~~It's not important to be strong, but to feel strong. To measure ourselves at least once, to find ourselves in the most ancient of conditions, facing the deaf blind stone alone, with nothing but our heads and hands to guide us.~~
Iris Sophia was born at 2:07 am, July 6, 2010. 7 pounds 15 ounces 20 inches long.
She is my third child and more than likely my last since husband and I have decided he would get a vasectomy. I have two boys, 7 and 3, and now a little girl...I feel complete!
My due date was July 12 and I was prepared to be late since my first two went past due. I had been having a lot of prodromal labor, mild to not so mild for at least two weeks before her birthday, so I prepared myself for an early arrival this time.
I was feeling extremely crampy July 4th while out to watch fireworks and went to bed that night feeling pretty confident that labor was soon. But the next morning I felt fine <sigh>
then about 2:00 in the afternoon I started losing a lot of the mucous plug and my body started eliminating quite a bit. I called husband and told him I wasn't too comfortable with him going to play in his band that night at an open mic.
My contractions were really gentle and bearable all afternoon and I went into a bit of nesting energy. The contractions were really on top of each other by evening but I still felt really good and kept up with business as usual. We got the boys to bed and I was really beginning to wonder if I could make it through the night at home. So I got into the bath to see if that would help calm things down...but the warmth just seemed to increase the labor so I knew we'd be going to the hospital when I got out. I stayed and labored in the bath for awhile and then got ready to go to the hospital. We called my mother in law to come stay the night with my boys and then husband and I left.
I wasn't sure what my dilation could be because I hadn't been checked during any of my prenatals at my request...but I felt like I was really open. We went to triage and I was 6 cms, and then I went to our birthing room. Our local hospital had built a new Womens Center and right away I felt like I was in a calm safe place...I loved it!
I signed the waivers for the things we refuse (vit k, eye drops and continous monitoring, hep b which doesn't need a waiver signed). I still had to have 20 min of monitoring and I knew that from my son's birth. But this time instead of hating the machine I just sorta "communed" with it...listened to her heart beat, concentrated on that and just sat there on the side of the bed talking with husband and the nurse about it.
Then my MW came in and we just sat the three of us and talked and waiited in silence while I walked, sat on the birthing ball, sat on the couch, lay on the bed and closed my eyes for a bit. It was very gentle and quiet and the lights were dim. I brought a Cliff bar to nibble on in case I was hungry and my awesome MW knew it was against hospital policy but she let me eat it and let me have real water to drink!! Then transition came on fast. I felt gassy and I threw up and got the shakes. I was kneeling in front of the couch by husband, did not want to move from that spot at all. MW covered me with a warm blanket and sat by me rubbing my lower back and then boom! I felt it and knew I was going to bear down...it happened so fast.
I moved to the bed and was 100% in labor land....MW asked if she could check me and I was 10. I just worked through the pain like you do and waited for the urges to push. Everyone got ready and I felt the baby coming...so I turned to my hands and knees. My favorite pushing position...I feel strong and in control in that position. Husband stood beside me and I pushed. I felt right away that something felt off...she was coming fast and it hurt way more than my other two. I don't think I ever yelled so loud in my life.
I could feel my MW really pushing down on my perineum area...making it bigger and I remember thinking why...that hurts? And she had a urgent sound to her voice...not wanting me to stop...like I had to get this babe out.
I pushed for about 20 min, 4 or 5 contractions, and it was the most painful thing ever. I didn't really understand why...I just thought it was because she came so fast, but it turns out that she came with her arm covering her face and slightly over her head. Ouch! not an ideal way to push out a baby, thank goodness she did come fast! Also somehow I messed my tailbone up in labor, heard about that but trust me, it doesn't feel good. I felt great and elated after birth, but also like I had been hit by a truck!
Things got hairy when it was time to deliver the placenta. It took nearly 45 mins...and baby had no interest in nursing, so she was getting weighed and then husband had her...we waited and waited, and then MW said she may have to get the OB in to remove it. I remember thinking "I did not just have my third and final natural childbirth for the placenta to screw it up for me now." So I got the babe latched on, and they gave a shot of Methergrin, and my MW massaged my fundus hard...and it hurt like having another baby. Didn't know a placenta could hurt like that. But all was good. OVER..did it. About 10 hours at home, and only 3 hours in the hospital.
We only had to stay 24 hours. There was a concern about our Rh incompatibility, apparently somehow our blood did mix and her jaundice levels were checked. But all was well and we went home with clean bills of health!!!
She's a sweet tempered little thing. And I'm so grateful to have had the three birthing experiences that I have had. For the third time I've surrendered to the process and trusted my body and my soul to bring life into the world in the most gentle and loving ways possible!
