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2nd baby, fast labor, surprise UC

4K views 16 replies 16 participants last post by  JudiAU 
#1 ·
Woke up around 7-7:30 am with a couple of light contractions in my back, which for my last labor I think marked the difference between Braxton-Hicks and early labor; so I figured today was probably the day. Felt like I might have to go to the bathroom, didn't but had another couple of ctrx on the toilet and saw bloody show on the TP. I made some calls/emails to cancel my work obligations for that day and the next, then called my mom to let her know. By that time it was 8:00 and DH and DD were getting up.

I told DH I thought the baby was coming and we decided he would take DD to preschool and then come back and get me to the hospital. Meanwhile things were getting stronger and closer together. DH was having a hard time getting DD ready. She was getting very upset, trying to climb on me while I was contracting and yelling "are you OK mommy?!" I wanted to reassure her but I wasn't getting a lot of time between contractions. By that time I was moaning and screaming "no, no," doing deep plies and getting on my knees with my chest to the ground during contractions. It felt so awful I suspected it must be transition but couldn't believe it had happened so fast. I begged DH to please get DD out of there ASAP. I think they finally left at 8:30.

At that point I felt the head enter the top of the birth canal and kind of saw the writing on the wall. There was no way I was getting in any kind of car though, all I could think about was being alone and getting in the water. As soon as they were gone I grabbed a towel, put it on the toilet tank, and got in the shower. I also closed the plug for some reason. I stayed on hands and knees letting the water hit my back and yelling "No No No!" and cursing over and over again. I could feel each contraction bringing the baby farther down the birth canal. I wasn't actively trying to push but I wasn't resisting the pushing either - it was just happening. When the baby crowned I yelled "Oh no, get back in there - that hurts!" but the head came out on the next push anyway. That was an enormous relief and I was able to get up on my knees and catch the baby with my hands as the body was born on the next push.

I was kind of stunned and unable to do much. Luckily the baby pinked up and made good-sounding snurfling noises right away, which was a huge relief. The cord was very short and I couldn't get her to my chest without hunching over. I managed to turn off the shower and open the plug to drain the couple of inches of bloody water in the tub. We rested for a minute, then I managed to grab the towel off the toilet tank and kind of rub away the vernix a little. I rubbed a little hard to make her cry, she gave a couple of little yelps but calmed down right away. Fingers and toes were all pink by that point anyway. I covered her with the towel and sat in the tub trying to latch her on while we waited for DH to come home.

We think he came in right around 9 AM. He yelled "OK let's go to the hospital!" I called back, "Too late!" He peeked into the shower and got the world's most priceless look on his face. Then he started laughing a little bit. He got us some more towels and we called the midwife, who said we ought to call 911 for a ride to the hospital. I didn't really want a bunch of EMTs charging in just yet and I was really hoping to birth the placenta so I could have a little more mobility - I was still hunched up over the short cord. Eventually we decided there was no way around it and we called 911. The operator sent out the ambulance and started giving DH instructions on how to cut the cord. I said to forget it, EMS could do it when they got here with tools. DH got me a robe and tried to clean up my nether parts a little bit with the sprayer. EMS was there in two minutes anyway - for some reason we got both an ambulance and a fire truck, four or five guys total. They were very nice but definitely a little out of their element. One said I was the calmest mother he'd ever seen, dunno what his sample size was. (I found out later that one of them must have cleaned up my bathtub though - what a guy!!!)

Between four of them and DH they figured out how to cut the cord while one guy looked up Apgar scoring on his iPhone, and then I walked downstairs and got on the gurney. DH followed in the car. Baby did some good nursing in the ambulance. I had several more afterpains but the placenta still wasn't coming.

At the hospital they took the baby away (of course) and we got the placenta out with uterine massage (ow) and a little more pushing. I got a shot of pitocin since it had been in there so long, and had my second degree tear stitched up. After a while I started getting irritated and demanding my kid. Apparently they were keeping her on the warmer because her temperature was low. (No surprise, poor kid - we were both wet and I only had that one little bath towel to cover her with at first.) Anyway I said I'd warm her up just fine and I was going to walk across the hall and get her if they wouldn't bring her back. The nurse relayed that across the hall and baby showed up shortly after that. Baby is wonderful - very peaceful and a good nurser. We are all doing great!
 
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#3 ·
Wow!! I just came across this, had no idea you were even expecting! OMG, that is the most amazing story! I laughed out loud when I read you yelled "get back in there!" That's crazy! What a fast labor. I also laughed when you said one of the emergency responders looked up Apgar scores on his iPhone!

Good for you mama on the safe birth of your new daughter! I have my son next month, and I could only hope for such a smooth delivery!
 
#5 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by mambera View Post

Between four of them and DH they figured out how to cut the cord while one guy looked up Apgar scoring on his iPhone, and then I walked downstairs and got on the gurney.
ROTFLMAO.gif
That is so hilarious! I really enjoyed your birth story! You're amazing! Congratulations!
 
#6 ·
Ok...I loved your birthstory! Made me LOL. Anyways, I especially love your siggy...if you don't mind, I'd love to borrow that for my lab coat at work!
 
#14 ·
Great story, I had an accidental UC with my fourth. Though in my case DH was at home so he wound up catching. I carried baby still attached over to the bed, and laid down and we waited for the midwife to drive over (I had planned a midwife attended hb like I'd had for my first three).

What I thought about afterwards was how the other midwife at the practice said that other women in that situation had 911 called, etc. And she was fairly impressed that I didn't panic. I think there were a couple of things--very little time (it was so quick) and I had already read enough here on mothering I knew if baby was coming quickly like this most likely it was in the ideal position and things were going well. All that being said, I can say it was the most incredible birth experience out of my four! ;)
 
#16 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by mambera View Post

After a while I started getting irritated and demanding my kid. Apparently they were keeping her on the warmer because her temperature was low. (No surprise, poor kid - we were both wet and I only had that one little bath towel to cover her with at first.) Anyway I said I'd warm her up just fine and I was going to walk across the hall and get her if they wouldn't bring her back. The nurse relayed that across the hall and baby showed up shortly after that. Baby is wonderful - very peaceful and a good nurser. We are all doing great!
I love this! You are great! Congratulations to you and your family!
 
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