My DS was born March 19, 2004, but I just discovered MDC, so here's our birth story:
A week after my due date, I felt like I was finally ready to go into labor. I could finally walk again, after being in bed or on crutches for three weeks after a sprained knee from a collision with my 100 lb dog. My sister had helped me get to the dresser in the room where all the baby stuff was stored, so I had been able to pack a diaper bag for the baby for the hospital. Our house was in the end stages of a six month remodeling, and was in no way finished. The "baby's room" was full of stuff, and almost inaccessible.
But with newly scrubbed walls, a new bathroom ceiling, new wiring , a knee that almost worked, and a diaper bag, I thought to myself, we're finally ready. It was three pm or so. Almost at the same moment, I felt a gush of fluid. It was a tiny gush, and I didn't want to get my hopes up. I went to PT for my knee, and spent a relaxing evening and went to bed early. At 1 am, I woke with light contractions. I slept, waking every 45 min. or so with a contraction. By morning, they were more irregular. By midday, they were strong, but not at all regular.
My doula is also my good friend and a midwife. She doesn't have a regular practice and doesn't deliver babies for first-time mamas, but she was going to be there for me, and we intended to stay in our home as long as possible, then transfer the ten minutes to the hospital. I felt very content and secure knowing she'd be there for me.
All day the contractions were strong and irregular. I kept calling Beth (my doula) and she'd say, yah, it's okay. Let me know when they get regular. I felt very calm and patient. We went for a walk, for a ride, watched a movie... passed the time.
THat night, my DH and I slept on the living room floor in a big heap of blankets. I spent a lot of the night in a recliner. About 1 am again, I woke completely. The contractions were now very strong. We kept timing them, but they were still irregular. At 3 am, I started getting naseous. Then I got a little break and slept an hour or so. At 5 am, we called Beth. I was getting really tired, felt very sick, and the contractions were more irregular than ever.
At about 6 am, Beth checked me. I was dilated 5 cm. When I stood up after that, there was a huge gush of fluid. She told me to take a bath and went home to fix breakfast for her DH. The bath was great! I wished I'd thought of it before. THere were a few huge contractions in the bath, and a little break when I got out. I thought I'd try to sleep a little. But then the contractions came faster and stronger. I got a little scared, and DH called Beth and told her to come right away.
When she got here, I was having back to back contractions that lasted several minutes each. Sometimes I couldn't tell where one began and another ended. This lasted a little over an hour. THen I had to pee. On the toilet, I suddenly got the urge to push! I remember looking at Beth, thinking, "Good God, this baby's going to come out right here!" SHe said not to worry, she'd deliver the baby right there if necessary.
We got me back to the bed, and she checked me while DH started boiling water. I was fully dilated. IT was 8:15 am. She felt what she thought was an arm, and rapidly changed her mind about the home birth. Instead, we rushed me into clothes and everyone to the car. IT was a beautiful sunny day, the day before spring. The roads were empty. DH drove like a maniac. Luckily, I was given a blessed pause. Everything looked so crystal clear to me, and I felt so calm. It was a great moment.
At the hospital, I walked like a woman with a watermelon between her legs to the delivery room. It was 8:35. They wanted me to have a wheelchair, but I didn't dare sit down!
The doctor arrived just in the knick of time. I didn't have much urge to push, but pushed hard when I did, and sometimes pushed when I didn't. At some point, Beth looked at me and said, "Honey, you're baby's breech!" I didn't really care at that point.
At 9:07 am, Benjamin Forrest was born. He was 5 lb, 6.8 oz. His apgar scores were 8/9. I was sure he'd be a girl, and it took us all a minute to even think to check! Surprise!
I had an episiotomy and extensive tearing, but not a C-section! I am eternally grateful that no one knew Ben was breech and that I was able to stay home as long as I did and be comfortable and have a natural birth. I am also very grateful to Beth, without whom I'd have been a nervous wreck, and to my ob, who handled the surprise breech wonderfully!
