MA mommy
08-21-2003, 03:54 PM
I had irregular contractions for about a week before Megan was born. Every day the contractions would last about an hour. She finally decided to arrive after 41 ½ weeks!
On Sunday morning (8/10) I had contractions every 15 minutes for three hours. Then I didn’t have another contraction for 40 minutes! Then the contractions stopped all together! It was very frustrating!
Sunday night I had contractions all night. I pretty much slept through them and didn’t bother timing them. I figured when I was not able to walk through the contractions I would know it was for real! :zzz
On Monday I continued to have contractions on an off all day. It was getting to the point I wasn’t even noticing them anymore. I was having a lot of back pain that seemed to be getting worse. I called my chiropractor at 2:00pm. He told me to come to his office at 5:30pm. I felt so much better after he gave me an adjustment. I went home and the contractions continued every 15 minutes for about another hour. Finally the contractions came closer together! The next hour my contractions were every 10 minutes and getting harder to walk through. Shortly before 9:00pm the contractions were every 5 minutes! At 9:30pm I called the midwife. She told me to meet her at the birth center. I called my friend Danielle and told her to meet us at the birth center to pick up Julia.
Thank goodness the birth center was only 20 minutes away. I had 3 contractions in the car that were very painful. The back labor had started up again.
We got to the Birth Center at 10:00pm. I was about 5 centimeters dilated when I arrived. I told the midwife that I was having back labor and I suspected the baby was posterior. She determined that the baby was not posterior when she gave me an internal exam. The midwife gave me antibiotics for Group B Strep while I labored in the tub. The midwife told me there would only be time for one dose of antibiotics. Two doses are recommended. I spent about an hour in the tub with dh. I felt like I needed to start pushing soon. And I was still have really strong back labor. I spent about a half hour on the bed on my hands and knees to help move the baby down. The back labor was so painful that I could not maintain good posture in that position.
The midwife suggested Sterile Water Papules for the back pain. I hate needles so I really didn’t want to try it. It was bad enough having the antibiotics injected. She asked me again if I wanted to try the sterile water. The back labor was excrutiating so I agreed.
Here is a description of the procedure:
http://www.birthsource.com/proartic...oarticle69.html
“The woman's back is cleansed. Then 0.1-0.15cc of sterile water is injected intradermally into four places on the women's sacrum. Preferably, the procedure should be done with two people doing the injections simultaneously. The injections cause an intense burning sensation which lasts 30-90 seconds. Relief from the procedure should be noticed in 2-3 minutes. Because of the intensity of the pain, the woman should have constant support and encouragement during the time of the injections.”
I will not lie – the injections were very painful! But I think it helped me progress to the active pushing stage.
After receiving the injection I labored on the birthing stool. I only stayed on it for about 10 minutes. It did not offer enough support. After the birthing stool I decided to labor on the toilet. I remembered that really helped Julia descend into my pelvis.
Oh, how I wished I labored on the toilet earlier in the evening! I was finally making progress. I was holding onto the safety bar for dear life. I thought I was going to rip it off the wall! I was started to feel the baby’s head move down. I felt the ring of fire. I knew it wouldn’t be much longer! I planned on a water birth - but not toilet water! I scooted to the edge of the seat so the midwife could catch the baby. DH was standing right behind her. Finally the baby came out! The midwife gave the baby to me and she asked me what the gender was. I was so overwhelmed. All I could see was the cord! I looked again. And I said “Unless something is missing I think it’s a girl!”
The midwife helped me over to the bed. I delivered the placenta. Shortly after the cord stopped pulsing. DH cut the cord. Then I began to nurse her. She latched on all by herself! We waited about an hour to weigh her. Then the three of us went to sleep in the same bed.
Megan Elizabeth came into the world on 8/12 at 12:37am, weighing 6 lbs. 9.5 oz and 19 inches long. Her timing was perfect. I had an appointment scheduled for 10:00am on 8/12 for an ultrasound (to check amniotic fluid), non-stress test, and to induce with Cervadil gel. She arrived hours before they wanted to induce me!
DH woke up about 6:00am and went out to get breakfast. I called my friend Danielle to share the good news. She told me that Julia slept all night and she would bring her to the birth center right away. I missed Julia and couldn’t wait to see her. Julia came to the birth center around 10:00am. It was a smooth transition.
Shortly after 10:00am the pediatrician came to look over Megan. The CDC recommends 24 hour observation for Group B Strep (even w/ antibiotics). I was praying that the pediatrician would not recommend a hospital transfer. I did not want to leave against medical advice. He thought that Megan and gave the OK for us to go home! We left approximately 12 hours after Megan was born.
