I've never written something like this before so bear with me. My due date was 2/6/07 but my now hubby, then fiance, was still in Colombia, South America. He had an interview at the US Embassy on 12/26/06 and they requested additional information and gave him a second interview for 1/23/07 - cutting it WAY CLOSE!!! So, I was feeling stressed out and nervous but the wonderful ladies in my DDC on MDC were sending me good vibes and prayers. I just wanted the baby to come on 2/11 so we could have time to get him a little settled in - it's his first time in the U.S.
A little more background...I have a 9 yr. old delivered vaginally w/o pain medication but under the care of a doctor who KNEW BEST. They induced my labor with pitocin so I never had a contraction on my own. They put the blue paper on me and I couldn't touch it with my hands...I was lying on my back. I was allowed to push for 2 hours, losing tons of blood and they pulled out my son with forceps after 14 hours of labor. I was weak and falling out from having lost so much blood and they wanted me to get a blood transfusion.
Fast forward 7 years, my friend had a homebirth with midwives and doulas (What's a doula I asked?) When I found out I was pregnant, she suggested that I use midwives this time so I agreed and found a freestanding birth center. Okay, now to the real story.
My husband arrived at the airport at 6 pm on Thursday, 1/25. I was walking very slowly and felt lots of pain b/c my daughter's head was so far down. I had been having braxton hicks contractions off and on, especially when I walked alot. On Saturday at about 9 a.m. I thought I lost my mucous plug b/c there was this big glob that fell out. We were out all day running errands and bought the carseat for the baby. I was having braxton hicks contractions off and on all day. At about 8 pm, we were headed home and hungry. My son wanted to eat at Chipotle but the parking situation would have required me to drive around for 30 minutes to legally park and my braxton hicks contractions were really annoying me. I got frustrated and we just went home. My contractions were coming regularly but I was still thinking they were braxton hicks b/c I just didn't know what real labor felt like without an IV and a doctor and in my mind the baby was going to come on 2/11. My hope for this delivery date had turned into my belief in this due date.
:
So the contractions were just coming and they would stop me a little but nothing unbearable. DH was asking me if we should pack the bag and I said we'll do it tomorrow. The contractions were getting a little worse so he said, I really think you should pack the bag and we did - this was about midnight. I hadn't seen my husband for the better part of my pregnancy nor had we had any intimacy and I really wanted to have an orgasm.
Skipping all the details, at the time that I had an orgasm (1 am) I had this HUGE contraction - so so so so so painful!!!! I immediately got up and went to the bathroom and this time I DID pass my real mucous plug. I was on the toilet for probably 1 hour having lots of pain and my hubby was timing the contractions. They were coming every 2-3 minutes so I told my hubby to call our friend and ask if he could take us to the birth center if necessary. I had my hubby wake up my son to page the midwife b/c hubby only speaks Spanish. DS paged the midwife and was told her "my mom is having alot of pain". She needed me to come to the phone (we didn't have a cordless phone and I wasn't sure I could make it there). I walked to the phone doubled over and happily discovered it was the mw that is my favorite. (I didn't think she'd be around b/c she was leaving for India for a month as of 2/1/07). During our conversation I told my midwife what happened and she said she wasn't sure it was real labor especially because orgasms release oxytocin, and can really kick off intense contractions. She also wasn't sure about me being in real labor b/c they were coming fast but only lasting a few seconds long. She suggested that I take a bath, have hubby massage my back and get some sleep since I hadn't rested all day. She was going to call me in an hour at 3 a.m.
I got in the tub and DH rubbed oil into my back. The contractions were still coming but I felt a little better. I then took a nap and just woke up during contractions but they weren't coming as fast anymore. When the mw called me back I didn't want to answer b/c I was enjoying my nap so much but finally answered the phone at 3:20 a.m. and told her I was doing fine. I went back to sleep for a little more but between 4 and 5 a.m. I started having these intense contractions that they call couplets. They would come once last for a while, die down and immediately be followed by another intense one. My DH was sleeping and I was annoyed b/c I needed him to rub my back during the contractions to relieve pain. So it went something like this: Fernando, masaje mi espalda.
(no answer)
Fernando!
(hmmhh?)
Estoy con dolor, por favor masaje mi espalda!!!
(finally rubs my back)
o.k. esta bien.
3 minutes later the same thing started again, but my irritation increased b/c I didn't feel like speaking in Spanish everytime I needed my back massaged - I was messing up the sentences and everything!!!
Finally, I called the midwife at 5:30 and she started asking me about the contractions. I was explaining. She asked me if I felt like I was far along? I said I don't know. She asked if I wanted to continue at home or come in. I said I don't know, I 'm not like other women who knows their bodies so well. I need you to tell me.
:
She said, it's okay, I think you should just come in. We agreed to meet there at 6:30 a.m.
My friends picked us up and took my DS with them after dropping us off at the Birth center. The mw checked me and I was dilated 7 cm. She asked if I'd brought music and of course I hadn't. There was another mw coming for my labor and a student interested in being a mw that I'd invited to come and my wonderful wonderful doula who I had just met for the first time.
