post your positive vbac success stories here!!
 

Hey everyone, these women planning their vbacs need to read some positive vbac success stories. I know firsthand how you get bogged down by all the negativity surrounding vbac these days, and how important it was to me to read positive natural birth stories, vbac stories in particular. I truly believe that it was my determination and positive thinking that directly led to my ideal vbac becoming a reality.

Yeah, sure, it's been done before, and I could just search this forum or the birth stories forum, but let's try to get it all together in this one thread, so it's easier for someone to find! :)


Here's mine

Thank you for starting this thread! Can't wait to hear the stuff that will be uplifting!

Yes, bring them on. I am 4o weeks 2 days here waiting for my little one! I could use some positive energy and great VBAC stories!

- Kerri

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Great thread idea Stacy! :thumb

I won't repost the whole story, but here is the link to the story of my 2nd VBAC and 1st home waterbirth: http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=211315

If you click Niamh's name in my sig line and go to my journal (first entry) you can read my entirely too long birth story ;)

Steph

Here's mine as it was written 3 days after my VBAC baby was born (he turned 2 yesterday :birthday: )

Noah M has made his arrival!

He was born on Monday, August 18 at 4:45 AM by an unmedicated, doula-assisted, hospital VBAC after only 7 hours of labor, much of which was spent at home. I did it!! He weighed 7lbs, 9 oz. He had some breathing problems when he was born due to what we now know is a congenital heart defect. He was stabilized here and had to be taken to Anchorage by plane and is still in the NICU, but doing well and was quickly weaned off the oxygen tent to room air. I was able to fly up with him and stayed the night Monday night in Anchorage and came home Tuesday afternoon.

The VBAC birth was more important than I ever even thought it would be, here’s the whole story:

Sunday I had been having irregular contractions on and off all day, really, I thought they were more like gas pains, totally different from any contractions I had felt when I was in labor with Daniel. We had been pretty busy Sunday getting stuff finalized for the baby (and actually Dan was really the one pushing to get stuff done, so I guess he has the better “nesting” instinct than I do) so I didn’t notice a lot of the early contractions. Finally, about 10:00 that night I had finally gotten Daniel down for bed and started noticing that the pains I was having were coming at regular intervals and getting kinda uncomfy, so I started timing them and sure enough, they were 5-6 minutes apart lasting about 60 sec. I decided to call one of my doulas and give her the heads up, just in case, but told her I had been pretty busy all day so I was going to lay down and see what they did. Well, I ended up calling her back pretty quick because laying down didn’t help at all and they were getting more intense so I finally figured it was the real thing.

So the Doulas arrived and I was using the birth ball when they got there, but that was starting to not help anymore and the contractions were getting really uncomfy at that point, but weren’t really getting any closer together or longer so they suggested I get in the tub and that’s what I did and it was wonderful, it helped soo much! We spent quite a while in there and chatted in between the contractions and they helped me to breathe through them. Finally the contractions started coming really close and even the tub wasn’t helping anymore and I felt nauseated, so they suggested that I was nearing transition and I agreed and decided it was time to get to the hospital. I didn’t rush getting dressed, I had to vomit some and then we were on our way. One of the Doulas stayed with Daniel, because My mom was originally supposed to be here to watch him, but could not come and I hadn’t had a chance to arrange for another babysitter (I was only 38 weeks, I thought I had a little more time) so I was eternally grateful that she was willing to stay, I feel really bad that she didn’t get to be there for the birth and her partner did.

We arrived at the hospital and I had my admission papers filled out but hadn’t given them back so I just had brought them with me and the stupid admissions clerk was asking me the questions instead of just looking at the paper and my husband and doula both had to tell her to just read the paper, it had all the info. So she sent me off to OB with the doula and Dan stayed and made sure I was properly admitted. I got to the room and the nurses decided I could skip triage, lol, and go straight to a room. So she said I needed a monitor strip at that point and wanted to check me. I had decided I would let the nurse check the initial check, but then after that it had to be the OB or Midwife (whichever one I ended up with). I was 5-6 cm, very stretchy (thanks to the EPO) and the baby was having decals with the contractions but was coming right back up, and she was kinda freaked about that, no one else was, not even Dan, we all knew that was perfectly normal. I guess what freaked her was that she couldn’t get the contraction monitor to work and so she didn’t know for “sure” when my contractions were starting and ending (I guess my grunting and moaning and breathing through them was not enough of an indication) so she started asking me questions about my medical history and the inevitable questions about my last labor came up and when she found out I was a VBAC, she went from freaked to all out panicking (had I not been in pain, I probably would have been laughing at her, I knew It would happen) so she decides to call my OB right away (I think that’s how I ended up with him instead of the CNM, she was supposed to be the one to deliver the baby, but I guess it worked out for the best to have him there anyway). Dan said he overheard her and one of the other nurses out in the hall discussing whether they should also call the on-call surgeon “just in case.”

Well, the OB got there pretty quickly and she was whining to him about the contraction monitor and he just told her “well, it’s pretty obvious when she’s having contractions” and that shut her up by the time I was trying to stay comfortable, tried the ball again, and that wasn’t helping anymore and they couldn’t get a good reading on the external monitor with that position, so he checked me I was at a 7-8 and he wanted to break my water and put an internal monitor on the baby, at first I was hesitant, but he said that I was past the point of no return anyway and I really liked the idea of being able to move around a little better without the straps so I agreed. He tried to break it, but apparently I had SROM’ed sometime while I was in the bathtub because there was nothing to break. So the monitor went in, baby’s heart was still consistent and he just told me to do whatever was comfortable. Contractions were coming pretty much on top of each other at this point, I had been on my left side I was checked again and had only a lip on the right so I tried laying on my right, but it was too painful and I decided I’d get gravity to help me out so I asked if the bed had a squat bar. And the one nurse didn’t even know if they had one, but the other one seemed to remember they had one in a closet somewhere and that it did attach to the bed, so they got it out and set it up and I was already feeling pushy after a couple contractions on the squat bar. The doula could tell I was pushy and so I stayed on the squat bar for a while until the pressure was too much anymore and I knew the baby’s head was right there. The doc just told me to push however I was comfortable and so I was pretty much sitting up more on my left side with my right leg up in the air and pushed that way. The told me to touch my baby’s head when he was crowning and with the next push his head was out and the doc started suctioning him and with the next urge to push, he was out. I was still sitting up and could see he was distressed, they tried to suction him at the end of the bed because the doc knew I wanted to try to wait to cut the cord, but I could see they needed to take him to the warmer so they cut his cord and took him over. He didn’t cry for the longest time but somehow I knew he’d be ok. Dan was really nervous though.

They finally got him stabilized and moved him to the nursery so I delivered the placenta and got stitched up (had a 2nd degree tear) and waited for news on the baby. As soon as I was stitched up, I asked for a wheelchair so I could go to the nursery to see him.

The FP I had picked out was there now and decided that, even though he was stabilized, his breathing was really labored, his lungs had been very wet (and I can only imagine how the situation might have been worse, had I had a scheduled section or drugs during labor) that he needed to be transferred to the hospital in Anchorage with the NICU. The FP also saw that he had several physical traits of Down’s Syndrome, so that was a probability, but really not the immediate concern.

So the medivac team was called and they told us that one parent was usually allowed to go with the baby. My OB allowed me to be discharged from the hospital so I could go and Dan was going to go back home with Daniel.

So the medivac team came and got Noah further stabilized and into the portable isolette and we were taken by ambulance to the airport, flew to Anchorage and got on to another ambulance there to go to the hospital.

They got Noah off to the NICU immediately and wheeled me to sign his admission papers but I got back to the NICU to be with him pretty soon and stayed there with him till I was just exhausted and was taken to check myself in.

I was taken to OB triage and they really weren’t sure where to put me at first, but finally figured that I should go to the postpartum unit (the NICU is right down the hall, so that was good) so I finally got settled in, had lunch, and slept for a while. When I went back to the NICU, Noah was already off the oxygen tent.

So, The birth part was absolutely wonderful! My doulas were awesome and had I not had them, I probably would have caved and gotten meds, which potentially could have caused more problems for Noah. The OB pretty much sat back and let me do my thing, which I was grateful. But I really see that God’s hand was on this whole thing. If I had ended up with another section, I would have never been able to go up to Anchorage with my baby and still probably wouldn’t have held him. I was disappointed that I wouldn’t be having a homebirth this time, but with his problems, it was better that I was at a hospital. And I think if the doctors had known about any of his problems before birth, I would have been pushed into a repeat section and I know that wouldn’t have changed his outcome (except maybe for the worse) It certainly wouldn’t have changed anything for me though.


..... and just to add now: He does have Down Syndrome and had to have his first heart operation to increase blood flow to his lungs at 3 months old and will probably be having his final repair sometime in the next couple of years

At 40 weeks and 5 days I was starting to get nervous because my mom was
supposed to go out of town the next week and I needed her to be around
to help out after the birth. So at the midwife appointment, later that day, I asked her to check me and to stimulate things while she was there. I dont know how much she did because I didnt feel much. She said the baby was right there on my cervix with no forebag and I was 2 cm but stretched to 4 easily. I told her my concerns and she said I could try blue cohosh starting on Saturday morning if I wanted. She also gave me a few homeopathic remedies and I read up on them and picked one I thought fit me. I had just been feeling awful and the rememdy raised my spirits. I was having contractions by the time I got home but nothing regular so I thought I might try a couple of doses of the blue cohosh. I took it for a couple hours. I had some regular contractions but they stopped after I quit taking the tincture so I went to bed. The next morning I took just a little and decided that I wasnt going to do it. I was only a week late and my mom said she had decided not to go out of town anyway. We decided to go walk at the mall and have lunch. Later that day I had some good contractions but I didnt think anything of it because i had been having contractions for weeks now.


That night we let our son spend the night with my parents and we
went home and I had a drink to relax and I wanted to get a good nights
sleep. But I had to get up every 2 hours to go to the bathroom. At 9
we decided to get ready to go see our son and take some clothes to him
so he could go to church with my parents. We left our home at 10 am
and I had my first labor contraction. It felt like the ones the night
before so once again I didnt think anything of it. On the way there I
mentioned to my husband, Logan, that I thought my labor would hit
intensly since her head was resting against my cervix. I kept having
contractions but wasnt checking to see how far apart they were. I finally realized this was true labor when I was fixing myself a sandwich and had to stop 3 times and lean over the counter to deal with contractions. We decided to time a few and they were 3 mins apart and 30-45 seconds long. It was 10:45 at this point. By 11:30 we were on our way home and I called the midwife,Beth, to give her a heads up.She said that it would be time for her to come when they were longer and stronger or when I felt like I needed her. She also told me the contractions might space out as they got more intense.


At home I picked up a little and we started to set up the kiddie
birth pool. I sent Logan off to the store to pick up a few things before it got so intense that I needed him there. I did a few loads of laundry and continued to move around stopping every little bit to deal with a contraction. They had spaced out just a little but I am not sure how far. When logan got back we started filling the tub. At about 1:30 Beth called to see how things were going. and to see if we needed her yet. I said it was going fine I didnt
need her to leave yet. She asked if I had checked my cervix since I had been doing that all along. I said I started to but didn't because I had a contraction. We had talked about how encouraging that had been to me these last few weeks so if I felt like it to go ahead and check. I checked myself and I elt a small bulge of water and then the overlapping bones of the baby's head. I decided it felt like 5-6 cms to me so I called and told her. She said she would head out in about an hour. I got in the tub to check the depth and temp but decided I wasnt ready to sit yet. So i wandered around and called my mom to let her know she might want to get here soon. About 20 minutes later I got in the tub to stay. During the contractions I had to be leaned forward. So I would lay my head on the side and be on hands and knees during and then sit back after that. My mom got there at about 3 and I
got out of the tub for a few minutes to go to the bathroom and see what all she had brought with her. She stopped by the store and got snacks and food in case anyone was hungry. I got back in the pool and we chatted for a while
until I felt sick and the contractions suddenly got closer together and very intense. Beth arrived at 4:30. She quietly got a few things together and told me how well I was handling things. She asked me if I wanted her to check me,
but she thought things were progressing fine. I said I wanted to know. So she checked at 5 and i was 7 cm. Things really picked up from there and I felt the need to moan loud. It was the only way I could deal with the intensity of the contractions. This was when I needed Logan to push on my back alot.


At about 6:15 I felt like pushing at the peak of the contractions and it came across in my moans. The midwife asked if I felt like pushing and I said a little. At 6:30 something changed and I was really pushing for the whole contraction. She asked to check things and I said that was fine. She said you're 10 keep doing what feels good. So I started really putting some effort behind it. And tried all different kinds of positions in the water but ended up on my knees holding my husbands hands while the midwife rubbed this awesome smelling oil on my back. At 7:25 I broke my water to see if that would help the baby decend. Sometime near 7:40 she suggested moving to the toilet to see if it would help. I was fine with that so we went in the
bathroom and did that for a few contractions and then the birth stool
for a few. Then I said I wanted to lay down. I did that for 20 mins and dozed between contractions and had some juice and about 8:10 I was ready to try and have this baby. I kneeled on the floor next to the bed and tried to squat but that didnt work for me and so I got back on the birth stool. I pushed hard and long and all the sudden I felt the baby move down and I felt myself tear on the inside. I asked if I was tearing and she said the head isnt down
all the way yet. You may have torn on the inside. She said try not to push because the head had come down now and I could feel burning in the front and the next thing I know they are saying the head is out. And telling me how much she looked like her brother. I felt her turn and slide all the way out. I heard a few little cries and the midwife wrapped her up and put her up between my legs. My mom asked "what is it?" Logan said that he wanted me to look. It was a girl just like we thought. Our little Claire. Just what we wanted. About that time the midwife said that I needed to move to the bed because I was bleeding quite a bit. So I moved to the bed and Logan said I should try to get Claire to nurse. She wasn't interested. Once the placenta came out the bleeding slowed alot. Beth and my mom picked up the chux pads and left the room to let us bond a little. And they ran a celebration bath for Claire and I with herbs and flowers in it. Then we went back to bed and we both ate.


Claire was 7 lbs 15oz and 20.5 inches long. She was born at 9:04 pm. I had a tear on my labia on the inside and it was folded down weird so I wanted it stitched. I think there are three stitches there. Being at home and birthing my baby, my way was such an awesome experience. I feel so much better physically and emotionally than after my c/s. It was such a powerful experience for me.

:jumpers:
What fabulous stories!!! Keep 'em coming! :thumb

deleted post. :)

Thank you for starting this thread! Reading these beautiful stories is exactly what I need as we plan for our VBAC, once I'm pregnant, that is! :)

I LOVE reading these stories! I'm not pregnant with #2 yet, but your stories are so beautiful and inspiring.

elvispuppy: My niece (4 years old) has Down Syndrome. She also had to go to the NICU b/c of breathing trouble and was later discovered to have heart problems (VSD). Luckily, she didn't have to go to a different hospital. She will eventually need surgery to repair her heart, but for now she's doing great and is the most incredible, funny little girl. I'm glad to hear Noah is doing well.

This is not a proper "birth story", but I just wanted to share that my second baby was born by completely unnecessary C-Section in June 2000. I worked through alot of anger and sadness and guilt, and we sought a homebirth midwife for baby #3!

My water broke on the baby's due date, but no labor-- so after 2 days of off and on leaking, we all decided (me DH and MW) to do a little herbal induction with some Cohoshes. My labor started the next morning around 4 am with some strong crampy back pains, and progressed pretty straighforwardly from there........by 9 am I was in the shower....10 am in the kiddie pool........hated it......took more showers and crawled around on hands and knees with DH following me around rubbing my back really hard, which is all I wanted.....got back in the kiddie pool ..... MW heard that I was pushing during the peak of contractions..........ended up on the front room floor on hands and knees, SLOWLY the giant baby came out, she had to help a little since he had 2x cord, one arm up, one behind his back, but out he came, all ELEVEN pounds of him!!! I had a small tear that healed fine with some herb baths and rested for a week (DH had to go back to wrk after a week and my family sucks so no one came to help )

BUT, yes, I had a homebirth VBAC of a large baby, and am pregnant again with #4! Hoping the baby is a tad smaller :bag: :) but I know I can do it and feel very excited and peaceful. I hardly ever think about myself in terms of the c-section anymore, it was lame and sucked and propelled me into a new phase of my life i.e. taking responsibilty for things and raising my family according to my heart and not "expets", natural living, etc etc.......I dont know if I am "grateful" that I had it, but I have turned it into something positive for me, for sure. Someday when i am not buried under a pile of little children, i plan to do some advocacy stuff/website/writing/helping other women in some manner!

Thanks for reading, good luck to the VBAC Mamas, and one little word of "advice": you are a pregnant woman, a mother, a human not a "VBAC Candidate". The doctors arent going to "let you try", you are going to give birth to your baby!

This thread is a gem. I am going to sticky it :)

and now it's invisible :LOL


come on, I know there are other positive vbac stories here at MDC!! Where are you all???
:jumpers:

Hey stafl - quit complainin' and use up some of that empty space in yer sig :mischief

My Christmas Eve VBAC!
 

Very long...but I am long-winded and detailed! It's my greatest day!

This is the birth story of my second daughter, Eliza Noelle ****. Eliza was born, via VBAC, on her due date of Christmas Eve (that’s 12/24) 2003. Her birth proves to be the greatest and most empowering day of my life.

Having suffered depression/shock over my first daughter’s birth (via cesarean) I was determined not to have a repeat c/section this time. After becoming pregnant in April of 2003, I was excited to know I would soon not only have another child to love, but would also get to try a vaginal delivery again.

I had a great pregnancy. Everything went extremely well. I felt fantastic. I had done my research on VBAC and knew it was the right decision for me. I had found a wonderful, caring midwife who supported and encouraged my VBAC decision. I had read a lot about childbirth and did everything I could to increase my chances for VBAC success! Now, to just wait for baby…

I started having contractions at 1:45am on December 23rd. My husband and I waited until 5:00am to start calling people announcing this would be “the day” we would welcome our new son/daughter to this world! My midwife (Dana) had told me not to call her or consider going to the hospital until I had 3 “killer” contractions in 10 minutes. To this, my contractions started at 15 minutes, then 10, then 8, then 6….then they would go back up to 15! At noon that day, I coincidentally had a routine appt w/ Dana, so I called her to tell her she may want to cancel her other appts b/c I was going to have a baby! She directed me to come on to my appt, when she would check me (I hadn’t been checked at all, this entire pgcy), and we would make a plan. Our bags were packed and in the van, my daughter was delivered to Grandma’s, so my husband and I went to our appt at noon. I got checked and the report was: 3cm! After 11 hrs, STILL a 3cm!? Dana sent me back home and said to wait until I had 3 contractions in 10 minutes. Day faded into night and my contractions continued to be all over the board. I would have 3 in 10 minutes, but then they would all back off again. At 9:00pm, I took a bath and contractions stopped altogether. (I know now that I should have rested!!) We sadly called people back to report there would be no baby today! At midnight (it’s now Christmas Eve, my official due date) contractions kicked back in again. This time seeming a little more intense, but still not regular. The contractions continued on throughout the wee hours of Christmas Eve, 5 min, 3min, 2min…then 15. Sometimes in thru there, I would get one on top of another, with no rest in between. They were hurting more, but I thought it was because many didn’t have a complete end, only got less intense, before another one kicked in. By the time the sun came up on another day of labor, I was tired, frustrated and discouraged. Dana, who had checked in throughout the evening, called again at 8am. By this time, I was an emotional disaster and Dana seemed frustrated with me. I told Dana I needed one of three things: 1) The pain to go away 2) Regular contractions or 3) A baby! None seemed to be happening too quickly! Dana said she would “think of a plan” and call me back. When she called back, around 9:30a, my husband talked to her and I was having more and harder contractions…tho some would still be 5-6 min apart. Dana said she would make a (rare) housecall. While waiting for her to arrive, I went into the bathroom and noticed my plug had (finally) passed. She arrived at my house around 10. I was having some big contractions by then. She checked me right on our couch…the verdict, much to everyone’s surprise, was 7-8cm!! She said it was time to go to the hospital. Dave (my husband) and I went upstairs to change clothes and make a few quick phone calls (one to my parents’ cell phone, who were en route. They live three hours away!) Dana came upstairs and said no more calling, it was time to go…NOW! She had called the hospital and told them I was in transition and arriving soon, but to get the tub going! (The tub was a request of mine.) Dana got Dave and I placed in the van (by this time I was in some MAJOR pain), told Dave to “disregard anything I said b/c it wasn’t going to be nice” and she would follow us to the hospital (about 15 min on a non-labor day!) I only remember a few things about the ride…the whole trip (I think Dave did it in 10 minutes) seemed like one big, strong, painful contraction. The weather was a beautiful , sunny, warmish winter day. Dave had the emergency flashers on and I thought it was our turning signal. Dave stopped just long enough for me to (literally) roll out in front of the birthing unit at the hospital, he then proceeded to park the van. Just as he was dumping me out, I had a KILLER contraction on the sidewalk and just keeled over on a parking barrier. Fortunately, a (non labor) nurse who was on her break came over, scooped me into a wheelchair and pushed me into the elevator lobby. I can remember her saying to BREATH and it was gonna be OK. (I think she may have asked what I was at – centimeter wise, but I really don’t remember…I don’t even remember what she looked like)! While we were waiting for the elevator, both Dave and Dana caught up with us. I can remember the elevator had to go down before it came up…how awful to see those doors open and close and know I couldn’t go UP!!! Ahh, it was 11am, and we were THERE! Instead of getting asked all the questions a laborious woman usually gets asked, I got the express plan of two questions: 1) Do you have any allergies and 2) Who’s the pediatrician?! Whooosh…into my room I went. The nurses were still trying to make the bed and clean the room, so they told us to wait. I yelled, “I DON’T CARE if the sheets were clean!!!” The nurses and Dana hooked me up to a few things…I am not sure what. My big concern was to NOT get an IV-drip or continuous fetal monitoring. (Because I wanted to be able to MOVE AROUND, which helps all labors.) However, by the time I reached the hospital, deep in the throws of transition, any sort of moving around was beyond question!! (However, I could smell that the tub was full!!) Dana checked me one more time, “Just a lip left, almost there!!” She broke my water and put in an internal monitor. (Neither of which I had wanted, but, again, it didn’t matter by now! Every time, I was on my left side, the baby’s heart rate dropped, but once we got the internal in, everything was fine.) I had a few more hard contractions (I can remember screaming…good thing the hospital was almost empty! Another check and I was deemed, “COMPLETE!” Dana told me to push when I felt the urge, which was almost right away. I started pushing at 12:15pm (75 min after I had arrived at the hospital!) Pushing gave me some trouble, after two nights of basically no sleep and 34+ hrs of labor, I was tired! I couldn’t seem to get the hang of pushing, was having a hard time telling contractions from just pain, and was just so tired. Dana also called her consulting physician to get some advice on what to do with me. Apparently she decided on scare tactics. Dana sent my husband to get a can of (leaded) Pepsi (for energy), which I can’t stand, but drank anyway. Dana had no sympathy for me being tired and said if I wanted to sign up for another c-section, to just lay there and be tired. That gave me strength, but nothing got easier! Somewhere in all of this, I threw up all over myself and Dana found it necessary the toast and jam in there that she had made me eat earlier. (Thanks, Dana.) We tried several pushing positions, squatting, bar, side, etc. Finally, the good old lithotomy (flat on back) position worked best, esp. when they held up a mirror and I could see where to aim those pushes!! At last, a small, grayish head (w/ dark hair and some curls) appeared – ever so slightly! More pushes…Dana said the head would take two jumps forward and then back one each push. Finally, the whole head was out…then the body and THEN the baby was born!!! (After one hour, 38 minutes of pushing, she was born at 1:53pm!!) I got a glimpse of “the goods” right when she was pulled out and I declared, “IT’S A GIRL!!!” (I had been expecting a girl, but no one else had!”) Ohhhh….what a wonderful feeling, having that teeny, tiny, pink and blood-covered little girl placed on my chest. She was crying, but it was a calm cry. It was OVER (except for the placenta) and I couldn’t believe it. I felt so awesome already…what a wonderful Christmas Eve gift!! I had my beautiful, healthy daughter and a VBAC. The placenta was delivered very easily, I just stood up (I can remember feeling my floppy belly here), squeezed a little, and out it came! I only needed one small shot of pitocin to get all the bleeding to stop. Prayers answered, God is so good.

I had wanted the name Eliza previously, however Dave wasn’t so sure. But apparently, there must be something about watching your wife squeeze a watermelon out a pea-sized hole because Dave looked at me and said, “Well, is her name Eliza??” And I said, “Yes, it is!!” He got the chance to choose between Renee’ and Noelle for a middle name. He said he didn’t care and after some discussion, we choose a Noelle. A baby who was due on Christmas Eve and came on Christmas Eve is meant to have a holiday name! Eliza Noelle weighed in at 8lb, .4 oz and was 20” long. Simply beautiful!

Okay, my VABC births... I have 4 so I will do one post for each, they were 100% DIFFERENT each time.
Second child, first VBAC
WORST DECISION I HAVE EVER MADE CONCERNING MY BODY AND BIRTHING A CHILD!
Hospital birth, Induction at 41.5 day three drugs, 28 hour labor, 3 hours of pushing, episiotomy , vacuum! Birth was 8.5 yrs ago, before the banned inductions with VBACs.

Arrived at the hospital Monday morning around 8am. I was checked, no dialation, slightly soft. Given Servidil (sp). Went to the toilet hour later, the thing fell out :bag: . Nurse called doc and they said to give me a suppository of something that was to soften and prepare my cervix.

Started ‘pit’ IV drip approximately noon. Contractions had started and were good. I was progressing and all was well. XH and my mother went to get some food about 4pm. I got out of the bed to use the toilet. Felt something come from my vagina, looked back and about died. Called the nurse, she came in and told me this was my ‘plug’. ____ (I had lost plug with first, but it was gradual, 4 days before birth.) This thing was the size of a damn baseball. I came out in one huge clump.

XH and mom come back. Contractions were getting really good at this point. Things were still progressing well. Approximately 2 am my contractions were every 2-3 minutes. I was so tired, needed to rest, was adamant about this being a drug free birth. I was checked, 8 cm... wooohooo not too much longer, right?
WRONG!
4am checked again. 8 cm. *crying* The MW spoke so softly to me, she told me it would be in my best interest to accept a epidural and she strongly suggested I did so. She told me I had not progressed in the past 4 hours and they needed to turn my ‘pit drip’ up. I was so dumb and uneducated!!!
4:30am, I received an epidural. The biggest mistake next to allowing Pitocin I had made. 8am, 24 hours after arriving at the hospital I was checked again. ( now granted, I did sleep that next 3.5 hours, and did need it) Upon checking me I was 10 cm.
The nurse told me to go ahead and start pushing. I looked at her as if she had 4 heads, said “PUSH WHAT, I CANNOT FEEL ANYTHING BELOW MY BOOBS!” (Mind you this is my first vaginal birth, never did push with first baby) She grabbed one leg, told my XH to do the same. My knees were pushed into my armpits and I again was told to push. Still not having a clue as to what I was doing, I pushed what I could.
The epidural was still in my back, I was still numb and had NO feeling what so ever.
I pushed for three (3) hours straight. The MW excused herself and told me she was calling the OB cause this was just taking too long. OB arrived a few moments later. She watched me push three more times. Kicked EVERYONE out of my room but XH. There she told me the worst dreaded words I feared the most. “You have two choices, we prep you now for a repeat C/S :(
or you allow me to cut you and use a vacuum. I was so upset. I agreed to be cut and have a vacuum used if that meant no C/S!! All the pushing I had done and his head had not yet descended into the birth canal. 4th degree cut and vacuum on and brought his head just to crowning, at this time I pushed as hard as I could, with everything I had I pushed. The entire time the words “ REPEAT C/S” giving me all the strength I needed to push! My son was born at 11:20am on Tuesday morning. A beautiful 8.1 lb baby boy. His color was wonderful, he was perfect! A fatty too. My first baby was only 6 even.
The OB sat at my vagina with needle and thread for what seemed to be a full hour. I remember the 25 stitches she gave me! The epidural was FINALLY turned off, it had not been the entire time, now lets see, NO DAMN WONDER I COULD NOT PUSH PROPERLY!

Even though this was my first VBAC I still have not completely healed from this birth. Of course it was much better then having a repeat C/S.
Only if I knew then..........
I said to myself this was going to be short.. Well sorry, but there ya go.

Third child, second VBAC
 

Sunday, though I was leaking waters all day long, went to the hospital to be checked. They monitored me and I was contracting every 10 min. I was told my waters were not leaking ( I so knew better) and sent me home.
Arrived home at 2am. Exactly 3am my waters broke with the biggest gush ever. I left a stream of water from the bed to the bathroom. We packed up and headed to the L&D.
Arrived at hosp, gave them my soaked pad and said, “now tell me Im not leaking!”
I was hooked up to the monitor. Approximately 1 hour after arriving my sons HB dropped. Two nurses came running into my room. They dropped the back of the bed down, then hit some button that make the head of the bed go down and the foot go up. I was upside down. One was pushing and prodding on my belly while another was checking the monitors. A moment later my sons HB was back and fine.
The MW arrived and checked me, I was at 4 cm already. We called my mother and birth instructor to come be with us. My labor was easy so to speak :LOL It seemed to have gone so fast.
I was given an amniotic infusion, due to there being meconium. This was the only medical intervention I had. Why there ended up being 4 nurses, a OB standing by, Pedi and 2 nurses from the nursery watching my birth I have no idea. :LOL I say they were just there for the show, I gave birth butt @$$ naked :thumb

At 10am I was 10 cm and ready to go. My body began pushing and I had the worst feeling at my pubic bone. I was screaming to the top of my lungs that it hurt. I honestly though I was possibly rupturing. Finally I began to push with my body.

Watching my birth video you can see my entire body jerk as my sons shoulder dislodged itself from under my pubic bone. This was the pain I was feeling, and oh my Gods... never felt pain so horrific as this!

My beautiful son was born at 10:22am. I was so proud of myself. I had absolutely no drugs what so ever. Not by lack of the nurses trying their hardest to get me to take “something.”

I loved this birth, it was healing from the first two.!!! I was soooooooooooooooo proud of myself! :thumb :love

I will post the other two birth at a later date, they are more intense, but beautiful!

Thank you Stafl for asking. I have been noticing with great concern the effects of the change in VBAC policy in the USA. MDC has been a great resource for me. So I will share my story also


My dd is now 2 years old. But I can still remember most of it. To begin I had my first birth normally and very naturally in a Birth Center and my second birth was with a very close friend/midwife in a hospital which ended up in a c-section. It was for Fetal Distress related to absolutely no interventions I didn´t even have my bloods drawn he was just high with a nucal cord wrapped a couple of times and so when he tryed to decend his heart rate went very low and folks waited a while but it just didn´t get better...so I had a c-section. He was fine in the end. I was very disappointed and completely shocked as was my friend that I actually had a c-section. After much consideration I got pregnant with my third. I knew the safest option for me would be a home birth. I was living outside the USA in country where home births is not for the urbane middle class, for them the c-section was delivery of choice. I did find an American women who had all her children at home with MD there. We became fast and furious friends. Anyway I spoke with this MD (Dr. Fred) and he was very calm and accepting. He´s wife ran a group of doulas so I contracted her as more of a cultural liason. My daughter who was then five wanted to be there and watch, so my hubby would be with her and if I need help or support I wanted some one extra. My pregnancy was normal till my father died unexpectedly when I was 7months I went to see him because he had this abdominal mass and we (my family) knew it was serious but we didn´t have a real prognosis so I just went home to see him before I couldn´t travel anymore. I stayed two weeks he died during that period it was most painful thing I had ever endured. So I come back in a fog and do my GLT test that at this time is a month late. While I am taking it I know, I shouldn´t do it, it´s going to be elevated…it was, as was my gtt but Dr. Fred just said to me I just don´t seem to be someone with diabetes and these test are sometime wrong. After reviewing the literature I agreed, they can be wrong a lot of the time. Anyway because still bit nervous about it so I do fingersticks which are fine the rest of my pregnancy. Actually the GD ´diet´ is just sort of a normal healthy way of eating and not anything I need to change, my weight was fine and the baby grew normally. (no ultrasounds waited till it seemed necessary and never actually did as with my other two pregnancies). Our plan was just to continue with our plan if anything changes we will act accordingly. It was a hudge relief for me. So I am just trying to set the stage so to speak for labor.
Iam 40w3d just like with my first.
I started a bit of labor in the morning and I called my friend (homebirther) to let her know (we wanted her there for positive vibes) and I called Dr. Fred just let him know not to go too far away just a sort of FYI
The day was full of contractions coming and going but nothing too steady or too strong lots of walks around the park with my dear friend. I think my husband went to work in the morning but came back for lunch. I have a vague memory that my 3 yo son has gone to preschool at this time then to a very close friends house he definitely did not want any part of this and told me so. My daughter wanted to stay home with me so she is here and there with me. When my husband came back I was a bit disappointed that things were not heating up so I ask my friend to give me time alone and I would call her. We were in a chorus group together which was practicing that night. So at about 4-5pm ish things started to heat up and I remember sitting in a rocking chair just chatting with my husband for like an hour or two...life gets so busy when already have two...it was a sweet moment for us. Well my hubby calls the doula at about 6ish and also my friend to tell her not to go to chorus practice and come over. My doula lived in the next apartment block over so she came over. She was really very helpful which I had my doubts about what I would need from her but in the end she was great. Showers, birthing ball, backing rubbing the whole thing. My husband was with my daughter who I wasn´t paying much attention to but felt her in the backround. Anyway I feeling a bit pushy I think about 830p so I tell the doula she should call Dr. Fred she did he had just finished up his clinic and he was coming over with his wife. They arrived some time after 9pmish. I loved how they entered into my home waiting to asked to come in a quiet discreet manner. Then asking where he could do an exam and listen to the babies heart beat. I said my bedroom. He did this with reserve and calmness. It reminded how different it is outside your home folks breezing in the room grabbing charts talking ....I digress
I was 9 cms (my first and last exam during my entire pregnancy which is exactly what happened with my first pregnancy and birth actually). He (Dr. Fred) then left our bedroom and waited in the living room the two doulas stayed with my hubby and daughter lots of turning changing positions then hands and knees and then my bag of water broke. Dr. Fred is there again. I am very uncomfortable now. You know that moment when you think god I REALLY CAN´T TAKE THIS ANYMORE! I then ly on my side ( I always thought I would do the squatting thing but for not my side was what worked for me even with my first). I push out her head I can hear myself crying out then I hear my 5 yo daughter crying that was a bit disturbing. Then the baby came out and is up on my chest immediately. I was torn between the sheer joy of giving birth and concerns for my eldest who I couldn´t see I immediately wanted to know how she was I was asking if she was ok who was with her. I look up and our baby sitter has her (my eldest in her arms). She was talking care of our now middle child when he came home from his friend´s house. I don´t even think I was aware of any of this. Well she tells me he sleeping soundly in the backroom. Needless to say the room was full but in a good way. We didn´t know the sex. I was absolutely elated when I found out she was a girl, we had two names picked for a girl Maria and Carmen she looked more like a Carmen. She was very serine not much crying but eyes WIDE open. No one was paying much attention to the clock though we estimate he birth to be at about 945p. My now eldest daughter was very calm she said she was just scared to hear me cry out. Dr. Fred let the cord stop pulsing before he cut the it and the placenta came after quite easily. I had a small first degree that he didn´t think needed repaired (as I did with my first). Well she nurses immediately. We opened a bottle of wine to celebrate (me not so much). I was alone with my family all asleep by 11pm.
There where a lot of things that I didn´t plan that worked out so well. I never mention really that I specifically wanted it filmed or not but I had my recorder there with film in it and my friend just picked it up and started filming which was a treat to have this record of her birth. Also the plan for my son. Another very close friend knew I was in labor and took him from school and when he came home our babysitter was still there whom he was very close to put him into bed and sort of hung around after. Just in time to be there for Kate (dave was up by me). Also somewhere I knew I didn´t want Dr. Fred to be there for most the birth. As kind and respectful as he was he was still a doctor and man not what I intuitively consider appropriate for birth , and especially home birth which I think he knew and why he waited outside the room till he was needed. All in All I think he was there for about 30 minutes before she was born. Both my other births in the Birth Center and in the Hospital was a very female experience (even the surgeons were women)
For me I never considered anything else but a VBAC.I was a wonderful very healing experience.