Going to the Birth Center was a wonderful experience. I couldn’t have asked for a better birth experience (except for the back labor :LOL ). :love
On Sunday morning (8/10) I had contractions every 15 minutes for three hours. Then I didn’t have another contraction for 40 minutes! Then the contractions stopped all together! It was very frustrating!
Sunday night I had contractions all night. I pretty much slept through them and didn’t bother timing them. I figured when I was not able to walk through the contractions I would know it was for real! :zzz
On Monday I continued to have contractions on an off all day. It was getting to the point I wasn’t even noticing them anymore. I was having a lot of back pain that seemed to be getting worse. I called my chiropractor at 2:00pm. He told me to come to his office at 5:30pm. I felt so much better after he gave me an adjustment. I went home and the contractions continued every 15 minutes for about another hour. Finally the contractions came closer together! The next hour my contractions were every 10 minutes and getting harder to walk through. Shortly before 9:00pm the contractions were every 5 minutes! At 9:30pm I called the midwife. She told me to meet her at the birth center. I called my friend Danielle and told her to meet us at the birth center to pick up Julia.
Thank goodness the birth center was only 20 minutes away. I had 3 contractions in the car that were very painful. The back labor had started up again.
We got to the Birth Center at 10:00pm. I was about 5 centimeters dilated when I arrived. I told the midwife that I was having back labor and I suspected the baby was posterior. She determined that the baby was not posterior when she gave me an internal exam. The midwife gave me antibiotics for Group B Strep while I labored in the tub. The midwife told me there would only be time for one dose of antibiotics. Two doses are recommended. I spent about an hour in the tub with dh. I felt like I needed to start pushing soon. And I was still have really strong back labor. I spent about a half hour on the bed on my hands and knees to help move the baby down. The back labor was so painful that I could not maintain good posture in that position.
The midwife suggested Sterile Water Papules for the back pain. I hate needles so I really didn’t want to try it. It was bad enough having the antibiotics injected. She asked me again if I wanted to try the sterile water. The back labor was excrutiating so I agreed.
Here is a description of the procedure:
http://www.birthsource.com/proartic...oarticle69.html
“The woman's back is cleansed. Then 0.1-0.15cc of sterile water is injected intradermally into four places on the women's sacrum. Preferably, the procedure should be done with two people doing the injections simultaneously. The injections cause an intense burning sensation which lasts 30-90 seconds. Relief from the procedure should be noticed in 2-3 minutes. Because of the intensity of the pain, the woman should have constant support and encouragement during the time of the injections.”
I will not lie – the injections were very painful! But I think it helped me progress to the active pushing stage.
After receiving the injection I labored on the birthing stool. I only stayed on it for about 10 minutes. It did not offer enough support. After the birthing stool I decided to labor on the toilet. I remembered that really helped Julia descend into my pelvis.
Oh, how I wished I labored on the toilet earlier in the evening! I was finally making progress. I was holding onto the safety bar for dear life. I thought I was going to rip it off the wall! I was started to feel the baby’s head move down. I felt the ring of fire. I knew it wouldn’t be much longer! I planned on a water birth - but not toilet water! I scooted to the edge of the seat so the midwife could catch the baby. DH was standing right behind her. Finally the baby came out! The midwife gave the baby to me and she asked me what the gender was. I was so overwhelmed. All I could see was the cord! I looked again. And I said “Unless something is missing I think it’s a girl!”
The midwife helped me over to the bed. I delivered the placenta. Shortly after the cord stopped pulsing. DH cut the cord. Then I began to nurse her. She latched on all by herself! We waited about an hour to weigh her. Then the three of us went to sleep in the same bed.
Megan Elizabeth came into the world on 8/12 at 12:37am, weighing 6 lbs. 9.5 oz and 19 inches long. Her timing was perfect. I had an appointment scheduled for 10:00am on 8/12 for an ultrasound (to check amniotic fluid), non-stress test, and to induce with Cervadil gel. She arrived hours before they wanted to induce me!
DH woke up about 6:00am and went out to get breakfast. I called my friend Danielle to share the good news. She told me that Julia slept all night and she would bring her to the birth center right away. I missed Julia and couldn’t wait to see her. Julia came to the birth center around 10:00am. It was a smooth transition.
Shortly after 10:00am the pediatrician came to look over Megan. The CDC recommends 24 hour observation for Group B Strep (even w/ antibiotics). I was praying that the pediatrician would not recommend a hospital transfer. I did not want to leave against medical advice. He thought that Megan and gave the OK for us to go home! We left approximately 12 hours after Megan was born.
Going to the Birth Center was a wonderful experience. I couldn’t have asked for a better birth experience (except for the back labor :LOL ). :love