My doula had some lavendar for me and was rubbing my back. I was repeating an affirmation that I can do this and she suggested "I am doing this now". So I was saying that and my DH was SLEEPING b/c she told him to take a nap. After that, they started the water and I got into the tub. My mw said I should feel better b/c it is taking pressure off me. I said I didn't feel the difference. My doula, DH, and the student took turns pouring water on my stomach and back at the same time. I finally realized the difference with the water when the jets were turned off to listen to the heartbeat. I remember saying, "what happened? turn on the jets!" I labored and labored and the mw asked if she could check me again - I couldn't really handle it so she didn't. She did look though and said that she could see the water bag bulging. She asked if I wanted her to break it and said it would help things along but I would feel more intense pain. I decided to go with it since I couldn't imagine what the difference would be. I felt like I needed to go to the bathroom but the pressure wasn't so intense that I couldn't hold it. The mw asked if I wanted to push. I said, I'm not sure.: What was wrong with me!!! So finally I start pushing and ask whether she thinks I can deliver in 10 minutes. She says it's possible. All I kept remembering was birth stories on MDC where babies came out smoothly and quickly and wanted mine to be the same. I'm pushing and they are telling me I'm doing a good job but still no crowning. Finally, after what seemed like an hour, they tell me that I'm not getting enough power behind my pushes so maybe I need to move to the toilet. I move to the toilet, DH sits on it behind me and I continue to push. I'm pushing and asking for (lidacain (sp?) and asking why other women can deliver faster than me, etc. My mw (who is kind of a funny one) says you make your own lidacain (sp?). They asked if I wanted to look at the baby (with the mirror) and I declined then they asked if I wanted to feel the head and I said sure. I had blood on my finger after that and wiped it off. They tell me that I'm going to feel burning - and I don't remember this with my DS b/c they numbed me and cut me I guess. I continue pushing and am trying to push through the pain. Finally I ask them to help me and get forceps. : Can you believe I went to a free standing BC and asked for forceps!?!?:
Anyway, she crowned, I pushed her head out somehow and I remember them asking me if I wanted to stand up to get the rest of her out. I stood up and I plopped back down and they put her on my stomach. The mw kept saying hold your baby, talk to your baby. I felt so exhausted and was in such disbelief that I had actually delivered the baby.
So Zenani was born - fat and 9lbs 2 oz. She wasn't breathing at first which I didn't notice so DH and the mw went to help her get started. She nursed like she had nursed before too. I felt so accomplished and my experience was so perfect. It was so peaceful - the whole process with the low lights and the soft encouraging voices cheering me on. It was the best thing ever - I felt like I could do it every 6 months if it didn't hurt so much.
Okay, so that's my story.
A little more background...I have a 9 yr. old delivered vaginally w/o pain medication but under the care of a doctor who KNEW BEST. They induced my labor with pitocin so I never had a contraction on my own. They put the blue paper on me and I couldn't touch it with my hands...I was lying on my back. I was allowed to push for 2 hours, losing tons of blood and they pulled out my son with forceps after 14 hours of labor. I was weak and falling out from having lost so much blood and they wanted me to get a blood transfusion.
Fast forward 7 years, my friend had a homebirth with midwives and doulas (What's a doula I asked?) When I found out I was pregnant, she suggested that I use midwives this time so I agreed and found a freestanding birth center. Okay, now to the real story.
My husband arrived at the airport at 6 pm on Thursday, 1/25. I was walking very slowly and felt lots of pain b/c my daughter's head was so far down. I had been having braxton hicks contractions off and on, especially when I walked alot. On Saturday at about 9 a.m. I thought I lost my mucous plug b/c there was this big glob that fell out. We were out all day running errands and bought the carseat for the baby. I was having braxton hicks contractions off and on all day. At about 8 pm, we were headed home and hungry. My son wanted to eat at Chipotle but the parking situation would have required me to drive around for 30 minutes to legally park and my braxton hicks contractions were really annoying me. I got frustrated and we just went home. My contractions were coming regularly but I was still thinking they were braxton hicks b/c I just didn't know what real labor felt like without an IV and a doctor and in my mind the baby was going to come on 2/11. My hope for this delivery date had turned into my belief in this due date.
: So the contractions were just coming and they would stop me a little but nothing unbearable. DH was asking me if we should pack the bag and I said we'll do it tomorrow. The contractions were getting a little worse so he said, I really think you should pack the bag and we did - this was about midnight. I hadn't seen my husband for the better part of my pregnancy nor had we had any intimacy and I really wanted to have an orgasm.
