Remi was born Sunday afternoon, June 28th, at 5pm after a very short 2.5 hour labor 
:
He weighed 7 pounds, 2 oz, and 19 inches long.
However, my placenta didn't want to come out, so after a lovely birth, I had to suffer many hands in my uterus and ultimately a hospital transfer and general anesthesia to remove it
But we are home and doing well now! I don't think I believe it's real and he's here yet
I'll write a birth story a bit later.
-------------------------------------------------------
On Saturday afternoon, June 27th, I finally got into the swimming pool for the first (and last) time while pregnant. It was glorious!! Leaving the water was frustrating, as all the weight, literally, came crashing back down on my hips and pelvis. I was miserable the rest of the evening. I felt so, so, SO, done with being pregnant.
That night I had some cramping that felt different from the BH contractions I had been feeling all along. Some were sharp enough to make me catch my breath, but there was no rhythm to them and I decided it was not worth waking Regis. They puttered out by morning and all hope of a weekend birth was quickly leaving.
I decided to make a plan for the day and started by baking some cowboy cookies and going for a walk with the hope of getting something started again. I felt good walking and was discouraged that I didn’t even have one contraction. I came home and decided to take a nap while DS and DH went out for a bit. I was planning another afternoon at the pool upon their return.
My nap was interrupted a couple times by needing to pee, but I did manage to sleep. But at 1pm I woke up suddenly needing to go again and this time it felt different. I sat down on the toilet and felt a small little “pop” and felt some fluid. It was just a little, and I didn’t think it was enough to be my water breaking. It was quickly followed by some bloody show though and that is when I realized labor would be happening soon!! I remember smiling and talking to the baby- saying I would meet him/her soon!
I got into the shower thinking it might be my last opportunity to do so for a while. Then I got dressed and called the baby sitter and friend (my friend/doula) to give them a heads up. I was still calm, thinking labor would happen that day but not feeling at all that it was imminent. I then called DH and asked where they were. I told him I was having some bloody show and that I thought labor might start that day, but not to hurry home because I was not feeling any contractions.
I am not sure what time it was when I called the birth center, but I did so just to alert the midwife on call that I might be going into labor that day. By this point I’d had one or two “contractions” and I use this term loosely. They were just different from the BH contractions but not painful, not even as uncomfortable as the ones I had the previous evening. I reminded the midwife that my first labor was quick and she said it was time for me to come to the birth center! I was surprised and a little upset. I felt nowhere near ready to leave. I didn’t want to hang out and end up with a long early labor while being stuck at TBC. But I called the sitter back and told her it was time to come for DS. DH was arriving home at this time and he started loading things in the car. I continued cleaning up the kitchen and doing some last minute things. I did have a couple more contractions that were more uncomfortable, but I didn’t have to stop to breath through them.
The sitter arrived before 2:30 and I ran through some last minute stuff with her about the dogs, the A/C if it got to hot, etc. I said goodbye to DH and gave him a hug. It was kind of bittersweet knowing I’d be holding a new baby the next time I saw him!
The trip to TBC was a little uncomfortable. I had a couple contractions in the car that were not all that pleasant because I couldn’t move around. We arrived around 2:45 and it felt good to get out of the car. The midwife was Kathy, someone I had never seen for an appointment but had met the evening of the birth refresher class. She was nice and I felt comfortable, but kind of silly being at the birth center too early, in my opinion. A cervical check revealed I was only 2cm dilated but nearly completely effaced and the baby was very low. I was certain that I had arrived too early, and even apologized to friend when she arrived. I thought we would be there a while before things really got started. I was feeling self-conscious because I was so lucid. With DS's birth I walked in the door at 7cm and was very uncomfortable. It was just odd to be having normal conversation and discussing walking outside to see the garden, etc.
Friend asked if I wanted a foot massage to get things moving, maybe to help the contractions become more regular. At this point I would have one strong one, somewhat longer, followed by a shorter and less intense one. I found that leaning on the birth ball while on the bed was a good position. The foot massage felt wonderful. It was at this point that I kind of lost track of time. I know that friend said she arrived at 3:00pm, so this was some point after that.
I recall asking for a bowl to puke in. I was starting to feel some nausea and remembered that I had vomited once during DS's birth. I got up to walk around or something, I don’t remember, and needed to vomit, so I did make it to the toilet. I think I lost everything I’d had to eat or drink that day. Not fun!
When I came out of the bathroom I just wanted to lie down on the bed. The contractions were stronger and I felt weak and dizzy. DH was behind me on the bed and very comforting. I know I squeezed his hand every contraction and at some point I heard him tell the midwife they were coming every 3 minutes. She asked if I wanted to try the Jacuzzi and I agreed. I found the sound of the water filling the tub very soothing.
I didn’t want to get off the bed but was curious if the water would actually make the contractions feel less intense. I remember the midwife commenting that I could always get out of the tub if things started to slow down. I don’t think any of us realized that this would definitely NOT be a concern!
