On March 16th at my weekly OB appointment, an internal exam shows that I am 2 cm dilated, 50% effaced and the baby is at a minus 3 station. Dr. Kostic tells me this is as good as it gets for someone who is 37-38 weeks pregnant. I’m pretty happy with this news!
Early in the morning on Sunday, March 28th I woke up to go to the bathroom and notice a crampy backache. The backache doesn’t go away and made me rather restless. Shortly before 4:00 a.m., something tells me to get out of bed. I head to the living room to watch some TV; the backache is still there. I thought about having something to eat, but didn’t feel like getting up. At 4:08 a.m. the backache intensifies for about 45 seconds and then goes away. I wondered if this was a contraction, but said to myself it couldn’t be, my due date was still two weeks away. I got up to go to the bathroom and noticed a small amount of fluid leaking from me and also had some bloody show. And still I wondered if this was it! I was still in denial; my due date weeks away and there was so much to do!
For another 45 minutes or so the contractions came about every 7 to 8 minutes, and by 5:00 a.m. they started to intensify and come closer together. Shortly before 6:00 a.m., I went and woke up Jim. I told him I was having regular contractions, had some bloody show and believed my water had broken. I climbed into bed with him. By this time the easy contractions were long gone, I was in full active labor. And it was back labor!! All I wanted to know is where the easy early labor went? I was in pain!
I remember being a bit scared at this point. I didn’t expect such hard contractions so quickly and was very concerned about the back labor. I knew this meant my baby could be posterior. Since posterior deliveries tend to take much longer and the pain is much more intense, I was worried about my ability to deliver naturally.
Sometime after 6:00 a.m. I threw up for the first time (now I wished I had eaten something); the intense pain from the back labor was making me really nauseous. Jim got out of bed, took a shower and was running around the house finishing up some last minute things. We knew we’d be at the hospital before the day was out. From the bedroom I was telling him to pack this and that, make sure this and that got done. The poor guy was running around like crazy, he did the dishes, straightened the house, scooped cat litter, finished packing our hospital bags and got the car ready. Because he was running around, I was labor in the bedroom by myself. I was fighting and tensing with each contraction and couldn’t relax. At some point I threw up again…lovely!
Shortly before 8 a.m. we called my OB’s nurse and they told us to come on in, my contractions were 1 to 1 ½ minutes long every 4 to 5 minutes. Still back labor at this point. I was a little leery to go to the hospital so soon. I had wanted to labor at home as long as possible but then I wasn’t prepared for full the sudden active labor either. Great news though… Dr. Kostic was on call. Thank goodness for small blessings!
I called my mom around 8:00 a.m. When she answered, I asked, “Are you ready to be a Grandmother today?” She was shocked and in Stevens Point. I was a little excited that I was able to render my mom speechless, that doesn’t happen very often.
Off to the hospital we went. Even though it was a 3 mile, 10 minute trip it was the longest car ride of my life. Jim almost missed the turn to the hospital and had to slam on the brakes and make a sharp turn…thought I was going to die (or shoot my husband)!!!
We checked into the birth center at the hospital and I’m immediately sent to triage for 20 minutes of monitoring. I remember one nurse saying to me, “You look awful, you must be in active labor.” Triage was about the worst part of my labor. I had to lie on my back, in a hard chair with a monitor on, in a reclined position…with back labor. Those were the longest 20 minutes of my life, and once again I began to question my decision to do this without medication. After monitoring I had an internal to check my progress.
Felicia my L&D nurse (she was fabulous) said I was 3 cm dilated, 80% effaced and a minus 2 station. I was devastated! 4 hours of back labor, 3 of which was very intense and I’d only progressed 1 centimeter! 1 lousy centimeter!! I cried, and thoughts of my intervention free labor going out the window. I was positive my baby was posterior and this was going to be a grueling labor. I also had a fever of 101.8, and was worried about having to have an IV or saline lock.
I had the option to return home, but opted to stay at the hospital. I couldn’t fathom another car ride. We got to our room and I labored for a bit on my side in bed. With Jim and Felecia’s coaxing, I decided to get into the shower. Ahhh, sweet relief!! I pointed the three shower jets right on my back and was FINALLY able to relax during contractions and breath deeply.