Hi,

Here is my HBAC story for you, glad to share for others benefit. A little background: After my 1st dd, as the dr was breezing out of the operating room, we were assured we could have a VBAC with our next. But, as everyone is well aware, two and half years later, that was not the case at all. Before we were even ttc, I started realizing this and interviewed a couple of local midwives and drs. To my anger, the nearest hospital that would accept VBAC was about an hr away with traffic or more depending and it was a teaching hospital. I was already thinking about a homebirth and several friends/acquaintences had a wonderful local homebirth midwife they recommended. I called and spoke and eventually interviewed her and she agreed to take me on a client.
I had a wonderfully uneventful pregnancy and phenomenal birth.
Here's the story:
Two days before my "due date" I started feeling some cramping like with my dd, nothing major, but noticable. I started noticing in the late morning and by mid afternoon, I was thinking this might really kick in tonite while I am sleeping (like it did with my dd). I cleaned the house and got everything ready I could think of and felt very prepared. That evening, I finally realized they were forming into actual contractions and were fairly steady. We called my midwife around 7pm just to let her know what was going on, kind of a courtesy call, because I really didn't want her there just yet. She advised to get some sleep, which I anxiously did. As I went to bed, I fully expected to be awoken by contractions that I could no longer sleep thru. However, I woke up at 3:30am from a hard sleep and realized nothing was happening! I was so bummed! Since I had gone to sleep so early I was kind of awake and played on the computer some and ate a little snack. Then, I realized the contractions were returning slowly. It happened so nicely. They didn't come back fast and furious, but rather just kind of nicely built up stronger over the next few hours. By 6am when my husband and daughter woke up, I realized this was it and this baby WAS coming today! I showered while my husband fixed my daughter brkfst and we decided to go ahead and send her to summer camp since I had no idea how long it was going to last. I had kind of planned on everything happening at nite and just waking her up when the baby was almost out. My MIL came and picked her up around 7:30am. All that time, I was just kind of hanging out moving around by myself, it was amazing. Right before she came, though, they got so strong I felt like I really wanted to lie and bed and fully concentrate on being relaxed, moving was no longer working for me. My MIL and dd came in and said a prayer and quickly left. My midwife finally arrived a little before 8:30 am. I was working very hard at that point and was very anxious for her to check me to know where I was because I was so worried that I was only 6 cm or something. By the time she got everything set up, I was feeling sick to my stomach so I had a pretty good idea I was in transition and close, and when she checked me I was indeed a 10! Not long after that (minutes, I'd say) I really felt the urge to push. That never happened with my daughter (she was posterior). It was amazing and crazy all at the same time. I was honestly very hesitant about this part. I had pushed like crazy with my daughter to no avail, so I had a small doubt in my head about the capability of myself to push. I had told myself the whole pregnancy that my body will just know what to do, that it wasn't me, it was the circumstances and that was right on! I pushed for about 25 minutes and out she popped! She was born at 9:30 am. It was very hard work but so fulfilling! She was 9 lbs 6 oz and I only had a little tear that didn't even need to be sutured. I was so proud of myself and so grateful for my husband and midwife. They were so supportive and perfect the entire pregnancy and birth and I know they helped directly and indirectly positively influence my mental state during the birth. It was so empowering and wonderful, I wouldn't have done it any other way.

here is mine

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=333255

great thread

- kerri

Here's another one...

I was 40 with two C-sects for failure to progress and two 10lb babies when I went looking for someone to help me VBA2C. I have a dear friend who is a doula who said she thought that there were only two people in the whole area who would even consider talking to me. Rebecca was her strongest recommendation but she warned me Rebecca was tough.

She only agreed to work with me if I kept my weight gain to 25lbs and agreed to focus on having this baby early. I had thought that having a doctor push me to deliver "on-time" was what was going to be a problem since both kids were 2+ weeks overdue. Rebecca said that I needed to talk to the baby and since I had such big kids, I had to know that he was going to be ok to come early.

She thought I was ready to start natural inductions at 36 weeks but I was afraid. Too early seemed worse than late. At 37 weeks I started using my breast pump twice a day and inserting Evening Primrose Oil and having sex and at my 37 week check she said I was ripening and things needed to get moving. I started acupuncture on Friday and again on Monday and then did one dose of castor oil... YUCK! Within 6 hours labor started and I knew it was different.

Nate was born 21 years ago and I was in labor for about 24 hours and then they freaked me out about fetal distress and low heart rate and I had an emergency C-sect that left me feeling like a failure. They also stuck a bottle of sugar water in his mouth and completely messed up nursing.

With Joey, 17 years later, I had a doula and a midwife and great care and labored well for 24 hours to find out that I wasn't even effaced!!! Then I went home and labored for another night before I gave up and thought I was going to have to have the C-sect. When we got to the hospital, they said I was 8cm and maybe I should give it a try. Well... I made it to 9cm and everything fell apart. Basically 48 hours of labor and then an actually wonderful, peacefull C-sect. I felt like a real trooper but... you know.. sad.

Zach was born after 4 hours of beautiful productive labor. I pushed so hard I tore pretty bad but I think I was just so amazed at my power. She kept telling me to slow down and I just couldn't. He was my tiny little baby... two weeks early weighing in at 9lbs 4 oz. Everything went so much better than I could have ever imagined. I almost want to have 3 more....

After it was over, my doula admitted that I was the biggest long shot she had ever taken on and was kind of just humoring me. She and my doula bragged me up all over town. Not bad for an old lady. :love

My homebirth after 2 cesareans
 

Mountain Summit-My HBA2C story

Where should I start? My first two sons were born via cesarean section, induced with pitocin. For my first birth, I trusted that my doctor and the hospital knew what was best. I had planned on a natural birth, and took Lamaze. I went overdue (42 wks) and was induced. The contractions were quick & on top of each other, I labored this way all day & around 7 pm that night he was born via c-section, and rushed off to the NICU in a helicopter across town. He was in about 2 weeks, with a collapsed lung, heart murmur & meconium pneumonia. They told my husband that he might not live 24 hours, and if he did he would have to be transported to yet another hospital for surgery. I also had some problems (anesthesia does not work well for me-I became fully awake as I was being sewed up) and needed to be given blood. I remember being left in a recovery room alone and freezing, no blanket or anything to cover me. I called for what seemed hours for my mother, as I was coherent enough to know that my husband had left with my son. We were blessed that night, his murmur closed fully & he was getting better. Rarely has he been sick since. I truly believe now that his not being ready to be born, added to the pitocin induction did this to him.

For my second birth, I did a little research, and was exposed to the book Spiritual Midwifery for the first time. Wow-they still birth at home? I picked a female ob gyn that had had a vbac herself, and had midwives in her practice. I saw the midwives & I saw her. I picked a hospital again because at the time I felt it was safest. Again I planned on a natural birth. This time while walking on the beach, I fell on my bottom on some slippery rocks, and went into labor by myself, again at 42 weeks. Went to the hospital and was induced again to speed things up. Luckily he was born, although via c-section again, without any problems, just a bit jaundiced. At this point I did not want anymore children, and considered tubal ligation. My ob talked me out of it, and put in an IUD.

A couple years pass, we moved to the Pacific NW and I met quite a few women who had their babies at home. I just thought this was the neatest thing ever, but still was adamant about not wanting anymore myself. I became close friends with a woman (S.) who had both her children at home, and was expecting her third. I learned more about homebirth from her, and then finally looking around on the internet, and reading quite a few books. Last summer I felt a presence, a soul that wanted to come into our lives. I had not had this feeling before with my boys, and it was too strong to ignore. I got my IUD removed and we started trying right away. I still wasn't sure about the whole homebirth thing, for me anyway, too risky. I don't remember just where I first learned about HBAC, and trying after 2 c-sections, but I still was nervous. All the what ifs really came into my head.

Well I got pregnant fairly soon after having my IUD removed, and was worried about how far along I was (I am a bigger woman) so I went to an OB. Large, huge mistake. I was high risk when I walked in the door. I told OB of plans to homebirth, as him being my backup (I had 2 midwives to interview that did hbacs) and whoa that was a mistake. I had high blood pressure that first day. (also had with my 2nd) I weighed 268 lbs-another risk. All I can say about that day is I have never felt so broken. In tears I called S. told her what happened, she told me to take a warm bath, calm down, light a candle, etc. Dh and I also talked quite a bit this day, I finally calmed down enough to decide not to go back. I interviewed both midwives, and again picked someone who had also had a cesarean, and then gone on to birth her other 4 children at home. From the beginning, I felt completely at ease with her. Every blood pressure reading from then on, (done at my home) was normal. Imagine that.

I exercised, ate well, saw a chiropractor and a prenatal massage therapist, took some supplements & drank a prenatal tea that tasted like dirt daily. I read tons, joined the ICAN email list, and a few other homebirth-oriented lists. A few issues came up for me (from the c-sections) and every time, I had support unimagined in my previous pregnancies. I read many, many, birth stories, imagined what mine would be like, and did some birth art. Also,this pregnancy we went on hikes quite a bit, and I began to associate this pregnancy & birth like a mountain, with many paths leading up. My midwives, C. & G. & S., my friend (& other support person) and my dh were incredible. They had such faith in me, and were so empowering. I felt so strong.

The last week of my pregnancy, I was feeling worried about going over again. Even knowing that my midwives were not the intervening type. Thursday I lost my mucous plug, and Friday after feeling a couple times like I was leaking something while on the phone with S. telling her I needed to go to the store to get a fishy net for the birth tub, my water broke! It was classic, down the legs and all that jazz. I couldn't believe it! I told dh, called S. back & told her, and then called C. She told me to take some vitamin C and garlic caps, and drink lots of water, and she would bring me some herbs. At this point, I was having mild contractions, but they were way far apart. In fact, that night I ended up sleeping fairly normal, although after 12 am I kept waking up during my contractions. Even then they were about 15 min apart.

Around 7 am the next day (Saturday), I called C. and told her what was happening. I told her that while they still were pretty far apart, and irregular, they were getting stronger. She told me she would be there in a little while, and so would G. My friend/support S. said she would be there around 12-1 pm which I was fine with, because things were going so slow. My boys were still at the house, and beginning to irritate me. (I previously thought I wanted them there) They left with friends around 12 or so. Dh was there, cleaning, making lunch for all of us, bringing in the tub, he was taking care of everything. He was also in charge of the music, which actually ended up being only 3 cds, playing over & over. One was Indian sitar, another was ambient, and Krishna Das, and Mermaid (song) by Sade. That song just makes me think I am swimming in the ocean. He was amazing.

The rest of the (hot!) day passed, G. & I took a walk around the neighborhood, I drank more water & watered down Recharge than I ever had in my life to this point. When I was at home, I paced around a lot, bounced on my birth ball, and sat in a hard chair. It was so peaceful, I really enjoyed the company, and we talked & laughed a lot. It was really one of the best days ever. S. & I took another walk (this time backyard) and then we all sat down on the shady side of the house. I kept contracting, I had a pillowon the grass, and another on the chair, and I would kneel there with my head in my hands. Dh later told me this time was the most at peace he has ever felt. I moved back into the house, because I kept needing to go to the bathroom, and hung out in the living room for a while. One of my favorite laboring positions was dancing with my dh, I would hold on to him and sway my hips, he felt so sturdy and it was very loving. Even with the midwives & my friend there it was very intimate, and we felt OK kissing & just generally loving each other.

I should mention that I called my family back east when my water broke (they did not know my plans to homebirth) and they kept calling, wondering what was going on. I ended up telling them that I was sent home because labor stopped. That pretty much stopped the calls, but then my dad called around 4-5 pm. After this things kicked up a notch. Funny, eh? Also I told S. my worries about holding everyone up. I kept feeling like nothing was happening, and that I should tell them to go. She said things were happening, and for me to relax. I told S. to put in the Rainbow meditation (hypnobirthing) tape so I could rest a bit, as I was getting tired (It was time for my daily nap, ha ha ha) I was able to relax a little, but had 2 contractions I couldn't ignore (I think I waited too late to use my meditations) and decided to get up again. We did use the affirmations, my dh told me lots of the script he made up (involving the ocean waves) and the breathing (4-8 & J breathing).

At this point I also asked if we could fill the tub, as things were getting intense. After all this, things got mindless for me. I think subconsciously, or consciously I wanted to feel every bit of this birth. S. had brought a fabric painting of Sheila-Na-Gig! and it was by the birth tub in my dining room. I have a wood rail all the way around and made a miniature altar (I already had a bigger altar in my living room that had been there since the beginning of my pregnancy) I also read my tarot cards a couple weeks prior to the birth and pulled the Ace of Pentacles-Pure contentment, attainment, prosperity, bright prospects-both material and spiritual. Wow. I had on the rail a small wooden Akua, African Goddess of birth, pregnant women & children, my Grandmother's locket, and a small wooden mermaid nursing a baby mermaid. I had so many things on my other altar, but these meant the most to me, as focal points. My youngest son had also picked me some flowers, among them being a wide open pink rose, which also took my attention.

Ah! The tub was filled! My midwives, C & G, S., and my dh were in a circle around me by the tub, I would get bits of things they would say to me-incredible, empowering, loving words that helped between mindless contracting. I felt my body opening, I felt my baby moving down-what a marvelous feeling, and totally new to me. My contractions were on top of each other pretty much at this point, I kept shifting in the tub, sometimes holding on to my dh while in the tub (dancing) Normally I am a fairly inhibited person, but all that went out the door at this point, I got really loud too! I live in a historic district, the houses are pretty close together, and before the birth I worried about being loud-this evaporated too! Ha ha! Then C suggested I sit on the toilet again, to get baby further down-that was rough, moving from the tub into my bathroom-I had to walk (when I could-the contrax were happening all the time now) with my legs spread way out-crablike. I sat on the pot, did a contraction/push then during a break stand up, hold on to dh then squat & push again.

At some point, I moved to the bed-don't ask when-I just ended up there! I was propped with pillows behind, so MW could check to see where baby was, a few pushes later she was crowning! She told me to touch the head-I was in complete disbelief!! No way!! But I reached down and sure enough, it was there, wet & full of hair! I really hated being like that in the bed-the whole time pushing it was best when I could get my legs spread far apart, usually on hands & knees or squatting. So I moved onto my hands & knees, way far apart, kinda like a frog. Not too long after this her head came out all the way, but then her shoulders got stuck! It continuously burned! Wow! C. did some maneuvering, I pushed a few more times (my contrax slowed down then-grr--but I kept pushing anyway) and felt the rest of her body slip out-felt like a big fish!

I don't remember who said it was a girl-but I just couldn't even speak. My dh started crying at this point (I never did, I just remember complete elation & surprise) and telling me it was a girl. Had a bit of getting her going with some oxygen, talking to her, rubbing her feet, then finally a cry! After all this she latched right on, nursing like she always had! There was a short cord, and a large heart shaped placenta. It came out pretty quick after, then I bled a bit, C gave me some herbs, and some Chinese herbs that I sucked through a straw that were rather nasty. I did end up tearing, in two places, I did not really notice. 6 stitches is a tiny thing for this incredible healing experience.

I never once during labor worried about my scar or rupture. My midwives didn't check my blood pressure once during labor, there were no interventions. I feel reborn, and completely high on birth, still. I did it, I finally reached my summit.

My birth story

I will start with my amino Monday 4/25/5 at noon. I get to the hospital and check in. I wait about 30 mins for the dr to get there. He did a quick head check to make sure baby was still head down. She was. Then he looks for a good pocket of fluid. Finds one and start the process, give me the numbing shot that hurt a bit, after that I didn't feel much but a bit of pressure. Once he got the amino needle in she moved and he had to wait for her to move again. While waiting for her to move I was trying to take a deep breath and couldn't cause every time I did I would feel a sharp pain. I asked the dr if he was almost done cause I was having a hard time breathing. According to DH he took the needle out and reinserted it and I was fine breathing. Then he had a hard time getting a clear sample with no blood in it. He finally got a sample witha very small amount of blood and called it good enough. He told me I would be observed for an hour or so to make sure my water didn't break and the baby tolerated the amino ok. He said the results would be back before we left the hospital. About an hour later he came back in and said the lungs were mature and I could leave and go get my stuff (it was already in the car) and come back at 4 pm and they would insert the cervidil. I was excited and scared at the same time. I went out to the in-laws and posted my update several places and saw my daughter for about an hour since DH had dropped her off at the in-laws the day before and I wasn't sure how long till I saw her again.

When I got to the hospital we were put back in the same room the amino had been done in, and was told a nurse would be with us in a few mins. Well over an hour had passed and my nurse walked in the door an said oh your here! When did you get here? I told her 4pm she said no one had told her. She was really upset we were left waiting. She hooked me up to the monitors while she had me sign lots of papers and explained what was going to happen. My dr came in and did an internal check and inserted the cervidil. He said I was maybe 1 cm dilated but long and had no effacement at all. Since I had been contracting since Saturday night I was kind of depressed to hear that and worried about the cervidil not working. The dr told me to get a good night sleep cause tomorrow was going to be a long day. I continued to contract thru the night and they were getting stronger when I was on my back so I didn't get a very good nights sleep since the only way they could get a good heart tracing of the baby was for me to be on my back. At 5:30 they came in and took out the cervidil. I was about 2 cm dilated and 75-80% effaced and baby was at -2 station. I was let out of the bed to shower and I was still contracting real good but nothing really hurt just more annoying. At 6:30 am they started the pitocin the contractions got more intense and I had to breath thru them. I was also having them more often. I was allowed to take 15mins every couple of hours to be off the monitors and walk around to help with labor. They slowly upped the pitocin cause they were in no hurry and didn't want to cause uterine rupture. BY 10 or 11 it seemed like even though they were turning the pitocin up my progress was slowing. I was not having to breath thru the contractions any more and they we not as often. At this point I thought about just asking for a section cause it was frustrating I wasn't doing anything. However I did not ask for it. The nurse came flying in the room at about noon and said " he not in here is he?" I was confused and was like who. She said the dr he's going to break your water. So all my guests left and went to the family room she gets me in bed and the nurses called her in the room and said she is needed in the section room. She tells me to go walk cause they were going to do a section on someone else first. I went walking and went back into the room and the dr came in at about 12:45 and I requested to have an internal monitor put on my baby's head because they way I am built its hard to keep the baby's heartbeat on the monitor unless im laying down and I didn't want to lay on my back the whole time. While he was breaking my water he put the monitor on her head and did an internal check I was already 3-4 cm. He did not say anything about how effaced I was or what station the baby was at. He went to leave I stopped him in his tracks saying I can have my epidural now right? He said soon I reminded him that he told me in his office that he would not make me wait till I was 5 to order it he would order it at 3-4. So he told the nurse to watch me for 20 mins or so to see if I would continue contracting and if so then order the epidural. I was extremely surprised that I was 3-4 already since I wasn't feeling hardly any contractions, and I knew that as soon as my waters were gone the contractions would hurt a whole lot more, so I wanted the epidural before I started feeling a whole lot of pain. Well I started contracting real good and I was def right they were much more intense and getting worse. I was in a good bit of pain and I told the nurse she had to get the epidural ordered cause I wasn't sure how long it was going to be before I started losing control of my labor and started screaming. I guess it was about an hour before I finally got my epidural and it was done by the same dr that had previously done my epidural with my daughter. (Last time I was stabbed 10 times by another dr before they called this dr in he got it first try). He had me lay on my side and hug a pillow. MY DH and his cousin (my labor support) were allowed to stay with me. The contractions were coming pretty good and I was starting to get louder since I wasn't focusing to hard, as I was more worried about being stabbed so many times for the epidural. He got it first try again thanks god. The whole while I was hugging the pillow I was praying that he didn't have to stab me so many time and also praying that the baby would be ok, as last time after the epidural is when my daughters heart rate had started having decelerations, I didn't want a repeat of last time and I wanted my VBAC.

After the epidural I was feeling great and baby was doing great. No decels at all. I was very happy. The nurse checked me not long after that and I was a full 4-cm dilated. And my cervix had come down quite a bit because she didn't have to reach far (when the dr checked earlier he was reaching like he was digging for gold it was still very high) and she has smaller hand than the dr. So I was making good progress. This was about 2pm. I was feeling great now. At this point the dr called and wanted my pitocin turned up and a faster pace and more of it each time. After about 2 hours my contractions started getting worse and I was starting to feel them in my groin. They started getting to where I had to breathe thru them again and I had an epidural. They had accidentally let the epidural med run out and had to get some more when they finally got more in it didn't take full effect everything was numb but my groin and the contractions were getting way bad and I was feeling lots of pressure down there during the contractions. The nurse check me about 5 pm and said I was 7-8 and fully effaced. She estimated I would have baby by 7pm. A 10-15 mins later I felt like something was just sitting down there. I told the nurse I felt like something was hanging out down there, wrong choice of words, as she started to panic I told her not literally hanging out but just sitting there. She did another check and I was 9 cm dilated, they started bringing stuff in and the contractions were horrible I was feeling everything in my groin. 15 mins later I felt like I had to poop. I mentioned it to those who were at my bedside (my mom, DH, DH's cousin), they told me to tell the nurses. I was checked again and I was 10 and ready to start pushing. Dh called his mom in the family room and she came down too. The dr came over and told me I was ready to start pushing. I screamed with every push as it burned like hell. The epidural had no effect on this part I felt every bit of it. At one point I just wanted to breathe thru a contraction and take a break and the dr said no I needed to push. I kept hollering that I couldn't do it and they just had to get it out it burned. With each contraction I would push 3 times and during the 3rd push the dr would run his finger around the baby's head trying to stretch me a little bit and when he did this it would burn so bad I would stop pushing. I pushed for about 20 mins and all of a sudden it felt like my pee hole was ripping and I asked the dr what are you doing? (more like screamed it) He said im not doing anything that's the baby now push cause she's almost out (and no one wanted to worry me but I already knew cause I could hear it but her heartbeat was decerating so they unplugged the monitor cause I asked if she was ok) So I pushed one more time and the nurse was putting gloves on dh so he could catch the baby. I screamed very loudly when her head came out and they told me to stop pushing and I told them no they had to get her out cause it burned very bad. Dh got turned around just in time to get his hands on the baby's head and out she came. Dh delivered our baby at 5:53 pm. I pushed for 20 mins. She was laid on my chest and began to cry right away. They rubbed her down while on my chest and DH got to cut the cord. I helped rub her off at first I was afraid to touch her but I did after a min or 2. She was sooo beautiful.

I asked the if I tore he said he would check in a min. He needed to deliver the placenta. I asked if it was going to hurt he said yes I was not happy with that answer lol. He delivered the placenta (it didn't hurt near as bad as I thought it would). Then he told me he was going to look for a tear and it would hurt I told him never mind don't do it. It did hurt and I did tear but it was only a 1st degree tear and only required 1 long stitch. He got out the needle and I asked if he was going to use lidacain (or some kind of numbing stuff) he said no and I said "oh mylanta" and everyone laughed. He put the stitch in and said congrats thanked everyone in the room and went on his way. I was cleaned up and the baby was weighed she weighed 6lbs 5 oz and was 19 in long. Her apgars were 8 and 9. My baby was doing very well. They wrapped her up and put a hat on her and brought her back to me.

There is my successful VBAC story. Sorry it’s so long.

This is my VBAC story - in the hospital with some monitroing, but absolutely wonderful. It was the best experience of my life...

I was due 3/30 and hoping for a VBAC even with GD. The doctors were talking about inducing on 3/31 if I hadn't gone into labor, I really wanted to avoid that whole situation.... luckily Victoria had her own ideas - to make things easier for mom. My water broke around 2:45 on Friday afternoon. I called the doctor, got my things together, had my sister pick up my 2 yr DD and went to the hospital. We checked in around 5 pm. I was a fingertip dilated, 0% effaced, the baby was high at -2, and they thought I would be in for a long labor. Around 8 pm I was nearly 2 cm dilated and they put in an internal contraction monitor. They wanted to also put in a fetal heartbeat monitor, but decided to wait until I dilated some more. The contractions were very regular at 2 minutes, but not strong enough to indicated imminent labor. Around 9, they put in the internal fetal monitor I was nearly 4 cm dilated. Things progressed slowly, or so it seemed.
At 11 pm. my doctor went to update the next doctor of my situation since they were sure it would be an all nighter and her shift ended at midnight. At 11:15, the LDR nurse asked if I was feeling any pressure to push because my contractions were looking very strong and were right on top of each other. I said yes. She got the doctor in there right away and checked me out. I was 10 cm dilated, 100 effaced and the baby was at 0 station. At 11:35, they asked me if I wanted to push, not really expecting anything. I said sure - gave one big push and I swear their eyes just about popped out of their heads. Apparently I got her about halfway down the birth canal on the first push. They told me not to push any more and ran around to finish prepping the room. A few minutes later, I gave three more pushes and the baby was about to crown. Her heart rate dropped because the cord was wrapped around her neck. Doctor apologized because she needed to give me an episotomy so we could get her out on the next push. At 11:41 pm, Victoria Mae was born at 7 lbs, 13 ounces, 21" long and 11 days early. The whole experience was wonderful! I feel so good!

Click here for my HBA2C story.

What a great idea, to get all the stories in one place. Reading other women's VBAC stories helped me immensely in preparing for my own.

I wrote this as a letter to a friend unfamiliar with HB & interested in VBAC, so excuse the obvious details.

At 41 wks, I'd gone to bed that night with a few light contractions, and decided to sleep through them. I'd had several bouts of pre-labor, and was at 4cm for almost 2wks! (As my midwife E- says, "If it *is* labor, you'll wake up!") At midnight, on the dot, I woke up when my water broke! I was relieved that *finally* things were starting, and then pretty pleased that my underpad was absorbing all of the fluid! I looked to see if the water was clear, and checked for a cord...everything was peachy. I woke DH up, and he called E-. We decided that we'd call back when I had a pattern of contractions. 10 minutes later, we called back...they were coming 2 minutes apart! It would take an hour for her to get here, so I had DH fill the tub. I was hoping to slow things down a bit, so I laid a blanket on the floor and did several contractions on my hands and knees, and did some pelvic rocks. The contractions were intense, but I was ready for them & wasn't afraid. When the tub was full, I labored in there until E- arrived.

As I worked through the contractions, I remembered to keeps my sounds low, and my jaw loose...tension and high screams aren't so productive. I mostly made 'ummmmm' sounds, and concentrated on breathing full, deep breaths. Being in the water felt good, though the contractions really needed a lot of my attention at that point. When E- arrived, I was pretty happy to see her! She took one look at me, and asked if I was pushing. I told her I was trying not to, so she asked if she could check me. I lumbered out of the tub, and she did an internal...I was at 10 and ready to push when I wanted! She took my bp, temp, pulse, and listened to the baby's heart tones...everything looked fine. Doug warmed the baby's receiving blankets with a heating pad, and brought me fluids. Soon after, her assistant L- arrived. They asked me where I wanted to push. I thought I'd like to lean on my birth ball for a while, and we did that for several contractions. E- felt the baby, and we decided that I needed to expand my pelvis a bit more so that he could slip under the arch, and things would be easier. Sometimes, it's all about angles and posture...and as silly as it sounds, laboring on the toilet is a pretty tried and true midwife trick. With my feet on a low footstool, and a pillow behind me, I did several contractions. Whenever I seemed to tense, E- would stroke my leg to remind me to relax. E- listened to Nicholas, and felt that we were getting a good decent, so she had me get up to walk a bit and use gravity. Walking from the bathroom to the bed was pretty comical...I felt that he was going to fall out! I wanted to lie down, and after about 20 more minutes of pushing I felt him rotate and soon after felt him crowning. I kept reminding myself, "I'm going to get huge!" E- poured some olive oil on as he began to crown, and held warm herbal compresses on my perinium to prevent tearing. After a few more pushes, I felt the relief of his head delivering, and his shoulders and body slipped right out. He came out with a strong cry, and good color...his apgars were 10 and 10. L- settled me back against my pillows, and I held Nicholas as they covered him with the warmed blanket and hat. He was born at 3:10am.

DH and I sat back and admired Nicholas as L- waited for the placenta. When the cord stopped pulsing, it was clamped and DH cut it. I didn't need any stitches, thank goodness! A short while later, I thought I felt the placenta detatch, so I gave a good push sitting semi-upright, and out it slipped. L- put it in a bowl, and examined it to see if it was complete while E- finished up the paperwork. DH went downstairs and made tea and bagels for all of us, and called a few relatives. From first contraction to birth, labor lasted exactly 3 hours! After tea, we were ready to weigh and measure. Everyone took bets, but we were all surprised that he was as big as he was...9 lbs 7oz, 22 1/2 inches! E- and L- cleaned up the disposable underpads that we used, and tidied up in general. DH took out the trash, and everything was comfy. We all chatted and held the baby, as they took our vitals every 15 minutes. The bleeding was fine, and my uterus was clamping nicely. My BP was great, and the baby was perfect. At about 5am, they left...and we got 1 1/2 hrs of sleep before the kids woke up....and yes, they slept through it all! When they woke up and saw Nicholas in our bed, they were beyond excited! DH managed to get them off to school, and he, baby, and I spent the day in bed!

Vbac
 

I had a great VBAC (may daughter born 4/28/04). I had to have a c-section with my first- his heart rate went down during a contraction and i wasnt progressing after 5 cm. I was determined not to have another c-section and there were a few negative people around me- the head dr at the hospital and even my husband. But i had a great midwife- and my mom- supporting me. I was a week past my duedate and was getting worries because the Head Dr. said that if i go 2 weeks over, then i will have to do a c-section again. My midwife and i did everything that we could possibly do to naturally enduce labor- couldnt break the bag because my midwife would get into trouble (the head dr. said that was enducing and wasnt allowed for a vbac). i was mostly efaced and dialated about 1.5 cm the day before i had her. I said to myself- tomarrow is the day that i am going to have her (8 days overdue). My midwife suggested that i try Castor Oil to try and move things along. So, i woke up around 4 or 5 am to take some castor oil. I contractions when i woke up, so i thing i was already in labor when i took the castor oil. I went back to bed, and still felt contractions- they got a bit more strong- and i knew that i was in labor- yeah. I walked around and did my prelabor at home. When i was about 3 to 4 cm we went to the hospital. I had my husband, my mom, my midwife and a doula all there with me. They broke my water and put an internal fetal and contraction moniter (which hurt pretty bad because they were new and flimsy compared to the old version- my midwife had to try to get it in the right spot several times). The contractions got a lot more intense, but i hade great people there helping me stay as relaxed as i could be. The most effective method was sitting on one of those huge exersize balls. I had to change rooms because of where i was, but it was ok. at the end- i seemed to be stuck at 7 cm, but i had the biggest urge to push- so my midwife decided to check me during a contraction as i pushed. I did and was then at 9.5- 10 cm. My husband had left the room to use the restroom, so he didnt know that i was ready. on the next contraction i did a very good push- my midwife was not expecting it- she had to get ready real fast- and i didnt want to push anymore until my husband was back. He came back- i did a good push (the head was out), and then another- and there she was. I had ripped only a bit on the inside (only 1 or 2 stitches). They gave her to me right away and i had her for at least an hour before thay took her to wash her and all of that. I was up walking a couple hours later to go see her- couldnt do that when i had my c-section. I healed very nicely afterwards and i know that after that and the intensity of my contractions (they were off the charts- they are supposed to do this /\, mine went / \, even my mom and midwife thought they were really strong), ther is no way that any scar is opening up. I am so much happier with my 2nd birth, I would never recommend a c-section.

i have had 2 successful vbacs. my section was in 1997 with my dd, and my vbacs were in 1999 and 2004. it amazes me how much changed between the two. in 1999 i was encouraged to vbac. no one gave me any trouble in fact when i got anxious toward the end of my pregnancy two doctor's encouraged me and basically refused to schedule a section. my first little boy was born after 11 hours of difficult labor, with no pain meds, and he weigheed 9 lb 3 oz. his entire birth story is handwritten in his baby book- and so i will only post his brother's here as it is easy to cut and paste. needless to say with the way the medical profession is heading i was NOT encouraged to have a vbac this time around and had to fight for it instead. like i said what a difference 5 years made.
here is the story of my 2nd successful vbac
Jesse is Kerry's sixth birth, my third, but our first together. Kerry was an advocate of homebirth and all things natural. His ex wife had their babies after very short, not too painful labors. Boy was he surprised by my labor experience with Jess. Jess was going to be my second VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). I had to fight to get the doctor to let me even try labor. My last VBAC was in 1999, since then all kinds of scary literature has come out about the risk of uterine rupture, and many hospitals, and doctors are refusing to perform VBACs. My docter was willing, but the hospital she had privileges at wasn't. We found this out at around 36 weeks. I did not want another section, especially since I knew my body could do it, and having experienced both types of birth- I'll take a vaginal please!!! No other dr would take me that far along, and most of them said no VBAC anyway. So we asked our dr to see if she could deliver at another local hospital that was still doing VBACs. In my mind it was that or homebirth, which to me was scary due to the C section, and my history of LONG labors. Thank God that worked out. She was able to deliver there, and they were willing to do a VBAC.

Now I had started leaking urine in the last couple of weeks of pregnancy. (I know yuck!) So on Sunday morning when I felt alot of fluid, I did not think it was my bag of waters. It was slow- not like on tv, or like I remembered when they broke my water with Kevin. Plus I really did not want another false alarm. So we waited that day, and hiked the hills behind our home to see if we could get labor started. In the afternoon we called the dr since the leaking hadn't slowed down. When we got there, we took one more walk around the outside of the building, hoping the mild contractions I had been having all week would speed up.

At the hospital they did a litmus test to see if the fluid was amniotic, the first test came back negative. Then they did all the regular stuff, took urine checked my cervix etc. I was still leaking enough to make the bed wet. So they tested it again. Now just a couple of minutes earlier the nurse tested the acidity of my urine (which I had peed into the cup) and said- wow- your urine tests just like amniotic fluid, so when the next nurse tested the fluid on my bed and said it tested like amniotic fluid, so I would be staying and having the baby, I always wondered if it wasn't just urine. But at that point I wanted to get that little boy out of me so I kept my mouth shut.

I wasn't progressing, and my contractions weren't very strong, so at some point, maybe about 7 pm they gave me pitocin (I had needed it with Kevin and with the "failed labor" of Shae). From that point on the dr rarely left the room, I found out later that new protocols have the dr staying there if pitocin is administered with a VBAC, maybe thats one reason why so many dr's are saying no- they don't want to be tied to one patient. Once I got the piticin things started progressing painfully and slowly. I told Kerry to get some sleep at around 9pm and only 5 cm. He did- I watched the emmy's which were boring and then a bunch of Jeopardy on the game show network. (BTW I impressed the dr w/ my useless Jeopardy knowledge). At around 1 am I was at 7 1/2 cm, and the pain was really intense, I wanted Kerry so we woke him up, he rubbed my back the dr thought I was going into transition so she started to set up the room. I had to pee, so they sat me up and gave me a bowl thing, i couldn't go because of the pain, I remember crying because I had to go and couldn't. But being up right helped so when the dr said to lay me back down I said no, so the next hour was spent crouching on the bed with Kerry supporting my weight. After that hour I was still only at 8cm, I asked for some pain relief and was given stedal (sp?)- I layed down and tried to sleep. I hatred the stedal- I felt drunk and I went to sleep, but the pain woke me up. I had such a skewed sense of time on the drug, that I would look at the clock, go to sleep, wake up thinking it was at least an hour later and cry to Kerry it's only been three minutes. I felt like I was incoherent and I was crying alot. YUCKY. Another hour later at 3 am I was still at 8cm, and I was really stressing, crying telling everyone it hurt and that I wanted to be done. The dr said I could have an epidural if I wanted one that she thought it would help me relax so I could progress. I was surprised, with Kevin I asked for an epidural at 8 cm and was told it was too late. I said yes to the epidural, looking back, maybe I was wimpy, but the dr was right as soon as I relaxed some, I started to progress again. So at 4am I was in transition and was dilated to 9cm, at 5 am I was ready to push. That moose child took two hours of intense pushing. The most comforatble post ion for me was basically crouching into the stirups, Kerry held my weight up, and the dr helped with balance, the nurse oh she was amazing and encouraging and she was mostly massaging my perenium. (I ended up with no tears or episiotomy) When I started to get discouraged they placed the mirrors so I could see his head progressing when I pushed this helped. It was also nest to be allowed to touch the top of his head. I understand why they call the feeling down there the "ring of fire" but although the pain was incredible knowing he was almost here encouraged me. His head came out fairly easy, it seemed more painful and such hard work pushing his shoulders out. Then he was placed on me. (The first baby that they let me do that). "Welcome Baby" are the first words Jess heard from me. I really do not remember delivering the placenta, I was so in love, I held him for 90 minutes with out any one else taking him (even Daddy- he kissed him and loved him, but I held him.) He was alert and awake, not interested in the breast, just taking in all there was to see.

If I Can Do This, I Can Do Anything!
 

The Birth Story of Ava Marie Cassidente Christian
Born November 6, 2003

The birth of my second child is intrinsically linked to the birth of my first daughter, who was born by emergency c-section after discovering she was in the breech position. When my water broke, I had been laboring for 26 hours and was finally fully dilated and pushing when an ultrasound confirmed that she was breech. Since I was a first time mom with an “untried pelvis”, my well thought out birth turned into a surgery. I was determined to remedy that the second time around.

Fast forward four and a half years, my husband and I have taken Bradley classes, hired a doula, and read every book on childbirth and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) that I could find. I was trying to stack the deck in my favor, knowing ultimately, the end was not in my control. Accepting this mindset was the ultimate test for me because “not in my control” was a not even a concept I liked to think about; however, at every step this pregnancy was teaching me to “let go”. But I wasn’t going back into another surgery without a fight!