The tub felt good. The first few contractions actually were more comfortable and I remember thinking that I now know why women like to labor in the water. Each time I had a contraction, my legs would start moving, kicking, rhythmically. It helped calm me. Soon enough though, the contractions were stronger. I cried out “oh help” during one of them and wondered if this could be transition already. It still seemed too soon though. I could feel each one coming and tried to mentally release because my instinct was to fight- they hurt and I was ready to be done. I told friend and DH that I was feeling pressure, lots of pressure, and they called Kathy into the room. I don’t know what the conversation was or if they left the room and then came back, but I was pushing on the next contraction. Suddenly everyone was up and moving and demanding that I get out of the tub. I said I could not move, and was hauled out by many hands. I ended up leaning on the side of the tub, pushing through the next contraction. I felt the baby inside pushing with his/her feet and felt my pelvis open as the baby come down lower. I know the midwife said the baby was not crowning yet and I had time to get on the bed. I didn’t want to move, I said I was staying RIGHT HERE, but somehow they got me up and moving.
On the bed I stayed on hands and knees and just pushed. It felt good to push, no more pain of contractions just the work of pushing. I felt the “ring of fire” and knew baby was crowning. I heard Kathy say she was using warm compress to help prevent tearing. I was told to stop pushing and just pant through the contractions and I felt the head come out!! The next contraction I couldn’t help but push and the rest of the body slid out and someone set the baby down on the bed below me. I couldn’t react at first- I just looked at this wet, blue baby and kept thinking “that’s my baby, MY baby” until someone told me to pick him up and keep him next to my body. That got me moving and I moved a leg to see a PENIS! Another boy! I picked him up and cradled him to my chest as I turned over and sat down on the bed. He was born at 5:00pm on the nose!
The next several minutes are a blur. I think I was somewhat in shock that my baby had been born so quickly. He was out almost as soon as I felt the urge to push! He was finally in my arms, alive, safe! After a long and difficult pregnancy he was here, and some part of me had refused to believe I would actually be holding a live baby in the end. I just kept looking at him, touching him. I noticed he had red/blond hair and looked NOTHING like DH or DS. This boy looked like me as a baby!
I wish I could end this story here and say that we had a nice, brief stay at the birth center. Unfortunately, my placenta refused to come out completely and Kathy tried to manually remove it. I will say that the pain of her hand in my uterus was worse than the pain of the birth I had just been through. In the end there was a hospital transfer, complete with paramedics and ambulance. I demanded general anesthesia after suffering more hands poking and prodding inside me. and they finally removed the placenta nearly 3 hours after the birth. I was told it would not have come out without the procedure.
Our hospital stay was brief, only overnight, and relatively hassle free. Overall it was a great birth despite the transfer and I am so thrilled to have REMI NICHOLAS home, safe and sound in my arms!
:He weighed 7 pounds, 2 oz, and 19 inches long.
However, my placenta didn't want to come out, so after a lovely birth, I had to suffer many hands in my uterus and ultimately a hospital transfer and general anesthesia to remove it
But we are home and doing well now! I don't think I believe it's real and he's here yet
I'll write a birth story a bit later.
-------------------------------------------------------
On Saturday afternoon, June 27th, I finally got into the swimming pool for the first (and last) time while pregnant. It was glorious!! Leaving the water was frustrating, as all the weight, literally, came crashing back down on my hips and pelvis. I was miserable the rest of the evening. I felt so, so, SO, done with being pregnant.
That night I had some cramping that felt different from the BH contractions I had been feeling all along. Some were sharp enough to make me catch my breath, but there was no rhythm to them and I decided it was not worth waking Regis. They puttered out by morning and all hope of a weekend birth was quickly leaving.
I decided to make a plan for the day and started by baking some cowboy cookies and going for a walk with the hope of getting something started again. I felt good walking and was discouraged that I didn’t even have one contraction. I came home and decided to take a nap while DS and DH went out for a bit. I was planning another afternoon at the pool upon their return.
My nap was interrupted a couple times by needing to pee, but I did manage to sleep. But at 1pm I woke up suddenly needing to go again and this time it felt different. I sat down on the toilet and felt a small little “pop” and felt some fluid. It was just a little, and I didn’t think it was enough to be my water breaking. It was quickly followed by some bloody show though and that is when I realized labor would be happening soon!! I remember smiling and talking to the baby- saying I would meet him/her soon!
I got into the shower thinking it might be my last opportunity to do so for a while. Then I got dressed and called the baby sitter and friend (my friend/doula) to give them a heads up. I was still calm, thinking labor would happen that day but not feeling at all that it was imminent. I then called DH and asked where they were. I told him I was having some bloody show and that I thought labor might start that day, but not to hurry home because I was not feeling any contractions.
I am not sure what time it was when I called the birth center, but I did so just to alert the midwife on call that I might be going into labor that day. By this point I’d had one or two “contractions” and I use this term loosely. They were just different from the BH contractions but not painful, not even as uncomfortable as the ones I had the previous evening. I reminded the midwife that my first labor was quick and she said it was time for me to come to the birth center! I was surprised and a little upset. I felt nowhere near ready to leave. I didn’t want to hang out and end up with a long early labor while being stuck at TBC. But I called the sitter back and told her it was time to come for DS. DH was arriving home at this time and he started loading things in the car. I continued cleaning up the kitchen and doing some last minute things. I did have a couple more contractions that were more uncomfortable, but I didn’t have to stop to breath through them.