Around 9:00 a.m., our doula arrived. She assessed the situation and said if the shower is working, then stick with it. Whatever reservations I had about not meeting my doula before the birth vanished. She immediately put Jim and I at ease. Enough so that I had absolutely no problem being completely naked in front of her! Ahh, labor does strange things to one’s modesty!
My doula suggested I move from hard tiled bench of the shower to the birth ball. This was even more comfortable. Jim joined me in the shower, tried to coax me to eat something and made sure I was taking sips of Gatorade and water. He was awesome during contractions, helping me relax and breath deeply. I was actually falling asleep with my head against the shower wall in between contractions. I stayed in the shower until about 10:30 a.m.
My doula started to encourage me to get out of the shower and start moving around. I knew from Bradley classes I needed to start changing positions to help with a posterior delivery. Reluctantly I got out of the shower. The few contractions that followed were INTENSE, as she had warned me they would be. The contractions started to couple at this point. One strong contraction, then two minutes or so later an incredibly strong contraction followed immediately by a slightly weaker one. I just completely let myself go as I leaned against Jim and the doula doing the slow dance.
After getting out of the shower, I labored in the side-lying position for a bit. The nausea had returned with a renewed intensity. Around 11:00 a.m., I moved to the birth ball and leaned across the bed. My doula was applying counter pressure on my back while Jim stayed at my head, rubbing my hand and talking me through the contractions. I threw up at 11:30 a.m. So much for the Gatorade and one dried apricot I’d managed to get down.
At 12:10 p.m. I got up to use the bathroom. Since I was already on the toilet, Jim encouraged me turn around and labor there for a bit. To make our Bradley instructor proud, I did just that. After just a few contractions, our doula thought she heard me grunt and asked if I felt like I needed to push. I said no, just felt a little pressure. She encouraged me to have Felicia check my dilation progress. I was really reluctant to do this. I really didn’t want to find out that I was only 5 or 6 centimeters dilated, or worse 4!!
At 12:20 p.m., Felecia did an internal. I’m 8 centimeters dilated, 100% effaced and at a 0 station. Hallelujah!! Bradley was working after all. I asked that the birth tub be filled so I could labor there during transition. At some point my mom arrives, I think she was pretty nervous to see me in so much pain.
After 20 minutes, the contractions started to feel a bit different and started grunting noises. My doula asked Felecia to check me again, I was fully dilated and ready to push. Holy cow that was a fast transition!! I was a little disappointed about not getting to use the birthing tub.
I started to push at 12:40 p.m. on my hands and knees. Not the most effective position for pushing, but they wanted me to take my time as my doctor was on her way. I never really felt the urge to push; it just felt like the right thing to do and helped me cope with the contractions. I stayed on my hands and knees for about 45 minutes. I remember feeling like I was in a zone, taking each contraction one at a time, letting my body tell me what to do. I had a renewed sense of purpose; I was going to meet my baby within a few hours!!
Once Dr. Kostic arrived I turned over and pushed using a variety of different positions. I liked the squat bar but it was very tiring. I also tried tugging on a sheet but really didn’t care for that. I then switched to reclined and semi-reclined pushing. My mom, Jim and my doula took turns holding my legs up. It helped my back feel better during and between contractions.
I didn’t enjoy pushing, it wasn’t this great sense of relief that so many women talk about. I didn’t quite understand where to push either. Once they brought out he mirror and I could see what I was doing (ever the visual learner), I started to push much more effectively. Pushing was HARD work, much harder than I ever thought it would be. I pushed for another 30 minutes and then we could see the baby’s head, it was awesome!! With each push the head would come further out and then slip back in. At one point I reached down and felt the baby’s head, it was so cool! Finally a bit after 2 p.m., the head started to crown and stayed put.
Dr. Kostic came in and gowned up. Crowing was painful, really painful!! The term “Ring of Fire” has a whole new meaning for me. The burning and stretching sensation was intense. At 2:14 p.m. our daughter, Caroline Lorraine, was born. The doctor held her briefly and did some suctioning with a bulb, clamped the cord and then placed my baby girl on my abdomen. She was beautiful!! Red hair, blue eyes and a little rose bud mouth! Her proud daddy cut the cord.