I had originally hired an OBGYN and had been seeing her throughout the first half of my pregnancy. When my 20 week ultrasound showed that my placenta was low, the doctor warned me that if it didn’t rise on its own, I would need a c-section. Something in me snapped! I had read enough to know that this problem usually corrected itself, and I was suddenly struck that her “support” of a VBAC attempt was just lip service. It was clear in my mind that no matter how nice she was, if I stayed with this doctor, I WAS GOING TO END UP WITH A REPEAT C-SECTION! I made the very difficult decision to switch care providers mid-pregnancy to a practice with certified nurse midwives who would see me and deliver my baby. I would still deliver in a hospital, but I hoped that this would prove to be a more supportive and less medically invasive attempt for a VBAC.

I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions the entire third trimester, and it got to the point where every time I stood up to walk I would have a contraction. I had at least three episodes where my contractions lasted for five or six hours and got as close to five minutes apart. I was convinced that with this birth I would have her three weeks early. (I was also convinced that she was a boy until a 30 week ultrasound told us differently, so my score was pretty bad at this point!) So imagine my surprise and disappointment when I made it to my 41 week prenatal visit on Wednesday, November 5th!

The nurse midwives wanted me to check into the hospital the next day and have my water broken as a form of induction, but since I was only four days overdue I declined. We agreed to have a stress test and an ultrasound to make sure there was enough amniotic fluid around the baby. Both tests were fine, as I knew they would be, but I still had to agree to come back for these same two tests every two days. Against my better judgment, I also allowed them to strip my membranes a little to see if that would help. I only consented because I was terrified of not delivering soon enough to ward off the automatic c-section due to post dates and a failed induction. Needless to say, it had been a stressful day and the pressure was mounting!

I was emotionally drained, aching, and cramping from them stripping my membranes and was at my limit by the time I arrived home. I called my doula, Kirsten, and filled her in on the day’s events. Then I called Coral, our Bradley instructor, for advice on how to induce naturally if necessary. I planned to put castor oil in a root beer float in the morning if nothing happened by then (Yuck!). I also planned to make my husband drink it with me, as it was only fair. I was pretty desperate and saw my hopes of a VBAC slipping away from me. That evening was an emotional catharsis for me as I ranted, cried, prayed, and finally accepted that this baby was only going to come in her own way, and only by letting go of my need to control her birth would it ever happen. I went to bed feeling at peace.

I woke up around 5:30 am the next morning with contractions. During other episodes of false labor, the contractions would stop as soon as I had showered for the day. Since they didn’t stop this time, we decided that my husband, Paul, would take the morning off from work to see how things went. We dropped our four year old off at school telling her “Mommy might have the baby today”. We went to a little hole in the wall restaurant for breakfast. I made ticks on a napkin for each contraction but didn’t time them so as not to jinx anything. After eating my French toast and bacon, I counted and was averaging twelve contractions an hour, or one every five minutes. We then drove home via a scenic route and enjoyed the beautiful day.

I wanted to go to Best Buy to get a DVD that was on sale for my Dad, but we never made it shopping. We stopped home to pick up our things for the hospital and Ayla’s overnight bag to stay at grandma’s house in case my labor picked up speed during shopping. As soon as we got home, Paul wanted to shower, and when he emerged ready to go an hour later, I really had to breathe through my contractions. We called all the important people and asked my doula, Kirsten, to come over. My message therapist agreed to meet us at the hospital after she ran a few errands when she was done with her last client. I remember thinking “I don’t think you have that much time!”

A little after 11 am Kirsten met us at our home just as I was beginning to think we should have met her at the hospital. My contractions were so intense at this time that I had Paul call the midwives to tell them we were on our way to the hospital. The driving was more difficult than I had expected. The road to the hospital was extremely bumpy, and I was close to asking Paul to pull over for each contraction but figured at that rate I would have the baby in the van!

We finally made it the hospital about noon. After taking me to my room with my four or five bags of comfort stuff from home, including my own pillows, they checked me to find I was 4cm. The midwife wanted to break my water, but I told her that I had put in my birth plan that I did not want this type of intervention unless medically necessary, so she left without doing it. A nurse started an IV in my hand. The IV, blood draw, and fetal monitoring were mandatory because of the VBAC. After the first hour, we were left to labor in peace, and that’s when things started to pick up. My contractions were less than three minutes apart.

As I stood by my bed, not able to go very far because of the monitors strapped to my midsection, my doula showed Paul how to put counter pressure on my back during intense contractions. It was so nice to feel his hands on my back while I held Kirsten’s hands and moaned through my contractions. I was starting to feel like I couldn’t stay on top of the contractions and hoped Kirsten had more tricks in her bag. Although I was at the point where many women would want to ask for pain medication, I did not because I had done such a good job of coaching everyone to not let me have them as a first resort that I figured it wasn’t worth the effort of asking just to have them talk me out of it. In retrospect, I am glad I made those wishes known because the feeling passed quickly, and I would have regretted not experiencing what came next.

My legs started to feel shaky, and I felt nauseous and too hot. I kept telling Kirsten that I didn’t feel right. When I felt the urge to push, I was worried that it was too soon. I asked to be checked, and the nurse said I was 5 cm. Although this was right on track, I was a bit perplexed that I had mistaken the urge to push. I thought that maybe I had to go to the bathroom, so Paul and Kirsten took me there. I had a few contractions while muttering, “I’m having this baby”, and my water broke as I involuntarily pushed during one. Now I was really pushing hard, and Kirsten ran to get the nurse while Paul tried to get me back in bed. I was pretty content where I was, but he proceeded to half carry me across the room only stopping to support me in a dangle squat for my next contraction. Finally we made it to the bed. I crawled up on my hands and knees and stayed in that position while resting my arms on my pillows. (I knew bringing my own would pay off!) I couldn’t believe, looking back, how calm Paul was in the face of me trying to have our baby in the middle of the floor! His nature is to panic over small details, but when the big event of this birth happened, he was calm and collected! I was so proud of him!

After being checked again, it was determined that I was “having this baby”, as if I hadn’t been trying to tell everyone that for the past 20 minutes! Then there was a rather humorous scene as personnel started yelling for supplies, now! I can remember thinking how funny it was that no one was prepared for this baby to come so soon. I calmly asked if they could see the baby’s head, and the midwife told me that they could. I think that I reached back at this point to feel for myself. Then I really started to push as the urge came over me. The pain of the contractions seemed to disappear and pushing felt like a relief. I kept waiting to experience the “ring of fire”, when the baby’s head crowns and stretches the perineum, but I never felt a thing. I was pushing through several contractions when I suddenly stopped and asked if she had hair. My husband thinks I’m crazy for doing that, but I really wanted to know. I’m not sure what I would have done if they had said no, but luckily they said yes, and I calmly resumed pushing with the next urge.

Shortly after this, the baby’s heart tones went down on the monitor. I wasn’t concerned as this can be very normal when a baby comes through the birth canal. They put an oxygen mask on me to help bring it up, and when that did not help, the staff seemed to panic a bit. I wasn’t worried until I heard the midwife say that although she knew I did not want one, she would need to give me an episiotomy to get the baby out quickly. I heard the unmistakable threat of a surgical intervention, and that did it for me. I gave one last big push, and Ava Marie came out head and body with the same push. My husband said she shot right out of me. Not exactly the gentle ending to her birth that I had envisioned, but I DID IT! My beautiful 8lb. 3oz., 21 ½ inch girl was born.

I heard the person who came to do the episiotomy walk in, and upon seeing the baby, she offered her congratulations and left. I had the satisfaction of outwitting them on that count! Unfortunately, due to the rapid delivery, I did require stitches. It was a small price to pay for a vaginal birth, and the look on my face as I whipped my head around to my husband was priceless. We have this on tape, me grinning like the Cheshire cat, ear to ear. I have never felt so powerful, beautiful, brave, and more like I woman than I did at that moment.

My best advice? Hire a doula. It is well worth the money and helps take the pressure off of your birth partner. Take a Bradley prepared childbirth class, even if this isn’t your first child and you have already taken a hospital sponsored class. You will not regret it. I read many books by Dr. and Martha Sears, and they were all great. Immerse yourself in the culture of natural childbirth, whether online or in your community. It is out there, so go out and find it. Birth is an experience that you owe to yourself to own completely. It is too easy in this society to have that taken from us. And most importantly of all, believe in your God given ability to birth your baby!

Erin
I am a stay at home mom. My husband, Paul, and I have two daughters, Ayla 6 and Ava 1 ½. I have a Bachelors Degree in Theatre and am currently completing my training through DONA to become a labor doula. My passion now is to help other women have successful VBACs.

Wow! Way to go! :bow Thanks for sharing your story!

Everyone's stories are so uplifting! After my needless c-section in December, I want to get pregnant again and have a vbac oe maybe even hbac! You mamas are all amazing! :D

My first was born via MASCR (major abdominal surgery for child removal)- whether it was truly necessary or not I'll never know... another story for another day on another thread :) .
My second was a completely unmedicated VBAC in hospital; I wanted a homebirth, but made the very stupid mistake of thinking I could labor and birth in a hospital and they would leave me alone... all in the name of saving a few dollars out of pocket since I didn't think the insurance would pay for homebirth. From the moment I stepped into the hospital I had to fight and fight to keep them from cutting me; it was a nightmare. However, because of my determination and the support of my DH and my doula, I gave birth to my DD.
My third was born at home. Two hours, start-to-finish labor and birth, dream home water birth. Peaceful, calm, beautiful.

I don't even consider myself a vbac person anymore, really.... it all matters who you surround yourself with, what their mindset is. Embrace your fears, process them, and know that vbac is possible, that you CAN do it!

I just had a wonderful VBAC. my 1st midwife ended up being my doula, my 2nd midwife ended up taking off for the turkey holiday after getting "let go" the week I was due since she inquired about joining another practice her OB got ticked off and cancelled her insurance.

I labored at home for about 8 hours and made good progress getting into a good pattern and got to about 3 cms, 80%, -1 or so per the doula, my ctx were getting close about every 2-3 min and some were doubling. We went to the hospital at 6:30 to avoid traffic hour. I knew my pattern would fizzle out some getting to the hospital. We arrived and baby had gone back up to -2 station (I was stressing her back up in I think).

About 3 hrs later my labor pattern finally strengthened to what it was at home. I had a supportive labor nurse. Then my friends arrived who I had been at their births for support or photography. I was having back labor all along and the baby finally turned a little around lunch time and then my back wasn't hurting but my bootie was. My friends even pulled all my tricks on me, putting me in positions that I don't like to get my contractions stronger and making me go to the bathroom often! I was enjoying the breaks when contractions would slow down.

Even with all the support I had, one doula, two great friends who know what to do, my mom, my DH, my sister, a supportive nurse and supportive OB my birth plan changed when I got to 7cm. My two problems were lack of sleep ( I was almost 2 nights behind by then) and I had a headache from no coffee, no sleep, not wanting to eat etc... The baby was very low and my cervix was 100% effaced but dilation was going on the slower side and I was having intense pressure and desire to push at 7cm. The nurse checked me and said I was starting to get swelling of the cervix. I had seen too many people progress so well and push to soon, swell up their cervix and end up with a c/sec. I had decided when she checked me if I was 9 or better I could probably do it, but only 7 meant another 3 hours or so and I knew I was to fatigued to fight the urge any longer, so I opted to get an epidural to help me get to the goal of vaginal birth. My friends were very nervous about agreeing with me so I took almost 20min talking them into it and reassuring them that I would not regret it or be angry later or feel let down. I knew my main desire was vaginal birth.

I was able to then not push at least, I still had to do a lot of breathing to not push even with the epi. The guy who did it is really a pro an gives very light epidurals. My dose had started to wear off as I got to pushing though so I think I experienced all of the pressure and some of the burning pain of the final delivery. Pushing was hard since I was so tired, had a pounding headache, the baby's foot was like pressing on my rib to so that was distracting me a lot. I didn't want to push but I knew I couldn't treat my headache until it was over.

My friends got tough on me and made me do it and I love them for it of course. I finally gave birth at 5:45pm after about 2 hrs pushing. I was grabbing for the baby before her feet were out. I had her latched on as soon as she started breathing and let out a little cry. Her cord had stopped pulsing before cutting. I nursed her 45 minutes and held her for 1.5 hours before allowing her to get weighed, and I guessed her wt, off by one oz.

I was so happy that it didn't even seem real. I have never been so excited to have a sore bottom!

Leif's HBAC
 

The day before I went into labor I finally "gave up" on the baby ever
coming. I stopped all my nesting activities and went for a pedicure instead.
Also took my daily 3 mile walk (had been pared down from 4 or 5 for the last
month or so). Somehow during the day I realized that he might be coming
soon, although my only physical clue was that all my Braxton Hicks ctx had
slowed down.

At 2:30 AM my water broke with a punch-pop, just like with our daughter
Luna. Same time, same way. I had spent time thinking about how I would react
if that happened again, and had even visualized trying to stay calm. For
some reason during the pregnancy it was my WORST fear that my water would
break spontaneously while in bed and it would send me back to a terrible
place.

Instead, I hopped out of bed and scurried to the toilet to try and keep
things neat. I got my first contraction right away, and I forgot all about
being worried. After another one 2 minutes later I called for Britton to
call the M/W and our doula, Carrie.

When he called our M/W asked for Britton to take 20 minutes and time some
contractions, then call her back. I already knew that they were every 2
minutes, but was afraid of having her come too soon. The funny thing is that
he found a second hand watch, handed it to me on the toilet, and walked
away. Apparently I was supposed to time them myself I sort of laughed and
tossed the watch aside, since I knew things were on their way.

The rest is a blur, the tub lady came and set up, Carrie arrived, M/W
arrived, my parents came. The whole time I labored sitting upright on the
floor leaning against the wall, at some point Britton scotched behind me for
support. I was able to use our hypnobirthing work, and I hear that there was
awhile where nobody could tell I was having contractions. Contractions were
every 2 minutes, lasting one minute, with a minute off for my entire labor.
They just gained in strength. I switched how I was coping often, sometimes
being totally silent and limp, and other times really letting loose. I found
it mentally exhausting to be silent, and physically exhausting to be vocal
so I tended to switch between the two.

By around 6:00 the tub was full, and I managed to get on my hands & knees,
and then into the tub. I can't imagine EVER getting into a car. That would
be pure torture! The tub was fantastic for about 10 minutes, then the
contractions really started to tumbled over one another. In about 10 more
minutes my body started to push, which really surprised me. I thought for
sure I was only half way done, and I thought I should wait to push. Then I
got my first internal exam of the entire pregnancy and was informed I could
push - complete!

Pushing was a relief, I could finally do something to help move things
along. I believe that I pushed through about 8 contractions, then got really
serious about getting him out. For some reason I thought that there was a
quantifiable amount of pain I needed to get through, so the faster I did it
and the more it hurt the faster it would be over. I don't know if this
theory is true or not...

He wasn't really moving down much, how they describe them descending,
stretching, descending a little more, etc. He just stayed put, about 1 inch
inside. Something happened though in one contraction, I just pushed his head
all the way out into my hands. No crowning, it took everyone by surprise,
including myself. Suddenly everyone jumped up, Britton reached in the tub to
guide the body out, and he was born. So fast! He was born at 7:00 AM.

He was alert right away, sort of grey, but pushing up on my chest holding
his head up and taking a look around. He stared right at me! After a few
moments the MW touched he mouth and he took a breath, and a few whimpers.

His apgars were 9 & 10, I had one tear needing 4 stitches (that's what you
get for just pushing the baby straight out!). 7 pounds on the dot, 21 inches
long (!!), 13 inch head. He came 2 days after his LMP due date, and 5 days
before his ultrasound due date. It snowed for the first time in two years right after he was born.

We are doing well, although apparently I shouldn't eat tofu because it keeps
him up screaming for about 5 hours (lesson learned). I'm dealing with some
overactive letdown issues, but it is starting to resolve itself. I feel
fantastic, and started my walks again around day 6.

Thank You
 

I just want ed to thank you all for this thread. Mt name is Heather and I am 28 yrs old. My first 2 births were natural. My thrid one was a c-section due to being breech. I am now getting ready to have are fourth baby. I am hoping for VBAC And have been a little nervous,but reading these post have really help me alot. Tha only question I have is my dr who preformed the c-section didn't say if I could do Vbac or not. So I wondering if it ok to still do VBAC. I live in another state now so therefore can't go back to him. One more is there anything I should do to perpare myself for the delivery. I am due May 3. Thank you all so very much.
Heather

If I Can Do This, I Can Do Anything!
 

This is long, but I still enjoy reading it:) LOL

The birth of my second child is intrinsically linked to the birth of my first daughter, who was born by emergency c-section after discovering she was in the breech position. When my water broke, I had been laboring for 26 hours and was finally fully dilated and pushing when an ultrasound confirmed that she was breech. Since I was a first time mom with an “untried pelvis”, my well thought out birth turned into a surgery. I was determined to remedy that the second time around.

Fast forward four and a half years, my husband and I have taken Bradley classes, hired a doula, and read every book on childbirth and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) that I could find. I was trying to stack the deck in my favor, knowing ultimately, the end was not in my control. Accepting this mindset was the ultimate test for me because “not in my control” was a not even a concept I liked to think about; however, at every step this pregnancy was teaching me to “let go”. But I wasn’t going back into another surgery without a fight!

I had originally hired an OBGYN and had been seeing her throughout the first half of my pregnancy. When my 20 week ultrasound showed that my placenta was low, the doctor warned me that if it didn’t rise on its own, I would need a c-section. Something in me snapped! I had read enough to know that this problem usually corrected itself, and I was suddenly struck that her “support” of a VBAC attempt was just lip service. It was clear in my mind that no matter how nice she was, if I stayed with this doctor, I WAS GOING TO END UP WITH A REPEAT C-SECTION! I made the very difficult decision to switch care providers mid-pregnancy to a practice with certified nurse midwives who would see me and deliver my baby. I would still deliver in a hospital, but I hoped that this would prove to be a more supportive and less medically invasive attempt for a VBAC.

I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions the entire third trimester, and it got to the point where every time I stood up to walk I would have a contraction. I had at least three episodes where my contractions lasted for five or six hours and got as close to five minutes apart. I was convinced that with this birth I would have her three weeks early. (I was also convinced that she was a boy until a 30 week ultrasound told us differently, so my score was pretty bad at this point!) So imagine my surprise and disappointment when I made it to my 41 week prenatal visit on Wednesday, November 5th!

The nurse midwives wanted me to check into the hospital the next day and have my water broken as a form of induction, but since I was only four days overdue I declined. We agreed to have a stress test and an ultrasound to make sure there was enough amniotic fluid around the baby. Both tests were fine, as I knew they would be, but I still had to agree to come back for these same two tests every two days. Against my better judgment, I also allowed them to strip my membranes a little to see if that would help. I only consented because I was terrified of not delivering soon enough to ward off the automatic c-section due to post dates and a failed induction. Needless to say, it had been a stressful day and the pressure was mounting!

I was emotionally drained, aching, and cramping from them stripping my membranes and was at my limit by the time I arrived home. I called my doula, Kirsten, and filled her in on the day’s events. Then I called Coral, our Bradley instructor, for advice on how to induce naturally if necessary. I planned to put castor oil in a root beer float in the morning if nothing happened by then (Yuck!). I also planned to make my husband drink it with me, as it was only fair. I was pretty desperate and saw my hopes of a VBAC slipping away from me. That evening was an emotional catharsis for me as I ranted, cried, prayed, and finally accepted that this baby was only going to come in her own way, and only by letting go of my need to control her birth would it ever happen. I went to bed feeling at peace.

I woke up around 5:30 am the next morning with contractions. During other episodes of false labor, the contractions would stop as soon as I had showered for the day. Since they didn’t stop this time, we decided that my husband, Paul, would take the morning off from work to see how things went. We dropped our four year old off at school telling her “Mommy might have the baby today”. We went to a little hole in the wall restaurant for breakfast. I made ticks on a napkin for each contraction but didn’t time them so as not to jinx anything. After eating my French toast and bacon, I counted and was averaging twelve contractions an hour, or one every five minutes. We then drove home via a scenic route and enjoyed the beautiful day.

I wanted to go to Best Buy to get a DVD that was on sale for my Dad, but we never made it shopping. We stopped home to pick up our things for the hospital and Ayla’s overnight bag to stay at grandma’s house in case my labor picked up speed during shopping. As soon as we got home, Paul wanted to shower, and when he emerged ready to go an hour later, I really had to breathe through my contractions. We called all the important people and asked my doula, Kirsten, to come over. My message therapist agreed to meet us at the hospital after she ran a few errands when she was done with her last client. I remember thinking “I don’t think you have that much time!”

A little after 11 am Kirsten met us at our home just as I was beginning to think we should have met her at the hospital. My contractions were so intense at this time that I had Paul call the midwives to tell them we were on our way to the hospital. The driving was more difficult than I had expected. The road to the hospital was extremely bumpy, and I was close to asking Paul to pull over for each contraction but figured at that rate I would have the baby in the van!

We finally made it the hospital about noon. After taking me to my room with my four or five bags of comfort stuff from home, including my own pillows, they checked me to find I was 4cm. The midwife wanted to break my water, but I told her that I had put in my birth plan that I did not want this type of intervention unless medically necessary, so she left without doing it. A nurse started an IV in my hand. The IV, blood draw, and fetal monitoring were mandatory because of the VBAC. After the first hour, we were left to labor in peace, and that’s when things started to pick up. My contractions were less than three minutes apart.

As I stood by my bed, not able to go very far because of the monitors strapped to my midsection, my doula showed Paul how to put counter pressure on my back during intense contractions. It was so nice to feel his hands on my back while I held Kirsten’s hands and moaned through my contractions. I was starting to feel like I couldn’t stay on top of the contractions and hoped Kirsten had more tricks in her bag. Although I was at the point where many women would want to ask for pain medication, I did not because I had done such a good job of coaching everyone to not let me have them as a first resort that I figured it wasn’t worth the effort of asking just to have them talk me out of it. In retrospect, I am glad I made those wishes known because the feeling passed quickly, and I would have regretted not experiencing what came next.

My legs started to feel shaky, and I felt nauseous and too hot. I kept telling Kirsten that I didn’t feel right. When I felt the urge to push, I was worried that it was too soon. I asked to be checked, and the nurse said I was 5 cm. Although this was right on track, I was a bit perplexed that I had mistaken the urge to push. I thought that maybe I had to go to the bathroom, so Paul and Kirsten took me there. I had a few contractions while muttering, “I’m having this baby”, and my water broke as I involuntarily pushed during one. Now I was really pushing hard, and Kirsten ran to get the nurse while Paul tried to get me back in bed. I was pretty content where I was, but he proceeded to half carry me across the room only stopping to support me in a dangle squat for my next contraction. Finally we made it to the bed. I crawled up on my hands and knees and stayed in that position while resting my arms on my pillows. (I knew bringing my own would pay off!) I couldn’t believe, looking back, how calm Paul was in the face of me trying to have our baby in the middle of the floor! His nature is to panic over small details, but when the big event of this birth happened, he was calm and collected! I was so proud of him!

After being checked again, it was determined that I was “having this baby”, as if I hadn’t been trying to tell everyone that for the past 20 minutes! Then there was a rather humorous scene as personnel started yelling for supplies, now! I can remember thinking how funny it was that no one was prepared for this baby to come so soon. I calmly asked if they could see the baby’s head, and the midwife told me that they could. I think that I reached back at this point to feel for myself. Then I really started to push as the urge came over me. The pain of the contractions seemed to disappear and pushing felt like a relief. I kept waiting to experience the “ring of fire”, when the baby’s head crowns and stretches the perineum, but I never felt a thing. I was pushing through several contractions when I suddenly stopped and asked if she had hair. My husband thinks I’m crazy for doing that, but I really wanted to know. I’m not sure what I would have done if they had said no, but luckily they said yes, and I calmly resumed pushing with the next urge.

Shortly after this, the baby’s heart tones went down on the monitor. I wasn’t concerned as this can be very normal when a baby comes through the birth canal. They put an oxygen mask on me to help bring it up, and when that did not help, the staff seemed to panic a bit. I wasn’t worried until I heard the midwife say that although she knew I did not want one, she would need to give me an episiotomy to get the baby out quickly. I heard the unmistakable threat of a surgical intervention, and that did it for me. I gave one last big push, and Ava Marie came out head and body with the same push. My husband said she shot right out of me. Not exactly the gentle ending to her birth that I had envisioned, but I DID IT! My beautiful 8lb. 3oz., 21 ½ inch girl was born.

I heard the person who came to do the episiotomy walk in, and upon seeing the baby, she offered her congratulations and left. I had the satisfaction of outwitting them on that count! Unfortunately, due to the rapid delivery, I did require stitches. It was a small price to pay for a vaginal birth, and the look on my face as I whipped my head around to my husband was priceless. We have this on tape, me grinning like the Cheshire cat, ear to ear. I have never felt so powerful, beautiful, brave, and more like I woman than I did at that moment.

My best advice? Hire a doula. It is well worth the money and helps take the pressure off of your birth partner. Take a Bradley prepared childbirth class, even if this isn’t your first child and you have already taken a hospital sponsored class. You will not regret it. I read many books by Dr. and Martha Sears, and they were all great. Immerse yourself in the culture of natural childbirth, whether online or in your community. It is out there, so go out and find it. Birth is an experience that you owe to yourself to own completely. It is too easy in this society to have that taken from us. And most importantly of all, believe in your God given ability to birth your baby!

We are now planning the conception time for our third child and are really looking forward to a homebirth!

Here's my 1st vbac story...
 

I havent written out my 2nd yet. My 1st birth was a Csec. after a planned HB. 2 weeks past edd, ruptured membranes,No labor at all, no dilation or effacement after every trick in the book was attempted.

Sylvia's birth

On Saturday April 12th 2003 I was outside with my 2.5 YO son Hugh at about 5 PM and chased after him as he was running toward the road...this gave me a few contractions which then came once in a while until 9 ish and
they petered out. At 10 I took my dog for a walk and decided to
speed walk! Hooray...contractions were then 10-15minutes apart. I
tried to sleep but couldn't-I had to kneel during contractions. At 2
AM I decided to take a warm bath to see if they'd slow down so I
could rest- I thought I should rest & sleep in case this went on for
a long time. The tub felt great, but they got more intense and
closer together... got out at 2:45 and Steve called Tracy at 3:15.
She said to see how it goes for another hour and call back. by 3:45
they were 2-3 minutes apart and I had to be on hands and knees and
breathing very deeply to manage, so we called again, and she said
she'd meet us at the birth center. Steve called my sister and packed
the car. When Ingrid and David arrived we left. The car ride was
awful! There are soo many potholes and sitting was not the position
of choice.

We arrived and my MW Tracey was there waiting for us. We went upstairs got
settled and she checked me at 5 AM- I was at 4CM and she said my bag
of waters was bulging. I was soooooo excited! My body knows how to
do this!!! She left us alone and gave us a walkie-talkie thing to
page her downstairs where she would be sleeping. I labored on hands
and knees and at 7 we paged her to get the tub ready. I had tried
combs in my hands, the birth ball, lots of positions but between
contractions I couldn't get comfortable and in a position where I
could move to my knees easily. I got in the tub and it was heaven
(well-sort of) I could relax and rest between contractions and I felt
so supported by the water. I labored in the tub for most of the day.
Getting out to pee was really hard. At one point I tried laboring on
the bed on my side but had to get back into the water. Tracy would
appear every few hours to check the baby's heart and to tell me I was
doing great. Her quiet presence was very nice and she really left
Steve and me to do what we needed. I didn't really want to be touched
or spoken to but I needed to see Steve between contractions- he slept
on the bathroom floor a few times. One time I told him to go into
bed, but within 5 minutes I ordered him back! At about 2? 3? Tracey
wanted to check me again. She said I was mostly open but the baby's
head wasn't down, so I walked up and down the stairs a bunch of
times. At 3:30 she said she could break my waters and see if that
would get the head down. I said go for it!

So I got on the bed and she broke my water - it was dark green- I got
really nervous and the doubt monster entered my head. I said to
her "that isn't good is it?" and she said, "no, not what we want to
see, but I want you to start pushing and we'll see how the baby does
within the next hour..."

So with no urge to push I began to do so. Her head was not coming
straight, but on the right side so she came out wider through the
head. I am a fierce lion! I'm ferocious! . I am a strong woman I will
push this baby out! I am not going to the hospital! I will not have
a csection. This is my last chance to give birth the way I
crave!...these were my internal mantras for the next 2.5 hours while
I pushed and growled. I tried squatting, kneeling, going on all
fours and eventually lying on my right side on the bed. On my side
was the best position for me to really be strong. The heart rate was
strong throughout. I had no idea where the baby was, but when Tracey
told Steve "there's the head" I knew I could do it. When the baby
crowned it hurt like mad, but I was soooo incredibly excited that the
pain was minor. I knew I was almost there. Tracey told me that as
soon as the head was out they'd be suctioning because of the
meconium, but if I needed to push the shoulders out to do so. I
reached down and felt the head between contractions. Steve was
crying, and I was euphoric. Her head was out and then I pushed out her
little line backer shoulders out and the rest just slipped out. It
was incredible. She was blue for a bit but then started these
little cries & pinked right up. Steve lifted her leg and we saw that
we were the parents of a baby girl! She's so big, I said and Tracey
nodded in agreement! As soon as I delivered the placenta, Tracey put
Sylvia on my chest and it was the most incredible feeling in the
world! Once the cord stopped pulsing Steve cut it.

As I lay there with my beautiful daughter on my skin and my husband
next to me, I knew that my birthing dream had finally come true.

Tracey stitched up the tearing that occurred (she did everything to
prevent tearing) and then left us alone for about an hour. When she
returned we weighed Sylvia and were very impressed with her stats! 10
lbs 13 oz., 15 inch head, 14 inch chest, 23 incest long. Sylvia
Ingrid was born April 13 at 6PM and we were at home by 10 PM.

This is VERY long...

I woke to a sudden stabbing/ popping feeling in my cervix, followed by cramping at 1:19am on Sunday, September 25th. I could see that dh was next door in the bathroom getting ready to come to bed. When he got in bed I told him I had just felt a pretty serious contraction, and was waiting to see if more came. About 7-10 minutes later I felt another one. Then another a little while after that. I told dh that “this better be it or they better quit” because they were pretty uncomfortable. I don't think either of us was convinced that it was the real thing. I got up to use the bathroom at about 1:45, and when I stood at the sink to wash my hands, I felt a small gush in my underwear. It was just enough to leave a wet spot the size of a silver dollar. Then came a few drips down my leg. I called out to dh “we have water... I think,” grabbed a towel and went back to the bedroom. We laid there for a few minutes, excited and nervous, seeing if any more water or contractions came. A big gush later, we knew that this was indeed the real thing, and set our nighttime labor plan into motion.

First, dh called our Doula to let her know the time had come. Our original plan was to stay at home as long as possible, but because my water had broken, we felt that going to the hospital was our best option. Next, we called my OB. Dr. Z was on call and told us to head to the hospital. I called my mom next so that she could come and sit with dd until my dad and stepmom could get here, then we called my dad. Dh gathered up all of our bags for the hospital and loaded the car. As soon as my mom got here, we left.

I had been having contractions this whole time, but nothing I couldn't talk through or handle. In the car on the way to the hospital, they started to get a bit more intense and uncomfortable. I was sure that I'd be at least 3-4 cm dilated, because a week prior at my appointment I had been 80% effaced and a little over 1 cm. When we got to the hospital, dh prked the car while I headed up to the 9th floor. I got into my gown, gave my urine sample, and got into bed to be monitored for 15 minutes. My mom and dh came in at about the same time. The nurse confirmed that my water had indeed broken, and upon examining me, found me to be 100% effaced, but still only 1 cm dilated. I was really disappointed! My nurse said that I didn't have to have an IV, and that I only had to be monitored 15 minutes out of each hour, which left us free to walk the L&D floor and use the birth ball. I was really happy about that! I wasn't sure since I was a VBAC patient that they'd be that lenient with me. My Doula showed up at about this time, which was a little after 3:00am. So, I was unhooked from the monitors, and the four of us started to walk the hallways of the labor and delivery floor.

As we started down the hallway, I was able to walk through the contractions. They were coming about 5 minutes apart, give or take. After awhile, I had to stop and lean against the wall for the contractions, while dh put pressure on my lower back. We headed back in the room around 4 to use the birth ball. I sat on the ball at the foot of the bed and rocked. Each time I had a contraction I leaned forward onto a pillow and looked at pictures of dd while dh put pressure on my lower back. Sometimes the pressure felt good, sometimes it didn't... after awhile we got into a routine that seemed to work. The nurse came in after a bit to put me back on the monitor. After about half an hour, I was unhooked and we headed back into the hall. This was around 6:00am. During the beginning of our walk, it seemed like my contractions were spacing out a bit. They didn't seem very consistent. After awhile, my doula and my mom left dh and I to walk on our own. Hip squeezes seemed to be working more than the low back pressure, so he did that instead. We only got through about a lap after they left when I started to feel like I couldn't stand up for the contractions. The pain was getting intense, so we went in the room and got back on the birth ball.

By 7:00 or so I couldn't stand the pain. I told my doula and dh that I needed pain medication, which I had really wanted to avoid. By 7:30, after several positions/ techniques weren't helping with the pain, we made the decision to get an epidural. The nurse put me back on the monitor and did a vaginal exam. At 7:48 I was only 2 lousy centimeters!!! I couldn't believe it. I didn't want an epidural that early, for fear that it would slow down things more and I wouldn't progress without pitocin. I definitely did not want that because of the VBAC. We still decided that the epidural was the way to go because I wasn't tolerating the pain well. So, the nurse got my IV ready (jabbed me FIVE times during the middle of an intense contraction), and paged the anesthesiologist. We found out that he was in an emergency in cardiac care, so he would be 20-30 minutes.

The next hour and 45 minutes were an absolute blur. My contractions became so unbelievably difficult that I felt like I had transported to an alternate dimension. No position seemed to work for me. Standing was impossible, the birth ball didn't work, all fours was terrible... so I ended up staying in the bed. I did low deep breathing and tried hard to focus. As time wore on, the contractions were very close together, and extremely painful. With each contraction dh had my left hand, my doula put pressure on my back, and I chanted some combination of no, I can't, kill me now, etc. (Pretty embarrassing in retrospect.) A few times my doula had to get stern with me to get me to focus. I threw up, partially on dh, and was in the bathroom several times. At one point, dh had to go make a phone call to his parents, and my mom took over for him. She and I were in tears by the end of the contraction I had in his absence. The nurse said she paged anesthesia three times, but that they would get here as soon as they could. I couldn't believe how long it was taking, and neither could anyone else.

By 9:30, with each contraction I found myself just moaning in low consistent tones... almost like sustaining a really low note. I heard a male voice enter the room with my nurse and thought it was the anesthesiologist, but it was my OB instead. He said he wanted to check me since I still didn't have the epidural in place to see how far I had progressed. To everyone's surprise I was 8 to 9 centimeters! I had gone from, 2 to almost 9 in a little over an hour and a half. This explained how difficult things had been. I told my OB I still wanted the epidural because I had enough. Finally, the anesthesiologist showed up a little after 10, and I had my epidural in place by 10:30. He told my nurse that he only received the last page, which had been 10 minutes prior to his arrival. Who knows what happened there. Honestly, I didn't care at that point... I was just happy to have pain relief. Dr. Z told us that he'd be back at 11:30, and that by then I would be complete and ready to push.

It was amazing how different I felt after the epidural... I was myself again! I originally didn't want an epidural, for fear that I wouldn't be able to feel enough to push. But, I was able to feel each time I had a contraction because I felt tightening at the top of my uterus, and felt pressure down below. I even felt enough to move my legs a bit. It was definitely the right decision for me. We spent the hour before I started to push relaxing. I even saw a few visitors. Thankfully dh and my doula had time to relax, too.

As promised, at 11:30 I was complete and ready to push. During my first set of pushes, I peed all over the doctor. There was so much pee that he had to change his scrubs!!! We did the first couple contractions on my back, but then my doula suggested we use the squat bar. Most of my pushing was done with the bar because we found that was the way I could most effectively get the baby to come down. Dh helped me on one side, and my doula helped me on the other. Fast forward to 2 ½ hours later... still pushing! Up until this point, I felt energized and good. I only had hit my epidural pump twice, and was able to feel lots of pressure. The baby's head was right there, just not coming through. At 2:30, Dr. Z told me that we had until 3:00, and then he wanted to intervene with suction or forceps. That last half hour I was exhausted! I really could feel the doctor trying to stretch my perineum (I didn't want an episiotomy), and it was getting pretty painful. At 3:00, he asked if I was ready to try suction, and I agreed. With my next push, and the help of the suction, Jackson was born, crying loud and strong. I can't even describe how it felt when he came out of me... bizarre and painful, yet wonderful. I know I screamed my head off... I had a partial third degree tear. He was placed immediately on my chest, and I held him, kissed him, and cried for a good 20 minutes or so with dh by my side doing the same.