The sitter arrived before 2:30 and I ran through some last minute stuff with her about the dogs, the A/C if it got to hot, etc. I said goodbye to DH and gave him a hug. It was kind of bittersweet knowing I’d be holding a new baby the next time I saw him!
The trip to TBC was a little uncomfortable. I had a couple contractions in the car that were not all that pleasant because I couldn’t move around. We arrived around 2:45 and it felt good to get out of the car. The midwife was Kathy, someone I had never seen for an appointment but had met the evening of the birth refresher class. She was nice and I felt comfortable, but kind of silly being at the birth center too early, in my opinion. A cervical check revealed I was only 2cm dilated but nearly completely effaced and the baby was very low. I was certain that I had arrived too early, and even apologized to friend when she arrived. I thought we would be there a while before things really got started. I was feeling self-conscious because I was so lucid. With DS's birth I walked in the door at 7cm and was very uncomfortable. It was just odd to be having normal conversation and discussing walking outside to see the garden, etc.
Friend asked if I wanted a foot massage to get things moving, maybe to help the contractions become more regular. At this point I would have one strong one, somewhat longer, followed by a shorter and less intense one. I found that leaning on the birth ball while on the bed was a good position. The foot massage felt wonderful. It was at this point that I kind of lost track of time. I know that friend said she arrived at 3:00pm, so this was some point after that.
I recall asking for a bowl to puke in. I was starting to feel some nausea and remembered that I had vomited once during DS's birth. I got up to walk around or something, I don’t remember, and needed to vomit, so I did make it to the toilet. I think I lost everything I’d had to eat or drink that day. Not fun!
When I came out of the bathroom I just wanted to lie down on the bed. The contractions were stronger and I felt weak and dizzy. DH was behind me on the bed and very comforting. I know I squeezed his hand every contraction and at some point I heard him tell the midwife they were coming every 3 minutes. She asked if I wanted to try the Jacuzzi and I agreed. I found the sound of the water filling the tub very soothing.
I didn’t want to get off the bed but was curious if the water would actually make the contractions feel less intense. I remember the midwife commenting that I could always get out of the tub if things started to slow down. I don’t think any of us realized that this would definitely NOT be a concern!
The tub felt good. The first few contractions actually were more comfortable and I remember thinking that I now know why women like to labor in the water. Each time I had a contraction, my legs would start moving, kicking, rhythmically. It helped calm me. Soon enough though, the contractions were stronger. I cried out “oh help” during one of them and wondered if this could be transition already. It still seemed too soon though. I could feel each one coming and tried to mentally release because my instinct was to fight- they hurt and I was ready to be done. I told friend and DH that I was feeling pressure, lots of pressure, and they called Kathy into the room. I don’t know what the conversation was or if they left the room and then came back, but I was pushing on the next contraction. Suddenly everyone was up and moving and demanding that I get out of the tub. I said I could not move, and was hauled out by many hands. I ended up leaning on the side of the tub, pushing through the next contraction. I felt the baby inside pushing with his/her feet and felt my pelvis open as the baby come down lower. I know the midwife said the baby was not crowning yet and I had time to get on the bed. I didn’t want to move, I said I was staying RIGHT HERE, but somehow they got me up and moving.
On the bed I stayed on hands and knees and just pushed. It felt good to push, no more pain of contractions just the work of pushing. I felt the “ring of fire” and knew baby was crowning. I heard Kathy say she was using warm compress to help prevent tearing. I was told to stop pushing and just pant through the contractions and I felt the head come out!! The next contraction I couldn’t help but push and the rest of the body slid out and someone set the baby down on the bed below me. I couldn’t react at first- I just looked at this wet, blue baby and kept thinking “that’s my baby, MY baby” until someone told me to pick him up and keep him next to my body. That got me moving and I moved a leg to see a PENIS! Another boy! I picked him up and cradled him to my chest as I turned over and sat down on the bed. He was born at 5:00pm on the nose!
The next several minutes are a blur. I think I was somewhat in shock that my baby had been born so quickly. He was out almost as soon as I felt the urge to push! He was finally in my arms, alive, safe! After a long and difficult pregnancy he was here, and some part of me had refused to believe I would actually be holding a live baby in the end. I just kept looking at him, touching him. I noticed he had red/blond hair and looked NOTHING like DH or DS. This boy looked like me as a baby!
I wish I could end this story here and say that we had a nice, brief stay at the birth center. Unfortunately, my placenta refused to come out completely and Kathy tried to manually remove it. I will say that the pain of her hand in my uterus was worse than the pain of the birth I had just been through. In the end there was a hospital transfer, complete with paramedics and ambulance. I demanded general anesthesia after suffering more hands poking and prodding inside me. and they finally removed the placenta nearly 3 hours after the birth. I was told it would not have come out without the procedure.
Our hospital stay was brief, only overnight, and relatively hassle free. Overall it was a great birth despite the transfer and I am so thrilled to have REMI NICHOLAS home, safe and sound in my arms!
)