Over the next 20 minutes or so, I delivered the placenta and was stitched up. Miss Caroline was born with her hand up against her head and Dr. Kostic believes that’s why I ended up with a 2nd degree tear. As good as I felt after delivering Caroline, I felt amazing after delivering the placenta.
Caroline didn’t want to cry after she was born, little stinker. She didn’t pink up right away so they gave her a little oxygen and then had to use a tube to suction her throat (which ended up causing some issues with breastfeeding). Her apgars were 8 and 8. Caroline spent over an hour lying on my chest and breastfeeding. They only time they took her from me was when she was weighed and measured, 7 pounds 4 ounces and 18 ¾ inches long.
Following Caroline’s birth, my doula and I discussed the possibility of her being posterior. We came to the conclusion that since she came down the birth canal in the anterior position and that my labor was relatively short (just over 10 hours) that she probably wasn’t posterior. I’m just one of those “lucky” women who have back labor!
I’m very proud of the fact that I was able to deliver my daughter without the use of medication or other interventions. It was a lot of hard work and practice, but it was so worth it. She was incredibly alert and strong from the moment she was born, her nurses, pediatrician and my lactation consultant all commented on this. I felt wonderful as well.
My husband was my rock and my strength during my entire pregnancy and birth. He put up with my many moods, the tears, ran to the grocery to satisfy my food cravings and was an amazing coach during the birth of our daughter. I didn’t think it was possible, but I love him even more!
Our doula was another important piece to having the birth experience we desired. She was fantastic, exactly the support Jim and I needed. She always seemed to know just what to do, from encouraging position changes, making sure I was staying hydrated, helping Jim feel confidant as a coach and that blessed counter pressure on my back! Jim said for our next birth, we’re going to hire her from the beginning!
I have nothing but wonderful things to say about the Bradley Method of Natural Child birth. I enjoyed every minute of our classes with our instructor. She presented a realistic view of natural childbirth. The preparation, relaxation exercises and diet were important parts of our having an unmedicated birth.
And last but certainly not least, we thank God for our precious little miracle. Children are God’s greatest blessing!
Considering I had a hospital birth, I think things went very well. Next time I’m fully prepared to birth in the free standing birth center that recently opened near me. I’d really like the opportunity to have a water birth. And some day I’d also like to have a home birth!
Early in the morning on Sunday, March 28th I woke up to go to the bathroom and notice a crampy backache. The backache doesn’t go away and made me rather restless. Shortly before 4:00 a.m., something tells me to get out of bed. I head to the living room to watch some TV; the backache is still there. I thought about having something to eat, but didn’t feel like getting up. At 4:08 a.m. the backache intensifies for about 45 seconds and then goes away. I wondered if this was a contraction, but said to myself it couldn’t be, my due date was still two weeks away. I got up to go to the bathroom and noticed a small amount of fluid leaking from me and also had some bloody show. And still I wondered if this was it! I was still in denial; my due date weeks away and there was so much to do!
For another 45 minutes or so the contractions came about every 7 to 8 minutes, and by 5:00 a.m. they started to intensify and come closer together. Shortly before 6:00 a.m., I went and woke up Jim. I told him I was having regular contractions, had some bloody show and believed my water had broken. I climbed into bed with him. By this time the easy contractions were long gone, I was in full active labor. And it was back labor!! All I wanted to know is where the easy early labor went? I was in pain!
I remember being a bit scared at this point. I didn’t expect such hard contractions so quickly and was very concerned about the back labor. I knew this meant my baby could be posterior. Since posterior deliveries tend to take much longer and the pain is much more intense, I was worried about my ability to deliver naturally.
Sometime after 6:00 a.m. I threw up for the first time (now I wished I had eaten something); the intense pain from the back labor was making me really nauseous. Jim got out of bed, took a shower and was running around the house finishing up some last minute things. We knew we’d be at the hospital before the day was out. From the bedroom I was telling him to pack this and that, make sure this and that got done. The poor guy was running around like crazy, he did the dishes, straightened the house, scooped cat litter, finished packing our hospital bags and got the car ready. Because he was running around, I was labor in the bedroom by myself. I was fighting and tensing with each contraction and couldn’t relax. At some point I threw up again…lovely!