Jackson was born on September 25th, 2005 at 3:04pm by VBAC. Though he was two weeks early, he measured 8 pounds, 5 ¾ ounces, and 20 inches long. His Apgars were 9 and 9. I couldn't have done it with out the support of my husband and my doula, especially during the stretch of really hard labor, and the 3 ½ hours of pushing. Our family has been truly blessed by this pregnancy and birth... the difficulties of the pregnancy taught us patience and reaffirmed our faith, and the birth recharged my self confidence and reminded me not to doubt my decisions or give in to fear. Most of all, we now have a new person to love. We loved him before he was born, and our hearts are overflowing now that he has arrived.

I started feeling contractions throughout the day Saturday the 4th. They were uncomfortable, but I could tolerate them. Since I had been having similar contractions for a couple of weeks, I just put them in the back of my mind and refused to beleive they meant anything. They were getting closer together as the night went on, and my husband kept asking if I wanted to go in and get checked. But I was adamant about waiting until I couldn't handle it anymore. I just didn't want to be turned away at the hospital. We went to bed around 11pm, but I didn't sleep. The contractions were getting worse, and were about 7 minutes apart. I had to sit up in bed and breathe through them, but still convinced myself that they were nothing. By 3am, I had to get out of bed. They were getting pretty bad. I went downstairs and made myself a cup of tea, and laboured to the Beatles for awhile. I kept telling myself "I can hold off until 3:30" and then "I can hold off until 4:30", etc, etc, etc. We needed to call my mother-in-law to pick up my daughter, and I didn't want to wake her up in the middle of the night, in case it turned out to be nothing.

By about 6am, they were coming every 3 minutes or so, and they HURT! I called upstairs to my husband, flicked the lights to get his attention, and finally banged on the wall to get him to come down. His mother showed up about 15 minutes later to pick up our daughter, and then we were off to the hospital. The ride there was total hell. It really got labour going, and by the time we got to the hospital, I had to stop and complain through 5 contractions before we made it up to the L&D floor.

When I got into the triage area, I told them that I thought the contractions were about 3-5 minutes apart. They hooked me up to the monitor and told me that they'd let it run for about 40 minutes, to see how my contractions were. After about 5 minutes, the nurse came in and told me "Your contractions aren't 3-5 minutes apart, they're right on top of eachother." She checked me, and told me I was 4-5cm dialated, and that I'd be having my baby that day! She asked me about my preferences, and I told her I'd rather not have an epidural. So she told me that she'd get me a room with a jacuzzi tub. The nurse attending to me was very excited that I wanted to have a VBAC, hehe.

When we got set up in the room, the nurse came in and introduced herself. She told me that she had 3 kids, and two of them were born totally natural, so she would help me have the birth I wanted. She was great! She didn't leave my side during the entire labour, and was awesome about encouraging me through each contraction. I was glad that I didn't waste the money on a doula, because she definitely filled that role perfectly!

I was bummed out to discoverd that the jacuzzi tub in our room was out of order, but the nurse brought in a birthing ball for me, and told me that I could labour in the shower whenever I wanted to. I paced around the room for awhile, with my husband supporting me through the contractions. I tried the birthing ball for awhile, but didn't like it. The contractions seemed to hurt a bit less when I was standing. After an hour or so, I decided to try out the shower. I stayed in there, sitting on a stool with the shower nozzle against my belly, for the better part of the morning. My husband filled up a peri bottle with hot hot water and pressed it against my back through the contractions. It helped quite a bit.

The nurse asked if I wanted her to check my progress, so I hopped out of the shower and went out to be checked. I was nervous that she would tell me I hadn't progressed at all. It took SO long to dialate with my daughter, that I was sure that my body would fail me again. So I was pleasantly suprised when she told me I was already 7cm. She told me that they could break my water if I wanted, and that it might help me to progress faster. But I also knew that it would make the contractions much much more painful. And I was already in so much pain that I didn't think I'd be able to handle anything else. I told her that I'd decide after the next time she checked me. I laboured standing up for awhile, and the nurse and my husband took turns massaging my back through the contractions.

I got the shakes really badly. I hated the feeling of totally losing control of my body. It was so strange. The nurse told me that it'd be a good idea to check me again. I climbed up into the bed, and she told me that I was 9cm! She asked if I wanted my water broken, and I decided that at this point, it wouldn't be a bad idea. So she went to get the doctor, who walked into the room to see that I had already started pushing. I had no choice, I had no control over my body. It was kind of like when you have to throw up, and you really don't want to and try not to, but your body just makes it happen anyway. It was totally surreal. I remember screaming louder than I've ever screamed in my life. (My husband told me afterwards that the nurses and doctors in the room all cringed, it was so loud). And I couldn't stop myself. The doctor was frantically telling me "don't push, don't push!" but I couldn't stop it from happening. My awsome nurse checked me when all of this was happening, and said "You know what? She's 10cm, she can push."

They started rushing around the room setting everything up, and told me that I could push through the next contraction. What a weird, painful feeling. The pain was totally indescribable. I thought I was dying. I thought for sure that I would split in two. I remember being totally in denial that it was happening, thinking for sure that they'd tell me "the baby isn't coming out, we'll have to do an emergency c-section." I really didn't want the same experience I had with my daughter. To do all that work, all of that pushing, all of that labour, only to have the baby cut out of me. So I pushed like crazy. I pushed as hard as I could, and then pushed 10x harder. And eventually they told me that the baby would be out with the next contraction. I still didn't beleive them. They told me I could reach down and feel the head. It didn't feel like much of anything to me, so I still didn't beleive that the baby was "right there." With the next push, the head came out, and had a feeling of total releif wash over me. It felt so good to have that baby out. I looked down and saw the head, pushed once more, and the baby was born!

My husband cut the cord, and I was totally annoyed that nobody had told me the sex of the baby. I asked "what did we have? what did we have?" and my husband announced "It's a boy!!" (And that I didn't beleive until I saw it, either, lol. We were both so sure it'd be another girl.) They passed the baby up to me, and I got to hold him and feed him for the first time. It was great.

My son was born at 11:15am on June 5th, weighing in at 8lbs, 7oz (only one ounce bigger than his sister). He's absolutely perfect and I couldn't be happier.

LONG but worth the read.
 

I haven't typed up man cub #4's birth story (my 2nd VBAC) but I thought I would share man cub #3's birth story.

Man Cub #3 HBAC Story

This birth story actually starts 4 years prior. On October 11th, 1998
our (now) middle child was born via c/section. I had been
induced after my water had begun to leak. Although pitocin had made labor
extremely painful, I am to this day very proud of the fact that I got to 6 cm
(started at 2cm!) without pain meds. But after almost 8 hours of pitocin
induced hell, I gave in and got an epidural. Now many women will rave about
"being totally without pain" but to me it was very strange to be so far
disconnected with my body during such an intimate experience birth is. The
details get hazy but at some point I was declared to have FTP and a c/section soon followed.

What was to follow this birth -- the separation (I was not allowed to hold him for 8 hrs following his birth and throughout the hospital stay there were periods where he was "unaccessable" to me), the pain (physical and emotional), the rage, disappointment, and depression haunted me for over 2 years. I swore to never have another baby for fear of going through another traumatic birth experience! Then once I began working through all the hurt, I vowed that I would never set foot inside of a hospital to give birth again. It was harder to convince my husband of this! And in truth he only knew and understood my pain and rage stemming from c/section a few short days before man cub #3 was conceived.

My pregnancy, although it had its fair share of hurdles including losing man cub #3's twin at the beginning of the pregnancy, was the best one I
have had, by far. I knew the moment we conceived this little angel I now hold in my arms. I felt so much more connected to the whole experience. Cherishing the movements, relishing my expanding waistline, reveling in the glorious round goddess like appearance that my body transformed into.

Labor --

Prodromal labor sucks! For 3 weeks I had on again, off again labor-ish type
contractions. At 37 weeks I thought that it was really it, but after 4 hours
of decent contractions everything fizzled out -- leaving me rather frustrated.

As my baby and body continued to grow, I began to feel heavy, tired -
physically as well as emotionally. All I wanted to do was hold my baby in my
arms. With each bout of prodromal labor I felt myself beginning to sink into
the mindset of wanting to hurry everything up rather than trying to enjoy
those last few, short days! And it was only after I allowed myself to
surrender to the final stages of my pregnancy that things started to progress.

Tuesday -

Again, I woke with contractions - NOTHING NEW!! But the were somehow
different. I told Dave (dh) to drive to work instead of taking the train (he worked in NYC) because I thought something "might" be up but he was only allowed to go to work after he ran to the grocery store (I, emotionally, was unable to venture to the store with our 4y/o) to get some fresh fruit and cold cut, which I munched on through out the day.

Although the contractions never got regular they were present through out the day. I called a few friends and chatted with them. I even tempted fate by telling them that I thought I could be in early labor. I was sure that once
again these contractions would pitter out. I did 4 loads of laundry (which
are still sitting in the baskets 10 days after he was born!!) and cleaned all day long, can anyone say nesting??

By 10pm I finally recognized that I was indeed in early labor. I called Dave
and told him to bring home a bottle of wine so I could have a glass to help
me sleep or rest as much as possible. Poor guy had no idea where the closet
liquor store to his work was and drove around Manhattan for 20 minutes
looking for one. But I got my bottle of wine!

By the time he got home my contractions were about 8 minutes apart but not uncomfortable - just there. I grabbed a couple of pillows and my favorite
blanket and decided to camp out in our living room to allow Dave as much rest as possible. I drank ¾ of a glass of wine which didn't taste as good as I
thought it would and laid down for about 4½ hours of sleep.


Now Wednesday -

I woke up around 5am and retreated to my own bed where I proceeded to have a good cry because I would only find 2 fitted sheets for our bed and one was in the wash. I couldn't double make our bed in preparation for the birth. This was my major concern, as silly as it now seems. Dave (thankfully) just held me, let me cry and reassured me that everything was going to be okay.

We slept for another hour until I awoke with a contraction that felt
different. I breathed through it, trying not to disturb Dave, but had a hard
time lying still during the surge of the contraction. Before I knew it I felt
another contractions start to build, I glanced at the clock - barely 5
minutes had passed since I was awoken by that first contractions. I decided
to get into the shower which helped a bit. Because of the intensity of the
contractions, I suspected that the baby was in a funky position, maybe OP, so I spent the majority of my time on my hands and knees doing pelvic rocks.


After about an hour I returned to our bedroom and whispered to my half
sleeping husband, "You're not going to work today." He immediately woke up
and started to get everything ready for the day. The boys were awake soon and we let them know that the baby was going to be born today. I stayed
downstairs with them as they got ready for school, pausing and leaning over
the table, banister, or couch (whatever was close by) with each contraction.
At 8:30am Dave left to take both boys to school and I retreated to my
bedroom. I called my girlfriend who was going to help support me during labor to give her a heads up.

As I was listening to my favorite CD by Andrea Bocelli I found that breathing
no longer was cutting it and that I needed to start vocalizing through each
contraction. Never thought I would be singing a duet with Andrea!!

By the time Dave got back, 9:20 I was really vocalizing and told him to call
Genny, my dear friend and WONDERFUL doula, and tell her to come over as soon as she could. I was having a hard time because the contractions were so intense from the get go.

When Genny got here I was back in the shower and starting to get loud. She
sat in the bathroom with me and started to time them. To everyone's surprise they were last about 70 seconds and coming every 2-3 minutes, some with double peaks. I knew I wasn't in transition but how could they be so close together??

When I got out of the shower, Dave and I wound up sitting on our bedroom
floor together, with him behind me holding me as I worked through each surge. This is one of my fondest memories of labor - leaning back into him with him holding and squeezing my thighs as I was methodically rubbing his legs with each contraction. Very reminiscent of some of the stories in "Spiritual Midwifery" I did feel good to give as well as receive.

At 11am Dave had to leave to get our 4y/o from preschool and then drop him off at a friend's house, so when I heard his come into the house 15 minutes later, I was upset. I was dealing with intense labor and I #1 didn't want to
scare my son with the loud noises and #2 I just couldn't deal with his
presence. He came into the room during a lull and kissed me and my belly and
told me it was okay to make the "momma bear" noises to make the baby come out. I almost laughed until another contractions started and DS quickly retreated back to Dave's side hearing those loud "momma bear" noises. Before I knew it, Dave was back at my side, sans DS, supporting me through this labor I couldn't make sense of.

The contractions were coming hard and fast but I wasn't feeling transition-y. I was still able to carry on a conversation between contractions, still joking,
still eating lightly and there was no bloody show. But those contractions
were so damned intense. I was feeling a lot in my back, giving credibility to
my suspicion that the baby was OP, but I was also starting to feel a lot of
pressure up front… but this was nothing new since I had had a lot of pubic
symphasis pain throughout my pregnancy. I told my doula that I would give my left arm if my chiropractor would only come out and adjust my back to try and ease the PS pain.

By 12:30pm the call was made to my MW to come. I had been having contractions consistently 60-80 seconds long every 2-3 minutes for over 3 hours. We all thought that by 3pm we would have a baby. My MW got here and listened to the baby, who sounded great with a heart rate in the 140's. Dave started joking with me, calling my "Hannibal" since my BP was 98/65 and didn't rise much above that through the remainder of my labor. Once of my concerns with the MW, since I had only been seeing her for 2½ weeks (my LM had bailed on me because she got spooked that she would get caught practicing in an illegal state, but that's a whole 'nother can of worms) was that she was going to be obtrusive, and over step her boundaries, telling me what to do rather than just sitting back and letting my labor progress but she let me do my thing.

I was in and out of the shower. Laboring on the toilet, which I incidentally
rocked off of the anchoring bolts during a particularly strong contractions.
And then I climbed on top of during another intense contractions. Startled
everyone at that point. Both the MW and the 2nd MW were trying to get a hold of me and I barked at them, "I've got a hold of Dave, let go of me". I was literally trying to get on top of the pain by climbing up on my commode.

By 4 pm, I had banished the clock in my bedroom and was starting to get run
down. I asked my MW to check me to give me some idea of where I was in labor. Happily I was at 7cm, 100% effaced but baby was high. I never asked how high, but afterwards I learned that the baby was -3/-2 station. I began to cry in anticipation of holding my baby soon. I continued to labor with Dave
supporting me. I didn't want anyone else but my husband's hands on me. Even Genny, my doula, who I am especially close to could offer the support that I felt from Dave.

Because the clock had been covered I had no concept of time. In and out of
the bathroom, pausing for another contractions, squatting, leaning over the
bed, getting on my H&K, having Dave hold me in a supported squat, back to the shower - everything was beginning to blur. I was leaning over the bed and felt a distinct pop and then a gush of fluid. For the first time, my water had released on it's own!! I looked down and saw that it was stained with meconium. This was the first time I felt a twinge of fear. Janet, my MW, listened to the baby's heart beat immediately after that contractions and through the next one and it sounded nice a steady. Very reassuring to both Dave and I. (reading the notes from my labor that my MW kept, my water broke at 6pm)

I began to feel tired and needed to lay down. It was so difficult to lay down
when I was having a contractions. I started to say things like, "All I want
to do is sleep. When is this going to end? I wasn't ready for it to be so
intense the whole time" Thankfully everyone around me reassured me that I was doing great and that it wasn't going to be long before I was holding my baby. No one ever introduced their hesitation or fear - if they even held any.

Once again I got back into the shower. This time to escape from everyone ...
to many people around me. I just wanted to have Dave near me - alone. I
stopped up the bath tub drain and let the shower fill the tub as I reclined,
trying to get some rest. Dave poured pitchers of the hot water over my
stomach and talked me through each contraction. This was the beginning of my extreme low point during labor. I had been going at it for so long now. I was tired, in pain and I was really getting discouraged. I wanted solitude and there were "so many" people around. I wanted to sleep most of al. I looked at Dave and told him that I couldn't do this for much longer. He never said, "Okay we'll go to the hospital" instead he told me how beautiful I was, how strong I was and that I WAS doing it and that we'd be snuggled up in our bed with our new baby before the night's end.

Janet came in and wanted to listen to the baby's heart through a contractions, so I hoisted my belly up out of the water. After the contractions I lost my footing and my right knee went out from under me. I wound up with my right leg splayed out froggy style. I just lost it. Not only was I dealing with the intensity of these contractions, now my damned knee was out of whack. I started crying and saying, "That's it! I don't want to do this anymore. I was drugs. I can't do this much longer"

My MW and Dave helped me up out of the tub and back into my bedroom. Janet tried to help me and got right up in my face, which was the exact wrong thing to do for me at that point. I told her to shut the F&$% up, she told me it was okay to curse but she wasn't going to go away and I retorted, I'm not listening to you anymore, I can't listen to you, stop F&$%ing talking to me. Thankfully she didn't try to persist and the 2nd MW stepped in and started reasoning with me, that if I went to the hospital I would be subjected to residents examining me, an attending Dr who I didn't know, monitors, IV's,
NICU team because of the meconium in the water. Reminding me of all the
things that I wanted to avoid. It was enough for me to hold on a little whole
longer.

During another contractions the baby's heart rate deceled a bit and took a
while to rebound so Rose, the 2nd MW, wanted to tickle the baby's scalp just
to make sure we had a nice reactive heart rate, which we did but it sure was
uncomfortable for me. She let me know that I was 8-9 cm, with more anterior
cervix still present. For anyone this probably would have been encouraging but this is where I had stalled out with my previous birth. I was scared of not being able to progress past this point. I was scared that the pressure I had once felt up front, that was now pain was my scar rupturing. I was scared of going to the hospital, although no one ever suggested it. And I was scared of having to go through much more labor.

I got onto my birth ball and Rose told me that if I felt the need to push to
go ahead and go with it. I found that I could push about ½ the time, if I
forced myself to do so but it just didn't feel right. I still had a lot of
pain up front. I felt like I was splitting in two both through my pubic
symphasis and through my lower back.

It was about 8pm when I got up off of the birth ball and announced I wasn't
going to do this anymore and that I was leaving. I fully intend to march
downstairs, get my car keys, walk out the door and leave - stark naked. But 2steps off of the ball I began another contractions and wound up on my bed. I
told my mw that if I still had a cervical lip, that I wanted to go to the
hospital, that I was thankful for everyone being here with me but I was done.
She checked me and I did have a lip still but she wanted me to try to push
past I, that she wouldn't do anything but hold it as I pushed and I did push
and BAM!! That little bowling ball head felt like it was immediately down
onto my perineum. It felt like I was pushing for hours but I actually only
pushed for 20 minutes. The baby came down nice and steady, allowing for me to fully feel the ring of fire. I told my mw to cut me because I felt like I was going to tear towards my urethra. She assured me that I had lots of room and helped me with a hot compress to alleviate the pain. I reached down and felt my baby's head before it fully emerged. What a strange feeling. This soft wrinkly scalp in my hand as I continued to push our baby, my baby closer to the moment of birth.

With a roar the baby's head was free. It was such sweet relief to have the
head born. I had to wait as the MW's suctioned the baby because of the
meconium. Thankfully the baby hadn't inhaled any meconium. Again I reached
down and felt my baby. This time I was able to feel a little nose and mouth.
Oh how I couldn't wait to have this little one in my arms.

Just have to push the shoulders out and this little one will slither right
out. Right? Well, that's the way it should be but my little baby was rather
large indeed! I pushed and pushed and finally the shoulders were born, WITH one arm reach straight out. No wonder I had had so much pain up front!! I wasn't dealing with an OP baby but rather a baby with an arm up by its face. Well, with the shoulders free, this baby should slip right out. Not my baby!! Once the baby was born to its hips we realized we were dealing with dystocia - hiney dystocia! My MW reached up and help tilt my uterus towards the baby as I pushed and finally at 8:20 pm our 3rd child was born! The baby was passed through my legs and I immediately pulled him up to my chest.

To both Dave and my surprise we discovered that we had our third boy. We both had been convinced that we were going to have a girl this time. Dave actually looked a bit disappointed when I said, "It's a boy", I think he wanted a girl much more than he'll ever admit to. Because we didn't think we were going to have another boy, a name hadn't been decided upon. His name just came to me. I looked up at Dave and said the name as a question to him and he said yes, so our baby had a name.

I had Dave call for the boys and even before the placenta was born our older boys were home, discovering their new baby brother. They both were doing a
dance when they found out the baby was indeed a boy. DS #2 started singing, "I knew it, I knew it"

Placenta was born, I was stitched and then got back for the 6th time into the shower that day. Sooner than we knew it, it was just Dave and I snuggled into our own bed with this new little person that we had known and loved those prior 9 months and that we had fallen in love with the moment he was born.

This birth proved to be a lot more challenging that I had expected but it
also has proven to be so much more rewarding than I ever thought possible.
Both Dave and I are a bit saddened that it took us 3 pregnancies, 3 births, 3
children to realize how wonderful the whole experience of pregnancy and birth can be. Dave now says that he wants to have anther baby. That he can't see Man cub #3 being our last child. Amazing what homebirth can do!! It has broadened our horizons in so many ways and brought us closer together, stronger as husband and wife. I fully expected Dave to retreat into the background once Genny and the MW's showed up yet he was my rock throughout the entire birth. I don't think I will ever be able to tell him just how much it meant to me that he was there every step of the way and never once faltering in his support of me.

Macey Maureen’s Birth Story - A VBAC BREECH HOMEBIRTH
 

Macey Maureen’s Birth Story - A VBAC BREECH HOMEBIRTH
On Sunday night I got a call from my Midwife saying that she wasn’t comfortable going past Wednesday the 15th. Well, Brian and I DTD that night. I started early labor with my water breaking sometime between 3:00-4:00 Monday am. I continued early labor throughout the day. Brian called all the important people. My mom arrived early. I sent her home. I went for a walk and continued through the day. I took a nap as suggested by my Midwives. My mother and mother in law came that afternoon. My contractions stayed at about 10 min apart and lasting about 30 sec. I slept a bit. My contractions varied from 7-5 min apart and 30-45 sec long. About 2 contractions per hour were very strong. I got up and stayed up at about 4:30 am Tuesday. I called the midwives again at 6:00 am. One showed up at about 6:30 am. She checked my dilation at around 7 am. I was 4 cm dilated. We ate some toast. I usually have a piece with peanut butter but didn’t think I could manage it. I ate two pieces and drank a bunch of water. Then I had a strong contraction and got immediately nauseated. I said, “I feel like I am going to throw up.” The midwife said in a matter of fact way, “Why don’t you go in the bathroom and do that.” She recommended an hour walk. We left around 8 am for about an hour. I was pretty spacey at this point but I managed to walk through all of my contractions. At about the same time labor started I caught a cold, so I didn’t know if I was spacey because of the cold and I was really tired or if it was from labor. I sat down on a chair in the kitchen. I really wasn’t paying any attention to how frequently my contractions were coming but they never seemed very close. The main midwife showed up around 9a. They finished setting things up. I got in the pool at about 11a. I started to feel some pushing urges around 11:30a. They recommended checking dilation and only found a small lip of my cervix left. Since I was not fully dilated yet, I lay on the bed to ride out some contractions. With a breech, it is very important to wait until fully dilated or longer. I had the urge to poop, so the midwife gave me to go ahead to poop and push on the toliet. I was amazed at how different pushing feels from normal contractions. It felt good until Macey’s bum started coming out. It was now about 12 pm. I came back into the bedroom. The midwives suggested anyone who wanted to be at the birth come in the room at about 12:15. I only had Brian and Elliott come in. I labored on my knees for a while. I sat on the birth stool for the rest of the labor, which was very painful at this point. I could feel her bum coming. It seemed slow then but in retrospect I know I could have taken it a lot slower. Once her bum came out the rest came too in ONE push!. The midwives were very surprised. They were ready to time presentation of legs and umbilicus. You only have 5 min from time the umbilicus is out until you have to get the head out. It was the fastest breech this midwife ever had. The cord was wrapped around her neck 2 times. Maybe that’s why she didn’t want to turn. Her apgars were 10/10. She was born at 12:40 pm. I laid with her on the bed and nursed her. Her feet sprung up to her mouth because this was how she positioned in the womb. I birthed the placenta after about 10 min. The midwife checked for tear. They left us alone for a short time. The midwives came back in to with consult me about the tear. It was a second degree tear but close to a third degree tear. Basically, they recommended a trip to the hospital and I agreed. Macey and I washed off in the birthing pool. They weighed her on Brian’s mail scale because the midwives forgot their scale. She weighed 7lb 14oz and measured 23 in but she was bent up so we don’t know how accurate the length is. Macey stayed home with Brian because if you take the baby to the hospital they will admit the baby and probably not let you leave. I had many stitches. The doctor was very humorous. He recommended a spinal, which I declined. Had I wanted to stay at the hospital I would have taken it because the local alone was quite painful. We finally got home around 5:30 – 6 pm. Traffic was very bad coming home. I ate some dinner and went to bed with my new baby and Brian put Elliott to sleep.

VBAC Zach!
 

Sunday, March 5, we spent the day at home and I was feeling very strange—very quiet and kind of sad. I couldn’t put my finger on anything particular that was making me feel sad, and I cried inexplicably a few times. We went to my mom’s that evening to watch the Oscars and knew we’d be there late and had decided to just spend the night. I went to bed around midnight. I woke up at about 3 a.m. while turning over and realized I was really, really uncomfortable—I was trying to turn over during a big contraction. Chris was already up because of heartburn so we lay there for a while and timed them. They were about 3-4 minutes apart and lasting around a minute or so. We timed them for about 45 minutes. I decided to get up and see if walking around did anything for them. Chris stayed in bed. I did some laundry and watched some TV. They petered out. I would have one every once in a while—7 minutes, 15 minutes, 10 minutes—and sometimes they felt more like gas pains. Not really any contracting of the uterus. I decided I should try and go back to sleep if I could so I went back to bed with Chris. I had two contractions in about 10 minutes while lying down and they really sucked! It was terrible laying down, so I just got right back up. I folded laundry and watched some more trashy TV.

My mom got up around 6 or so and I gave her the update. I kept feeling like I had to poop but nothing would happen when I tried. Finally I took a huge poop and it felt fabulous! I told my mom that I would really be mad if things died and everything I’d been feeling was all just for that poop. She fixed me breakfast—oatmeal, cinnamon toast, and an orange. I got up to put my dishes in the sink and had a monster contraction. I had to get on all fours on the floor. Not long after that, Quinn and Chris woke up. Mom went to work and we got all our stuff packed up to go home. I was still having interesting contractions this whole time and was really ready to get home.

We had two vehicles there, thinking that Chris would be going straight to work from my mom’s house. So, I had to drive the car home. I had 2 contractions on the highway and couldn’t flex my leg hard enough to put on the brakes. I just put on my flashers and slowed down and coasted in the shoulder during them. Chris was right behind me. Finally I had another one right at the north entrance to the state park and realized I shouldn’t be driving—especially on the hilly curves between there and our house. I turned right and went to the Chris’s office. Chris ran inside to tell them what was going on and that he wouldn’t be coming in that day. We left his truck there and he drove us the rest of the way home.

Called MH (doula who is also a midwife) once we got home (about 9:15) to let her know what was going on. She agreed, it sounded like very early labor. She also had a homebirth client who was in labor and further along than I. So, there was a chance that she’d have to miss out on us. AND, the backup doula’s kids had the chicken pox. But, there were two other midwives and an apprentice who were available just in case and I tried not to worry about it. MH told me to walk, stay hydrated, eat if I wanted to, and call her back around noon if I didn’t need her before then.

As soon as I got off the phone I went into the bathroom to pee. As I was sitting down I was saying to Chris, “It would really make me happy if I were to lose my mucous plug or have bloody show or something. Then I’d really know this was it.” Just then I dropped my plug! I wiped and just pulled it out. It landed on the side of the toilet bowl. I was so happy and I refused to flush for a long time! I just kept coming back to it and looking at it. We decided to go for a walk around the horse campgrounds. The contractions didn’t do much on the walk. They petered out almost completely. When we got home I decided to try and take a nap. I lay down at 10:30 and slept nicely. A decent contraction woke me up at 12:15. I got up and called MH back for an update and had a few contractions about 5 minutes apart. I brewed some strong RRL tea and started drinking that. All afternoon we just kind of puttered around the house and hung out. Chris cleaned, I got our stuff together for the hospital. Chris drove Quinn down for a nap around 3. While they were napping upstairs, I sat in the living room on the birth ball and read Prodigal Summer. It was so relaxing and lovely to have quiet time to myself. During contractions I would stand up, moan, sway, swing my hips, bend my knees up and down, move my head from side to side, or many different combinations of any and all of these. Sitting down really wasn’t all that comfortable and contractions slowed down or stopped when I did. So, I spent a lot of time just walking around the house.

Quinn was so good all day. He was just very sweet and cute and well-behaved. Thank goodness!

I called MH back around 5:30 for an update. She said that her client had her baby a few hours earlier (joy and relief!) and that she would finish up there, stop for a sandwich, then come out to us. My mom came over after work, around 5:45 or so. She wanted to stick around and see what MH had to say when she arrived. My mom just played with Quinn and read books. But, at one point she started crying. When I asked her what was wrong, she said, “I’m scared. You’re my baby and I just can’t lose another baby.” (My sister died in November). I had to reassure her that all was well, everything was normal, I felt good, it was all going to be all right, blah blah blah. I realized that was so NOT what I needed right then. So, I went upstairs and asked Chris to put Quinn’s car seat in Grandma’s car to they could leave. I stayed upstairs while they got things packed up. I wanted to be by myself for a while. This whole time contractions were coming regularly and I was rocking, moaning, swaying through them. Quinn and my mom came up to say goodbye and I was quite relieved to see them go. They left around 6:30.

After they left, I sat in the living room on the birth ball and felt myself going inward. Up until now I was being very friendly in between contractions and laughing, joking around. I was done with that and ready to get down to business. MH arrived at 7:10 and listened to Baby’s heart rate. Baby sounded good—in the 150s. She asked if I wanted her to check my cervix and I agreed. She checked me around 8pm and I was 4 ½ cms. I was happy with that. She suggested Chris and I go for a walk to try and get contractions even stronger and closer together.

Chris and I got bundled up and went outside to walk. It was a cold, slightly windy, and overcast night, but things were quiet and calm. We walked down the driveway to the road and took a left—the opposite way than we always walk—just for a change of scenery. As soon as we started walking, my contractions got much stronger and a lot closer together. They were about 1 or 2 minutes apart and lasting about 1 minute. I would have to grab onto Chris’s coat and kind of squat down a little bit during them. In between I was joking and talking. It was so lovely to be alone with Chris and we were kind of giddy and excited, knowing we were going to have a baby soon. We got about half way to the rental cabin down the road and I decided I wanted to start heading back. We got half way up the driveway and I decided it was time to head to the hospital. Things were still very manageable, but getting a lot stronger. I wanted to go in before things got out of control and I would be terribly uncomfortable during the long car ride. We had counted contractions on the walk and I’d had 13 total.

Came back inside and MH called Dr. L’s service. He called right back and Chris talked to him. He said he’d meet us at the hospital. Chris was loading things in the car and kept asking, “Do we have this? Do we have that?” Finally I said, “Honey, don’t worry, we’re very prepared.” MH left a little ahead of us so she could stop at her house quickly. We left our house around 9:20 pm. I had a seriously huge contraction on the front porch on the way out to the car, but once we got on the road they slowed down again—probably because I was sitting down. I sat in the back seat and we took some towels in case my water broke. I only had 2 or 3 contractions on the ride in and those were very mild. It was a very pleasant drive with hardly any traffic. While driving through campus we passed a guy on a bike. I told Chris I was very relieved that I didn’t have to ride a bike right at that moment and we got a kick out of picturing that.

We parked in the Emergency lot and made our way upstairs. As we got off the elevator at Labor & Delivery we were greeted by an attendant at the sign-in desk. We signed up for the “No Info” list, meaning that if anyone called or came in looking for us they would just be told that we weren’t there. That way, the only people who could drop in or call were the ones we told the room number or phone number to. We made our way back to L&D and Dr. L was waiting for us at the nurses’ station. We got our room and our nurse, Carrie, admitted us at 10:30. She strapped me to the external monitors and put the hep lock in, which I knew would happen, but nonetheless was extremely annoying. I had done a great job of drinking RRL tea and felt like I had to pee constantly. But, I kept trying to time sitting on the toilet when I knew I wouldn’t have a contraction. Unlike labor with Quinn, sitting on the toilet was incredibly uncomfortable. Dr. L came in and checked me at 10:50 and my cervix hadn’t changed since MH checked at home. I wasn’t terribly surprised, given the long car ride and the change in environment. Carrie brought in a birth ball, which I didn’t really use much. Standing seemed to make contractions come faster and stronger, and I really just needed to move during them—bending knees, swaying, moaning, etc.

With little warning, I began to feel incredibly light headed and then grabbed onto Chris, afraid I was going to pass out. They put me in the bed and took my blood pressure. It was 80/44—extremely low. They started IV fluids and the baby’s heart rate flattened out. In the mean time, contractions both spread out and weakened, which seems almost good since I was strangely weak. I dozed in between. My BP slowly rose to 101/60 and I got up to pee.

Dr. L came in around 2 and checked me and there was no change. He started talking about breaking my water and starting pitocin. I asked him for some time to discuss it with MH and Chris and to think about it. MH agreed that breaking my water may be just what I needed and that Dr. L was going to want to do something to get things moving. I asked Carrie to have Dr. L only break my water and see what that did and to wait on the pitocin. He came in at 2:12 and broke my water. It was painless when he broke it and there was a LOT of clear water. The plan then was for me to keep resting on my left side in between contractions.

I almost instantly had another contraction that hit me like a freight train. It was so unlike any others I’d had up until that point. It was unbelievably intense and so incredibly painful. I was flailing and crying. When it was over, MH encouraged me to take advantage of the break in between and to totally relax. But, another one hit almost immediately and I couldn’t get on top of it. We tried to change my position in the bed, but nothing was helping. I had another one or two and during the next one (at 2:25) I moaned,” EEEPIDUUUURAAAAL!” I knew I couldn’t go on with contractions like this. Carrie was in the room and heard me and said, “Do you really want an epidural or are you kidding?” I told her I was most certainly NOT kidding. MH asked if they could check me before I decided on the epidural. She said she wasn’t trying to talk me out of it, but she was concerned that things had changed so drastically and so quickly that I may have dilated tremendously and that it would be too close to pushing for me to have the epidural. I told her that the thought of another internal exam made me want to throw up. Carrie and Dr. L were so very NOT gentle with their exams and these contractions were way to close together and painful. I knew there was no way I could NOT have a contraction during the exam. MH suggested that she give the exam and Carrie said that was fine, she’d just look away. I agreed. MH checked me and I had made no progress. Dr. D, the anesthesiologist, was right out in the hallway and came in right away. By a little after 3 I was feeling no pain. That epidural was the wisest thing I’d ever done. It was a very good one too. I could still feel the pressure of contractions and could move around in the bed but was totally comfortable. Now that I’ve had such a good epidural, I know what a terrible one I got with Quinn—it kept wearing off, I got hot spots, and I couldn’t move.

We all rested until 6:30 when Dr. L came back in to check me. I was now 6-7 cms, 90% effaced, and the baby had dropped to about 0 or +1 station. We called my mom to give her an update and I talked to her for a minute. She said, “Mandy, I remember how proud I was of you during your labor with Quinn. You are so good at this and so brave and so strong.” It really was touching to me and made me cry. I felt good, brave, and strong.

At some point in the night, the nurse came in to tell us that Christina had stopped in looking for us. They told her that I wasn’t there—like they were supposed to because of the No Info list. She had driven through the night from four hours away where she’d been on a business trip. We hadn’t asked her to come, she just felt like she should be there. I knew that she would be worried and call my mom, which would then get my mom concerned. So, Chris called my mom to let her know that we were on the No Info list. She was on the other line with Christina who was out in the parking lot and telling my mom, “I’m standing here looking at their car! I know they’re here!” We told my mom to tell Christina that we’d call her when there was a baby to kiss. Christina had nothing but good intentions by coming to the hospital, but it was so distracting to me to know that she had shown up. Chris wanted to go looking for her, but I told him we needed to just let it go and not worry about it.

At 7 a.m. our new nurse Brandee came on shift. She was so kind and cool and sweet and I liked her immediately. Chris had gone to get breakfast when she came in and introduced herself. When he came back I told him that we had a hot new nurse. She checked me around 9:25 and I was 7-8 cms and very stretchy. I also had a mild fever developing—101.4. She gave me Tylenol and antibiotics, which I tried to talk her out of because I’m so sensitive to them. She was having none of it though, for fear that I had an infection. MH said that most likely it was due to the epidural, that epidurals just sometimes cause fever.

Not long after that, Dr. L said he wanted to start me on pitocin because I’d been in labor for a while now and he was nervous about the fever. I reluctantly agreed but started crying. MH asked what I was afraid of and I told her that it was just one more intervention that I didn’t want to have. She told me that the best chance I had for VBAC was to get the baby out as soon as possible and she calmed me down a lot. By 9:50 pitocin was running.
My contractions were getting stronger and I could feel a tiny bit of pain with them through the epidural. But, compared to what I had felt after they broke my water, these were a cakewalk. Brandee kept asking me if I was feeling any rectal pressure or feeling the baby move down. I wasn’t. She kept reminding me to call her if I felt either of those because it would mean I was ready to push.

