Nickarolaberry
08-28-2003, 11:48 AM
Hi Mamas!
I never made it to the August expecting list but I did give birth to our second daughter, Sophia Rose, on August 13th at 10:13 pm. (And she weighed 8 lbs. 13 oz...go figure!).
It was a big deal for me because I had to deliver in hospital because of complications early on in the pregnancy (we lost a twin at 12 weeks) and my history (needed a D&C 3 weeks postpartum with dd#1). We moved late-pregnancy and I did a lot of research on hospitals, etc. in my area which might be accommodating to a natural birth. Finally decided on one which advertised birthing tubs (turned out not to be true) and a practice my doula recommended.
Anyway at 6 days postdue my bp spiked considerably and they decided to induce with pitocin (I was only at about 2 cm., hardly effaced but soft). I was upset because I figured that might be the end of my no-epidural etc. birth but knew we needed to get the baby born because of my b.p.
They started pitocin at around 3:00 pm and my doula showed up. My labor nurse was totally on board and basically left us alone except to come and check in every now and then; she got along great with my doula and asked her all kinds of questions. For a while it was pretty non-stressful; my doula massaged me, helped me practice my breathing/relaxing through contractions, etc. Things got a little more serious and I was lying on my side for awhile, doing pretty fine. Then my water broke (spontaneously). things got a lot more challenging then, and some time (no idea how long...I was in laborland) later I started to shake and they checked me...I was already over 8 and in transition! It was really tough then but I knew I was on the downhill, and my doula was awesome as was dh. I really vocalized a lot (roared, more like) and it helped so much! Not really my personality but it made all the difference.
I leaned over the birthing ball alot (kneeling on the bed), didn't like the squat bar (too high, too hard). In the end they tried to get me to sit down/squat forward but I wanted to go backwards so I delivered backwards on all fours hanging over the back of the (raised) bed...first person ever to do that in the hospital!
My doc (the chief resident on call in my practice) was absolutely phenomenal, let me do my thing, never tried to intervene at all and supported my perineum (I tore a bit anyway...along the old episiotomy line) and my need to birth backwards (I told her no matter where she goes to practice after she finishes residency..I'm going with her!) and the attending doc (also in my practice) was there but I didn't even realize it til afterwards. He let things go as they were. The labor nurses were clapping etc. because most of them had never seen a non-epidural birth! Sophia Rose had to be stimulated a little but by 5 minutes had a 9 APGAR.
Next day was the blackout! Unfortunately this meant they took the babies to the nursery (they had limited generator power so they did fans in the nursery) and moms had to go down there to nurse, etc. (well I was the only one nursing, so sad). But thank God we were in hospital because it was 95 degrees out and worse in our apartment...if the power hadn't come on Fri. morning they would have kept us in hospital. But it did, and home we went.
Now we're adjusting to two! But the birth was incredibly empowering. I can't believe I DID it! It really heals my sense of inadequacy and grief over how my dd#1's birth went.
Best to all! gotta go nurse the little one.
I never made it to the August expecting list but I did give birth to our second daughter, Sophia Rose, on August 13th at 10:13 pm. (And she weighed 8 lbs. 13 oz...go figure!).
It was a big deal for me because I had to deliver in hospital because of complications early on in the pregnancy (we lost a twin at 12 weeks) and my history (needed a D&C 3 weeks postpartum with dd#1). We moved late-pregnancy and I did a lot of research on hospitals, etc. in my area which might be accommodating to a natural birth. Finally decided on one which advertised birthing tubs (turned out not to be true) and a practice my doula recommended.
Anyway at 6 days postdue my bp spiked considerably and they decided to induce with pitocin (I was only at about 2 cm., hardly effaced but soft). I was upset because I figured that might be the end of my no-epidural etc. birth but knew we needed to get the baby born because of my b.p.
They started pitocin at around 3:00 pm and my doula showed up. My labor nurse was totally on board and basically left us alone except to come and check in every now and then; she got along great with my doula and asked her all kinds of questions. For a while it was pretty non-stressful; my doula massaged me, helped me practice my breathing/relaxing through contractions, etc. Things got a little more serious and I was lying on my side for awhile, doing pretty fine. Then my water broke (spontaneously). things got a lot more challenging then, and some time (no idea how long...I was in laborland) later I started to shake and they checked me...I was already over 8 and in transition! It was really tough then but I knew I was on the downhill, and my doula was awesome as was dh. I really vocalized a lot (roared, more like) and it helped so much! Not really my personality but it made all the difference.
I leaned over the birthing ball alot (kneeling on the bed), didn't like the squat bar (too high, too hard). In the end they tried to get me to sit down/squat forward but I wanted to go backwards so I delivered backwards on all fours hanging over the back of the (raised) bed...first person ever to do that in the hospital!
My doc (the chief resident on call in my practice) was absolutely phenomenal, let me do my thing, never tried to intervene at all and supported my perineum (I tore a bit anyway...along the old episiotomy line) and my need to birth backwards (I told her no matter where she goes to practice after she finishes residency..I'm going with her!) and the attending doc (also in my practice) was there but I didn't even realize it til afterwards. He let things go as they were. The labor nurses were clapping etc. because most of them had never seen a non-epidural birth! Sophia Rose had to be stimulated a little but by 5 minutes had a 9 APGAR.
Next day was the blackout! Unfortunately this meant they took the babies to the nursery (they had limited generator power so they did fans in the nursery) and moms had to go down there to nurse, etc. (well I was the only one nursing, so sad). But thank God we were in hospital because it was 95 degrees out and worse in our apartment...if the power hadn't come on Fri. morning they would have kept us in hospital. But it did, and home we went.
Now we're adjusting to two! But the birth was incredibly empowering. I can't believe I DID it! It really heals my sense of inadequacy and grief over how my dd#1's birth went.
Best to all! gotta go nurse the little one.