Booker James was born at 7:31pm, Sunday, August 27. The same day as my great grandfather. He was 7lbs, 7oz and 19 1/2 inches long. Labor and delivery did not go as planned and I will be sure to update you mama's to the details and pics as soon as I have a spare moment! Off to nurse (which he has taken to like a champ!)
Booker
I was planning a birth center birth with a CNM. I went into active labor at 2:00am August 27. After phoning M, the midwife on call this weekend, we went into the birthing center around 4:30. Contractions were about 5 minutes apart and needed all of my concentration, but were manageable. When we got there, I was 4cm and 50% effaced, so we went for a walk and spent some time on the birthing ball. M determined that he was transverse, so she showed me some positioning techniques to turn him to LOA. After a couple of hours, we were a definate 5cm and 80%, and he had turned more LOA. I spent some time in the shower doing pelvic thrusts and "getting my groove on" to some Al Greene to help move the baby down. My water broke in the shower and after about 30 minutes of this, We were 6-7 cm. At this point it is about 10 am. After some laboring on the ball and squatting, I got into the tub for some good rest between ctx. At this point they were quite painful, but the tub really helped. I spent an hour or so in the tub, then got out to see if we could get that baby born. I was starting to transition, complete with vomiting and major mood changes and 8cm with 100% effacement and a very "squishy lip" as M called it. There I stayed, stuck in transition for 6 hours. M tried Nubain to see if I could rest and if that would bring the baby down to complete dilation. I was out of my head. I felt urges to push that I could not control that caused my cervix to swell and bleed. Finally M pretty much insisted on a hospital transfer via ambulance. My MW of 25 years did not understand what was happening but I think in retrospect, she feared I would need a section. I was at the point that I was almost begging for one. CTX were 1-2 minutes apart and excrutiating. Upon arrival at the hospital, They gave me Terbutalline to stop my labor. It didn't work. Everytime I had a ctx, the baby's heart rate would dip dangerously and then pick back up again. They finally managed to get an epidural in me, but because I had been in transition for so long, it took A LOT of medication to get to the point were I was not in pain for a ctx, let alone feeling it. Therefore I ended up with a ton of IV fluid to get my BP up. I was finally able to rest for a couple of hours - they started PIT to get my ctx closer together to hopefully deliver the baby vaginally. As they upped the Pit, the baby started having some trouble - it was time to PUSH! The OB on staff came in to tell me they would have to use the vacumn on my baby once I pushed him low enough. In my mind, that was not going to happen. So with 2 good pushes, his head was born and one more for the body. No vacumn necessary. And they had me pushing on my back with my head LOWER than my bottom to try to keep pressure off his cord (what they assumed the problem was). He had meconium, but the NICU team had him suctioned and breathing well in no time - APGARS were 7/8. Barely had a 1 degree tear after all of that!
My MW determined after examining the placenta, that it was implanted high. I had hydroamniosis (too much amniotic fluid - even after the water broke and she AROM later, there was still a bulging bag of waters) and he had a short cord. Every time he tried to come down on the cervix, the tons of fluid would get in the way, and his cord would stretch. When my ctx started to get really heavy and force him down, he would go into distress. That was why I stuck at 8cm - and his head was molded in so many strange ways, M could read his head like a roadmap - pointing at different molding characteristics and saying "transverse, LOA, LOP". He spun around so much trying to figure out a way OUT! I have determined that I will definately NOT be doing this again! But he lovely and perfect, and I am in love. He refuses to be put down. I can tell that this one may wear out the sling!
Booker
I was planning a birth center birth with a CNM. I went into active labor at 2:00am August 27. After phoning M, the midwife on call this weekend, we went into the birthing center around 4:30. Contractions were about 5 minutes apart and needed all of my concentration, but were manageable. When we got there, I was 4cm and 50% effaced, so we went for a walk and spent some time on the birthing ball. M determined that he was transverse, so she showed me some positioning techniques to turn him to LOA. After a couple of hours, we were a definate 5cm and 80%, and he had turned more LOA. I spent some time in the shower doing pelvic thrusts and "getting my groove on" to some Al Greene to help move the baby down. My water broke in the shower and after about 30 minutes of this, We were 6-7 cm. At this point it is about 10 am. After some laboring on the ball and squatting, I got into the tub for some good rest between ctx. At this point they were quite painful, but the tub really helped. I spent an hour or so in the tub, then got out to see if we could get that baby born. I was starting to transition, complete with vomiting and major mood changes and 8cm with 100% effacement and a very "squishy lip" as M called it. There I stayed, stuck in transition for 6 hours. M tried Nubain to see if I could rest and if that would bring the baby down to complete dilation. I was out of my head. I felt urges to push that I could not control that caused my cervix to swell and bleed. Finally M pretty much insisted on a hospital transfer via ambulance. My MW of 25 years did not understand what was happening but I think in retrospect, she feared I would need a section. I was at the point that I was almost begging for one. CTX were 1-2 minutes apart and excrutiating. Upon arrival at the hospital, They gave me Terbutalline to stop my labor. It didn't work. Everytime I had a ctx, the baby's heart rate would dip dangerously and then pick back up again. They finally managed to get an epidural in me, but because I had been in transition for so long, it took A LOT of medication to get to the point were I was not in pain for a ctx, let alone feeling it. Therefore I ended up with a ton of IV fluid to get my BP up. I was finally able to rest for a couple of hours - they started PIT to get my ctx closer together to hopefully deliver the baby vaginally. As they upped the Pit, the baby started having some trouble - it was time to PUSH! The OB on staff came in to tell me they would have to use the vacumn on my baby once I pushed him low enough. In my mind, that was not going to happen. So with 2 good pushes, his head was born and one more for the body. No vacumn necessary. And they had me pushing on my back with my head LOWER than my bottom to try to keep pressure off his cord (what they assumed the problem was). He had meconium, but the NICU team had him suctioned and breathing well in no time - APGARS were 7/8. Barely had a 1 degree tear after all of that!
My MW determined after examining the placenta, that it was implanted high. I had hydroamniosis (too much amniotic fluid - even after the water broke and she AROM later, there was still a bulging bag of waters) and he had a short cord. Every time he tried to come down on the cervix, the tons of fluid would get in the way, and his cord would stretch. When my ctx started to get really heavy and force him down, he would go into distress. That was why I stuck at 8cm - and his head was molded in so many strange ways, M could read his head like a roadmap - pointing at different molding characteristics and saying "transverse, LOA, LOP". He spun around so much trying to figure out a way OUT! I have determined that I will definately NOT be doing this again! But he lovely and perfect, and I am in love. He refuses to be put down. I can tell that this one may wear out the sling!