MH napped on the couch for a while so she’d be fresh for me when I was ready to push. Chris sat next to my bed and we just and chatted and rested.
A little before noon I realized I was feeling the baby move down during contractions. I told Chris and decided to just wait for Brandee to come in on her own instead of calling her in. I wanted to give it some time and see what happened. I was laying on my right side and pulled my top leg up to open my pelvis during contractions. A little after noon, Brandee comes in and I let her know what I’m feeling.

Around 12:30 Dr. L comes in and checks me. I’m completely dilated and baby’s head is at +1. Brandee sets me and the bed up to push. I start pushing around 12:40. I’m fairly reclined with my calves in stirrups. MH reminds me that we can try other positions, but this seems fine for now. Brandee and MH keep saying I’m doing a great job with pushing, but I don’t believe them. I say, “you girls say that to everyone.” But they insist that they don’t. Brandee says it usually takes about ½ hour to teach someone how to push before they start getting effective. I just couldn’t believe how easy and almost pleasant pushing felt. Very soon they can see the head. Chris is ecstatic because he says he’s seeing more of this baby’s head than he ever saw of Quinn’s. They bring the mirror over for me to watch. It’s a little alarming to see myself that way, but I look periodically because I know when it’s all over I will have wanted to have seen it. At some point Dr. L comes in and they tell him I’m doing great. He sees how effectively I’m pushing and decides to get all suited up. In between contractions I’m totally relaxed, breathing deeply, and resting nicely. We all joke around. Dr. L puts the receiving blanket on my belly and I just can’t believe that I’m actually going to push this baby out. MH keeps telling me to pay attention and remember what’s going on and reminding me that I’m actually doing it—I’m going to get my VBAC. I still don’t believe it. Then, Dr. L says, “We’re past the point of no return” and I’m still in total denial. I never said anything out loud about it, but internally I’m just in total disbelief. Crowning is slow and gorgeous (MH’s words from her notes) and I bring his huge (37 cm) head out with only a medium 1st degree laceration. Dr. L says, “the baby will be out with the next contraction” and I push with all my might. Ok, not that contraction, but the next one. He tells me to stop pushing and he guides the baby’s body out slowly, then tells me to give a small push. I’ve pushed for only 55 minutes.

Next thing I know, the baby’s on my chest and everyone is rubbing on him, trying to get him to cry harder. He’s kind of moaning. Chris yells, “It’s a boy!” and we all laugh. I’m just so amazed and shocked and automatically in love with this gorgeous little creature who’s looking right up at me. I laugh and laugh and cry and Chris and I start talking to him, “Hi Zachary! You’re so beautiful!” I hold him for a long long time and can’t believe how delicious he smells. I tell MH, “I thought he’d be kind of stinky” and she says, “of course not, you’re sweet inside!” I just hold him and stare at him and tell the nurse, “not yet” when she wants to take him away to weigh him. He’s crying and looking right up at me. I kiss his sweet little hands and just tell him how gorgeous he is. I keep telling him, “we did it, Dude! We did it!”

Zachary Caesar
March 7, 2006
1:34 pm
8 lbs, 14 oz
22 inches

Evan Michael’s Birth Story

I am going to begin this story sharing how I found out I was pregnant with DS Evan. In mid-July when DS John was 10.5 months, I started to experience some pain on my side when I lifted him. Early on in his pregnancy they discovered what they believed to be an endometrioma. I was followed by u/s and we did watchful waiting. The plan was to deal with it after I delivered him. Being a new Mom was quite overwhelming so I put off dealing with the cyst since it was not giving me any problems. After I started to experience this side pain in July I made an appt. with my Ob. We were planning on trying for baby#2 when John turned 1 so I wanted to get this taken care of. When the doctor came in to the examining room, I started to explain what was happening. I remember telling him that the pain reminded me of the round ligament pain I had with DS John in my second trimester. The first thing he did was touch by belly. He commented that my uterus seemed very high. He thought maybe it hadn’t fully come down since the c-section but then asked me if I could be pregnant. I told him it was impossible as DH and I had not been intimate for many months. He asked how long it had been and I told him likely February or March. He then turned to the nurse and asked her to get the Doppler. I asked why he wanted the Doppler and he said that he just wanted to check something out. The nurse returned with the Doppler, placed it on my belly and immediately I heard the sound of galloping horses. I looked at him incredulously and asked him what the sound was. I will never forget his response: “It is either a baby or you have a very large tumor with a heartbeat”. I literally almost fell off the examining table. He estimated me to be about 18 weeks and scheduled an u/s for the next day. I remember before I left I told him that I was not going to tell my husband until the u/s confirmed the pregnancy. I was still in a state of shock and disbelief. I picked up a hpt when I arrived home and the line was unmistakable. We had the u/s the next day which confirmed that I was in fact 18.5 weeks pregnant.

The pregnancy progressed uneventfully. I had spoken with my doctor and he seemed on board with my VBAC plans. At my 28-week appointment, my doctor called me into his office. He told me that after reviewing my operative report from my c-section, he did not believe I was a candidate. I asked him what about the report made him reach that conclusion. He said the fact that I had developed a fever, that I had pushed for so long, and all of the molding on the baby’s head. He said that my pelvis was too small and since second baby’s are generally bigger I would not be successful. He also threw around the following: “if you were my wife..., dead baby....uterine rupture...hysterectomy....” The usual scare and bully tactics. I then asked him what if I refused to have a c/s and he said he could stop being by doctor but then quickly added that he would not do that to me. Seeing how upset I was getting he said that nothing was set in stone, it was still a possibility and we could discuss it at the next appointment. I smiled sweetly, agreed and walked out of his office never looking back. The next morning I was making calls to midwives and ob’s office setting up consults hoping to find a vbac friendly provider. I met with the doctor who I ultimately chose. She was amazing and had zero worries about a trial of labor. She basically knocked down every reason my former doctor had used to support my having an ERCS.

The remainder of my pregnancy was uneventful. I prepared a birth plan that my Dr. reviewed and approved but for 2 points. I would have to have CFM and an IV. She told me that it was hospital policy for VBAC labors. I told her so long as I could remain mobile I would do the CFM. The hospital had telemetry units so she said it would not be a problem. The only other thing we butted heads on was my being overdue. She wanted to induce at 41 weeks when I wanted to be allowed to go to 42 so long as baby and I were doing well. It ended up not being an issue. On December 11, 2003 (due date the 20th) I went in for my weekly. I was dilated 3cm. and 80% effaced. The doctor who saw me that day performed what she called a “vigorous internal”. I began contracting that evening on and off. The following day I continued to contract but they never got closer together than 20 minutes. That evening I hosted a girl’s night at my house and it was a welcomed distraction. The next morning I had a bloody show and was experiencing a ton of pelvic pressure. I called my doula and she told me to get of the house and walk. Being winter in New England, I met my parents and sister at a nearby mall. DH was on a 24-hr. shift on the ambulance. As the day wore on I continue to have contractions off and on but it was the pelvic pressure that really bothered me. I called my dr.s office and they told me to wait until the contractions were coming every 5 minutes for an hour. I called DH and told him to come home because I really thought this was it. I went to bed around 9:30 and woke at 11:00 with contractions coming every 10 minutes. I labored on the toilet because it was where I felt most comfortable. At around 2:30am, I called the doctor and my doula and arranged to meet them at the hospital as my contractions were now 4 minutes apart. We arrived there at 4am and they admitted me directly to a room when they found out I had been 3cm the previous Thursday. An exam revealed that I was now 4cm., completely effaced with a bulging bag of water. The doctor on call happened to be the same doctor who did my internal that Thursday. She reviewed my birth plan and told me that I did not have to have CFM or an IV. She said to go ahead and do what felt comfortable and that they would do a monitor check in about an hour for 15 minutes. I could not believe it! She said once I was around 8cm she would require CFM and I was completely fine with that. My husband, Doula and I headed into the bathroom and I got back on the toilet. No one bothered us for almost an hour. The lights were dim, the space warm and cozy and I labored in peace.

Eventually the nurse came in and told us that she wanted to do a 15-minute monitor check. I wanted to have it done sitting up but for some reason she said I had to lie in bed. I wish I had been stronger and said no because in those 15 minutes my baby turned posterior. After the check was complete, we headed back into the bathroom. It was not long before I started to feel all the pain in my back and all the memories from my first birth came rushing back. We moved out into the room and I got on my hands and knees to try to encourage our baby to flip back. The pain was getting more intense and I was getting more frightened and less secure that I could handle this. Katherine started to do the hip squeeze and it provided some relief but her poor hands started bothering her. Scott took over but he was just not as effective at doing it. I then moved onto the birth ball at the end of the bed and by this time, the pain was agonizing. I was done. I wanted an epidural. I kept begging and begging saying, “I cannot do this.” Poor DH. He knew absolutely that I would regret having the epidural especially if it stalled labor and I ended up with a repeat c-section. He and Katherine worked so well together encouraging me to get through one more contraction. The nurse came in and I told her I had enough. I remember looking up at Scott saying weepily “Do you think I am at 5 yet?”. All the books I read said if you could hold off on the epidural until 5cm, it should not stall labor. The nurse checked me and I was 8cm!! She called the Doctor in who also checked and confirmed that the baby was, in fact, posterior. This is the most amazing part. Dr. Hernandez looked me straight in the eye and said, “Look. You came in here with a plan for an unmedicated birth. I want to help you get that. The anesthesiologist is on his way but in the meantime, lets try something.” She broke my bag of water and then had me stand up, put my arms around Scott and away back and forth, almost like we were slow dancing. She hoped this would encourage the baby to turn. She left the room to check on another patient and I do not think five minutes passed before I felt the most incredible urge to push. It was the most amazing feeling. I never had the urge with my other labor because the epidural was turned up so high. I lay down on the bed and the nurse was screaming at me not to push and she ran out of the room to find my doctor. I find it comical looking back on it because there was no way I could stop myself from pushing, the urge was just too great. Besides, Scott was a paramedic and I was confident that he could deliver our baby if need be. Soon the nurse and Dr. Hernandez were back. She checked me. I was complete! Let the pushing begin! It was incredibly hard work but I loved the feeling. The only time it hurt was when I crowned and boy did it burn. I lost control then and ended up with a 2nd degree tear but it healed beautifully. My gorgeous baby boy entered this world with a lusty cry at 7:55am, 45 minutes after I started pushing.

Welcome to the world Evan Michael Stacey!

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I have to say how validated I felt after Evan's birth in light of the fact I had been told by my previous doctor that my pelvis was just too small to birth a baby vaginally. The cutest thing happened after they moved me onto the postpartum floor. Because I changed doctors so late, the hospital paper work still had the name of my ex-doctor and when we got to the room, his name was written on the dry-erase board at the entrance to the room. I asked DH if he had seen it and he said yes and that he would be right back. He grabbed a paper towel and went over to the board and erased his name! I loved that he did that.

My advice to all you wonderful women is to have faith in yourself and your body's ability to birth your baby and surround yourself with people who share that faith with you and in you! Blessings,

Here's my VBAC with twins success story...

I researched all of my options when I got pregnant, and began researching even more when I found out it was twins. I worked with a midwife practice that was supportive and a backup OB who is a midwife in a male OB's clothing, I think ;-)

I called the midwife when my contractions were about 5 minutes apart and regular. She said that we had a problem since the only hospital in the area that was VBAC-friendly for midwives had banned twin VBAC's with a midwife two days before. The decision was made DURING another woman's labor. So we went to plan B and went to the bigger hospital (which had banned midwife VBACs during my pregnancy) and signed me in under the OB's name. I saw him during the "catching" process only, so it was a farce, pretty much. What a hassle. The next week, all of the hospitals in the area banned midwife VBAC's, so I was in right under the wire. I am working with the midwives now to go on the offensive and fight this.

Anyway...I labored for about 28 hours and delivered two full-term twins. My little boy was born first over an intact perineum and was 6 pounds 9 ounces. My baby girl was born 41 minutes later and was 6 pounds 4 ounces. She was vertex until her brother came out, then she flipped breech. The OB tried to do a cephalic version, and it wouldn't work, so he just did a podalic version and we had a double footling breech delivery. Two pushes and a tiny little tear was all it took. He said 2nd degree, but I never felt any discomfort from it, even afterwards, and my midwife said it was not a 2nd degree at all and was very minor.

I had a few more interventions than I would have liked ideally, but the end result was perfect. Because we were "breaking the rules" anyway, and I didn't want to do anything more to rock the boat and jeopardize my midwife's priveleges at the hospital, I agreed to EFM. We took the monitors off periodically so I could get up and move around, though. We weren't allowed to videotape, which still makes me angry even now. My midwife recommended AROM because my son's bag of waters was bulging out of cervix so much that his head couldn't put any pressure on it. I dilated much more rapidly once she did it and the contractions were more productive.

I also, despite my resolve not to, decided to have an epidural at around 6 cm. I was dealing with a bout of winter asthma for the weeks leading up to my delivery, and my contractions were right on top of one another with only about 15 seconds in between and 2 or more peaks per contraction. I started to panic and I could not catch my breath, even using my inhaler. I was really freaking out and white knuckling the bedside, and I completely stopped dilating and progressing. My mindful birthing class techniques were not working because I couldn't focus on anything because I couldn't breathe. The MW suggested it so that I could calm down and rest and let my body do its job. I was bawling and totally opposed to this, remembering my first (literally) paralyzing experience with my son and the horrendous epidural I got during his delivery, but I agreed to talk to the anesthesiologist. I explained my fears and my first experience, and she explained that they probably screwed it up the first time and gave me a spinal instead of an epidural. After she described a spinal, I agreed that's exactly what it was like. She recommended a very low dose, starting out really slow. I tearfully agreed because at this point I had not dilated any more for 3 hours and I was so short of breath. The epidural really was what I needed to relax my body and my airways. I could move everything and feel the contractions, but the intensity was lessened enough that I could breathe smoothly and regain my focus. I dilated 2 more cm within 15 minutes of the epi kicking in. We let it wear off some before the pushing stage. I pushed for two hours without much progress, and it wasn't until a loud pop that was my tailbone breaking happened that he descended. Two pushes after the broken bone and he was out. Apparently it was in the way and he wanted it moved, LOL.

So, even though the entire experience wasn't how I pictured it, the end result is that I had my VBAC and I have two healthy, fat, perfect babies to show for it. We all left the hospital the next day (everyone except my ped and midwife were all freaked out about it), which is unheard of here with twins. Oh well, we were all fine and I wanted to be home where I was comfortable. There was no place for my husband to stay and sleep, so I had to deal with getting in and out of the high hospital bed all night by myself (with a broken tailbone) to take care of the twins and myself if I wanted rooming in. Ridiculous.

Now, to start planning my next VBAC (maybe HBAC, since the current environment at the hospitals is so unfriendly), which will hopefully go better. I plan to insist on being allowed to videotape, and I hope that I am healthy and strong going into delivery and can truly go intervention-free next time.

Thanks for "listening"...

Angela

My HBAC in Buenos Aires
 

Here it goes my story. English is not my native tonge, so sorry for strange grammar or use of English mistakes.

I was at home that night of November fixing supper and chatting with a friend on the phone when I felt the need to go to the bathroom. I went and when I tried to sit in the toilet I felt as if someone would have beaten me. I had to stand up, heard a funny sound and felt some warm water. It was a leak. I t was 9:15. When I get to my room got another one of those “kicks”. I knew I was in labor although I had never felt it before since my first son was an emergency c-section... Apparently, and I said apparently cause I’m not sure now, I had a case of partial placenta abruption then.... I arrived to the hospital and they immediately took me to the OR. Five years ago, when Vicente was born I was seeing an ob gyn, and I was not at all educated about birth. This time I found a midwife who would assist my birth supported by an ob-gyn she trusted.

So, I baked the broccoli pies, I put my son in his pajamas, I fed him and answered some phone calls. My husband went to the store to buy some supplies because we had not bought anything for the homebirth since I was only 37 weeks that day.

When I had had one hour and a half of regular contractions we called the midwife. She said to call Alejandra, the ob-gyn. So we did. We asked ice cream, we put music, we felt as if a party were about to begin. I was happy, pain was manageable, pain was an inspiration. Pain was not so painful after all! One hour later, Alejandra arrived home. In the meantime, my husband put our son to sleep, I took a bath and things started to get more dense. Pain started to feel like pain was supposed to feel.

When Alejandra got home I was naked in all fours passing a contraction. The cat was by my side as if he were expressing his solidarity. Alejandra asked if she could check me. I said yes, although the moment she put her hand there a contrax hit me and I almost kicked her in the mouth. Fortunately I didn’t hurt her. She said sorry, she said everything was so smooth down there, that I was a four or a five. I remember that I asked if I could have a break. No break, she said, this is a no return path. I got in the tub again, and I started to feel I needed darkness and silence. I asked my husband to come near me, to touch a specific point in my feet and to please shut up! I also asked him to turn off the bathroom lights and the music. Alejandra was in the living room reading a novel and taking some “mate”. I started to feel nauseous. Alejandra came to the bathroom and listened to the baby. Everything was right. I went out of the water. I was shaky, I was cold and I was hot. I wanted to vomit and to poo. But I didn’t vomit, nor pooed. She asked me if she could check me. I said NO. She said, so, shall we call the midwife and the ped? I said Do whatever you want. We were like that, kind of having a surrealistic arguing until I said OK, check me. She did it. I can said that was the worst moment of labor. Laying in bed to have her checking me was horrible. Anyway it was not so bad, because when she was finished, she said these marvelous words: you are complete. It was 1 am.

And now what?

I said I wanted another tub full of warm water. She said, “Look, we don’t want to space the contrax now, we want them strong” And I said: “I need a break. I want my tub” And I had my bath. She called the midwife, I heard her on the phone saying, “Come now, she’s complete, but don’t kill yourself, baby is still high” When I heard the bell ring I freaked. I got so scared of having more people there, I was in a state so primitive. I told my husband: Tell them I don’t want to be disturbed. And so he did, he received the midwife with these words. Midwife laughed and stayed apart. Near 2 Am she passed by and I called her. She came into the bathroom, lights were still off and told me to try and push when I feel a contrax. I did it and it felt good, but I had no desire to push. I asked my husband to help me get out of the water, but I insisted: please tell them not to bother J I asked him the time. When he said two o’clock I remember that I was born at that time. I told him it was time to let this baby be born. I was so tired that the pushing seemed so hard.
I went to my room and I saw the red lights of an electrical stove they have installed there and a wooden birth chair my midwife had dropped there. I looked at those two things as if they were space blasters. I was not going to sit in that chair! I squatted, stand up, got on all fours, tried every possible position until I decided I wanted the ladies there. They came. I asked if I could push strong. They said yes. I told the midwife: baby is not going to fit. It’s no strechy enough. She said: It is. Baby can and will be born. I asked them to shut up (although nobody was talking!) Vicente was sleeping next door. I asked for strange things: I asked for water in a zippy cup, a bucket not to mess around my wooden floor with blood. I wanted to tell everyone where the towels I have prepared were but I couldn’t. I pushed strong and baby cried, I pushed again and baby was in my arms. The pedi came in (he was in the living room also), the lights were turned on. I was shaking. Babe was fine, I was fine. My husband jumped and clapped like a child. Simón was born at 2:45 am. In total, since the first contraction, labor was only 5.30 hours. I delivered the placenta, got two stiches and at 3:30 everybody had gone. Whilst my husband was saying goodbye, Vicente got up, came to my room and I showed him his baby brother. When he saw his father asked him to take him back to his room. He went back to sleep immediately. Raul (my husband) came back to bed and started to snore! I could not sleep. I wanted to tell the world I had done it. I have had the birth of my dreams.

Simón is one year and a half today, birthing him was so great that some times I look at him and think that I would like to birth him again.

During labor, only once I though about the c-section, It was in a moment that I was totally alienated by the pain and I thought that sections were not so bad, after all!

During the pregnancy I had many doubts, but every time I doubted my midwife was there telling me she trusted me and my body. At the beginning of the third trimester my placenta was low and I had some small bleeding. My father, who is a doctor, said that if he were my doctor he would have scheduled a section in week 36. Luckily he was not my doctor!

Here's the link to mine!

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=445225

Here's my long HBAC story... :)

http://hometown.aol.com/purpleheather79/index.html

Triumphant Natural VBAC
 

Sorry if it's long but the end was all the more sweet after the beginning and middle...

Abigail’s Birth Story

My pregnancy with Abigail was much more stressful than my pregnancy with Lydia (my first, after perfect pregnancy ended up with scheduled c for footling breech). To start out we decided without any hesitation for a VBAC birth (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean). I was a perfect candidate since my cesarean was because of breech presentation and not failure to progress or CPD or anything like that. But there were inherent risks, though not much more than any normal delivery attempt in my view. The major one was uterine rupture at the incision site and at my first midwife appointment, I was told that because of this 1% risk, the hospital would want me to be monitored the whole time. I thought she said internal monitor, which left me in tears since I’d already been reading up on all this and I didn’t want a monitor attached to the baby’s head and not be able to move around or bathe or anything. I asked if I could decline and she said that it was my right but she didn’t recommend it because it made the doctor’s feel better (what about how I felt?). Anyway, after researching it even more and finding out that being internally monitored for more than 5 hours there was an increased risk of infection for baby and mother (with a VBAC they wanted me to come in at the very beginning of labor since the risk of rupture is the same throughout) I was willing to accept an external monitor for the whole time but not the internal. Turned out I wouldn’t be expected to wear an internal monitor, I misunderstood, whew!

We started a Hypnobirthing class with Marie Rossborough that used hypnosis techniques to achieve a deep state of relaxation to help with labor and birth. Mum knew some people from RISI that had used that with a VBAC with great success and I read about it on-line and it looked pretty neat. I thought it would be good to try, especially since Deborah, the woman who taught the yoga class I took while pregnant with Lydia, was gone. Rich seemed a little skeptical when I told him about it but was willing to give it a try since the first class was not binding; you signed up at the end if it seemed right for you. So we did.

Things went along well until our 20-week ultrasound. We had our first ultrasound where they looked at everything but they couldn’t see the heart well because the baby was moving so much or the placenta position and they thought it was a girl. We went for another one a few weeks later and they confirmed that it was a girl and the heart was fine but the placenta was previa. That would mean a scheduled c-section. 90-95% of previas found in the second trimester would be out of the way of the cervix by 40 weeks allowing for a normal delivery but I was still worried. They would check the location with another ultrasound at 32 weeks. They said there could be spotting and that a little bit would probably mean it was moving. Every time I went to the bathroom I worried and hoped for spotting. None came.

Meanwhile, at 28 weeks I had the glucose test and an iron test. I had low iron and they wanted me to take the 3-hour glucose tolerance test. It looked like I might have gestational diabetes! I took the test (blood drawn 3 times after drinking a glucose drink after fasting) and two of my blood sugar levels were elevated meaning that I had gestational diabetes which could hopefully be controlled with diet. I couldn’t believe it. I saw a dietician and got my blood monitor kit. I would have to check my glucose levels 3 times a day. If we didn’t control the diabetes, the baby could get too large requiring a c-section. Luckily the diet worked although when I started it I didn’t gain any weight for 6 weeks but the baby did continue to get bigger.

We interviewed a second doula (Sherry) the night I found out about the diabetes and a week or two before the 32-week ultrasound so we didn’t even know if we would need her. I cried and was very stressed but she was so nice and comforting and told me that she would be worried about me if I weren’t worried about all the stuff going on. I think I e-mailed her that we wanted to hire her if we found out that we could have a trial of labor and if she wouldn’t mind if I waited until after the ultrasound to confirm to which she replied “I would be happy to attend your birth and will await the good news about your ultrasound!”

Then it was time for the 32-week ultrasound. The placenta had moved out of the way. YAY!!!!!! I was so excited and went about getting ready for a normal delivery. Then around week 36 I had some spotting. I called the midwife and she said I should go in for an ultrasound to make sure everything was ok and that the spotting was just from the low placenta. So I went in not expecting much and they said that the placenta was still too close for a safe vaginal birth. And she was breech. WHAT????? I cried and cried while the technician got the doctor. It was beginning to seem as though each time I adjusted to one problem another would arise. Dr. McNanley explained that the placenta was only about 1 cm away from the cervix and a blood vessel was still attached so that when the cervix opened there could be major hemorrhaging. There was still time for it to move and they would check again at 38 weeks. There was also still time for her to flip and there were lots of exercises I could start doing to help her.

The next day I had an appointment with Helene and she did not think the baby felt breech. She had another midwife come in to feel the position and she also thought she felt vertex. So Helene told me to page her the next day because she would be on call at the hospital and she would call me when the triage room was clear and she would use the traveling ultrasound machine on me to see the position of the baby. She didn’t want me to start doing exercises to flip her if she had already flipped. We might flip her back to breech. I waited for the call, rushed to the hospital, illegally parked and ran up to triage where I had a stealth ultrasound and we found out that she was back in head down position. Now we just had to keep her there. I started telling her “Head down is the easy way out.”

In the meantime I went to have a special session with Marie, my hypnobirthing teacher because there was one day I just couldn’t stop crying and I was starting to feel my fear of another c-section was overwhelming everything else. The session helped immensely, so much so that I wasn’t even worried about the result of the next ultrasound.

Even though I wasn’t worried I was so happy when the doc said that the placenta had moved far enough to go ahead with the VBAC and that if there was any massive hemorrhaging, an emergency c-section could be done. Phew! 40 weeks came and went. Apparently if you have gestational diabetes and go to 40 weeks, they like to induce you, but if you are attempting a VBAC you should avoid induction because it increases the risk of rupture so they agreed to let me go beyond my estimated due date with careful monitoring. So I started going for non-stress tests and ultrasounds to check the baby’s condition and the levels of amniotic fluid. I had been having light contractions and had even gone into the hospital one night with what I thought might be heavy bleeding, but after a week past and then ten days, I gave up and resigned myself to being pregnant forever. It was Monday, November 14th and contractions had been light but regular on Sunday and I thought they’d pick up on Monday. They seemed to get stronger but less regular. That night, Rich went to bed and I was reading stories to Lydia and snuggling her to sleep. She was almost asleep when I heard or felt a pop and a lot of wet warmth like I had wet my pants or what the sometimes-large gushes of blood I had been having felt like. Since I was wearing these huge pads for the bleeding, Lydia’s bed didn’t get wet but I woke her as I tried to quietly but quickly get out of her bed. It was kind of hard when I was so huge! I got to the bathroom with gushes still coming, Lydia crying and I was calling for Rich to tell him I think my water broke. Lydia wouldn’t go back to sleep without me so I had Rich bring me another pad and I sat with her and held her hand until she fell asleep.

I came downstairs to find Rich in bed. I told him we had to go to the hospital now and he said “Are you sure? You’ve cried wolf before.” Instead of telling him he was no longer welcome at the birth of his daughter, which I was tempted to do, I told him I was sure with a dirty look. We were 10 days overdue! How long did he think this could go on! We got all the stuff together; I called Mum, Sherry (the doula, we decided she should get a few hours sleep and we’d call her from the hospital later) and the midwives. It was about 9:45 when my water broke and I think we got to the hospital between 10:30 and 11p.m. The contractions were definitely stronger than they had been but not horrible and they were about 5 minutes apart. We got to the hospital and it was a little hard walking in, I’d have to stop for contractions. We checked in and every time there was a contraction, more water came out, which I didn’t know would happen. I thought once it broke, that was it. We got in our room around midnight or 1 a.m. I think. Rivka wanted to wait in the waiting room the whole time. I had decided I didn’t want anyone except Rich, the midwife, the doula and the nurse there but she wanted to be at the hospital anyway. We had forgotten a few things like the tape machine, the Milano cookies for the one-day birthday (that’s what we did for Lydia’s one-day birthday) and the camera and the phone charger. She was going to come at 1 a.m. so I called her as soon as we got in the room to bring all the stuff we forgot.

We were in the same room we had been in the previous week when we came in when I was worried about bleeding. Rich put my pictures of Lydia and the rose she gave me up but we forgot to put the Hypnobirthing sign that Marie had given us on the door. The contractions remained about 5 minutes apart and Rich held my hand and talked me through them. I was only 3 cm and the midwife asked me if I wanted anything to help me sleep and I said no. Around 3 a.m. they started to get harder, I felt them in my lower back. They felt just like my period cramps, which at times in my life had seemed unbearable but at least it was a familiar sensation. I asked Rich to call Sherry and ask her to come in. I think I had started to get a little nervous but as soon as Sherry got there, I felt much better. Rich tried to sleep for a little bit. Sherry knew all the right things to say and knew exactly how to make my back feel bearable through contractions. Her hands were like magic and were so strong and supportive.

We took a little walk but I felt more comfortable in the room. It seemed like I had to stop walking every few steps for a contraction. The midwife wanted to give me some IV fluids to make sure I didn’t get dehydrated. I asked Sherry what she thought and she said it would help me to keep up my strength so I said ok. I was sure to drink lots of water after that. Sherry showed Rich where and how to apply pressure during contractions. I got the shivers a lot, which the nurses said was normal but they’d often go away if I put a blanket on or if Sherry helped me to relax. I felt like I had to be touching someone and having someone talk to me through contractions so Rich or Sherry would use the hypnobirthing affirmations.

Between contractions I would just close my eyes and relax. I can’t even say what I’d think about. I barely felt conscious, just deeply relaxed. I wasn’t actively thinking through my hypnobirthing exercises but it must have been working on a subconscious level (all those times I fell asleep to the Rainbow Relaxation tape maybe). I hadn’t slept since the previous morning but I felt ok since I was able to rest between each contraction. While Rich slept we tried a warm bath with hopes of a Jacuzzi but it was broken. I let them bring in the repairman while I was in the tub covered with a sheet and it worked for a while but while he was fixing stuff the power seemed to go out on the machines in the room. They said it was just a surge or something but Sherry didn’t like it and got us another room across the hall. It was bigger with a window so we were okay with that. Riv came in at some point when we were moving everything I think. Rich noticed that a Hypnobirthing sign was on the door. And we had forgotten to put ours up. Our nurse, Diana, who had attended several hypnobirths before put it up and Rich told me later that she was very proactive about making sure people were quiet and left us alone. She did such a good job that I didn’t even notice!

I felt like my eyes were closed the whole time and I never knew what time it was. Every time I heard someone mention the time I never tried to figure out how long we’d been at it; I just thought of something I read in the book Birthing From Within – “Labor has its own clock.” I remember Rich and Sherry switching off to get breakfast and Riv brought Rich coffee or something. The midwives changed shifts at 7 a.m. so April Ricotta was our midwife. We had seen her when we came in the previous week. April said we were doing great and referred to labor as “the silent marathon.” Sherry told me to do sounding through the contractions if it helped. That was what we had practiced in the Prenatal Yoga class I had taken when I was pregnant with Lydia. But I didn’t use the sounding from that class; instead I used “wwwaaahhh,” which was something from a prenatal yoga tape Riv had given me when I was pregnant with Lydia. “Wwwaaaaaahhh” was supposed to help you release any fears or anxieties you were holding inside.

Sherry suggested several different positions like sitting on the toilet, rocking on the birthing ball while leaning over the bed on pillows and switching sides. I think when we arrived I was at 3 cm and fully effaced and the next time they checked I think I was at 4 cm and then 6 cm but I guess it was taking a long time. Someone suggested trying a bath again so I could relax for what was still to come. It worked wonders. I could almost fall asleep between contractions and they slowed to much farther apart. First Rich poured water over my shoulders and then Riv had stopped by again so she took over so he could take a break and then he came back. I know he was getting tired and probably sore from the repetition of it but I didn’t really care at that point since it was working so well. I could think of the visualizations Marie told us about since I was so calm. I thought of my uterine muscles as blue satin ribbons pulling up and open and I thought about how strange it is that that muscle knows just what to do when we otherwise never use it. I don’t know how long I was in the bath but I think it was a long time.

When I got out Sherry had me sit in the glider and she sat on the birthing ball and pushed on my knees, as I’d rock, applying counter-pressure to my back. Rich would talk to me when a contraction came on. I was so relaxed - almost zoned out - as I focused on the sound of the squeaking ball as Sherry rocked with me. After each contraction which felt easier than all the rest and shorter, she would say “that one was really off the charts” and I would just think that was strange because it didn’t feel very strong. Riv took over for Sherry at some point but I was hardly noticing who was doing what. After awhile they decided to check me again since it was starting to get late. I think it was around 5 pm or something and if I hadn’t dilated much more they were going to have to consider the next course of action when we reached the 24 hours after my water broke mark. Luckily I was nearly fully dilated, just a little bit on either side, which April said would open soon enough. I had been having greatly increased rectal pressure and the urge to push. They asked my to try to go to the bathroom and said I could push a bit on the toilet. I didn’t like staying on the toilet for too long because it made me lose feeling in my legs but we did it through a few contractions and I would hold on to Rich’s belt loops through contractions.

Since I couldn’t labor on my knees because of my knee surgeries, we decided having me lie on my side would be best. I went back to the bed and continued to push and rest in between. They still came at about 5 minutes apart. I kept thinking of another thing
I read in Birthing From Within – “Labor is hard work, it hurts and you can do it.” Riv had come back and April, Rich or Sherry or all of them asked me if she could stay and I said ok since I didn’t care (because I was hardly aware of who was there). Now during each contraction I felt like I was being shocked with an electric current and was no longer in control of my actions. I don’t think I’d call it screaming, but with each one I would vocalize fiercely like an animal cry or a war cry. Rich said it was too bad Lydia wasn’t there so she could hear me when I was really mad and Riv said I sounded like I was going to sack a small village. I was quite surprised myself but I felt I could not stop or suppress it so I just went with it. April kept telling me my body was doing just what it was supposed to. She asked Rich if he wanted to help deliver the baby and he said he thought I needed him up with me. I knew he wouldn’t want to do it but I thought Riv would so I asked her if she wanted to and she said yes so she got suited up in scrubs. We decided she could cut the cord too.

After every push they’d say she was almost here and she wasn’t going back in, which is apparently what happens sometimes. April asked me if I wanted to feel her head and I said I don’t know but she took my hand and placed it on a fuzzy squishy thing which I didn’t think was really her head. She asked if I wanted a mirror to see what was going on and I said NO because I was afraid if I saw I’d lose my nerve and wouldn’t be able to finish the job. The urges kept coming and in between I’d rest and Rich would sponge my forehead and give me a drink. The yelling made my mouth dry and my throat hurt.

I felt like I was at the head of a sacred birth circle with the baby at the center. It was me, then Rich to my left (later on my right when I switched sides), then Sherry, Riv, April and Diana. I didn’t look at anyone much but I remember looking at Riv once and she looked very worried. Rich did great though and never looked worried which was good since I saw him the most. After a bit, they had me hold my leg up between contractions as well as during. Sherry and Riv helped a lot with this and Riv and April kept putting warm compresses on me to help prevent tearing. I often felt like everyone else was doing more work than I was or maybe that they had a choice about it and how amazing it was that they chose to do it. I worried a little that they might be getting bored or tired but then figured there wasn’t much more I could do about that.

At some point during the pushing stage the phone rang (we asked for no calls to the room in our birth plan). Sherry answered it and we were all curious as to who could be calling. I heard Sherry sounding confused and trying to explain that it wasn’t a good time. She asked me if I wanted to talk to Carol (Acquilano) and I said “no.” We later found out that Carol thought we already had the baby (she knew we went in the night before and didn’t think we’d still be at it) and was horrified to find out we were still in labor and felt awful about calling. Whenever Abigail sees her we tell her Carol was her first phone call.

After awhile they had me switch sides to open up the pelvis more and because my one leg was hurting so I moved to my right side. It was then that the nurse could see that my bladder was really full and sort of blocking the baby. April asked me to try to pee but I couldn’t so she asked me if she could put a catheter in to relieve the pressure. She seemed unsure if one would even fit but I said yes because I was worried about it keeping the baby from getting through or my bladder rupturing. Luckily it worked and from there I think things went along faster. Contractions seemed closer. Sherry held my left leg up to widen the pelvis and soon we entered the ‘ring of fire.’ I think during one of those last pushes April wanted me to hold back to prevent tearing but Sherry said she didn’t think I could and I did get some 1st degree tears that didn’t look that bad. After the head was through and Riv was about to catch her, they had me stop because the cord was wrapped loosely around her neck. I think that hurt the most because it felt much too wide and things (shoulders and elbows I presume) jabbing into me everywhere. She got the cord off and the rest of the baby came out on the next push. They put her right up on my chest and she was so beautiful and just looked at me all new and surprised. I kept touching her cute little nose, which would startle her, but I couldn’t seem to help it.