:
A week after my due date, I felt like I was finally ready to go into labor. I could finally walk again, after being in bed or on crutches for three weeks after a sprained knee from a collision with my 100 lb dog. My sister had helped me get to the dresser in the room where all the baby stuff was stored, so I had been able to pack a diaper bag for the baby for the hospital. Our house was in the end stages of a six month remodeling, and was in no way finished. The "baby's room" was full of stuff, and almost inaccessible.
But with newly scrubbed walls, a new bathroom ceiling, new wiring , a knee that almost worked, and a diaper bag, I thought to myself, we're finally ready. It was three pm or so. Almost at the same moment, I felt a gush of fluid. It was a tiny gush, and I didn't want to get my hopes up. I went to PT for my knee, and spent a relaxing evening and went to bed early. At 1 am, I woke with light contractions. I slept, waking every 45 min. or so with a contraction. By morning, they were more irregular. By midday, they were strong, but not at all regular.
My doula is also my good friend and a midwife. She doesn't have a regular practice and doesn't deliver babies for first-time mamas, but she was going to be there for me, and we intended to stay in our home as long as possible, then transfer the ten minutes to the hospital. I felt very content and secure knowing she'd be there for me.
All day the contractions were strong and irregular. I kept calling Beth (my doula) and she'd say, yah, it's okay. Let me know when they get regular. I felt very calm and patient. We went for a walk, for a ride, watched a movie... passed the time.
THat night, my DH and I slept on the living room floor in a big heap of blankets. I spent a lot of the night in a recliner. About 1 am again, I woke completely. The contractions were now very strong. We kept timing them, but they were still irregular. At 3 am, I started getting naseous. Then I got a little break and slept an hour or so. At 5 am, we called Beth. I was getting really tired, felt very sick, and the contractions were more irregular than ever.
At about 6 am, Beth checked me. I was dilated 5 cm. When I stood up after that, there was a huge gush of fluid. She told me to take a bath and went home to fix breakfast for her DH. The bath was great! I wished I'd thought of it before. THere were a few huge contractions in the bath, and a little break when I got out. I thought I'd try to sleep a little. But then the contractions came faster and stronger. I got a little scared, and DH called Beth and told her to come right away.
When she got here, I was having back to back contractions that lasted several minutes each. Sometimes I couldn't tell where one began and another ended. This lasted a little over an hour. THen I had to pee. On the toilet, I suddenly got the urge to push! I remember looking at Beth, thinking, "Good God, this baby's going to come out right here!" SHe said not to worry, she'd deliver the baby right there if necessary.
We got me back to the bed, and she checked me while DH started boiling water. I was fully dilated. IT was 8:15 am. She felt what she thought was an arm, and rapidly changed her mind about the home birth. Instead, we rushed me into clothes and everyone to the car. IT was a beautiful sunny day, the day before spring. The roads were empty. DH drove like a maniac. Luckily, I was given a blessed pause. Everything looked so crystal clear to me, and I felt so calm. It was a great moment.
At the hospital, I walked like a woman with a watermelon between her legs to the delivery room. It was 8:35. They wanted me to have a wheelchair, but I didn't dare sit down!
The doctor arrived just in the knick of time. I didn't have much urge to push, but pushed hard when I did, and sometimes pushed when I didn't. At some point, Beth looked at me and said, "Honey, you're baby's breech!" I didn't really care at that point.
At 9:07 am, Benjamin Forrest was born. He was 5 lb, 6.8 oz. His apgar scores were 8/9. I was sure he'd be a girl, and it took us all a minute to even think to check! Surprise!
I had an episiotomy and extensive tearing, but not a C-section! I am eternally grateful that no one knew Ben was breech and that I was able to stay home as long as I did and be comfortable and have a natural birth. I am also very grateful to Beth, without whom I'd have been a nervous wreck, and to my ob, who handled the surprise breech wonderfully!
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Thanks for sharing and congratulations on your son.
