Birth story
On monday afternoon around 4pm, my midwife came over for my 40 weeks appt. It was a normal appt, she checked my blood pressure(good), swelling(none), how I was(impatient), etc. I was definitely doing well, but was more than ready to have my baby. My midwife had checked my cervix, with my consent at 38w4d and found that I was soft and well engaged, but still posterior and not at all dialated. We decided that at 40 weeks if my cervix was still posterior, she would try to gently pull my cervix forward. So, at 40 weeks she check me and I was still posterior, so as agreed she tried to gently pull my cervix forward to see if it would stay. It did not, but since I was 2 good cm dialated and 50% effaced she asked me if I would like to have her sweep my membranes. I agreed, since I was ready to get things moving. I expected it to be very painful, but it wasn't, just a couple of zinging sensations in my cervix.
After my appointment, Heather(DW) and I figured we should think about dinner, and it being the hot hot weather that it is, thought we would go out for food. I was having some surges, but they still felt very similar to my braxton hicks, nothing to make me think anything was happening. I offered to go out and pick up dinner, since the walking could only do good things. While out the surges got stronger, some to the point where I had to slow down my walking or even stop and breath through them. By the time I was on my way home, I was pretty sure that labour had started, then had a really strong surge at an intersection that I can only say really sucked, and knew it was time.
So once home, I ate the nachoes I had bought, but decided against eating the burrito, since I knew very well that I might be throwing up soon, and didn't want to taste that again. The surges were strong, but I was easily able to ride through them by leaning over the kitchen counter and breathing. I only thought about getting through one at a time, and once each peaked I made sure I recognized that that once was gone forever and to shake it off in anticipation of the next one. Around 9pm the surges were coming about 5-7 minutes apart and lasting about 80 seconds, give or take. I called my midwife to let her know what was going on, not because I needed her to come over yet, but so that I didn't surprise her at 2 in the morning, I figured at least this way she had an idea it was coming. Heather went to the basement to fill the birthing tub while I laboured upstairs.
At 3am I decided that it was time to call the midwife to come over. I was still riding the surges well, but wanted to have her there. She arrived about 20 minutes later and checked me out but wanted to wait to check my dialation. I told her I want to get int he tub though, and wanted to be at least 5 before I got in. So she did, and found I was 5-6 and completely effacted. So into the tub I went. I must say I am a bit disappointed with the tub. It took some of the strength of the surges away, but not much, and since I was able to ride through them much better standing up or with my back parallel with my legs, the tub didn't really help with them. So about 30 minutes later I got out. I was tired so we went upstairs and I laid down with Heather in an attemt to try to let her get in a nap. Laying down was less than comfortable with me labouring, but I was able to, and even fell asleep for about 45 minutes. When I woke up it was 6am and my midwife checked me again to find that I was 8-9cm and still intact! This did not feel like transition! The contractions were no worse than they were when I was 5-6, and I had just taken a nap! I was amazed that I was what I thought was so close to delivering. Midwife even thought it was almost time and started to put all her birthing stuff out. Then everything slowed down...
At 8am, I was still labouring well and thinking I was close to pushing, began trying to grunt a little with each contraction. The midwife called her partner to come over and we were ready to have this baby. I didn't have any urge to push though, and we didn't know why. I lose track of time here, but after a couple of hours of nothing else happening, my midwife suggested she break my waters, which i agreed to, and thankfully everything was good, nice clear fluid. It was then that they found out that, while baby was firmly engaged, his head was a little bit transverse, ie. he wasn't moving down because he was in a bad position. To fix this, my midwife turned his head a bit while I was having a surge. I laboured a bit more, with the contractions still quite managable, but didn't progress much further. A couple more hours passed and they checked me agin to find that I only had a little bit of stretchy cervical lip left. She tried to push it back during a surge, which really SUCKED, but it didn't want to stay back. Over the next hours until I actually delivered, they kept trying to push it back, but it never moved away for them. At this point we were all starting to get tired and I was definitely frustrated. They began giving me cimifuga and caulophyllum homeopathics to strengthen my contractions which has somewhat waned off. It took those until right before I delivered.