Shortly before 8 a.m. we called my OB’s nurse and they told us to come on in, my contractions were 1 to 1 ½ minutes long every 4 to 5 minutes. Still back labor at this point. I was a little leery to go to the hospital so soon. I had wanted to labor at home as long as possible but then I wasn’t prepared for full the sudden active labor either. Great news though… Dr. Kostic was on call. Thank goodness for small blessings!
I called my mom around 8:00 a.m. When she answered, I asked, “Are you ready to be a Grandmother today?” She was shocked and in Stevens Point. I was a little excited that I was able to render my mom speechless, that doesn’t happen very often.
Off to the hospital we went. Even though it was a 3 mile, 10 minute trip it was the longest car ride of my life. Jim almost missed the turn to the hospital and had to slam on the brakes and make a sharp turn…thought I was going to die (or shoot my husband)!!!
We checked into the birth center at the hospital and I’m immediately sent to triage for 20 minutes of monitoring. I remember one nurse saying to me, “You look awful, you must be in active labor.” Triage was about the worst part of my labor. I had to lie on my back, in a hard chair with a monitor on, in a reclined position…with back labor. Those were the longest 20 minutes of my life, and once again I began to question my decision to do this without medication. After monitoring I had an internal to check my progress.
Felicia my L&D nurse (she was fabulous) said I was 3 cm dilated, 80% effaced and a minus 2 station. I was devastated! 4 hours of back labor, 3 of which was very intense and I’d only progressed 1 centimeter! 1 lousy centimeter!! I cried, and thoughts of my intervention free labor going out the window. I was positive my baby was posterior and this was going to be a grueling labor. I also had a fever of 101.8, and was worried about having to have an IV or saline lock.
I had the option to return home, but opted to stay at the hospital. I couldn’t fathom another car ride. We got to our room and I labored for a bit on my side in bed. With Jim and Felecia’s coaxing, I decided to get into the shower. Ahhh, sweet relief!! I pointed the three shower jets right on my back and was FINALLY able to relax during contractions and breath deeply.
Around 9:00 a.m., our doula arrived. She assessed the situation and said if the shower is working, then stick with it. Whatever reservations I had about not meeting my doula before the birth vanished. She immediately put Jim and I at ease. Enough so that I had absolutely no problem being completely naked in front of her! Ahh, labor does strange things to one’s modesty!
My doula suggested I move from hard tiled bench of the shower to the birth ball. This was even more comfortable. Jim joined me in the shower, tried to coax me to eat something and made sure I was taking sips of Gatorade and water. He was awesome during contractions, helping me relax and breath deeply. I was actually falling asleep with my head against the shower wall in between contractions. I stayed in the shower until about 10:30 a.m.
My doula started to encourage me to get out of the shower and start moving around. I knew from Bradley classes I needed to start changing positions to help with a posterior delivery. Reluctantly I got out of the shower. The few contractions that followed were INTENSE, as she had warned me they would be. The contractions started to couple at this point. One strong contraction, then two minutes or so later an incredibly strong contraction followed immediately by a slightly weaker one. I just completely let myself go as I leaned against Jim and the doula doing the slow dance.
After getting out of the shower, I labored in the side-lying position for a bit. The nausea had returned with a renewed intensity. Around 11:00 a.m., I moved to the birth ball and leaned across the bed. My doula was applying counter pressure on my back while Jim stayed at my head, rubbing my hand and talking me through the contractions. I threw up at 11:30 a.m. So much for the Gatorade and one dried apricot I’d managed to get down.
At 12:10 p.m. I got up to use the bathroom. Since I was already on the toilet, Jim encouraged me turn around and labor there for a bit. To make our Bradley instructor proud, I did just that. After just a few contractions, our doula thought she heard me grunt and asked if I felt like I needed to push. I said no, just felt a little pressure. She encouraged me to have Felicia check my dilation progress. I was really reluctant to do this. I really didn’t want to find out that I was only 5 or 6 centimeters dilated, or worse 4!!
At 12:20 p.m., Felecia did an internal. I’m 8 centimeters dilated, 100% effaced and at a 0 station. Hallelujah!! Bradley was working after all. I asked that the birth tub be filled so I could labor there during transition. At some point my mom arrives, I think she was pretty nervous to see me in so much pain.
