke up around 4am and felt very wet. In the bathroom I could see liquid went through my underwear and my PJ bottoms. But when my water broke with #1 it was like the movies with a full on waterfall in my pants. This was just confusing. "I might have peed?" I concluded. I put a pad on and went back to bed. Around 6:30am I got up again. The pad was a little wet but again, not like how things were when my water broke the first time. I was still having some contractions but not regular. Daddy asked if he should stay home "just in case" but I didn't want him to waste taking a day off work so he left. I got daughter #1 out of bed and off to school all while having contractions. When I got home things really picked up. To the point where I was having trouble walking. I decided I better call the midwives.
The midwives wanted me to come in to get checked. I was unsure I could make the drive to the hospital but also did not want to bother anyone. I sucked it up and did it. But halfway there I thought, "This was a really bad idea." I panicked and called Daddy R to the rescue. But it was too late and he could not rescue me. He met me at the doctors right after they concluded my water had indeed broken. They were admitting me to have the baby!
I was checked in. I ordered lunch. I ate lunch. I felt awesome. Too awesome. I waited for things to get bad. I tried all the normal tricks. I walked the five flights of stairs countless times. I tried positive affirmations "I am a birth warrior." I even thought..."I am so good at birth, this is not even hurting"....but I was just in delusional lala land. Our doula tried pressure points. I tried different positions. Things would get bad but no regular contractions. They even hooked me up to a hospital grade breast pump to see if nipple stimulation would work. I truly did not understand. I was so scared to get my first IV (I was group B strep positive this time around and required penicillin) but even that wasn't bad at all. The stinging everyone talked about just felt like a cool refreshing sensation! Around 6pm (I delivered baby #1 around 6pm and couldn't help thinking "this is supposed to be over by now) my midwife started talking pitocin. And I burst into tears. I could just see the writing on the wall. Hospital intervention #1 is pitocin followed by emergency cesarean. I read all of the horror birth stories. And it was about to happen to me. My hopes of a natural childbirth were finished. I was being so dramatic per usual. Luckily my awesome birthing team talked some sense into me. And my doula advocated to try the breaking of the waters to make sure they were all the way broken.
I had my first cervical check at this point and I was 4 centimeters dilated. The midwife stuck a "crochet hook" up me to make sure the waters were broken and out poured a little bit more liquid. But nothing major and she did not feel hopeful it would help. BUT boy was she wrong! Minutes after she left the room I started having violent contractions. Not the type of contractions that happen every few minutes. Nope. It felt more like active labor moving into transition. The Nurse looked very unsure if she should start the pitocin but made a comment like, "Well, the doctor already put the orders in." The pitocin started and things just got worse. Like all hell broke loose worse. They started the pitocin on the lowest possible dosage of 1. Minutes later the Nurse ran out of the room to find the doctor to see if they could stop it. Things get blurry after this.
I remember the following: Wanting to birth in water because this was helpful with daughter #1. Not being able to walk to the jacuzzi tub down the hall because I felt the overwhelming sensation to bear down and push out a baby. Getting in the tub for about 5 seconds before screaming "the baby is coming out!" The doctors and nurses yelling at me not to have the baby in the jacuzzi tub. A mad dash to get me back to my room. The midwife checking me to only find that I was dilated to a 7. Attempting to bite Ryan and having a washcloth shoved in my mouth (they were prepared this time around). Telling people I was too hot (they took blankets off me) and 1 second later complaining I was too cold (they put them all back on me). Screaming and cursing (I never cursed with baby #1). Begging people to help me. Waiting for the RNs to hook up the nitrous to try and help the pain. Took two puffs of nitrous and was again screamed at by an RN that I needed some education about how to use the nitrous because I was "poisoning everyone in the room" by blowing it out. BUT this was no time for education because I again informed everyone the baby was coming out. The RNs and midwife reminded me that I was not ready to have the baby yet because I was only dilated to a 7. I continued to insist that the baby was coming and the MD checked me again and confirmed I was right. I heard, "I see the head!" followed by a mad dash from the midwife and RNs to get ready. Because nobody was ready except me. I pushed my sweet baby out without even having a contraction. At this point, I didn't even care if I tore. I wanted the pain to stop. I wanted to meet my daughter. And with all my might I pushed the hardest I could and out she came! They threw her on my chest and I was in heaven (still in a lot of pain) but happy pain! When the midwife asked if she could check me for tearing I exclaimed, "Yes, I tore wide open!" but to my amazement she said, "Nope, no tears at all." Unbelievable. My perfect baby girl was born at 9:03pm. She nursed three hours following her birth which is unheard of apparently. The RNs kept coming in to check if she was done so they could move me to the recovery room but nope. My little girl was hungry! I spent the rest of the night dozing in and out of sleep and loving on her.
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| Having her thrown on my chest directly following pushing her out. |
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| All done! :) |
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| Introducing Remi Violet. Born on 3/7/16 at 9:03pm. 7Ibs 15.5 Oz, 21 inches long. Full head of dark black hair, dark blue eyes, small head, blonde eyelashes, and absolutely perfect! <3 |