Riv cut the cord after it stopped pulsing and April repaired the tears. She kept telling me that this or that might hurt a little and I thought “how could it after what just happened and I don’t care anyway because I am madly in love right now.” And I just held tiny baby and felt elated. Eventually she was ready to nurse and she latched on pretty quickly. Mum was there as soon as she was born. At some point Riv had run out and called them to come. She must have done it before the pushing started, which lasted, I was told afterwards, for two hours. Abigail was born at 7:23pm on Tuesday, November 15, 2005. I got to hold her a long time before they weighed her in at 8 lbs 13 oz (after her first meal) and measured her at 21 in. After she was cleaned up, Lydia was brought in to meet her baby sister, who had brought her presents, which Lydia was much more interested in at the time but she did hold Tiny Baby (what Lydia called her all through pregnancy) with Daddy and has since defined herself as “Tiny Baby’s big sister!”

There was never a time that I wanted drugs or thought I couldn’t do it. I was just so glad that we got to try and that she was finally coming. Rich commented afterward that we got almost everything that we wanted in our birth plan (except the phone call!). I think I would have felt much more nervous if Sherry wasn’t there and April was so reassuring at the end. Rich was also much braver than I thought he would be and I think having Sherry there helped him in that regard. We let Sherry take digital pictures but I’ve only seen a few and probably won’t look at the rest for a long time. There was one that she took right after Abigail was in my arms and Rich is looking down at her that expresses perfectly how we felt and I am very happy that we have a picture of that moment forever.

Birth story here and birth story here post #55

Acacia Lily's Birth Story
 

It's a long story, but it was a long labor!...

On Tuesday evening, April 11th, I was eight days “overdue”. I had an appointment with my midwife scheduled for Wednesday evening, at which point we’d be discussing making an appointment with our unofficial back-up doctor for a non-stress test on the following Monday, if the baby had still not come. I decided to attend my La Leche League meeting, rather than sit at home waiting for something to happen. On my way home, I thought about how “normal” I felt, and wondered if this baby would ever come. I went to bed at around 10pm.
I awoke at about 1am. “Was that a contraction?” I thought to myself. It certainly felt like one. No matter. It was the middle of the night and I certainly needed my sleep. Asher (my 2 year old) woke up at about 1:30 and asked to nurse. As I nursed him back to sleep, I felt my contractions getting stronger, although they were only about 15 minutes apart and maybe 30 seconds long. Nonetheless, I started to get excited about the prospect of this actually being “the real thing”. I tried to sleep on and off over the next couple of hours, but couldn’t get my brain to shut down. I was feeling hungry, so, at about 3:30, I decided that if I couldn’t sleep, I had better go downstairs and eat something. Two slices of peanut butter toast and a glass of orange juice later, my contractions had stopped. A little discouraged, I went back to bed and slept until morning.
On Wednesday, I went about my morning as usual. Every once in a while, I’d feel a contraction or two, but they were not regular at all. I had an appointment with my chiropractor at 11am. He was quite behind, so I didn’t end up seeing him until closer to noon. On my way home, at about 12:15pm, my contractions started up again. Asher was so tired from having waited at the chiropractor’s office for so long that he went down for his nap without eating any lunch. I sat down to a light lunch by myself and started timing contractions. They were about 10 minutes apart and averaged 45 seconds long for the next several hours. When Asher woke up at 2:45pm, I realized that I was going to have a hard time keeping up with him by myself. Thankfully, my husband, Chris, would be done with work in about 15 minutes. At exactly 3:01pm, I called his cell phone and told him to come home as soon as he could. He was a bit bewildered that I had waited to call him until after he was done with work, and that I had not yet called Ginnie, our midwife. He asked me to call her before he arrived home. He also reminded me to call my mom, as she would be caring for Asher for us during the birth. She was still at work, but would be able to leave at 3:30. I said that would be fine, and that she was free to go home and change before coming to get him. There was no rush.
I called Ginnie as soon as I had seated Asher at the table with his late lunch. I could not believe I was actually saying this, but I told her “I think this is it”. She asked me for some details, and then told me that it sounded like things were still pretty early. She would cancel our appointment for that evening, and call me in a couple hours, unless I called her first.
The next hours were a bit of a blur. I was quite excited, but still not completely convinced that this was real labor. My mom came to pick up Asher, and then I did my best to relax while also keeping up normal activity. Ginnie called at around 5pm, and asked for an update. Things were pretty much the same, so I doubted that she needed to come. Chris answered the phone, though, and told her that I was not sure whether or not this was really “it”, so maybe she should come so we would know for sure. She was already halfway to town anyway, so she decided to pay us a visit.
Ginnie arrived at our house somewhere between 5:30 and 6pm. My contractions slowed down quite a bit while she was there. We decided that she should check me, and I was only about 1cm dilated, but about 80% effaced. I felt embarrassed, but she was glad she had come. I had been “gearing up” to have a baby that night. I needed to start “gearing down”, because that was unlikely to happen. She instructed me to eat a good dinner, take a bubble bath, and get a good night’s sleep. We should leave Asher with my folks until it was just about his bedtime, so that he would be tired enough to go to sleep right away when he came home.
She also thought I should know that she did have another woman overdue at the same time as me. She did not say it to scare me, but only to prepare me for the possibility that Pam, her assistant, would not be with us. Since I was a VBAC, and this other woman was a grand-multipara (expecting her tenth baby), Ginnie would be with me if we went into labor at the same time.
During the night, contractions woke me up 2-3 times per hour, but I otherwise managed to sleep well. Thankfully, Asher slept well, too, and only woke up to nurse once or twice. It was now Thursday morning, and Chris took the day off of work to stay with me and help me take care of Asher. During the morning, they seemed to be forming a pattern again, and they were really starting to hurt. Then they slowed down for a while again. It was pretty much a start-stop pattern all day, and I was growing quite discouraged. I called Ginnie, and she suggested some fresh air and a walk, so we took Asher to the park. I labored on a park bench for about an hour while Chris chased him around the playground. As we walked home, I wondered how much longer I would have to wait. I told Chris that at least I had given this baby time to come on his or her own. Even if we ended up in the hospital with another c-section, I knew our baby was ready to be born.
I tried to go about my day as usual, but I wasn’t doing a very good job of it. Asher seemed disturbed by seeing mommy in labor, and responded by asking to nurse more often. Nursing was very uncomfortable for me, and I would often get a very strong contraction which necessitated me putting him down, which only upset him more. I called Ginnie again sometime early in the afternoon to ask for some advice as to how to cope with the pain. We came to the conclusion that even though Chris was home, having Asher around was making it difficult for me relax and surrender to my labor. My mom came to get him right after she was done with work at 3:30pm. Chris made me some whole-wheat toast, and I retired to bed to try to get some sleep and listen to the CD of labor music I had made for myself. Chris sat with me for about an hour and started timing contractions again (we hadn’t timed them all day long). They were about 10 minutes apart and a minute long.
Almost as soon as we were done with our hour of timing, contractions completely stopped. Ginnie called soon thereafter (around 5pm, I think). She said, “Maybe this is the Lord’s way of giving you some rest.” I was feeling quite discouraged, but decided to trust that this was true. “Okay,” I said, “That’s the way I will choose to take this.” She responded, “That’s the way you have to take this. Everything happens for a reason.” What she didn’t tell me at the time was that, as we spoke, she was on her way to this other woman’s house, whom had just gone into active labor. God was clearly at work, just at the point when I felt like He wasn’t answering my prayers. I was tired, and I was starting to worry that my labor would never progress and that I would end up in the hospital with another c-section. I decided to send out an email, asking my friends and family who supported my desire to have this baby at home to pray for me.
Sometime around 6pm, Chris decided that, since nothing was happening at the moment, that he would get out of the house for a bit and pick up something to eat. I really wasn’t hungry, but he definitely was! As he was leaving, I got into the bathtub again, and called my best friend in Indiana. She had tried calling earlier in the day, at a time when I was definitely not up for talking. She asked me how things were going, and I told her the whole story. I asked her to pray that I would have my baby very soon. We hung up, and I sunk back into the tub and managed to get myself into a very relaxed state. I soon started to have regular contractions again.
Chris came home at around 7:15pm. I was feeling a bit light-headed, so I asked him to come upstairs and help me out of the tub. Upon getting out of the tub, I immediately lunged for the toilet and vomited. I now knew I was “really” in labor, since I had vomited through my entire labor with Asher. Chris ran downstairs to put his dinner (still uneaten) in the refrigerator and ran back up to be with me. Ginnie called, and Chris answered the phone. “Well, she’s vomiting right now,” I heard him say. She then told him how this other women had gone into active labor right when mine had stopped, and that she had just given birth to her baby. She was sending Pam over to our house right away, and she would be coming herself as soon as she could. I was quite excited to be having regular contractions that seemed to be making progress. I slipped into a favorite nightgown, sat on my birth ball and leaned over the bathroom counter. Chris rubbed my back, and I sipped Gatorade between contractions. Now, THIS was really “it”!

Pam arrived at 8pm, and not a minute too soon. I was starting to feel like I needed some help. She was so good! She knew exactly how to help me breathe and relax through the contractions. I kept thinking, “if only my nurse at the hospital knew what she knows, I wouldn’t have needed the Nubaine”. Pam suggested that I go downstairs and eat something, since I hadn’t eaten much all day. We went downstairs and Chris opened a can of peaches (the only thing I could think of in my kitchen that wouldn’t just immediately bounce). My contractions were getting stronger, so I didn’t eat much before I felt like I needed to lie down again. Pam and Chris helped me upstairs, and Pam decided to check me so she could call Ginnie and give her an idea of where we were at. I was three centimeters and almost completely effaced. I was thrilled to be actually getting somewhere! Pam also checked the baby’s position and determined that she was starting to turn posterior (just as Asher had done during my labor with him), so she had me lay on my left side with my right leg crossed over, and she and Chris applied counter-pressure to my lower back. Eventually, she had me turn over to my right side, so that my cervix would dilate evenly.
It wasn’t long before I started feeling very sick again, and soon I was vomiting like crazy. The pain of the contractions was also starting to scare me. I was shaking, and feeling very hot. Fortunately, because I was home with people I trusted, I was able to vocalize and deal with my fear. Ginnie called to say that she was now able to leave her other mother and come to us. Pam told Ginnie that I was showing signs of transition. That was so good to hear! Could the end really be in sight? I sucked on ice chips between contractions to stay hydrated, and did my best to stay relaxed despite the shaking.
Ginnie arrived at around 2am. It was hard to believe that so much time had past. We were all quite exhausted from all this hard work. I was still very nauseous and vomiting frequently. I needed to empty my bladder, so everyone helped me get out of bed and walk to the bathroom…fortunately it’s just across the hallway! I felt very weak and light-headed upon getting up from the toilet, and started retching like crazy over the sink. Ginnie handed me some Pulsatilla to dissolve under my tongue, and then we headed back to bed.
We decided to do another vaginal exam at around 2:15am, because all other signs pointed toward pushing very soon. I was only 4.5 centimeters. My heart sank. It had taken my seven hours to dilate one and a half centimeters, and I didn’t know how much more I could take. Ginnie sent Pam and Chris downstairs to get some sleep. I didn’t want them to leave, but they were so tired from constantly rubbing my back. I lied down on my left side again, and did my best to take one contraction at a time.
My freezer was now completely out of ice, so we relied on an energy drink that Ginnie mixed with water. She had me take tiny sips to avoid nausea. As much as I didn’t like having Chris and Pam leave at first, Ginnie was very good at calming me down. I got very relaxed between contractions and even started to fall asleep. There was a loud and wonderful thunderstorm going on outside, which also helped me to relax. When I started to get scared again, she talked me through my fears. The pain from my back was now radiating down my thighs instead. This was a good thing, she told me. She kept saying, “You’re handling this perfectly.” “Perfectly?”, I thought, “I’m falling apart!” My thoughts started turning negative. Surely, I will never have another baby. I won’t do this ever again! During one particularly strong contraction, I started to panic. Ginnie very patiently talked me back down to a normal breathing pattern. When it was over I told her, “I don’t know how much longer I can do this.” She reassured me that I was doing great. I calmed down and relaxed through several more contractions.
At the end of the next contraction, I felt something different that sent me into a panic again. I didn’t realize that the feeling I felt was the urge to push! More specifically, my uterus was pushing without me having much to say about it. Fortunately, Ginnie knew exactly what was going on. She checked me again…just a tiny lip of cervix. She had me turn on my right side and called for Pam to wake Chris up. It was 3:15am. I had gone from 4.5cm to complete in only an hour! Another contraction came and my body pushed instinctively again. I thought, “Oh my word! I’m wetting the bed!” only to quickly realize that my water had broken. Where was Chris? I blurted out, “I’m scared!” again. No, Ginnie assured me, there was no need to be scared. Say, “Thank-you, Lord!” So I did, and it became my mantra throughout second stage.
Chris finally showed up after what seemed like forever (I’m sure it was only a minute or two) and joined me on the bed. He and Ginnie helped me into a semi-sit position and propped me up with pillows. I needed a little coaching on effective pushing…I had never done this before! Sure, I tried to push with Asher, but he was posterior and stuck, and I was lying flat on my back, so he didn’t budge. This baby was on the move, though! It felt so good to be pushing her out. After only a couple pushes, Pam and Ginnie said that I would be holding my baby very soon. I thought, “Gee, that’s really sweet, but statistically speaking, first time through takes a good hour or two, and it has only been a few minutes”. I came to the conclusion that my brain was in some sort of a time warp and it probably had, indeed, been closer to a couple hours since I started pushing.
Pam held up the mirror and showed me that my bag of waters was still partially intact and over my baby’s head. She was crowning! In just a few more contractions, she was out. I had only pushed for fifteen minutes! I didn’t tear, either…just a little “skid mark”. I couldn’t believe that I had really done it! She was tiny and beautiful, with eyes wide open looking at me. At first, I thought she was a boy because her cord was between her legs, but I was told I should look again. “It’s a girl!” I exclaimed. Ginnie placed her on my chest and she nursed almost immediately. It took her a minute or two to “pink up”, so we thought we might have to take her to the hospital, but we rubbed her body with warm blankets and soon she was bright pink and hollering at us! What a beautiful sound! When the cord stopped pulsating, Chris cut it.
Within minutes, Chris’s mom, who lives in the other half of our townhouse, came to our door. Apparently, she had gotten up in the middle of the night and heard everything through the bathroom wall! She was completely ecstatic and gushing praise at my midwives. My mother-in-law, who had all of her babies by c-section and who had been concerned about me wanting a VBAC, declared that we had converted her. (She now tells her nurse-friends at the hospital where she works [the same hospital where I had my section] about how her granddaughter was born at home.)
So, Acacia Lily came to us at 3:30am Good Friday morning, April 14, 2006. After an hour or so we weighed and measured her. She was 6lbs, 6oz, and 19.75 inches long. (She was between 7 and 21 days “late” depending upon which method of calculation you rely on. If I had gone in to the hospital for the obligatory repeat c-section on my due date, she would have been quite tiny indeed, and probably would have spent the first few days of her life outside the womb in the NICU.) Third stage was a completely uneventful half hour. I paid very little attention to anything but my baby and felt almost no pain. We examined the placenta and there was only a tiny spot of calcification. Part of my bag of waters was still intact and attached to the placenta…Pam had cut it away with a scissors to get it away from Acacia’s face as she came out. They told me that this was unusual and could be attributed to good diet. I felt proud of how well I had fed my little girl en utero.
I called my parents to let them know that they had a granddaughter (and to check on my little boy, who had never spent the night away from me before). Then, Ginnie asked Chris to lead a prayer of blessing over our new baby. It was such a wonderful moment for our family. Everyone helped to clean up and I changed my clothes. Then, with the sun slowly starting to rise, and the birds singing in the trees outside our window, we laid down to sleep with our beautiful baby girl between us.

Blessings,

Tiana

It's long!

Thursday March 30, 2006 I walked Ian to school and then decided to walk to the grocery store and Starbuck's since Esteban kept telling me to walk. It's almost a mile there, so it was a good, long walk. I was also pushing Luisa in her stroller – I was so tired and sore by the time we got home! I was lucky too that it didn't start raining until just as we got to the house! After I got home, I sat down and checked my email and boards – I was having some “twinges”every so often that I finally concluded were contractions. The contractions continued sporadically the rest of the day – Esteban hoped I could sleep that night so I would be rested in case labor was close. Unfortunately, I didn't sleep much at all. The contractions continued all night every 20-30 minutes and hurt just enough to keep me awake. The next morning, we decided we should let our mom's know that it looked like labor was here and wasn't going away. After Esteban talked to them, he called C and let her know what was going on since she had to drive two hours to get to our house. It's a good thing he called when he did because she was just getting ready to go to another client's house who was two weeks past due to get her started with some herbal things to encourage her to go into labor. She said she'd be on the road within the hour. Not too long after he spoke to her, I noticed that the contractions had pretty much stopped! I was so mad – I had intentionally waited to call everyone until I was sure I was in labor and since I had been having contractions for 24 hours, I was sure it wasn't going to stop. I even took a warm bath in the middle of the night that hadn't stopped them. I asked Esteban to call C to let her know. She was on the road already and said that if she didn't come, she would probably be at another birth and it was possible that she wouldn't make back here if labor started again. She said if she came, she couldn't stay for days, that we would need to get things going. I didn't want to do anything drastic, but I knew that if she wasn't here for the birth, that I might as well just go to the hospital and tell them I wanted a c-section. Esteban told her to come and in the meantime I would rest as much as possible so I wouldn't be completely wiped out. I was able to sleep about four hours and when I up, both our moms were at the house and C and De had been here and had gone to the mall. I got up and ate some food and when Esteban was getting ready to call C, she knocked on the door. We went back to my room and she checked me – I was 5-6 centimeters dilated and Fiona seemed to be posterior. I was having some contractions again, but they were sporadic and not particularly strong. We discussed what we wanted to do. C wanted me to get on my hands and knees and put ice on my low back to get Fiona to turn – which I did for quite some time. After I was done with the ice, I drank some tea with herbs and then it was time for a long walk. I drank the tea and then Esteban, Christopher and I went for a nice long walk. While we were gone, C got a call from yet another client that told her that her baby had dropped and she was expecting labor to start at any time. This caused a lot of added stress because this client is a good friend of hers and she had committed to being there for her. As far as I knew, she had committed to me too, but I guess it wasn't quite the same. C was now a bit more stressed out than before! I had one contraction the whole time we were gone, but I think Fiona may have dropped a bit farther into my pelvis. After talking to C and feeling pretty discouraged, I drank some more tea and ate some tortillas – I wanted to eat, but nothing too heavy. I then went back to our room and stayed there – I used the breast pump for two 15 minute sessions and started having contractions again. It was late at this point, everyone was going to sleep, but I was getting scared and worried that C would leave. Before we went to bed, C came back and checked Fiona's heart tones – she sounded good, but was still not in the ideal position. C said I should lay on my left side if when I laid down with a pillow between my knees in hopes that Fiona would turn and stay that way. My contractions were coming every 6-10 minutes and continued all night long. I couldn't lay down because it was too uncomfortable so I would lean to the left on a pile of pillows and each time a contraction hit, I had to stand up and lean against the crib and rock my hips side to side. After the contractions was over, I felt like I had to pee – so after each one, I went to the bathroom and peed a tiny bit (I did the same thing in Luisa's labor) I also decided to drink water after each trip to the bathroom so I would stay hydrated. Esteban stayed up with me for most of the night – he would rub my back and encouraged me to keep up the good work when I would tell him that I felt like I should just go to the hospital and get it over with. I was so scared that it was doing to go on and on and nothing would happen. I know that if I went to the hospital, I would be treated badly for trying to VBAC at home and then when they found out about my borderline diabetes and chronic hypertension, I'm sure they would have a fit – I ran scenarios over in my head about what would happen - I worried that they would call CPS and make life miserable for us! I was so tired – the contractions were painful and I was only getting a tiny bit of rest between each contraction. I was feeling a bit abandoned by C because I was laboring but I didn't feel like she believed it – with Luisa, she checked her heart tones often and so far she had only checked Fiona's two or three times. I know the labors were different since my water broke before any contractions with Luisa and she had to keep a closer watch on her, but I was feeling pretty alone in this labor. In the morning when it was light (the time change happened overnight, so we were ahead an hour) I had contraction, and had some fluid come out afterwards – I said “my water just broke” and Esteban woke up immediately. There wasn't a lot of fluid, but I knew it was my membranes that had ruptured. I was so happy that it hadn't ruptured before labor started like with Christopher and Luisa, because ruptured membraned doesn't equal contractions for me! I went and stood in the shower while Esteban went and got C. She checked my cervix and I was a 9 with an anterior lip. She wanted me to lay on my side for awhile to try to get the lip to disappear which I did for several contractions, and then she had me get on my hands and knees with the ice on my back again for at least 15 minutes since Fiona still wasn't in the perfect position. For some reason, the ice really bothered me this time - it was colder and it hurt. I managed to keep it there for about 30 minutes before I ditched it. While I was doing this and timing contractions on the computer, Esteban was getting the tub ready – the heating blanket that was under the plastic had turned off over night so the water wasn't very warm – he had to siphon a bunch out and put more hot water in so it took awhile. I was drinking Glucerna( like Ensure but for diabetics) and Recharge(natural electrolyte drink similar to Gatorade) to give me some energy since I hadn't eaten much The last few contractions I had before getting into the tub were pretty spaced out and not very long – I guess if they stopped when I got in the tub, I would have to get out again and resort to the breast pump again. Before I got in the tub, C gave me a shot of B12 – she was hoping it would give me some energy to get through the last stages of labor. I came out to the living room – everything was covered in plastic and ready for the birth! I climbed into the tub and within a minute or two, I felt like pushing! It was crazy! It was like as soon as I hit the water, my body sprang into action and decided it was time to get serious! I was wondering if C had spiked the B12 with pitocin since it was so powerful all of a sudden! I didn't even have time to float and relax in the warm water for any amount of time like with Luisa's labor – I didn't even have time to find a good position to be in so I was kind of sideways and holding onto the side during these powerful contractions. With my third contraction, I remember feeling the “burn” and I grunted out that I was pushing - it was so intense nothing that I had any control over at all. About that time, the amniotic sac really burst and I remember seeing a bunch of mucous fly out into the tub. I had to push – I wanted to get her out! The contraction subsided and I was able to rest for a minute or two before the next one hit – Esteban was on the outside of the tub beside me and was supporting my perinium. C told me to get into a squat during me next contraction – so I did – it was hard changing position but I somehow managed to do it! C checked the heart tones which I guess were fine since she didn't say anything different. I remember C asking Esteban if the chin was out and then I was pushing again. Fiona's head had been out for a minute or two so on the next contraction, C got into the tub with me and while I was pushing, she tried to free Fiona's should which was obviously stuck and not allowing her to come out. She didn't have any luck, so she said I had to get out of the tub and get on my back. She told D (her assistant) that they had to do McRoberts ( a maneuver to free shoulder dystocias) immediately. I stood up, climbed over the side and laid down on the pad we had on the floor just in case I needed to give birth outside the tub. As soon as I laid down, C called D over to apply fundal pressure while she rotated Fiona. As soon as she did that, Fiona came flying out – what a relief! It was 10:19 AM on April 1, 2006. They put Fiona on my belly and covered her with a blanket and put a hat on her. She let out a cry and I heard C say how pink she was. At some point, I remember C saying she was indeed a girl – I hadn't even thought to look or feel – I was just so relieved that she was out and that the intense pressure and pain were gone. Esteban later said he had looked because he was checking to see if she had all her fingers toes! Fiona just laid on my chest with her arms outstretched – her hands were so white and wrinkled and they looked so big! At some point, she started sucking her thumb – which was about the cutest thing I've ever seen! She was kind of mucousy sounding like she had a bad cold, so I asked C about it – she had Esteban suction her a bit to get rid of it and it seemed to help a bit. The mucous was clear which was good because she did pass a fair amount of meconium on her way out, but it was behind her, so she didn't inhale any of it. As we were all chatting, I could feel a lot of gushing fluid – apparently, I was bleeding quite a bit. I was given methargine and chlorophyll to stop the bleeing. It would stop and then start again. Once the cord stopped pulsing, Esteban cut the cord. Soon afterwards, I felt a contraction and told C. She had me give a push and I felt the placenta come out. There were lots of blood clots that came out with the placenta – she thought at first that it was an extra lobe, but it was just lots and lots of clots. After the placenta was out, the bleeding slowed down quite a bit. They got everything cleaned up and asked me if I felt like I could walk to my room. I felt like I could so they helped me up and I slowly walked to my room. C was concerned that I would pass out once I stood up since I lost a fair amount of blood, but I did okay. I got back to my room and changed into a clean nightgown and laid down on the bed. Fiona was munching on her hands a lot, so she was obviously hungry! I got myself all ready and was ready to nurse – she latched right on, she knew exactly what to do. After she nursed for awhile, they did the newborn exam. She was 9 pounds 10 ounces (my biggest one yet) had a 13 ¾ inch head and was 21 inches long. To me she looked tiny, but I guess I am used to bigger babies. She was perfect in every way. She hardly had any hair – none of my babies had much hair, but they usually have more than Fiona – her hair was dark and very short, but so soft! We got her diapered and dressed and then if was my turn to get checked out. I was still gushing every so often so I was given more methargine and chlorophyll. C checked me out and I had a small tear that she said she could either stitch or leave alone – I opted for the stitches so everything would come together evenly. It's amazing to me that I only tore a bit with both Luisa and Fiona – I felt like I was pushing so hard! When I had my two hospital births, I was cut on purpose – huge, ugly episiotomies because without even asking me. I have lots of scar tissue which was expected to tear a lot, but it didn't either time. Just two stitches in each home birth – with bigger babies! Christopher was 15 ounces lighter than Fiona and the doctor had such a hard time getting him out.




After we were taken care of, we took some pictures, I was given some herbs to take and some more methargine just in case I started bleeding again. I took a look at the placenta – there were two holes in the membrane – one was small and up high – and the other was quite big and down low. When I felt my water break in the morning, it was a small break I guess that didn't do much. There were also some hematomas between the two layers of membrane which C said were unusual and two spots near the cord on the placenta that were clear and apparently made out of the stuff that the cord casing is made of – again a bit unusual. Besides those things, the placenta was healthy looking and intact. C told me to take it really easy and to not shower alone the first time just in case I passed out. She and D packed up and took off a couple hours after the birth. It was so nice having another home birth. I am so glad things worked out for us and that I didn't wimp out and go to the hospital! I cannot imagine how it would have turned out if I went and had a c-section! Things at home were so peaceful and calm. I could get up and go to the bathroom whenever I wanted, I didn't have to be separated from Fiona and I didn't have anyone bothering me to check my vitals every hour! I felt good – never felt lightheaded or like passing out. I had no problems getting up to go pee. Esteban stayed up with Fiona the first night – she actually slept most of the night, but she was still a bit mucousy and he wanted to keep an eye on her.

sorry its so long...

I have given birth to three wonderful boys. The first two came into this world by cesarean section (c-section). After fighting the medical establishment, my third son came into this world naturally. Each of my son’s birthdays was unique in its own way and together they were the most memorable days of my life. Each day brought forth the hopes and dreams I had for each of my sons. The individual births of my sons can not be compared from an emotional perspective…each was incredible in its own way. The birthing experiences, however, can be compared from a medical perspective and can be compared based upon the quality of experience of both myself and my babies.

My first two sons were born via c-section for basically the same medical reasons. With my first, I went into labor on a Sunday. When I say that I went into labor, I am referring to mild contractions which began on a Sunday afternoon. I could talk and laugh through these contractions and they did not become intense until some time Monday. However, being a first time mom, my husband and I drove to the hospital as soon as the mild contractions began. I had no birthing experience, so it was unknown whether I would have a very fast or very slow birth. We went to the hospital late Sunday night and were sent home because my contractions were not close enough. We spent Sunday night at my mother-in-law’s home and went back to the hospital Tuesday morning after being up all night long with contractions because I felt too uncomfortable being at home. My husband and I had taken Lamaze childbirth classes, and that is what we were told to do. We had all the devices at the hospital (music, stuffed animals, etc.) in order to do our “breathing” exercises. I was placed in a room and only allowed 2 visitors at a time. My best friend was there with me and she, my husband and my mother in law traded places throughout my labor. Eventually, the doctor came in and told me that my labor was not progressing and that we were looking at a c-section if things didn’t move along quickly. This was about 30 hours after my labor began. I was offered pain medication often by the medical personnel. Not knowing the repercussions, I consented to Demerol for the pain, which caused my contractions to cease entirely. Predictably, I was soon thereafter given an epidural and rushed in for an “emergency c-section” because my labor was not progressing and the baby was “in distress”. My beautiful first son was born later that day. After waking, I was taken to my hospital room where I asked for my son repeatedly. Because I was shaking (I later learned that this was probably from the epidural) they would not allow me to hold my baby until I became very upset and demanded they bring him to me. Once he was with me, I rarely allowed him to be out of my sight; however it was very difficult go convince the hospital administration that it was in my child’s best interest to stay in my hospital room and exclusively breastfeed. The natural, peaceful birth I had attempted was never achieved. Bonding with my son was constantly interrupted by nurses and doctors whose hospital procedures were contrary to how I wanted my son treated his first few days on earth.

My second son’s birth was very similar, except the doctors did not wait until I had been in labor for 30 hours to make the diagnosis of “emergency c-section” due to failure to progress and fetal distress. I experienced similar difficulties with my second son as with my first when attempting to keep my son in the room with me and breastfeed exclusively.

When I got pregnant with my third son, I was told that there was no option to a c-section and it was recommended that I schedule one when the time neared. I did not know the exact date of my conception, since I have a very irregular cycle and was not attempting to get pregnant at the time. It was estimated that I was approximately 9 weeks pregnant at my first ultrasound and was given a Dec. 28 expected due date. I accepted the scheduled surgery and was resigned to the procedure. However, during the summer of that year I began visiting a natural mothering website for information on how to cloth diaper. During my visits there, I noticed there were many women who did not believe the current c-section rate in the U.S. was medically justified. I began researching the issue, which led to conversations with my obstetrician. When I approached the issue of being allowed to go into labor for the benefit of the baby and me, he became very defensive and stated many reasons why I should schedule the c-section and not attempt a “trial of labor”. I soon became suspicious that my doctor’s primary concern was not me and my baby when he listed his availability on the day of my labor as a justification for scheduling a c-section. I also began to have problems with pain in my lower abdominal ligaments which resulted in the doctor suggesting that we schedule the c-section for early December since I was in so much pain. My questions regarding the chance to have a vaginal delivery after my 2 c-sections (a VBAC) was met with the statement “you won’t find a doctor in this country that will allow you to have a VBAC”. These events led me to contact a local midwife and change my medical care provider when I was about 32 weeks pregnant.

I knew the path we were going to take when I first met my mid-wife. I was too nervous to have a homebirth and didn’t want a hospital birth, since I had read that many attempted VBACs in hospitals end up as c-sections. My mid-wife owned a birthing center and it was the perfect solution for us. I was very nervous in the beginning. Putting my trust in a mid-wife instead of a medical doctor was not something I had ever done before. The more I read the more I trusted in my body and in its ability to know what to do. I knew this was my last baby and had always desired a natural childbirth. This was the last time I was going to have a chance for that dream to come true.

Early December came and went. I had constant contractions and believed the entire month of December that I would go into labor any day. If I had scheduled my c-section, my baby would have been born the first week of December. This pregnancy was very uncomfortable and I became very impatient. I wanted so much to meet my son. I really didn’t want a Christmas baby. I was so nervous when Christmas came and went and there was no baby. I began to doubt my body was ever going to go into labor. I kept thinking that if I had trusted my OB, I would have been holding a 3 week old baby on Christmas Day!

December slipped by slowly and finally on Saturday, December 31, labor contractions became sufficient enough that my mid-wife told me to come to the birthing center. My contractions had been consistently within 10 minutes of each other since 6am that morning. I waited until around noon to go to the birth center, knowing that my labors were usually long but hoping that we could get through this labor quickly. When I arrived at the birthing center, we spent an hour or so setting up everything. I had index cards with inspirational quotes for my husband to read to me. I had posters with my two sons to place in the room for inspiration. I had food and drinks. Yes, midwives allow you to drink or eat anything during labor, which helped me to maintain my strength and kept me hydrated. I made several phone calls and had to breath through contractions all through Saturday, but things did not progress very rapidly. I actually ate dinner on Saturday evening with my husband and mid-wife. My mid-wife was wonderfully patient and came into the birthing room often to check on us but mostly remained in the background and allowed my labor to progress naturally and without interference. It was an amazing experience. Finally, the contractions began getting more and more intense and I lost the ability to joke around very much. However the contractions did not become shorter in length or longer in duration. I was very worried about this but my mid-wife and husband were very supportive. I knew around midnight on Saturday night that both my mid-wife and husband were very tired. Another mid-wife was called to assist around 5 am on Sunday morning. My contractions were very intense at this point. My midwife and husband then took a nap for a few hours while the new midwife helped me. I was attempting to birth in the birthing tub, but the water seemed to slow my contractions. I would be in the tub with very little pain and no progress or out of tub and into the shower or in the bathroom with painful contractions. Of course, I chose the tub more often than not! Around 7 am, while in the tub, I felt my water breaking! I had never experienced that before. It was an incredible experience and I knew I would deliver my baby shortly thereafter. Of course, he wasn’t quite ready to enter the world yet, so it was several more hours of contractions before Ethan Benjamin Joseph arrived at 4:05pm. The experience of actually birthing a baby was everything that I ever dreamed of. It was the most incredible experience I have ever had. The expression on his face was one of extreme alertness. Both of my other boys had been a bit groggy when born due to the epidural that I had received. Ethan was very inquisitive right away. My midwife handed Ethan to me immediately and waited for the umbilical cord to cease pulsating before asking my husband to cut it. In the hospital, all that had been done by the doctors. In this birthing center, we were in control of the birth of our son. He was in my arms immediately without any intervention. His cord was cut calmly. There were no bright lights, no unnecessary noises or medical equipment, and no sense of urgency.

When I finally moved from the birthing stool I had delivered Ethan on to the bed, he nursed. He weighed in later at 8 lbs and 4 ounces, approximately 8 ounces smaller than my other 2 boys. The midwife gave us a few minutes alone to cherish our new joy and quietly and gently performed the APGAR test. Since we wanted Ethan’s birth to be as peaceful as possible, we chose not to have any further medical procedures done at that time, so he was left to coo and nurse without any injections or pricks of the heel for blood tests. His eyes were very open, alert and inquisitive. He was placed by my side and I as I felt entirely exhausted after all that had happened in the last 30 plus hours, I just could not get over how much better I felt after this birth than I had with my last 2 births. I felt absolutely no pain from the birth (I had a memory of the pain of birthing, but I had no pain from a c-section as I did previously). I did not feel sleepy at all. I felt elated at the joy of my son’s birth and very thankful for my midwife and her willingness to take a chance on me and my baby knowing what to do when the time came.

Phoenix Ocean's HBAC
 

I wrote this a few weeks after he was born... wish I would have done it right away.
Phoenix will be a year next month and I'm 12 weeks pregnant with #3!!!

"I’ve been trying to write this for weeks. The task is very daunting, its hard to remember all the events, especially the timing of everything. There are some things I remember perfectly and others seem like a blur.


Around 2pm on Tuesday I was at my mothers and was starving. We decided to make smoothies and sandwiches. After I ate I felt so sick, I tried laying down but kept feeling like I was going to throw up. During this time I was having contractions about 10 minutes apart but didn’t think much of it as I had been having them for over a week by this point.

I felt so gross, very nauseas and decided to go home and get in the shower. I left Logan with Mom so I could rest. I was beginning to feel worse so I called Ed and told him I needed him. He came home by now it was almost 4 and I was still having contractions but wasn’t convinced yet. About 5/6pm they started getting closer like 5 to 6 minutes apart so Ed called Robin just to let her know we thought this was it.

My mom came over a while later and they were very regular and getting stronger. We labored a while with candles and my Dad and brothers stopped by, it was very imitate.

About 11pm I asked Ed to call Jeni (friend and doula) just for some support. Robin (midwife) got here just before midnight on Tuesday May 17th. There was a misunderstanding as I wasn’t quite ready for her to come. Jeni was here a few minutes later after getting lost! As this stage the contractions were still bearable and I was able to just hang out and breath and sway through them, with Ed’s help. Shortly after this Ed began to feel very sick and headed for the bath room. Robin had a cold and wasn’t feeling well either so she went to lie down since we didn’t need her.

Jeni was awesome, I remember going for a walk around 2am outside just with her, she was so supportive telling me how she knew I could do this and we talked about how people were doubting me having a homebirth. After we went back in I labored for a while in and out of the shower and tub. Ed was still sick and throwing up in the bathroom. Not long after I got in the tub and was laboring there for a while. I began to shake and get very annoyed, both signs of transition. But things didn’t seem like they were progressing. I started believing that I would have the baby by 8am.

Sometime in the early morning Jeni and Robin went outside to give Ed and I some time alone. I was in the birthing tub and we talked a little bit, then he ended up falling asleep on the floor. I remember thinking this might never end...