After 20 minutes, the contractions started to feel a bit different and started grunting noises. My doula asked Felecia to check me again, I was fully dilated and ready to push. Holy cow that was a fast transition!! I was a little disappointed about not getting to use the birthing tub.
I started to push at 12:40 p.m. on my hands and knees. Not the most effective position for pushing, but they wanted me to take my time as my doctor was on her way. I never really felt the urge to push; it just felt like the right thing to do and helped me cope with the contractions. I stayed on my hands and knees for about 45 minutes. I remember feeling like I was in a zone, taking each contraction one at a time, letting my body tell me what to do. I had a renewed sense of purpose; I was going to meet my baby within a few hours!!
Once Dr. Kostic arrived I turned over and pushed using a variety of different positions. I liked the squat bar but it was very tiring. I also tried tugging on a sheet but really didn’t care for that. I then switched to reclined and semi-reclined pushing. My mom, Jim and my doula took turns holding my legs up. It helped my back feel better during and between contractions.
I didn’t enjoy pushing, it wasn’t this great sense of relief that so many women talk about. I didn’t quite understand where to push either. Once they brought out he mirror and I could see what I was doing (ever the visual learner), I started to push much more effectively. Pushing was HARD work, much harder than I ever thought it would be. I pushed for another 30 minutes and then we could see the baby’s head, it was awesome!! With each push the head would come further out and then slip back in. At one point I reached down and felt the baby’s head, it was so cool! Finally a bit after 2 p.m., the head started to crown and stayed put.
Dr. Kostic came in and gowned up. Crowing was painful, really painful!! The term “Ring of Fire” has a whole new meaning for me. The burning and stretching sensation was intense. At 2:14 p.m. our daughter, Caroline Lorraine, was born. The doctor held her briefly and did some suctioning with a bulb, clamped the cord and then placed my baby girl on my abdomen. She was beautiful!! Red hair, blue eyes and a little rose bud mouth! Her proud daddy cut the cord.
Over the next 20 minutes or so, I delivered the placenta and was stitched up. Miss Caroline was born with her hand up against her head and Dr. Kostic believes that’s why I ended up with a 2nd degree tear. As good as I felt after delivering Caroline, I felt amazing after delivering the placenta.
Caroline didn’t want to cry after she was born, little stinker. She didn’t pink up right away so they gave her a little oxygen and then had to use a tube to suction her throat (which ended up causing some issues with breastfeeding). Her apgars were 8 and 8. Caroline spent over an hour lying on my chest and breastfeeding. They only time they took her from me was when she was weighed and measured, 7 pounds 4 ounces and 18 ¾ inches long.
Following Caroline’s birth, my doula and I discussed the possibility of her being posterior. We came to the conclusion that since she came down the birth canal in the anterior position and that my labor was relatively short (just over 10 hours) that she probably wasn’t posterior. I’m just one of those “lucky” women who have back labor!
I’m very proud of the fact that I was able to deliver my daughter without the use of medication or other interventions. It was a lot of hard work and practice, but it was so worth it. She was incredibly alert and strong from the moment she was born, her nurses, pediatrician and my lactation consultant all commented on this. I felt wonderful as well.
My husband was my rock and my strength during my entire pregnancy and birth. He put up with my many moods, the tears, ran to the grocery to satisfy my food cravings and was an amazing coach during the birth of our daughter. I didn’t think it was possible, but I love him even more!
Our doula was another important piece to having the birth experience we desired. She was fantastic, exactly the support Jim and I needed. She always seemed to know just what to do, from encouraging position changes, making sure I was staying hydrated, helping Jim feel confidant as a coach and that blessed counter pressure on my back! Jim said for our next birth, we’re going to hire her from the beginning!
I have nothing but wonderful things to say about the Bradley Method of Natural Child birth. I enjoyed every minute of our classes with our instructor. She presented a realistic view of natural childbirth. The preparation, relaxation exercises and diet were important parts of our having an unmedicated birth.
And last but certainly not least, we thank God for our precious little miracle. Children are God’s greatest blessing!
Considering I had a hospital birth, I think things went very well. Next time I’m fully prepared to birth in the free standing birth center that recently opened near me. I’d really like the opportunity to have a water birth. And some day I’d also like to have a home birth!