I finally did start feeling the urge to push, and so I did for about 1/2 hour, but I couldn't seem to get it right. I was very tired at this point, and felt very done. My body was sore from the whole day and it hurt so bad to be in the positions I needed to be in to push. I almost wanted to just give up and go to the hospital, but thankfully all the amazing women around me just kept pushing onwards. After pushing for a while I was checked again and that stinking cervical lip, which had been pushed back, had slipped back forwards, my midwife wanted to hold it and push it back again during a contraction. Well, I broke down, having her do that was such an excriuciating pain, that I couldn't deal with it again, especially if it could still slip forward again. So I refused to let her do it, and I decided that I was done and I refused to keep pushing. They gave me a bit of rescue remedy and agreed to leave the room to give me 5 minutes alone. I knew that I wasn't really done, and knew that even if I did go into the hospital at that point, I'd still have to push the baby out, which at that point is what I wanted to give up on. So after gathering myself back together, I went into the bathroom with DW, and the contractions, which I had willed away, came back with a force. Up until this point I was unable to find a position that was effective for me and comfortable for my tired body. But when the contractions came back I just held Heathers hands for support and squatted down and pushed with everything left in me. After doing that for a couple of contractions, I began having some more bloody show, finally I had pushed away that stinking lip!! I made my way back into the bedroom and continued pushing, and after a few more, felt that great pressure called the baby. I had been standing up between the contractions, which were coming just about a minute apart, then squatting down for them while Heather held my hands sitting on the birthing stool. Then Kesi woke up and she had to go put him back to sleep. This was a bit before 10pm, and I made her go, fairly sure that I wouldn't have the baby before she got back. I pushed some more, trying to hold back a little bit since I knew at that point that I was close and really wanted Heather to be there. Once she got back I began pushing even harder than before and after one very strong contraction felt the baby's head poke out a bit. There we got into baby coming mode and I realized I didn't just want to push the baby onto the floor, besides it didn't feel right squatting when his head was so low, so I moved onto the bed, laid down and continued pushing. Maybe 4 contractions later, his head began to crown, which felt so, so intense, but I knew that the only way to get rid of that sensation was to push through it and get the baby out. Hot compresses helped a lot, but still, his head was coming out and I could feel it. I kept pushing and pushed out his head, then his arm, and the other arm, then they had me hold and pull out the rest of his body. My sweet baby boy was holding onto that cord tightly and did not want to let go. Most babies only need to be pushed out to the first shoulder, not my baby. I was surprised when he didn't just slide out after the first shoulder, but at that point was pretty numb from stretching so much, then once he came out it was done!! The pain of the baby's head coming through my vagina was gone, and he was here. Treyden came at 10:27pm!
I pushed out his placenta about 30 minutes later, right after taking some angelica since I hadn't been contracting at all on my own after delivering the baby. Then they stitched up my one 1st-2nd degree tear which they said looked just like an episiotomy, right down my perineum. I couldn't feel them applying the lidocaine or stitching me up at all, nor did I really care at that point, I was just looking at my wife holding our sweet new baby.
Baby didn't nurse at all that night, I now think that since he had been awake for my whole labour besides the point where I was napping, he was just exausted from the whole experience. He didn't nurse the next day either until 4pm, but now he has woken up finally and is nursing like a little pro.
On monday afternoon around 4pm, my midwife came over for my 40 weeks appt. It was a normal appt, she checked my blood pressure(good), swelling(none), how I was(impatient), etc. I was definitely doing well, but was more than ready to have my baby. My midwife had checked my cervix, with my consent at 38w4d and found that I was soft and well engaged, but still posterior and not at all dialated. We decided that at 40 weeks if my cervix was still posterior, she would try to gently pull my cervix forward. So, at 40 weeks she check me and I was still posterior, so as agreed she tried to gently pull my cervix forward to see if it would stay. It did not, but since I was 2 good cm dialated and 50% effaced she asked me if I would like to have her sweep my membranes. I agreed, since I was ready to get things moving. I expected it to be very painful, but it wasn't, just a couple of zinging sensations in my cervix.
After my appointment, Heather(DW) and I figured we should think about dinner, and it being the hot hot weather that it is, thought we would go out for food. I was having some surges, but they still felt very similar to my braxton hicks, nothing to make me think anything was happening. I offered to go out and pick up dinner, since the walking could only do good things. While out the surges got stronger, some to the point where I had to slow down my walking or even stop and breath through them. By the time I was on my way home, I was pretty sure that labour had started, then had a really strong surge at an intersection that I can only say really sucked, and knew it was time.
So once home, I ate the nachoes I had bought, but decided against eating the burrito, since I knew very well that I might be throwing up soon, and didn't want to taste that again. The surges were strong, but I was easily able to ride through them by leaning over the kitchen counter and breathing. I only thought about getting through one at a time, and once each peaked I made sure I recognized that that once was gone forever and to shake it off in anticipation of the next one. Around 9pm the surges were coming about 5-7 minutes apart and lasting about 80 seconds, give or take. I called my midwife to let her know what was going on, not because I needed her to come over yet, but so that I didn't surprise her at 2 in the morning, I figured at least this way she had an idea it was coming. Heather went to the basement to fill the birthing tub while I laboured upstairs.