After that things became a blur, all throughout the morning I was REALLY trying hard to get this baby down. I tried the shower with my leg up on the stool in there, I tried the toilet which hurt but I knew it was working and I tried the birthing stool, I wanted the baby out. I was laboring alot on my own in my room.. I liked it like this.. Things were then a blur…

I remember Robin checking and I was 7cms but saying I was very stretchy, that she could stretch me to 9cms and something about my cervix not dilating on one side. She told me to lay down for 10 contractions that hurt like hell. Then I rolled over to the other side for another 10. At this point things were so intense, I remember gripping the edge of the co-sleeper thinking how this was crazy and I was tired. Finally after a bunch of contractions it worked and I was 9cms! This was one of the most intense parts of the labor...

I labored for ages and ages… thinking it would be over soon…. After I felt like I couldn’t take it I remember going to Robin who was sitting at the kitchen table and telling her that I couldn’t cope much longer and really needed it to be over.
She decided to check me to see what was going on… and I was still 9cms, and part of my cervix was in the way, it had been over 5 hours. She then gave me three options.
1. Keep laboring the way I was but she had no idea when I would deliver, things were going slow.
2. Go to the hospital or
3. Break my waters and move my cervix over that the contractions would become way more intense but it would probably make things go faster and I would have the baby soon.

She decided to give me time to think it over. I got mom to come into my room and we talked and prayed. I had so many doubts but I had come so far! Part of me really wanted to give up but the other part knew I had to keep going. I decided to get her to break my waters, this was the hardest decision ever! I was so exhausted and scared, how could the pain possibly get worse or more intense? She broke my waters and pushed my cervix over with Jeni holding my hand. I screamed, it hurt like hell!!!

I remember being 10cms and having no urge to push, so Robin kept telling me not to push until I felt ready. I was so annoyed by this I wanted the baby out!!! I labored in the tub and pushed and it hurt a lot! I finally got out and labored more in the shower, mom ended up coming in and supporting me, I was pushing in there and let out a HUGE push and mom was yelling for Robin. I remember Robin rushing in saying ‘I was laying on the couch and heard pushing noises!” She then asked if I wanted to try the birthing stool. At this point things were so intense I just wanted them over, I didn’t really mind and got out of the shower. As soon as I sat on the birthing stool I knew the baby was coming. Robin looked and she could see his head crowning already! She was yelling for Jeni and she came in. Thankfully Jeni got Ed up off the couch to see his babies birth. I remember Robin and Jeni looking at each other and Jeni asking if there was enough time for the camera and mirror. Robin said no then looked and me and said YES HURRY! Jeni ran out and came back with the camera and mirror, I’m so glad she did! We got to see the head crowning and all I remember was just trying to push as hard as I could. Robin was saying something like ‘I think its just pressure, is it just pressure? If its just pressure stop pushing.” Well there wasn’t much stopping me, I had labored for over 25 hours and I wanted this baby out!!! After only about 4 pushed he slid out and was HUGE!!! Robin put him right up on me I couldn’t get over how big he looked. I was sooooooo happy and yelled ‘I DID IT!!’ I was and still am so proud of myself, there was this overwhelming feeling of joy that I had birthed my baby!!! Without Dr’s without intervention and with people in the past telling me I couldn’t! I was so happy!

He was so wonderful and perfect, I looked at Ed and said ‘Phoenix Ocean?” and he goes “yes!”
So that’s it! I was so exhausted and so out of it, I remember asking Ed if he would hold Phoenix and Robin was like “I don’t think that’s going to work very well, he’s still attached to you” the placenta hadn’t come out! HAHA Then Robin pulled gently to see if it was coming and it wasn’t but it came pretty quickly and we waited for the cord to stop pulsating and then Ed cut it! I was sooooo tired but sooooooo in awe! J I got in the shower and then climbed into bed with my beautiful babe!

Phoenix was born May 18th 2005 at 4:38pm
weighing 9lbz 2oz and 22.5" long!

My VBAC success story
 

I am so thankful!My due date was 6/29, but my son decided to make an early appearance. Father's Day last week, I spent cleaning my neighbor's house. She hired me, as her mother was finally coming home 7 months after a fatal car accident in which her father died. I cleaned 11 hours! I got home 11pm and dropped on the couch. About 2:30am, I started having contractions about 9 minutes apart.

At 4am, I called my mom to stay with my 9 other kids, until my sister could get there to take the youngest 3 for the day.(My kids are 16,15,13,11,9,7,5,3and 2.)

We got to the hospital, and the contractions were getting closer together, but not stronger. For the 1st 8 births, I need pitocin to get things jump started, and then after AROM, each baby was born within the hour!

They said the most they could do to start was AROM. They did that about 11:45am. Though contractions were close, they weren't getting stronger. They said the only other thing they could do was to start pit at the lowest dose possible, upping it every 1/2 hour. If that didn't work, it was going to be a repeat c-section.They did that at 3pm, and upped it at 3:30pm. I never take any pain meds during labor other than tylenol. By the time I asked for it, I was 9 1/2 cm. I never did get any tylenol during the entire visit! Anyway, I felt the urge to push just after 4pm, and told dh to get the dr. He did, and I told her I couldn't wait. She took her sweet time, and I proceeded to birth his head, while she struggled to get gloves on and make sure he didn't go flying. I blew through the next few contractions until they could get everything ready. Aaron Michael was born at 4:19pm, weighing in at 6lbs 14oz, and 18 1/2 in long.

I was so ready to go home the next morning, but they said I had to stay an entire day, and released me Wednesday morning.

my eldest dylan was born by emerg csection 19 hrs into labour.
they said i had non-progressive labour.i had an epidural under extreme pressure.the reason it was an emerg is b/c dylans heart rate went funny and he had pooped in the water.
they told me no way i'd ever give birth vaginally....
WELL....
eight years later i had my daughter alwyne.i was in the hospital for my colitis.i woke up at 2 am and delievered her at 2:20 am...VAGINALLY!!!
the idiot nurses told me to stop yelling it was nothing!!not a baby ...they send it was a BM!!!!!can you imagine?!!

WHATEVER!!!!

3 yrs later i had another sucessfull VBAC....1 hr 20 min. for my georgie...
it's a whole other story though...:irked:

i will never as long as i live EVER follow anyone besides myself for childbirth.
while i'll have midwives present for safety sake it'll be all me listening to my body.:thumb

Okay, so I thought I'ld post mine too. Im so so glad I had a Dr. that was pro-VBAC and actually pushed for it! My first son was born vis C-sect because he was footling breech, he was a week early and a tiny lil bugger weighing in at 4lb 15 oz. (Still a scrawny butt at age 5!!):lol

Here it is, and its long...LOL

On Wednesday the 11th I was feeling yucky, so when Todd came home for lunch I asked him to take the rest of the day off so we could go walk in the park. We walked for about an hour, did some grocery shopping and got home about 3PM. From then until about 1:30 AM I was having contractions about 10 minutes apart, but they weren’t too bad. I went to bed around 10PM and woke up each time I had one. Around 2AM they were closer and more painful, so we spent a half hour debating whether to call MIL and go to the hospital. Finally decided to and got there about 2:45 AM. They hooked me up and the contractions were showing up, they checked me and I was only 3 – 4 cm (grrrr) Said I could use the Jacuzzi tub (YIPPEE) so I sat in there from 4 – 5 AM. Got out and got back into bed, contractions stopped. Had maybe 3 in the next 3 hours. My dr got there about 8 AM and checked me, no progress, still 4 cm. He said I had two choices, go home or he could break my water and induce. I was a little apprehensive about Pitocin, because that increases the chance of c-sect, but decided I was there, might as well do it. So at 8:30AM he broke my water (What a weird sensation, felt like I kept peeing myself!) They hooked up my IV and started the Pitocin at 2 (On a scale of 1 – 20) Contractions started immediately, about 5 minutes apart and painful. I was allowed to sit in the rocking chair, so I rocked and rocked. Listened to music and Todd rubbed my back and feet. The nurse came in about an hour later and upped it to 4, and then they hurt A LOT, so I got a couple of shots of Morphine in the butt, which did nothing but make me super tired. Contractions were coming about 3 minutes apart and I was breathing through them with difficulty. The nurse upped me again to 6 and that’s when Conners HB started acting up. At each contraction it would go down to the 60’s, so I had to get in bed and lay on my side and they attached an internal monitor to Conners head. This was not the most comfortable position to have a contraction let me tell you. I was gripping the rail and trying not to get irritated at Todd who kept saying, breathe, breathe. By now it’s about 10:30 AM and the dr checked me and I was 5 cm! WHAT! All that pain for one lousy cm. Thought about telling my dr to just do a c-sect. From 10:30 to 11AM the contractions were coming fast and furious and I think I was moaning through them at his point. Was really uncomfortable, dr checked me at 11:30 and I was 8 cm! Had the horrible feeling I was going to throw up so Todd got the pretty pink basin and I puked through the next contraction. Made it through about 4 or 5 more contractions and had the most incredible urge to push, so Todd went and got the nurse and she checked and I was complete with a little lip. She let me do some practice pushes while she tried to get rid of the lip. A little before noon the dr came in and got me in position and had me start really pushing. It took 3 or 4 contractions and pushings before I really got the hang of it, but man, when I finally did get it, I was grunting/growling through each one something fierce and the pushing felt SO GOOD! I got in 3 pushes with each contraction and it wasn’t many before the head could be seen. I slept between each contraction, then had my legs around my head (It felt like) and pushed. Finally I got to the one that BURNED and that’s when the dr reached under and held babies head in position, at that point I couldn’t stop pushing and in 2 more the baby’s head was out, a little more and baby was out! Born at 12:22 on 2/12. I didn’t think I wanted baby on my chest right away, but they put him there and I couldn’t believe it, he was still attached AND laying on me! Todd cut the cord and they cleaned baby up, I verified that I heard correctly and he said it was a boy, then delivered the placenta and had 2 minor interior tears stitched up and then got Conner back. Was in recovery for an hour and we had the baby the whole time (SO much better than the c-sect where I didn’t see Caeden for about 2 hours after) They wheeled me to the nursery and weighed and measured baby, took me to my room while they bathed and dressed Conner, and then he was wheeled in an hour later. Had a very nice relaxing hospital stay and went home Friday night. Conner is breastfeeding like a champ and we are slowly settling into a routine. Sleep will come.

I was so so proud I did it drug free and that I was able to make it through each contraction, it was a truly amazing experience.

Kathryn is 3 months old now. I still get a grin on my face when I look into the atrium where she was born. So amazing:love

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=440743

Isobel Joy was freebirthed into her daddy's hands after 50+ hours of labour and 30 mins pushing! More info including lovely birth pics here:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=482180

Griffin James - my VBAC baby
 

Griffin James was born 8-19 at 10:27am..... my VBAC baby was 9lb 3oz!! Words cannot describe the feeling of accomplishment that I have. I get all teary and emotional just thinking about it (post baby hormones are the best...)

Contrax began about 7 on Friday nite and stayed pretty regular. I spent weeks wondering what it would be like to go into labor, and now I understand what everyone said... "you just know when it's time"! About 12:30am my husband and I left for the hospital, got there about 1:30 and they declared that I was 4 cm and 90% effaced. All the nurses were great, they respected my decision not to get an epi and helped me work through the pain. I walked the halls until about 6:30 and then had to get on the monitors because of the baby's heartbeat was going too low after contx. At 9am I was declaired to be at about a 7 but the baby was still high. I requested a low dose of stadol so that I could get some rest to be ready to push. I spaced out until about 10am when I all of a sudden had to go to the bathroom. My husband helped me get there and I sat there for 10 minutes with no success. My OB came in and suggested that he check me again and when he did the baby's head was right there. 5 pushes later and Griffin was born. It was just amazing!

Many of the nurses and 2 doctors made it a point to congratulate me on my VBAC. All the support was wonderful and surprising!

William’s Birth Story – My Glorious VBAC

Let’s start with some background. According to my midwives, my due date was Monday, August 21, 2006. However, I had been charting and knew my date of ovulation, so knew that my real due date was Thursday, August 17, 2006. Knowing that Henry had been born a week early, and knowing the old wives’ tale that second babies come earlier than the first, I assumed I’d be having a baby around August 12. Ha. This little guy had his own sense of timing.

In addition, Henry’s birth had been exactly the opposite of everything I had wanted: full of unnecessary interventions, a very long labor, an epidural, concluding in a very much unwanted cesarean section. In retrospect, given his presentation, at the time the c/s was decided upon I don’t think it was avoidable. However, I think the cascade of interventions, most of which, in my opinion, were not solidly based in evidence-based medical decision-making (i.e., dh and I are lawyers, so protect us medical professionals against litigation at all costs), contributed to Henry’s poor presentation. In other words, had I been allowed range of movement, etc., I think he would’ve positioned himself better during the course of labor, and a c/s might have been avoided. But this is just guessing at this point.

Now to William’s birth.

Around Tuesday-Wednesday August 8-9, I started having cramping and light contractions almost every night for a few hours. Just enough to wake me up but not enough to do much more. This lasted for about a week. On Wednesday, August 16, I had some light contractions in the early morning hours followed by the loss of my mucous plug and some bloody show. I thought it was baby day. Rob stayed home from work in anticipation. But, by mid-morning, contractions petered out, and there was no baby that day. Or the next. Or the next. Despite tons of ongoing blood tinged mucous. In anticipation (or perhaps hope), we had called my mom to come stay with us on Wednesday night so that she’d be here to watch Henry when I went into labor. We decided to let her stay until I had the baby knowing that at the worst, she’d be here for a week and a half before they scheduled me for a repeat cesarean.

On Friday, August 18, 2006, I had a midwife appointment. I actually ended up seeing one of the OBs as the midwife was out catching a baby. I let him check me. One centimeter and 50% effaced. On Saturday, August 19, 2006 I just felt blah. I was having a ton of pubic bone and pelvic pain, felt extremely tired and lethargic, and for the first time all pregnancy (despite the heat of summer), had swollen hands and feet. How interesting.

Around 3am (I didn’t look at the clock) I awoke thinking that maybe I had had some contractions. I lay in bed for another hour, trying to sleep, but keenly aware that I was having decent but infrequent contractions. Around 4am I got up and went to the bathroom and had more mucous and bloody show. The walking brought on some more contractions. I lay back in bed for another hour, trying to rest, but found it impossible to get comfortable. Contractions picked up in frequency, about every 5-6 minutes. Around 5am I woke Rob to tell him but told him to go back to sleep because I didn’t need him yet. I took a warm bath and a shower, and again, the movement increased the intensity of the contractions, enough that I had to breathe through a few. I got out of the shower around 5:45am, told Rob that if he wanted a shower, now would be a good time for one, and proceeded downstairs. Henry and my mom were both still asleep.

Rob came down around 6:15am and decided that he would go get bagel sandwiches (one of Henry’s favorites). I went upstairs and got my mom up to take her shower and tell her of my plan for her and Henry for the day (she’d take him back to her condo where they’d stay until Rob called her to tell her that we were on our way to the hospital). I called my doula, J, to tell her what was up and went back downstairs. Henry woke while Rob was at the bagel shop so I went upstairs to get him. Meanwhile, contractions were getting fairly regular in interval, about every 4-5 minutes, but were still a little scattered with respect to length and intensity.

I kept laboring on my own while Rob and my mom ate breakfast and got Henry ready to go. I ate half a plain bagel and drank some water and Gatorade. Around 7:30am I called J and asked her to come as I needed someone to help me focus since it was still chaotic with everyone here. When J arrived, we called the midwives to give them notice of my impending labor. We found out then that my favorite midwife, A, was on call. I was overjoyed! We talked to her sometime that morning, I don’t know when, and she told us to come when things started to change – as in, when I hit transition.

My mom and Henry left about 8:30am, and starting around 9:00am, my contractions were getting very regular, 3-4 minutes apart and about a minute long. Yeah! I was in active labor. I moved around a lot, went to the bathroom frequently, but found the most comfortable contraction spot to be standing, leaning forward, with my head pressed against the wall. J massaged me. I started to vocalize (never imagined I’d do that!) and that helped me deal greatly. I think we did this for about an hour or so. I then started to sit on the birth ball between contractions as I felt an overwhelming need to sit and rest between contractions. At one point I almost fell off the ball between contractions because I’d fallen asleep, so J suggested that we use Rob as a back support and I could lean back against him between contractions. So I sat on the birth ball, Rob sat behind me on the love seat supported by pillows with a soft pillow against his chest, and J sat in front of me to both support me during a contraction and to keep the ball from rolling away. I labored like this for quite awhile, falling asleep for what felt like an eternity between contractions (I was even dreaming), and standing or leaning forward during the contractions, every 2 minutes. J later told me she was hoping to get me climbing some steps and walking to move things along, but that I was doing so well, she didn’t want to disturb me.

Somewhere, I’m guessing around noon or so, I started to feel alternately shaky and hot/cold as well as nauseated. I threw up a couple of times, and I suggested to Rob that he eat lunch now or forget about it. I was getting concerned about the car ride to the hospital (about 12 minutes) since I was having contractions every 2 minutes apart that were horribly painful to sit through. We called A and she said she’d meet us at the hospital. I changed my clothes (I was in my nightgown still) and had one contraction in the middle of the sidewalk in front of my house. I had 3 or 4 contractions in the car on the way to the hospital, 1-2 before we got into the hospital, and then another 3 or 4 on our way to the L&D room. For once in my life, I didn’t care what anyone thought about how I was acting, I just did what I needed to do to get through a contraction. A was there when we got there, and we got one of the nicer L&D rooms. This was about 1:00pm-1:30pm.

I changed into a gown and reluctantly got in bed for monitoring and insertion of my Heparin lock (to give access to a vein in case of an emergency). The only 2 interventions I had agreed to ahead of time were the continuous fetal monitoring (thank God for telemetry!) and a Heparin lock. I did not like being in bed at all. A made the nurses go find the telemetry monitors and we switched to those so I could get out of bed and move around. Much better. I got a bag of fluids as I was quite dehydrated from all the vomiting. A checked me and I was 100% effaced, 7-8 centimeters dilated, and had a bulging bag of waters. Transition! A offered to break my bag of waters for me, but I declined. Rob kept me focused on the fact that I really wanted as few interventions as possible, barring any complications with baby.

I did a variation on the birth ball/lean against Rob thing for awhile as it was working really well for me. Apparently the nurse, who was unaccostumed to seeing a natural labor, was amazed at how utterly relaxed I was between contractions. As baby started to progress downwards, I could no longer sit even between contractions so I asked to go on all fours. My first contraction on all fours my water broke, which was of great relief as it was causing a ton of pressure. Rob thinks this was around 2:30pm. A checked me soon thereafter and I was 9+ centimeters with a stretchy lip, so she told me to go ahead and start pushing if I felt the urge. I was having a hard time trying to find a comfortable position and couldn’t figure out how or when to push during the contraction and fumbled with this for at least a half hour. They finally suggested we break down the bed so I could squat. I think this was about 3:00pm. when A also declared me complete. (The neat thing about these beds is that the bottom breaks down about 3” and the back of the bed comes completely upright, leaving a small wedge for you to rest your butt on between contractions.) During a contraction I held onto the shoulders of Rob and J, and then dropped back onto the bed to rest. This was a great position for me and I finally figured out how to push really effectively. A checked me at one point and declared, “there’s tons of room in here!” That helped as Henry had been declared “stuck.”

I pushed for about an hour without a ton of progress. Around 4:00pm I figured it out and we saw the head start to crown in the mirror (I was watching when I could open my eyes during a contraction, which was tough because it was almost a reflex to close them). A coached me through gently and supportively getting the head out, so I wouldn’t tear. We got the head out and there was a lot of meconium (this is the baby’s first poop, which usually doesn’t appear until after birth, but will sometimes appear if the baby is distressed (he didn’t show any signs of distress, though) or if pushing is difficult, which it was for a bit). Then the shoulders got a little sticky. A discovered a nuchal cord (cord wrapped around the neck one time) and slipped it off. She then told me I had to get him out in the next push, and I did, and they handed this beautiful baby to me at 4:16pm. We rubbed him, but his color was a little grey and he was very floppy. They called pediatrics immediately, and they took him for deep suctioning as he was very grunty and not crying (he has since figured that out). He was gone for about 45 minutes. Somewhere in there I delivered the placenta and we found a true knot in the cord. The placenta was beautiful and truly amazing to see. I wish I had taken a picture of it and the knotted cord, but Rob had the camera with him and the baby.

A looked me over and I had some skid marks (superficial skin tears) but had not torn at all. Somewhere in the first 45 minutes of recovery I tried to go to the bathroom. I then recovered in the rocking chair and had some cranberry-apple-ginger ale cocktail made for me by J, as well as a cheese stick and banana from Rob’s labor snack stash. I was feeling awesome.

William was brought back to me around 5:00pm, and he nursed immediately. I was so overjoyed after all the troubles Henry and I had getting our nursing relationship established. While at the nursery he had been weighed and measured and came in at 8 lbs. 1 oz. and 21.5” long. This was so surprising to me as Henry was only 6 lbs. 15 oz. and 19.5” long. A thought he was going to be smaller, and they were even commenting on his size while he was crowning.

We went to our room around 5:30pm, and stayed for 2 nights, mostly because William needed observation for his breathing and temperature control (he had trouble staying warm enough). We snuggled skin to skin with lots of blankets throughout our stay and we were home from the hospital before noon on Tuesday, August 22, 2006. He’s nursing like a champ and seems to have far fewer digestive issues than did his big brother.

I am in awe that after the ordeal that was Henry’s birth and immediate post-partum recovery, that I had such an amazing delivery with William. The VBAC was so healing for me, but also incredibly empowering. I had such wonderful support that I never felt the need to ask for pain medication. The only “I can’t do this comment” I made was when I asked after a particularly horrid contraction, why it was I wanted to do this. Rob gently reminded me that it was because it was better for the baby and better for me. And he was right. I feel so good right now (4 days post-partum) that it is hard for me to believe I delivered a baby 4 days ago. I have to keep reminding myself to take it easy. And to have a big, beautiful, healthy baby is the most wonderful reward.

Mary's birth
 

Background:
Our son was born September 13, 2004, following a labor induced with cervidil due to escalating pre-eclampsia. Contractions were one minute apart throughout the 17 hour labor. The last 7 hours I stalled at 8cm. We tried rupturing the membranes, but this did not help with cervical dilation. I agreed to a c-section, feeling that the baby was malpositioned and was not budging from zero station.

For this birth, I changed providers (both midwives and hospitals) at 24 weeks, following the suggestions of the local ican group. I needed a birth team which would be on the same page as us and would help us birth Mary gently, via a VBAC with minimal interventions. I also hired a doula (and had a second doula accept to be at our birth as part of her certification). Other things I did differently: walked or did prenatal yoga almost daily during the third trimester; got regular chiro adjustments to help with any pelvic space/flexibility issues I might have; observed the optimal fetal positioning suggestions very closely; took extra calcium, ate more protein and fewer carbs, took juice plus, practiced relaxation, listened to affirmations/imagery CDs frequently, learned more about labor positions that may help with baby malposition I also joined the ican and Atlanta ican lists and learned a lot from these wonderful ladies.

Story:
Mary’s due date was August 15, 2006.

At the 37 and 38 week appointments I declined cervical checks. At 39 weeks I agreed to getting a baseline check but made sure there was not going to be any membrane stripping. I was 1cm, thick and soft.
On Monday August 14th (the day before the due date) at 8pm I had the first painful contractions. I had been having lots of Braxton-Hicks contractions for many weeks, but this time the peak 10-20 seconds were in fact uncomfortable, with the discomfort low and in the front. From the beginning the contractions came about 6 minutes apart (5-10) and lasted 40-45 seconds. I was happy to have avoided pre-eclampsia this time, and gone into labor on my own!

While nursing Roy to bed (from 10-11 pm) the contractions got stronger and more frequent (about 3-4 minutes apart).
I went for my usual fast walk (11:30pm-midnight), then took a shower and had a snack (cereal and frozen yogurt). The contractions got less frequent, about 10-15 minutes apart.

During the night I was able to get a few short stretches of sleep, dreaming about each contraction as it happened. I slept from 2am to 3:30am, and then nursed Roy from 3:30 to 4:30am (again contractions got pretty painful). After nursing I noticed some bloody show!! I slept again from 5:30-7:45am while contractions continued on, every 6-10 minutes.
I nursed Roy in the morning from 8:15 to 9 am, and then got more bloody show with lots of egg-white cervical mucus. Around 9am we called my in-laws, to come over as they have a 7 hour drive and they were to be our 2 year old son Roy’s support people. Contractions were at this point every 5 minutes and pretty intense at peak.
I emailed my doulas (Guina and Tracey) to let them know I am in early labor.
I posted on my ican message lists to let people know I was in labor, and got some good suggestions and some nice supportive replies. I also wrote my sister and some of my friends. I didn’t tell my Mom as she was nervous about VBAC and laboring at home, and I didn’t want to worry her. She would be my first call once Mary was born.
At some point I put together our “birth wishes” document, printed a few copies and also emailed it to my doulas.
My son went to day care, my husband chose to stay home for the day, and I started my “labor project”, baking some brownies.
I rested between 12 and 1:30pm. The contractions were stronger when lying down.
We had lunch then my husband and I went for a walk. I rested again from 4-5pm, then took a shower. I emailed some friends asking for prayers.

My parents-in-law arrived around 6pm and at 7pm while having dinner I began having significantly more painful contractions, which my father in law timed at about 3-5 minutes apart. I feel that this is when the real labor started. I was no longer able to talk through the contractions. I labored for the next 3 hours while playing with our son, nursing him to sleep and chatting. At 11pm I called my midwife Margaret, to touch base before the night started. I had one contraction while on the phone. She suggested I come in an hour. I told her I think we still had time and that I was going to labor at home for a while longer. She then said ok, 2 hours? I told her probably even later. She suggested we come before traffic if I make it until early morning. She said there had been a lot of births in the past day or so, and now it was quieter. She also said “I don’t think you’ll be here too early”. I told her I wasn’t crazy about being on the monitor and she said not to worry, I’ll only be on it for a 20 minute strip (the hospital policy is continuous monitoring for VBACs).

My husband went to sleep (I was hoping he’ll get some rest in preparation for what may be next) and I continued laboring on my own from 12-4:30am. There was no way I could sleep through the contractions, though I tried. I relaxed lying down a couple of times, though this made for the most intense contractions. I also labored in the bath, sitting, upright, etc. I listened to my hypnobirthing CD while lying down to help me cope with the contractions and relax.
Around 4am I began to feel that I would like some help while laboring, and also given the intensity of the contractions, I felt confident I was in active labor.

So I finished packing the labor and post-partum bags and woke my husband up, then got dressed for hospital labor (a tank top and shorts, socks and the crocs shoes). I had been wearing my lucky labor necklace (not proven, but hoped to be lucky, with three silver circles reading “serenity”, “strength” and “faith”). We called Guina to tell her we’re on our way to the hospital, and left before 5am. I had contractions every 4-6 minutes in the car, but with breathing they were manageable.
We got there and carried the labor bag, ball and body pillow in. There were no forms to sign (I had completed a basic pre-registration online) and we got directed to an L&D room. We got settled and shortly after that my doulas arrived as well.

I got on the monitor, we got a CD in. Later I also had the hep-lock for the IV put in place (it was annoying but not too much trouble in labor) and some blood drawn.

A while later, my midwife Margaret came by (she had 9 births in the prior couple of days so was exhausted and was napping between visits). I agreed to a cervix check hoping for 5+ cm. I was 5cm, 90% effaced, with a low but still pretty bouncy baby. The midwife was happy to see a 5, I was pretty neutral as I could pretty much tell from the strength of the contractions that I was about in there. A lower number would have been disappointing, a higher one is always nice…

My husband took a nap on a sleeper armchair, to have some energy for the more exciting hours to follow.

With the help of my doulas and later my husband’s, I continued laboring, changing positions fairly often among standing, sitting backwards on the toilet (a favorite), ball (seemed too easy, so remembering my last stalled labor I somehow avoided it), standing, squatting, some standing side lunges, lying down on my left, some slow dancing… I also drank Gatorade.

At some point the nurse came for another 15 minute monitor strip (to get some variability, as baby’s heartbeat was pretty constant at around 139 between contractions – I never worried about that, her brother’s had been 136 between contractions during labor too), and as she never returned after 25 minutes or so we took it off to change positions to the toilet.
A little while after that, the nurse comes in with a form, telling me that since I was refusing continuous monitoring (? never said I was, did they read my mind?) I was risking the death of myself and my child and can I sign this form to absolve the hospital of responsibility. I said yes, signed, then asked if this was the ob on call speaking. Turns out the current ob’s round was ending (dr L) and he saw me being off the monitor and felt that he had to cover his back as he passed me on to the next ob (dr S). A few minutes later dr L himself comes in to give me a similar speech about how I have to sign that form so that I cannot sue the hospital. Meanwhile I was laboring on the ball. When he finally left I was somewhat annoyed, but glad that with the form signed now we knew there was going to be no continuous monitoring and it was basically up to me to request monitor strips (which we did about hourly or so). I joked that I would like to sign a similar form to perhaps have eggs brought in for breakfast instead on the green jello I had been offered.

For the next 5 hours I kept laboring. The contractions were getting really strong (we laughed at my “square belly” shape during contractions) but were still about 4-5 minutes apart on average. The energy in the room was warm, optimistic and supportive, I was joking a lot, and overall it was pleasant to be laboring this way and feel this warmth.

The midwife came to check me again around 10:30am (4-5 hours after the first check) and the cervix was a 5-6cm. This was disappointing. The midwife suggested rupturing the membranes, which I was uncomfortable doing so early in labor. I was concerned about possibly locking in a malposition, about it being the start of cascading interventions, about handling waterless contractions as early as 5cm with no pain medication. So I declined.
She felt the baby’s position was good (and I felt her being LOA/LOT too), but I was worried about how would she “land” once the water was gone.

I continued laboring, a lot on the toilet facing backwards, where I seemed to get the stronger and more frequent contractions and where I felt it was easier for my body to relax the pelvic floor muscles. The doulas and my husband were taking turns massaging me and refreshing my drink, while I rocked a little and made moaning sounds. We listened to my “Successful childbirth” CD, and some music. More bloody show apppeared throughout labor. My husband fed me some mac and cheese.
I also took a shower at some point and it felt nice. Every time I would pee I would get a contraction.
The frequency remained around 3-5 minutes apart.

At some point I remember lying down with the monitor on and listening to my hypnobirthing CD, and I was so tired that I began drifting away between contractions. I would wake up with each contraction (very painful when lying down) and slow breathe through it, but I still appeared as napping, so the others let me rest for a while.

The midwife checked me once again and I was 6cm. I refused AROM (artificial rupture of membranes) again, to her growing restlessness. I just didn’t feel ready. She went for lunch and then to the ob practice across the street, and only returned a few hours later. I was almost at 7cm. At this point I had been dealing with really painful contractions for quite sometime and the 1cm per 5 hour average rate of dilation was beginning to drain me, so I agreed to the AROM. I felt more comfortable with this decision at 7cm rather than at 5cm.

I had the membranes ruptured. The water was lightly green stained with a bit of meconium (for some reason I always felt that she had passed a bit of meconium in there, not sure why, she was just so active and reactive to my emotions during the pregnancy).
The midwife recommended I labor in the exaggerated Simms position (on my left side with the right leg flexed at the knee) and she also instructed my husband on the kind of back counter pressure to apply. The contractions got more intense. I am not sure of their frequency, probably 3-4 minutes apart. Breathing very deeply and slowly then exhaling through the relaxed mouth (horse lips) was what helped me cope this time. The doulas continued to enourage me and massage me. Tracey kept taking pictures too.
After 20 or so minutes in this position we went to labor on the toilet for a while.
I got checked again a couple of hours later and was a 7-8cm. The baby’s head was nicely onto the cervix with contractions, but would float right back higher up between contractions, thus not applying constant pressure on the cervix.
The pain of the contractions was getting hard to handle. I was using slow breathing, rocking, moaning, the doulas were constantly lightly touching my back, and encouraging me along. Guina suggested some IV fluids which I wasn’t very receptive to, as I didn’t want to get restricted to the bed, plus I didn’t see why Gatorade would not be enough. She felt it would be a boost in my energy and perhaps help me cope with the long labor. My husband also agreed that fluids may be a good idea. I put it off for a while, then I asked that they check for the midwife’s opinion. She thought the fluids may help, so I reluctantly agreed. I wasn’t really opposed, just didn’t see the point.

With the IV in place, I kept laboring sitting on the bed with the feet on the lowered bottom bed segment in an approximate tailor sitting position, while my bottom was on a v-cut in the bed such that my tailbone was not restricted. This was suggested by Tracey, as an alternative to the toilet, and it worked pretty well. As the contractions were even more intense, I cried at some point and was telling the others that all this hard work has to mean something, it has to have a point, I need to see some progress…

After another while (timeline is blurry) I got checked again and was 8cm. The midwife suggested adding a very low dose of Pitocin (2-4 mU/min) to get the contractions to become more effective. I asked if she was not worried about increasing the risk of uterine rupture, she said not at all at such a dose. (I do think there is a very slight documented increase in UR risk, but I was not too worried about it). Since I had no better suggestion, and at this intensity and exhaustion I was concerned about facing many more hours of labor, I agreed (though was not looking forward to even stronger contractions), in hopes to see more clear progress.
The pitocin was started, as was the monitoring, and a blood pressure cuff was put in place which the nurse said will inflate every 15 minutes for the first hour, then more rarely. The “first hour” words kept resounding in my head – how many more hours were we anticipating this to last? It was about 9:30pm, I had been in the hospital for 16 hours during which, with AROM and all, had progressed less than 3cm. I was still hopeful that this would be a vaginal birth, and I kept having “flash-forwards” in which I could see the slippery body of my daughter freshly birthed onto the bottom of the bed.

I then entered “labor land”. Contractions got so strong that opening my eyes and talking were no longer options if I were to remain sane. I became more silent as the pain got stronger. I remained aware of what went on in the room (thankfully not much except some confusion as to why dr S was around and was he going to come in or not – I couldn’t care less). Most touch felt unbearable and I shoved some hands away (nobody held it against me thankfully). I felt hot, then very cold. In my mind, there were two main sets of coping images going on: 1) this is only pain; it is strong but it won’t kill you. Will you let it end your dream? 2) finding the edges of pain/comfort: really staring the pain in the face: this area (my lower front belly and some side/back area too) is in incredible pain; it must suck to be in there; good thing here, in my chest, nothing hurts; this is where I am, away from that pain.
I was still sitting on the “v” in the bed, shaking the squat bar and moaning pretty softly. I would occasionally lose it, especially in the beginning of a contraction, but then I would return to labor land, often prompted by the doulas’ instructions: “stay with us, Oana; find your rhythm; stay in your place”. They also kept telling me how strong I was.
Their support was essential in helping me keep going. They believed in me, laughed at my jokes (earlier in labor), and reminded me of how hard I worked to achieve this birth.
At this point the contractions were much longer (over a minute for sure) and with little space between them (1 minute maybe?). My husband saw the doulas carrying on a conversation and from the gestures he inferred something along the lines of: “we tried this, that and the other. How about we pray?”
After I felt the blood pressure cuff inflate 3-4 times (so after 45 minutes to an hour) I really felt that I was “pained out”. I simply admitted to myself that I have limits, and that I had reached them. I opened my eyes and began to cry. I told the doulas that I can’t do this any longer. That it is becoming all about the pain and little about the birth, and that if I am to wait the pitocin out to do its job I will need pain relief. My husband came over too and I told him I cannot do this anymore. He asked me what did I mean and I said I needed an epidural. (we had a code word for if I really meant that I needed an epidural, it was “flamingo” – I never said it; when I told my husband what the code word was going to be, early in the morning, I also told him I didn’t see the point of such a word, why can’t I simply mean it when I say it – but then I said we’ll have a word anyway, since I heard about this suggestion in many places. Now I knew why a code word could help: it allows you to try that option on, hear yourself say the words, see how it suits you, at least verbally, allows you to imagine it. I was able to discuss it with my husband and doulas as if I really meant it, without a final commitment to it, and that was helpful).
I felt that if I decide on an epidural at this point, it would be to save the chance for a vaginal birth. I felt pretty certain that I would not regret this decision. My husband was the only one understanding my words at this time, through my tears.
I saw my doulas mouthing the word “transition?” to one another, and I felt somewhat annoyed. I too knew I had shown transition signs, the weeping, the “can’t do it”, the mention of pain relief… But I didn’t want to get my hopes up yet again, plus I was telling myself sometimes people really can’t do it anymore, without being in transition. Sometimes they really mean it!

But first, I needed to be checked again. The midwife arrived and saw me crying. She didn’t know I was talking about the epidural, she just knew I wanted to be checked. The contractions were coming fast and furious and I was beginning to lose my focus anticipating some pain relief. She checks me, and guess what: about the same, 8 – 9 cm. My heart sank for a minute, after which I simply accepted that I may take that epidural and wait for the pitocin to hopefully finish its job. With the hand still inside and pushing on my fundus, the midwife was checking to see where the baby would descend to with the stronger contractions (that hurt even more, and I barely stopped from pushing her hand away).
Well, this is when something unexpected happened. It was about 10:30pm, one hour into the pitocin (and over 27 hours of real labor, following 23 hours of early labor). I was at 8-9 cm with a fully effaced and very soft cervix; those last two centimeters would just not flip out of the way. I felt very transitiony. I was at the end of my rope. My doulas were praying. I forgot to even do that. I was simply going with the flow, hoping to somehow remain afloat, trying to remind myself this all was about that little bouncy baby inside of me. Then, Margaret the midwife says, while still checking me: “why don’t you push a couple of times?” Bewildered, I say “push? What do you mean?” She says, “as if you have a bowel movement” (which really was not my question… I merely meant, what do you mean push at 8?). So I push once. She says: “push again”. I push again and I hear her say with a smile: “that just got you to complete”.

