Nathan Ryan
April 26, 2010
3:32 am
10 lb 10oz
Birth story:
Background: MW called me a week before my due date telling me she was injured and wouldn't be attending my birth. Her apprentice would still be there and she had arranged for a backup MW to be there. I met the backup MW the Sunday before my due date and that was the only time I saw her before the birth. The situation made me a bit uncomfortable, but since the apprentice lives about 10 minutes from me and was at my third birth, it made me feel OK about the situation. I never felt great about the situation, but I felt OK about it. Also, the fact that my doula liked the backup MW also made me feel OK about it.
Labor: DH and I went to bed shortly after the older kids were in bed and DH says "We should get some sleep. I think we are going to need it" which is strangely similar to what I've said the night before our last two were born. Perhaps my DH has developed a bit of psychic abilities in predicting my labor? Anyway, about 10:30 I awoke to some contractions, but I'd had a few at night for the past couple days and they were nothing really strong so I didn't think it was labor.
About 11:30, I gave up on trying to sleep and accepted that I was in labor. I asked DH to call my doula, who had been at my two previous births. He called her and she was already with another mom! Ack - so now I am going to have a backup MW and a backup doula? I really like the backup doula and I didn't have any concerns about her, but I was hoping for the same doula to be at this third birth. However, it was not meant to be. Doula gets there about 12:30 am. I was still able to handle contractions on my own, but I wanted someone else there with me. My doula got started filling the tub. At some point, I decided to lie down in bed and stayed there during contractions until about 2:30 am. Doula suggested it was time to call the apprentice MW. Then, I got out of bed and got into the tub. I was still able to do stuff in between contractions, but the contractions themselves had changed and become very different than before. Doula laughed that I went and got a small side table to put next to the tub. As if at that point, I should be thinking "Hey, I need a side table for next to the tub".
I felt my water break in the tub about 2:45ish and the apprentice got there a few minutes later. She was assessing the situation when I got to the point where I started screaming things like "Take me to the hospital" or "I don't want to do this anymore" b/c the contractions again felt very different than before. Shortly after I felt intense pressure and my body seemed to start pushing on it's own. It freaked me out b/c I'd never felt any urge to push with my three previous children. At one point, I felt the burning ring of fire. I can say that it is very appropriately named the ring of fire. I pushed slowly with one contraction with the apprentice supporting the area from behind and outside the tub. With the next contraction, the head came out. With the next contraction, the body came out. I held him close for a while before checking to see if it's a boy or girl. At some point after that, the backup MW arrived. She arrived somewhere between the baby being born and the placenta coming out.
I thought he looked small, but he was estimated to be 9.5 lbs. Then again, I have no other point of reference for newborns other than being about 9.5 lbs. Upon weighing him, he surprised us by being 10 lbs 10 oz, only 3 oz smaller than our previous child. I had only a small tear that didn't need repairing. This has been a night and day difference in terms of recovery than with my third child. I am so glad that, with the MW situation, I didn't go with my thought of scrapping the home birth and going to the hospital. I can end my childbearing career on this birth. The apprentice MW was wonderful and I'd considering hiring her directly in the future as she's getting ready to start doing some births on her own. As bad as this sounds, it might have been a good thing that the main MW wasn't able to make it to my birth. I'm not saying I'm glad she was injured, just that the people who were there are my birth brought a different energy that wouldn't have happened if the main MW was there.
Stats for me: one c-section, one hospital VBAC, two HBACs, one waterbirth and four beautiful children.
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As yet unnamed boy born at 3:32 am on 4/26 after 4 hours of labor. Weighed in at 10 lbs 10 ozs, 21 inches long, and I've been told that pushing took about 15 minutes. Third VBAC, second HBAC, first waterbirth.
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April 26, 2010
3:32 am
10 lb 10oz
Birth story:
Background: MW called me a week before my due date telling me she was injured and wouldn't be attending my birth. Her apprentice would still be there and she had arranged for a backup MW to be there. I met the backup MW the Sunday before my due date and that was the only time I saw her before the birth. The situation made me a bit uncomfortable, but since the apprentice lives about 10 minutes from me and was at my third birth, it made me feel OK about the situation. I never felt great about the situation, but I felt OK about it. Also, the fact that my doula liked the backup MW also made me feel OK about it.
Labor: DH and I went to bed shortly after the older kids were in bed and DH says "We should get some sleep. I think we are going to need it" which is strangely similar to what I've said the night before our last two were born. Perhaps my DH has developed a bit of psychic abilities in predicting my labor? Anyway, about 10:30 I awoke to some contractions, but I'd had a few at night for the past couple days and they were nothing really strong so I didn't think it was labor.
About 11:30, I gave up on trying to sleep and accepted that I was in labor. I asked DH to call my doula, who had been at my two previous births. He called her and she was already with another mom! Ack - so now I am going to have a backup MW and a backup doula? I really like the backup doula and I didn't have any concerns about her, but I was hoping for the same doula to be at this third birth. However, it was not meant to be. Doula gets there about 12:30 am. I was still able to handle contractions on my own, but I wanted someone else there with me. My doula got started filling the tub. At some point, I decided to lie down in bed and stayed there during contractions until about 2:30 am. Doula suggested it was time to call the apprentice MW. Then, I got out of bed and got into the tub. I was still able to do stuff in between contractions, but the contractions themselves had changed and become very different than before. Doula laughed that I went and got a small side table to put next to the tub. As if at that point, I should be thinking "Hey, I need a side table for next to the tub".
I felt my water break in the tub about 2:45ish and the apprentice got there a few minutes later. She was assessing the situation when I got to the point where I started screaming things like "Take me to the hospital" or "I don't want to do this anymore" b/c the contractions again felt very different than before. Shortly after I felt intense pressure and my body seemed to start pushing on it's own. It freaked me out b/c I'd never felt any urge to push with my three previous children. At one point, I felt the burning ring of fire. I can say that it is very appropriately named the ring of fire. I pushed slowly with one contraction with the apprentice supporting the area from behind and outside the tub. With the next contraction, the head came out. With the next contraction, the body came out. I held him close for a while before checking to see if it's a boy or girl. At some point after that, the backup MW arrived. She arrived somewhere between the baby being born and the placenta coming out.
I thought he looked small, but he was estimated to be 9.5 lbs. Then again, I have no other point of reference for newborns other than being about 9.5 lbs. Upon weighing him, he surprised us by being 10 lbs 10 oz, only 3 oz smaller than our previous child. I had only a small tear that didn't need repairing. This has been a night and day difference in terms of recovery than with my third child. I am so glad that, with the MW situation, I didn't go with my thought of scrapping the home birth and going to the hospital. I can end my childbearing career on this birth. The apprentice MW was wonderful and I'd considering hiring her directly in the future as she's getting ready to start doing some births on her own. As bad as this sounds, it might have been a good thing that the main MW wasn't able to make it to my birth. I'm not saying I'm glad she was injured, just that the people who were there are my birth brought a different energy that wouldn't have happened if the main MW was there.
Stats for me: one c-section, one hospital VBAC, two HBACs, one waterbirth and four beautiful children.
------------------------------
As yet unnamed boy born at 3:32 am on 4/26 after 4 hours of labor. Weighed in at 10 lbs 10 ozs, 21 inches long, and I've been told that pushing took about 15 minutes. Third VBAC, second HBAC, first waterbirth.
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