Skipping all the details, at the time that I had an orgasm (1 am) I had this HUGE contraction - so so so so so painful!!!! I immediately got up and went to the bathroom and this time I DID pass my real mucous plug. I was on the toilet for probably 1 hour having lots of pain and my hubby was timing the contractions. They were coming every 2-3 minutes so I told my hubby to call our friend and ask if he could take us to the birth center if necessary. I had my hubby wake up my son to page the midwife b/c hubby only speaks Spanish. DS paged the midwife and was told her "my mom is having alot of pain". She needed me to come to the phone (we didn't have a cordless phone and I wasn't sure I could make it there). I walked to the phone doubled over and happily discovered it was the mw that is my favorite. (I didn't think she'd be around b/c she was leaving for India for a month as of 2/1/07). During our conversation I told my midwife what happened and she said she wasn't sure it was real labor especially because orgasms release oxytocin, and can really kick off intense contractions. She also wasn't sure about me being in real labor b/c they were coming fast but only lasting a few seconds long. She suggested that I take a bath, have hubby massage my back and get some sleep since I hadn't rested all day. She was going to call me in an hour at 3 a.m. I got in the tub and DH rubbed oil into my back. The contractions were still coming but I felt a little better. I then took a nap and just woke up during contractions but they weren't coming as fast anymore. When the mw called me back I didn't want to answer b/c I was enjoying my nap so much but finally answered the phone at 3:20 a.m. and told her I was doing fine. I went back to sleep for a little more but between 4 and 5 a.m. I started having these intense contractions that they call couplets. They would come once last for a while, die down and immediately be followed by another intense one. My DH was sleeping and I was annoyed b/c I needed him to rub my back during the contractions to relieve pain. So it went something like this: Fernando, masaje mi espalda.
(no answer)
Fernando!
(hmmhh?)
Estoy con dolor, por favor masaje mi espalda!!!
(finally rubs my back)
o.k. esta bien.
3 minutes later the same thing started again, but my irritation increased b/c I didn't feel like speaking in Spanish everytime I needed my back massaged - I was messing up the sentences and everything!!!
Finally, I called the midwife at 5:30 and she started asking me about the contractions. I was explaining. She asked me if I felt like I was far along? I said I don't know. She asked if I wanted to continue at home or come in. I said I don't know, I 'm not like other women who knows their bodies so well. I need you to tell me.
: She said, it's okay, I think you should just come in. We agreed to meet there at 6:30 a.m.
My friends picked us up and took my DS with them after dropping us off at the Birth center. The mw checked me and I was dilated 7 cm. She asked if I'd brought music and of course I hadn't. There was another mw coming for my labor and a student interested in being a mw that I'd invited to come and my wonderful wonderful doula who I had just met for the first time.
My doula had some lavendar for me and was rubbing my back. I was repeating an affirmation that I can do this and she suggested "I am doing this now". So I was saying that and my DH was SLEEPING b/c she told him to take a nap. After that, they started the water and I got into the tub. My mw said I should feel better b/c it is taking pressure off me. I said I didn't feel the difference. My doula, DH, and the student took turns pouring water on my stomach and back at the same time. I finally realized the difference with the water when the jets were turned off to listen to the heartbeat. I remember saying, "what happened? turn on the jets!" I labored and labored and the mw asked if she could check me again - I couldn't really handle it so she didn't. She did look though and said that she could see the water bag bulging. She asked if I wanted her to break it and said it would help things along but I would feel more intense pain. I decided to go with it since I couldn't imagine what the difference would be. I felt like I needed to go to the bathroom but the pressure wasn't so intense that I couldn't hold it. The mw asked if I wanted to push. I said, I'm not sure.
: What was wrong with me!!! So finally I start pushing and ask whether she thinks I can deliver in 10 minutes. She says it's possible. All I kept remembering was birth stories on MDC where babies came out smoothly and quickly and wanted mine to be the same. I'm pushing and they are telling me I'm doing a good job but still no crowning. Finally, after what seemed like an hour, they tell me that I'm not getting enough power behind my pushes so maybe I need to move to the toilet. I move to the toilet, DH sits on it behind me and I continue to push. I'm pushing and asking for (lidacain (sp?) and asking why other women can deliver faster than me, etc. My mw (who is kind of a funny one) says you make your own lidacain (sp?). They asked if I wanted to look at the baby (with the mirror) and I declined then they asked if I wanted to feel the head and I said sure. I had blood on my finger after that and wiped it off. They tell me that I'm going to feel burning - and I don't remember this with my DS b/c they numbed me and cut me I guess. I continue pushing and am trying to push through the pain. Finally I ask them to help me and get forceps. : Can you believe I went to a free standing BC and asked for forceps!?!?: Anyway, she crowned, I pushed her head out somehow and I remember them asking me if I wanted to stand up to get the rest of her out. I stood up and I plopped back down and they put her on my stomach. The mw kept saying hold your baby, talk to your baby. I felt so exhausted and was in such disbelief that I had actually delivered the baby.
So Zenani was born - fat and 9lbs 2 oz. She wasn't breathing at first which I didn't notice so DH and the mw went to help her get started. She nursed like she had nursed before too. I felt so accomplished and my experience was so perfect. It was so peaceful - the whole process with the low lights and the soft encouraging voices cheering me on. It was the best thing ever - I felt like I could do it every 6 months if it didn't hurt so much.
Okay, so that's my story.
.