And now that my childbearing is at an end...I'm ready for all the adventures my wonderful family has in their future!
Iris Sophia was born at 2:07 am, July 6, 2010. 7 pounds 15 ounces 20 inches long.
She is my third child and more than likely my last since husband and I have decided he would get a vasectomy. I have two boys, 7 and 3, and now a little girl...I feel complete!
My due date was July 12 and I was prepared to be late since my first two went past due. I had been having a lot of prodromal labor, mild to not so mild for at least two weeks before her birthday, so I prepared myself for an early arrival this time.
I was feeling extremely crampy July 4th while out to watch fireworks and went to bed that night feeling pretty confident that labor was soon. But the next morning I felt fine <sigh>
then about 2:00 in the afternoon I started losing a lot of the mucous plug and my body started eliminating quite a bit. I called husband and told him I wasn't too comfortable with him going to play in his band that night at an open mic.
My contractions were really gentle and bearable all afternoon and I went into a bit of nesting energy. The contractions were really on top of each other by evening but I still felt really good and kept up with business as usual. We got the boys to bed and I was really beginning to wonder if I could make it through the night at home. So I got into the bath to see if that would help calm things down...but the warmth just seemed to increase the labor so I knew we'd be going to the hospital when I got out. I stayed and labored in the bath for awhile and then got ready to go to the hospital. We called my mother in law to come stay the night with my boys and then husband and I left.
I wasn't sure what my dilation could be because I hadn't been checked during any of my prenatals at my request...but I felt like I was really open. We went to triage and I was 6 cms, and then I went to our birthing room. Our local hospital had built a new Womens Center and right away I felt like I was in a calm safe place...I loved it!
I signed the waivers for the things we refuse (vit k, eye drops and continous monitoring, hep b which doesn't need a waiver signed). I still had to have 20 min of monitoring and I knew that from my son's birth. But this time instead of hating the machine I just sorta "communed" with it...listened to her heart beat, concentrated on that and just sat there on the side of the bed talking with husband and the nurse about it.
Then my MW came in and we just sat the three of us and talked and waiited in silence while I walked, sat on the birthing ball, sat on the couch, lay on the bed and closed my eyes for a bit. It was very gentle and quiet and the lights were dim. I brought a Cliff bar to nibble on in case I was hungry and my awesome MW knew it was against hospital policy but she let me eat it and let me have real water to drink!! Then transition came on fast. I felt gassy and I threw up and got the shakes. I was kneeling in front of the couch by husband, did not want to move from that spot at all. MW covered me with a warm blanket and sat by me rubbing my lower back and then boom! I felt it and knew I was going to bear down...it happened so fast.
I moved to the bed and was 100% in labor land....MW asked if she could check me and I was 10. I just worked through the pain like you do and waited for the urges to push. Everyone got ready and I felt the baby coming...so I turned to my hands and knees. My favorite pushing position...I feel strong and in control in that position. Husband stood beside me and I pushed. I felt right away that something felt off...she was coming fast and it hurt way more than my other two. I don't think I ever yelled so loud in my life.
I could feel my MW really pushing down on my perineum area...making it bigger and I remember thinking why...that hurts? And she had a urgent sound to her voice...not wanting me to stop...like I had to get this babe out.
I pushed for about 20 min, 4 or 5 contractions, and it was the most painful thing ever. I didn't really understand why...I just thought it was because she came so fast, but it turns out that she came with her arm covering her face and slightly over her head. Ouch! not an ideal way to push out a baby, thank goodness she did come fast! Also somehow I messed my tailbone up in labor, heard about that but trust me, it doesn't feel good. I felt great and elated after birth, but also like I had been hit by a truck!
Things got hairy when it was time to deliver the placenta. It took nearly 45 mins...and baby had no interest in nursing, so she was getting weighed and then husband had her...we waited and waited, and then MW said she may have to get the OB in to remove it. I remember thinking "I did not just have my third and final natural childbirth for the placenta to screw it up for me now." So I got the babe latched on, and they gave a shot of Methergrin, and my MW massaged my fundus hard...and it hurt like having another baby. Didn't know a placenta could hurt like that. But all was good. OVER..did it. About 10 hours at home, and only 3 hours in the hospital.
We only had to stay 24 hours. There was a concern about our Rh incompatibility, apparently somehow our blood did mix and her jaundice levels were checked. But all was well and we went home with clean bills of health!!!
She's a sweet tempered little thing. And I'm so grateful to have had the three birthing experiences that I have had. For the third time I've surrendered to the process and trusted my body and my soul to bring life into the world in the most gentle and loving ways possible!
And now that my childbearing is at an end...I'm ready for all the adventures my wonderful family has in their future!