At 3am I decided that it was time to call the midwife to come over. I was still riding the surges well, but wanted to have her there. She arrived about 20 minutes later and checked me out but wanted to wait to check my dialation. I told her I want to get int he tub though, and wanted to be at least 5 before I got in. So she did, and found I was 5-6 and completely effacted. So into the tub I went. I must say I am a bit disappointed with the tub. It took some of the strength of the surges away, but not much, and since I was able to ride through them much better standing up or with my back parallel with my legs, the tub didn't really help with them. So about 30 minutes later I got out. I was tired so we went upstairs and I laid down with Heather in an attemt to try to let her get in a nap. Laying down was less than comfortable with me labouring, but I was able to, and even fell asleep for about 45 minutes. When I woke up it was 6am and my midwife checked me again to find that I was 8-9cm and still intact! This did not feel like transition! The contractions were no worse than they were when I was 5-6, and I had just taken a nap! I was amazed that I was what I thought was so close to delivering. Midwife even thought it was almost time and started to put all her birthing stuff out. Then everything slowed down...
At 8am, I was still labouring well and thinking I was close to pushing, began trying to grunt a little with each contraction. The midwife called her partner to come over and we were ready to have this baby. I didn't have any urge to push though, and we didn't know why. I lose track of time here, but after a couple of hours of nothing else happening, my midwife suggested she break my waters, which i agreed to, and thankfully everything was good, nice clear fluid. It was then that they found out that, while baby was firmly engaged, his head was a little bit transverse, ie. he wasn't moving down because he was in a bad position. To fix this, my midwife turned his head a bit while I was having a surge. I laboured a bit more, with the contractions still quite managable, but didn't progress much further. A couple more hours passed and they checked me agin to find that I only had a little bit of stretchy cervical lip left. She tried to push it back during a surge, which really SUCKED, but it didn't want to stay back. Over the next hours until I actually delivered, they kept trying to push it back, but it never moved away for them. At this point we were all starting to get tired and I was definitely frustrated. They began giving me cimifuga and caulophyllum homeopathics to strengthen my contractions which has somewhat waned off. It took those until right before I delivered.
I finally did start feeling the urge to push, and so I did for about 1/2 hour, but I couldn't seem to get it right. I was very tired at this point, and felt very done. My body was sore from the whole day and it hurt so bad to be in the positions I needed to be in to push. I almost wanted to just give up and go to the hospital, but thankfully all the amazing women around me just kept pushing onwards. After pushing for a while I was checked again and that stinking cervical lip, which had been pushed back, had slipped back forwards, my midwife wanted to hold it and push it back again during a contraction. Well, I broke down, having her do that was such an excriuciating pain, that I couldn't deal with it again, especially if it could still slip forward again. So I refused to let her do it, and I decided that I was done and I refused to keep pushing. They gave me a bit of rescue remedy and agreed to leave the room to give me 5 minutes alone. I knew that I wasn't really done, and knew that even if I did go into the hospital at that point, I'd still have to push the baby out, which at that point is what I wanted to give up on. So after gathering myself back together, I went into the bathroom with DW, and the contractions, which I had willed away, came back with a force. Up until this point I was unable to find a position that was effective for me and comfortable for my tired body. But when the contractions came back I just held Heathers hands for support and squatted down and pushed with everything left in me. After doing that for a couple of contractions, I began having some more bloody show, finally I had pushed away that stinking lip!! I made my way back into the bedroom and continued pushing, and after a few more, felt that great pressure called the baby. I had been standing up between the contractions, which were coming just about a minute apart, then squatting down for them while Heather held my hands sitting on the birthing stool. Then Kesi woke up and she had to go put him back to sleep. This was a bit before 10pm, and I made her go, fairly sure that I wouldn't have the baby before she got back. I pushed some more, trying to hold back a little bit since I knew at that point that I was close and really wanted Heather to be there. Once she got back I began pushing even harder than before and after one very strong contraction felt the baby's head poke out a bit. There we got into baby coming mode and I realized I didn't just want to push the baby onto the floor, besides it didn't feel right squatting when his head was so low, so I moved onto the bed, laid down and continued pushing. Maybe 4 contractions later, his head began to crown, which felt so, so intense, but I knew that the only way to get rid of that sensation was to push through it and get the baby out. Hot compresses helped a lot, but still, his head was coming out and I could feel it. I kept pushing and pushed out his head, then his arm, and the other arm, then they had me hold and pull out the rest of his body. My sweet baby boy was holding onto that cord tightly and did not want to let go. Most babies only need to be pushed out to the first shoulder, not my baby. I was surprised when he didn't just slide out after the first shoulder, but at that point was pretty numb from stretching so much, then once he came out it was done!! The pain of the baby's head coming through my vagina was gone, and he was here. Treyden came at 10:27pm!
I pushed out his placenta about 30 minutes later, right after taking some angelica since I hadn't been contracting at all on my own after delivering the baby. Then they stitched up my one 1st-2nd degree tear which they said looked just like an episiotomy, right down my perineum. I couldn't feel them applying the lidocaine or stitching me up at all, nor did I really care at that point, I was just looking at my wife holding our sweet new baby.
Baby didn't nurse at all that night, I now think that since he had been awake for my whole labour besides the point where I was napping, he was just exausted from the whole experience. He didn't nurse the next day either until 4pm, but now he has woken up finally and is nursing like a little pro.