Then she repositions herself on the bed more comfortably. I realize she means business. I am semi-sitting at this time, in the last position I imagined I would be pushing. I felt exhilaration (complete??? Pushing?) mixed with panic (now what? What about pain relief?). She says ok, you can push when you’re ready. With the next contraction I felt the urge to push! Wow! It was not an overpowering huge pushy urge, but rather an uncontrollable reflex where my body simply folded over in a spasm like a closing pocket knife and gave a grunty push, which I helped by pushing with all my might. That brought about the most intense pain I ever felt in my life. I no longer could even feel the contractions as painful, they were drowned by the continuous pain of my lower areas feeling as if they were ripped apart. The only way I could tell I was contracting is by the pushy spasms. I felt the urge to bellow. I made the most otherworldly sounds I ever made, not screechy but not low by any means. Like I was pushing with my vocal cords as well. Relaxation, calm and control no longer entered the picture. My mind had to quickly switch from anticipating pain relief, to realizing I was now pushing a baby out and it hurt even more than transition! That took me by surprise, I admit it. Never having gotten this far with my first birth, I thought pushing would be less painful than the worst contractions. Now it didn’t seem that way. What really was scary was knowing that people often push for hours – I knew I could not handle that at this point. So my mind and body were on a mission: get the baby out! My first two pushes got her to crowning! I am pleased to say pushing was largely undirected. Margaret reminded me where to push and when I would ask “what next?” she would tell me to push when I felt like, which I did. I used the “urge” of each contraction for a push, then fit 1-2 more pushes per contraction. There was no counting. Margaret did shout at me to stop a couple of times as I was tearing from the speed with which my tissues were stretched by the descending baby. I actually asked Guina if that was the best position. She said yes. Truthfully, while this allowed best access for Margaret, side lying may have been a better compromise between getting access and minimizing tearing. But all this felt minor to me then. Margaret suggested resting between contractions, but there was no real pain relief, as the head was putting lots of pressure on both my pubic bone and my tail bone (and all the skin and muscle covering them), so I didn’t feel like a break. I kept saying that the baby needs to get out, in between the crazed vocal releases. I took a glimpse of my husband’ s face. He looked pale and sunken inside himself. I realized I was probably scaring him terribly with my vocalizing, but could not help it at that point. Margaret suggested I touch the baby’s crowning head, which I did. I expected it to feel unexpectedly mushy, which it did. Felt like marmalade! After a brief “how cool” thought, my main thought was “that only feels coin-sized, it needs to get head-sized and out, how will all this happen??” Margaret said that she could have cut me and we would have had that baby by now. She knew I didn’t want to be cut though, so she tried to help minimize my tearing instead.
I pushed for maybe 3-4 more contractions while feeling like there surely will be no more private parts remaining of me after all this, but it did not matter any more. Then I felt the head being birthed!! Blessed, immediate relief! I didn’t even think to push again, but Margaret reminded me after a brief break that I still had to push the shoulders out. Which I did, in two more pushes, while Margaret appeared to dislodge her a bit with a slightly worried look. Tracey told me afterwards that she had a hand by a shoulder so that’s why it took a bit of extra work. Then, the rest of the body slipped out and there she was, covered with vernix and a little blood, on the bed, my baby! Just like I had imagined!

17 minutes after being at 8-9cm and considering an epidural, I had pushed Mary out of me! I am still working on wrapping my mind around this. Such a long labor, followed by such a fast and intense pushing stage!
The overwhelming feeling was not triumph. It was relief. A big, whole-body sigh of relief. It’s over. We’re through. She’s here. Her life is beginning. Give me that baby!
Margaret placed her on my chest, where I tried to nurse her but she was not immediately interested. Tracey took pictures of the whole birth, crowning and all – I am very excited to have these to document the most intense time of my life!
After a while my husband cut the cord, and after more snuggling she got wrapped in a blanket and brought back almost immediately for me to nurse. This time she took on!
I gave a minor push and the placenta also came out. Later I asked to see it and the midwife gave us a nice "presentation" of it. The cord insertion point was on the edge of the placenta (marginal or Battledore), which is rare but usually benign, like in our case. Looked great, what an amazing organ!!

Afterwards I got stitches on my 2nd degree tears. This took a while. Tracey fed me some more mac and cheese. I called my Mom while being stitched. She didn’t even know I was in labor (plus I woke her up) so she started crying. We were so very happy. Baby was in my arms this whole time.

Mary Anca was born at 10:47pm on August 16th. A couple of hours after birth she was weighed at 7lbs 8oz (3400g) and 19.5 in (50cm), with a head circumference of almost 14 in (35.5 cm). Her Apgars were 9 and 9.
Her birth was a rollercoaster of emotions, and I would not change a thing. I am so thankful for all my husband, midwife and doulas did to help me achieve a vaginal birth with no pain medication.
Our daughter is a very peaceful, alert child, who rarely cries (just to let us know it’s time to nurse, or that she’s uncomfortable in some way). She immediately calms down as soon as we pick her up or as soon as her need is met. She is really a miracle and we feel so blessed to be the parents of two amazing children!

Oana

My VBAC success:

I had seen my midwife on Aug. 2 & I had her check me & I was barely a cm dilated & she said it didn’t look to her like I would be going into labor anytime in the next 48 hrs which was pretty discouraging since my scheduled c/s for that Monday was looming over me. The best advice she could give me was that I go home & spend some “quality time” with DH. So I went home & did just that even though DH did not think it would make a difference. That night there was a bad thunderstorm & at around 1am our power kept going on & off & we kept blowing fuses & so DH & I were up trying to make sure everything was ok. Finally at 2:30 the power came back & stayed. Just as I was falling asleep, at around 3am I was feeling some strange sensations & I thought I was feeling myself dilate & I went to the bathroom & there was some bloody show. I knew labor could still be a while away, but I was pretty excited that something was going on. About 10 min later contractions started coming about 5-7 min apart. They would continue for the next 40 hours!!! I woke DH & told him I was in labor, but that he should go back to sleep because I thought it would be a while. They continued that way throughout the morning. Even though I was so excited that things were finally happening, I tried to get back to sleep since I knew I would need my strength for later, but I would wake up with each contraction so I got up & did some light cleaning trying to get everything in order before the baby arrived. I let DH sleep because I knew I would need him to be up with me later. At 7am I called my doula to let her know I was in labor, but I didn’t feel like I needed her to come over yet & would call her back when I needed her. I called my mother & asked her if her boss would mind if she didn’t show up for work because I was in labor & needed her to watch the kids. She came & got the kids & I called up my best friend who is pregnant with her first baby & due in November & told her I was in labor. She wanted to be a part of the labor so she could have an idea of what to expect when her turn came around. We decided to go for a walk & try & get the contractions closer together. I left a note for DH who was still sleeping & we went walking. After about 10 min it started raining so we decided to go walk around the mall. The contractions continued coming every 5 min, but were getting a little stronger & I didn’t want to tire myself out too much too soon so at 12:30 we headed back home & I had some lunch & sat on my birth ball. It seemed to be the only place where the contractions were bearable. My friend went home & at around 3pm the anesthesiologist from the hospital called to talk about my c/s scheduled for that Monday. I told her I wouldn’t be needing her since I was in labor, but she thought it would be a good idea to talk a bit about the c/s just in case it was necessary. So I tuned her out while she talked & then she wished me luck, but she said that from what she knew of my medical history, she didn’t think I was going to have a successful VBAC. I knew she didn’t know much so her comment didn’t bother me, but I was determined to prove her wrong. DH & I decided to go for another walk since the contractions were not getting any closer. We walked over to the library & DH got some cookbooks so he would be able to cook for me after the baby! By the time we got home it was 6pm, we had dinner & then I called me doula to let her know what was going on. I knew I was very tense & having a hard time relaxing & thought that if she came over & we started doing some relaxation techniques then maybe it would help get things going. By the time she came over at 8pm, I was already so exhausted because I hadn’t slept the night before & was dealing with the contractions all day. She had some great relaxation techniques & she managed to put me to sleep & even though I was aware of the contractions & the pain, I was able to breathe through them, in my sleep! By 11pm the contractions were 2 min apart & DH was getting a bit nervous & wanted to go to the hospital, but I didn’t think I was ready yet so we compromised & I called the midwives just to let them know where I was at & they told me to stay home until I felt like it was time to come in. That made DH feel a little better about staying home. By 12:30 am, Aug 4, the contractions were coming right on top of each other with hardly any breaks & lasting for about 1 min. each. After an hr of the non stop contractions & feeling lots of pressure, I decided it was time to head to the hospital. My doula thought it was a good idea also so we went. It was only a 5 min car ride so it wasn’t so bad. Of course once we got to the hospital, my fear of all the interventions that could take place took over & the contractions slowed down considerably. Right away they had me in the bed & were hooking up the monitors & talking about IV’s & drawing blood. All the things I didn’t want. My doula kept reminding me that I could tell them no, but I didn’t feel like putting up the fight over the monitoring. I decided to let them get their monitoring in & take it off later. I did take a stand on the IV though & even though they gave me a hard time, I refused even the heplock & DH did a VERY good job of backing me up. I was so proud of him for sticking by me & my arms were left needle free. I did let the midwife check me & while I was fully effaced, I was a bit disappointed to hear that I was only 4cm & the baby’s head was still very high. Once they got me in my room, I was moving around a lot, trying to get comfortable. We took the monitors off for a while & none of the nurses even noticed. They got me a birth ball since that was where I felt most comfortable & I spent a lot of time on that working on my breathing while my DH & my doula massaged me. About 2 hrs after we got there, around 3:30 am, my water broke in a huge gush. That was really exciting. We all got a big laugh for a while because the water kept gushing out & there was a mini flood on the floor that the nurses were having a hard time cleaning up. The contractions were coming on stronger & stronger & while I was dilating & making progress & baby’s head was moving down, it was going very slowly. I am lucky that the midwives gave me the time I needed & did not put me on the clock. We knew the baby’s head was not in an optimal position. My dilation stalled out at 7cm. I remained at 7 cm throughout the morning. I found out later that the baby’s head presentation was asynclitic. During the time I was in the hospital, 4 other women had come in after me & had their babies! I was getting discouraged & I was beyond exhausted. The pain was so unbearable. After being at 7cm for over 8 hrs & not making any progress, the midwives talked over a few options with us. Option 1 was to go for the c/s which was absolutely out of the question. I knew that I was not dealing well with the contractions anymore & was having a very hard time relaxing & was sure that if I could just relax things could progress.. After 35 hrs of unmedicated labor of which I am so proud that I was able to get through & so thankful to my DH & doula because they were so amazing & such wonderful support, I was exhausted. I should also mention that while I was drinking, I wasn’t able to eat much. I was throwing up throughout my entire labor, even through the pushing stage! It was a hard decision to make, but I decided to get an epidural to try & relax a little. I had epidurals with my other labors & never had a problem with progressing to 10 cm so I was sure it would do the trick, but I was worried that the intervention would affect my pushing which is where I had problems in my previous labors. The anesthesiologist (not the same one I spoke with earlier) was really wonderful though & assured me that they would turn the epidural down for the pushing & it should be ok. Well, luck was on my side, sort of. After the epidural was in place, they had me on a pump so I could self medicate if I started to feel any pain. Well, after a half hr of wonderful, much needed sleep, the pump broke! They couldn’t get another one so I was left with whatever was in my system & that would be it. No more pain relief. They were worried that my contractions were not strong enough at this point to help further dilation & the baby’s head was still way up high so they then gave us the option of using a little pitocin. The midwives themselves were not even sure that it was a good idea & needed to ask the attending OB for permission. I knew the risks involved, but I didn’t want to have the c/s so I agreed to the light dosage of pitocin. Two hrs after I got the epidural, I was at 10 cm, the baby had come down somewhat, but not completely & so we decided to push & see what would happen. I had regained complete feeling by this time & was able to move around. I was a little worried about what to expect with the pushing since I had never done it without an epidural & was scared of the pain. I wasn’t doing any very effective pushing at first since the pain was so bad so the midwives thought it would take a while & let me push on my own while they got things ready. My DH & doula backed off at this point too. I had gotten my focus & didn’t really want anyone near me. I just kept thinking “I have to get this baby out of me!” I was pushing on my hands & knees on the bed & the while the pain was so bad & I felt like I was tearing up inside, I just went with my feelings & it was so amazing when his head finally came out. It was worth all the pain just to have that first feeling of relief. At the point when his head came out, the midwives were not watching & it took them by surprise when I said, “was that the head?” I stopped pushing for a moment & the midwives told me that I could continue pushing on my hands & knees, but if they saw that the shoulders were going to get stuck, like my previous baby, they were going to have me move. Of course, just as they anticipated, his shoulders got stuck & they quickly had me flip over, brought my legs all the way up & he popped right out. He was stuck for only 30 sec, much less that the 5 min that my daughter was stuck & they handled it so well with no tugging & pulling. I just needed to change positions & he did the rest. He was born on Friday Aug. 4 at 7:02pm just 40 min before our Sabbath was due to start. Although I felt as though everything was tearing inside me, I only needed 2 stitches! After he was born, I was in such amazement that I had actually done it. That this little wonder had actually come out of me. I was crying, DH was crying & of course it was exciting to see that we actually had our very first boy. He was so beautiful even from the very first moment. The one thing I regret was that my husband had to leave 15 min after I had the baby so he could get home in time for the Sabbath. He did not even have a chance to hold his first son until he came back the next day. We were able to start nursing right away which is something I did not do with my other kids so that was really special. I spent that first night alone with my son which was a little hard since I was exhausted & he was in the room with me. Amazingly enough he slept through the night, a whole 6 hrs. I guess he was tired too. Throughout my labor, never once did I think about UR & I think that is what one of the reasons I was able to VBAC. I just approached this birth as I did every other labor, not thinking about the complications that could arise. My husband was so supportive the whole time & I really feel like we did this together! As painful as it was not to have medication, I would do it all over again because it really brought us so close. I definitely feel a special bond with my new baby boy. My VBAC was without a doubt the most powerful experience of my life. I can’t until the day when I can share with my son the wonderful journey of his birth.

At 39 weeks I had a 36 hour labor in the hospital with my first child, pushed for 3 hours, and ended up having a cesarean for a malpositioned baby.
With my second my husband (his first) and I planned a homebirth. At 37 weeks, I went up to Seattle (3 hours from where I live, in Portland) with my friend for her baby shower. We were planning on using our softub for labor, and my husband really wanted to bring it in, clean it, and set it up while I was gone for the day, but I talked him out of it--saying I didn't want it sitting in the living room for possibly 5 weeks, if I went overdue, and we could set it up the next weekend when I would be 38 weeks.
The next day was Superbowl, so we hung out with my parents all day, and then Monday was supposed to start my last week of work. I reallly wanted to do a belly cast THAT night, even though I knew I needed sleep to be able to get up for work the next morning, so we went home after the game and did it as quickly as possible and went right to bed. That night I woke up like usual at 2 am to go pee, and was having my usual regular tightening contractions that I had been having for the last 5 weeks. I ate some string cheese, and got back in bed but couldn't sleep (as usual). Rich woke up and asked how I was doing, if I was having contractions, and if he could set up the tub. I said no way--there would probably be many more nights like this before I actually went into labor, and these were just like the contractions I had been having every day. At 3:00 I turned over onto all fours, like into child's pose, having kind of a crampy contraction, and felt my water broke. I told Rich to call the midwife right away, and go ahead and set up the tub. He rushed around, getting it into the house, as I sat on my birth ball lighting candles and moaning loudly through contractions. It was really wonderful, and not painful at all like the pitocin contractions I had during labor with DD. After about 20 minutes, I felt like I needed to go to the bathroom, so I went in and sat on the toilet. Immediately my contractions changed energy and direction, and I was uncontrollably bearing down. I just let it take over, and it felt so good. I yelled at Rich to call the midwife and tell her I was "feeling pushy." I didn't want him to say I was pushing, because I thought for sure I was just having a premature urge to push, and I wouldn't be fully dilated for a long time still. The midwife arrived at 3:30, checked me while I was on the toilet, and said "Let's get you off the toilet." I thought she probably couldn't feel the baby in that position, but then she said, "you don't want to have this baby on the toilet." I couldn't believe it....I asked her, "what are you talking about?!" She said, "all I feel is your baby's head!"
Suddenly I became very whiney, and said "I want to be in the tuuuuuuub!!!" DH very calmly and sweetly said, "you have to let go of that right now. The baby is coming, we are here together, and this is going to be just as beautiful."
Pushing was very hard for me, especially after I started to feel him moving down--because that is the point that I got stuck with my daughter. As soon as I felt him moving, I had fear that I hadn't felt during my labor up to that point...this was all new! I had known that I would have a moment where I would say "I can't do this!", so I had decided ahead of time to replace "I can't" with "I can." While pushing, I said "I CAN'T" once, and had to force myself (it was really difficult) to change that to "I CAN!", but once I said it, I just kept saying it and it really helped me so much. After an hour of pushing our son was born in our bed at 4:22 am.
It was really difficult for me to let go of wanting to have labored (and hopefully given birth) in the water. We ended up filling up the tub in the living room and using it in there for the next several months, and every day I looked at it and kicked myself for not having wanted it set up in there for 3 weeks!!! I am pregnant again now, our son is 7 1/2 months and I'm 3 1/2 months along, and the first thing we said was, "Let's get the birth tub set up right away!!! " :lol I guess I get a second chance....

A link to our HBAC story is in my sig line.

My LONG hospital VBAC of Gemma
 

Background:
Silas was born by c/s after 37 hours of labor -- labor which started with my water breaking. 20 hours into labor, I was at 7 cm, and despite starting pitocin at that point and continuing it up to the max, I was still at a 7 14 hours later. I got no pain relief except a shot of Nubain a couple of times during the worst of it.

During labor, my mom tripped over the monitor cords and broke her nose and sprained her wrist (and still came back from the ER to stay with us over night during labor!). Our doula left 1/2 into labor because she had glocoma surgery the next day. It was a crazy, crazy labor. Silas sustained a pneumothorax at birth and was in the NICU for a week.

So, I had hoped for a short, uneventful VBAC this time. My "official" due date was October 6th. I had figured my due date to be October 11th (based on my long cycles).

Birth story:
On Wednesday evening, October 11th, while reading getting Silas ready for bedtime, I started feeling real contractions. They were coming every 7-10 minutes (I think!). They started to get a little stronger such that I was saying to myself “just ride the wave to shore to get a break.” During the very early morning, I decided to fill the Jacuzzi tub. Contractions started coming a little faster, but once I got out, they totally pittered out to maybe every 12 minutes. From about 6:30 to 8:30, they got to a very consistent 10 minutes apart, so we decided to call our doula, Barb. By the time Barb got to our home, contractions had totally spaced out.

I pretty much went about business, but spent a good deal of time walking, sitting on the birth ball, and doing some acupressure. Anyway, around 3 pm, I had Barb check me (she is also a midwife), and I was at 3 cm – not bad considering that on Wednesday morning I was just a fingertip dilated at the doctor’s office. I did another “dip” in the Jacuzzi and contractions would come very close in the water. I ended up staying in the tub for awhile – even eating dinner in there.

Friday morning, after an intense night, I had Barb check again – still just 3 cm. OMG, I was crushed. I felt like my body was failing again. Lew reminded me that my body worked just fine given that I produced a beautiful boy and was about to produce another baby. It was a great reminder that we are not our births and that no matter how this baby was brought into the world, my body wasn’t broken. Around 10 am on Friday, after letting Barb catch a little nap, we went to the evaluation unit in L&D. I wanted to be checked out before admitting myself. They hooked me to the monitor, and then the nurse checked me. I was at 4 cm! I was so excited to have just that 1 cm gain. The contractions were coming 4-5 minutes apart. The OB resident came in ½ hour later and asked to do another check. I was already at 5 cm! Halfway there, and we all decided that I should just stay at the hospital and be admitted. Although I wanted to avoid the hospital until 7 cm, after staying at home for so long, I didn’t want to go home without a babe in arms.

We thought for sure we would have a Friday, the 13th baby !!

We spent our time in the hospital like we had at home – lots of walking, acupressure, etc. I just had to be in the room every 30 minutes to do a quick 1-2 minute monitoring. My OB came in late in the afternoon just to check in. He was going on vacation so Friday was his last day. Told me that although he would like to see me progress a cm every couple of hours or so, as long as baby was ok, we would wait and see.

My parents brought Silas by in the evening, and we walked the halls with him. Our first nurse, Jodi, was ending her shift. She began a birth prediction with most times coming in between 11:30 that evening and 5:30 the next morning. The evening was more of the same. Around 8, I got checked and was still at a 5. It was discouraging. I was getting very tired, especially since I didn’t sleep well Wed. and Thurs. nights. My nurse now was Carolyn, who was recommended by another VBAC mom. Around 10, I asked for something that would let me sleep. Ambien is my new favorite drug!!

Saturday morning came and all of our predictions were wrong. Again, it was discouraging because I felt Silas’ labor happening over again.. We now had Nurse Bonnie and a lovely Australian OB, Dr. McLennan. I was still at 5 cm in the morning, and she suggested that we should start pitocin. I held her off for a while. I wanted to get some more good walking in and such. I got into the shower (on the birthball), and it was great to get a shower in after a pretty restful night. I felt refreshed and ready to get this baby birthed!!

Noon came, and I was still at 5 cm – 24 hours stuck in the same state. We decided to go forward with the pitocin. With the pitocin came the continuous fetal monitoring and obviously a full I.V. line. I hated all the cords and tubes, but at least we could disconnect to use the bathroom, and I had enough length to move around a little.

Increasing the pitocin happened faster than I thought. It seemed that every 30 minutes they upped it – started at 1 ml per hour and went up to 7 ml/hour within 2 hours. Contractions at 7 ml/hour were VERY difficult. I was practically breaking Lew’s hand. It was hard to control my breathing and concentration. I was focusing really hard on doing what I should, but the pit really does make contractions very unnatural. We requested that the pit be reduced to 6, and they did so because my contractions were becoming closer together and more intense as they planned.

Then Lew did something that made the VBAC possible – he got mad at me. We had talked before I was even in labor about what we would do if I had to go the pitocin route. We both agreed that it just wasn’t realistic to use natural pain management when dealing with such unnatural contractions. I told Lew that I was totally willing to get an epidural if we had to use higher doses of pitocin because, heck, a c-section means an epidural too. Well, my very stubborn, obstinate self needed some reminding at that moment in the labor. I had noticed that Lew’s support had been waning during the last several contractions. I remember looking up at him standing by the monitors and asking him, “Are you ok?” He said (with some tears welling up), “NO! You need to get the epidural. You cannot deal with the pitocin, and if you are not going to get something for the pain, you might as well sign up for the c-section now.” He was right, and I needed that tough love at the moment. For a guy who has never demanded or begged that I do anything, it must have been tough for him.

So we called in Bonnie and asked for the anesthesiologist. Todd, the nurse anesthetist, came in, and we discussed the options. First, I wanted just enough to deal with the pain so that it would wear off faster during the pushing stage. I didn’t realize that I would still feel the need to push even with it. So we went with a ½ dose to start out, and Todd would give us “boosters” if we needed. It was a great compromise. Then we got the pitocin shut off just so I could sit up calm enough to get the epidural in place. No way, no how I could have gotten the epidural with those intense contractions.

Epidural went in well – didn’t feel much of it going in. Then they put me flat on my back, and the room changed. I felt incredibly woozy and all the voices in the room sounded really loud, and my ears were ringing. I said, “I feel really, really weird,” and the room got chaotic. My blood pressure had crashed, a common side-effect of an epidural. It got down to 62/30!! They got me a little elevated and put something in my I.V., and I was as good as new. I think it was scarier for Lew and the medical staff than it was for me. For me, it felt like I had just done some heavy duty college partying!! 

The great part about the epidural? The required catheter! Really, getting up to go to the bathroom every 30 -45 minutes was getting to be a pain. Bonnie was totally laughing that I wanted the catheter, especially after eschewing all other interventions!

My mom and Silas can by. Silas was disappointed to not being about to walk the halls with me. My mom was happy that I finally gave in to getting drugs! I don’t remember too much more about the visit except that I was happy to see my boy (and happy that my mother stayed far away from any cords!).

So, with the pitocin increased, I was barely feeling any contractions. I got a little booster at one point when they had increased the pitocin to like 9 or 10. Best of all, my cervix started working again. We all cheered when we got to a 6, then a couple hours later, 7. 7 was the magic number though, as that is where I stalled with Silas.

It was Saturday evening, and I had been in labor for almost 3 days!

Dr. McLennan came in at some point and mentioned doing an interuterine catheter monitor so that my contractions could be measured with better accuracy. This may have been a little earlier in the evening – I cannot remember. She said it required rupturing my bag of waters. I wasn’t really keen on that part because I wanted that protection for the baby, but also knew that it might help the baby come down a bit as she was still high. I had this monitor the last time, so I knew what to expect. And, honestly, I had so many wires and tubes in me at that point, it was like, “why not one more?!?”

She didn’t even have to break my bags. She went in the check me, and it burst at just the touch of her fingers apparently. And, just as the u/s tech noticed a month earlier, I had LOTS of fluid in there. No wonder Gemma had lots of room to wiggle around even during labor.

After a while I started feeling lots of pressure and the need to push. It was almost impossible not to want to push. Our new nurse, Angie, said not to push because I didn’t want to blow out my cervix, but Gemma was still at a +2 station, that she still was a ways away from my cervix at that point. I begged to be check at some point, and I was at 8 cm! It was great to get beyond where I was with Silas, and I started to feel that I was finally going to finish this!

At one point, the pressure and need to push was too great. Another doctor came in and checked me. He said (and I remember it exactly), “you know what? I don’t feel a cervix.” I could have kissed him. It was such a relief to get to that point. He cautioned that baby was still at +1, so that I should conserve my energy until she was down lower and not push too hard now.

I then started to feel some pain along with the pressure. My good friend, Todd, came in with another booster. This one sent me into a bout of intense shaking. My teeth were chattering and body shaking. It was very annoying to deal with that and doing a little pushing during contractions. Even with the shaking though, I was able to rest up a little for the major pushing.

Dr. McLennan came in around 12:30, and said, “so when are you going to get this show on the road. We should start pushing this baby out.” I gave myself another 15 minutes of rest before doing the major pushing. We started with the typical reclined, legs back position. GOD, it felt so good to really push. At that point, it is impossible to not push when the contractions came.

Then, the brilliant nurse Angie said we should try some tug-of-war pushing. This is the greatest thing in the world, I tell you. They tied a knot in both ends of a bed sheet. I held onto one end, and Angie held onto the other. Lew and Barb held my legs back, and I pulled the sheet with all my might at the same time as I was pushing. The more I pulled, the more I pushed. It was awesome.

After doing some of that, Barb suggested getting out the squat bar to give my legs some rest. I basically sat on the edge of the birth bed and held onto the squat bar and pushed. That was fine, but not great on the tailbone area. Lew tied the sheet to the squat bar, and I did a little hybrid pushing. LOL!

Baby was making good, but slow progress. I was getting so hot and sweaty. All I could think of at one point was getting a shower and putting on deodorant! I felt so gross.
The hard part was waiting to push until near the peak of the contractions. As soon as I started to feel the need, I wanted to push, but they had to have me do some deep breathes before bearing down. They could really tell good pushes because the interuterine monitor would come out a little. Lew said it was funny how they could read more of the writing on the catheter tube.

At one point, Angie said she could feel hair, and I thought that meant the head was close, but apparently she was still high (maybe -1?). I thought she would never come down, and I started to get discouraged. During the times when Angie had to step out, Lew got down at the end of the bed and coached me. He certainly was not a “stay by my head” sort of labor partner like we both thought he would be. Of course, now he says that he has seen enough birth for a lifetime, and that he will never thinks of “that area” the same again. LOL!

Finally, Angie said she could SEE Gemma’s hair. Lew and Barb confirmed this. I asked for a mirror, and they found a big one for me, but I couldn’t see anything – it all looked the same down there! BUT, it was great to know that she was almost there. At this point, I think there was still a good 45 minutes left of pushing, so I wasn’t quite there.

Angie deserves a huge medal because the whole time she was massaging and stretching the perineum. She was awesome in that regard, and I remember thanking her for that. Soon, even I could see Gemma’s hair. I remember not feeling happy as much as “about f*$%#*g time” about this development. I was just whipped.

More and more of the head emerged, and finally Angie called in the doctors. UMMMMMM, I think she could have called earlier. Gemma’s head is halfway out, and the doctors come running in telling me not to push because they had to get their gloves on. WHAT? Telling a woman not to push at that point in labor is just plain cruel, especially when I could see her head as plain as day in the mirror. Panting just doesn’t cut it. Lew almost said that he would catch the baby if they couldn’t hurry it up. Finally, they were ready, and I gave a huge ass push, and her head was out. Dr. Meyer, the resident who admitted me that first day, was the one who caught Gemma. ACK! I did it! Every single feeling of exhaustion was wiped away, and I was giddy and euphoric. It was like being a little tipsy in that “I love you, man” sort of way.

It was wild to hear, “It is a girl!” The last month I had felt more and more that she would be a she, but it was great to not know for sure until the birth. We had reminded everyone that we wanted to wait to cut the cord, but Gemma wasn’t immediately crying, so they just put her on my chest and suctioned her more. It was great to hear her cry. Then they started doing more stuff to me, but I was pretty oblivious to what because I was just so focused on Gemma.

She was taken to the warmer, and Lew went over there with her. She needed some more suctioning, but was doing great. Her apgars were 9 and 8, I believe. They finally cleaned her off enough to weigh her. Officially, the scale said 9 pounds, 15.4 ounces. She didn’t look as big as Silas was though. Lew looked at me to see what we should name her. Although I was greatly favoring Gemma, I did think that Louisa would be more fitting especially since Lew and his daughter now share a birthday, but Gemma seems like more of a spitfire name, and given how wild she was in utero and her troublesome birth, Gemma seemed more fitting. Funny how now, I can think of no other name appropriate for her. That whole list of 16 names, and she seems like nothing other than a Gemma.

I then started to get a bit concerned for me. I asked if I was ok, and I was told they had to do some repairs. I asked if I tore and was told that my perineum was just fine! Woohoo! BUT, the birth canal got a little beat up. They had to stitch up my vaginal wall in several places. It took 3 doctors. I asked to see the placenta. Man, no wonder she was so big. The placenta that nourished her was friggin huge. It is amazing how everything fit in me!

After they were finished with me, I got to hold Gemma and nurse her for the first time. She latched right on and was a first-time nursing champ just like her brother. I just remember thinking how awesome it was to actually hold her and nurse her within her first hour. Silas was 2 days old before I could even hold him. This is how it was supposed to be, and despite the length and difficulty, this birth was worth everything. Gemma is no more special than Silas because she is my vaginal birth, but the experience of giving birth, of being an active participant in her coming into this world, is very healing.

christian's vbac birth
 

here is our story. christian is almost 5 months old now. man does time fly!

http://www.geocities.com/love_and_cloth/christian

VBAC story
 

My first son was born my a casarean section. I had planned a home birth but my water broke four weeks early and I was in NY. My husband and I tried to drive the three hours back to Vermont but never made it. We stopped a random hospital because I felt the need to push. My son was breech and the hospital didn't deliver breech babies. My planned home birth turned out to be the exact opposite but I did have a beautiful healthy baby.

My second baby is my VBAC baby. My water broke exactly four weeks early and we immediately left for the hospital. I was pretty nervous and was expecting to have to fight for my rights but this was not the case. The nurses and doctors were wonderful. My water broke at 6:00 and my son was born at 12:43. I was only at the hosital for a little over five hours. I labored in the birthing center at the hospital with my husband, friend, and a wonderful nurse. My blood pressure was high but I got it down by laying on my left side. I did have an IV because I was GBS positive but it didn't bother me at all. I labored, naked on a birthing ball and on the bed. My son entered this world as I sat surrounded by love and laughter on a birthing stool. I laughed as I pushed him out and was able to hold him close right after.

It was the most amazing experience ever. I can't wait to do it again. I didn't have any drugs and stayed with every contraction, breathing, and honoring them. I knew they were helping my baby get closer to being born. I truly loved every second of being in labor and birthing.

I hope more woman decide to choose VBAC. Happy birthing to all of you.

Here's mine! As a background, I had a c/s with dd in Oct 2004 after 3 days awake in prodromal labor, lots of pitocin, an epi and 3-4 hr. pushing! In the 1st tri of ds's pregnancy I had bleeding that has never been explained. During one of the u/s at 10 weeks we got a preliminary, "99%" sure dx of anecephaly because they u/s tech couldn't see any cranial or brain growth, and we scheduled a f/u u/s for a week later. After a long week of mourning and planning to release our child if dx was confirmed, we got great news on the u/s and baby looked absolutely perfect :lol

So here's Z's birth story:
Thursday 4pm -- 40 weeks on the nose. Went to see the midwife, Patrick, and get checked out. We decided I'd come back on Saturday at 9am to see if I could have my membranes stripped.

Friday 1:22 am -- My water broke! I was so surprised. I blanked on what to do, so I called our midwife, around 1:45am and he said to just hang out and touch base in the morning.

Around 2 am my contractions started and they were a bit to strong to sleep through. I got up, changed the sheets and started some laundry. The contractions were getting to be a bit consistent, although they were tolerable for sure. They'd go from 3-7 minutes apart, and then beginning around 5, I had a stretch where they were 3 minutes apart. We decided that we'd drop Imogen off at daycare as soon as it opened at 630am and then go right to the midwife to get checked out.

7am -- Drove to the midwife. I had 4 contractions on the way (it's about a 3 mile drive) and DANG are streets in Pittsburgh BUMPY. I was 3 cm! He said we could hang out there, go home and labor at home, or head to the hospital. We decided to go on home and check in 3 hours later, at 10:30 if not sooner.

We got home and I took a shower, and did some last minute things. Sayf was great this whole time, and he was a great support for me at home, keeping me with lots of water, tea, and fruit. The baby was still posterior so I tried to be on my hands and knees as much as I could but that really was hard on me. I ended up standing because otherwise it was just too much pressure on my back to sit down -- and sitting down also stalled out the contractions for about 30 minutes so I didn't want to do that again!

Of course, we forgot that we had an appointment with the Comcast guy to find out why our internet is GLACIALLY SLOW, and he showed up around 10am... poor guy!

By 10:30 I was having really regular, strong contractions that were really fast, like 2 minutes apart. We went to Patrick and this time I had 4 contractions on the way from the CAR to his office! Patrick gave me some chocolate, making him my favorite person in the world at that moment. I was 4 cm, and he said it wouldn't be unreasonable to go to the hospital and that he'd call in so they'd directly admit me. I said I would lean towards the hospital so I wouldn't have to make another car trip -- seriously... the roads are rough!

So we got to the hospital around 12 and I guess we were in the room around 12:30 or so. Patrick got there shortly thereafter and I got hooked up to the monitors, which my former ob/gyn said would keep me confined to bed -- I was able to walk all around the room! My legs were getting tired so we tried the birthing ball... but I'm too clumsy! I found the most comfort when I was in bed, with the head of the bed inclined and sort of draped over that. Sayf and Patrick massaged my back and I could tell Patrick was sort of guiding the baby down.

Maybe around 1 I felt like I had to go #2 so I asked Patrick to check me and I was 6-7 cm with the baby's head low. He offered me an enema (no thanks – I hadn’t even considered that and so I just went with my gut and passed on that option!!!) and then told me to try to go but not to try TOO hard! I said, don't worry. The last thing I want to do is push out a baby in the toilet... I'm from Central PA but there's a reason I moved... I'm not that white trash! Anyway. Nothing doing!

Finally around 2pm I said I felt a LOT of pressure in my bottom. I was at 10 cm! Patrick suggested I just hang out and see if my body told me to push -- amazingly I started pushing without really meaning to the next contraction!

I pushed for about an hour to get him pretty far down, and then between 3 and 3:45 they worked on stretching the exit out! This was actually, honestly, the only time it occurred to me to even jokingly ask for the epidural. Me, who last time around got the epidural at like 2 cm. Then I really got down to business! I felt his head come on out and looked up and saw the ugliest, most beautiful thing I've ever seen -- this little face all the way out with his head looking just perfect! And, yes, I saw the face... so the little stinker was sunny side up. No wonder I labored standing the whole time!

We met Ziwar at 4:20pm (and I even made a stoner joke when I looked at the time. My sense of humor gets really inappropriate in intense circumstances!).

I was SO thankful to see him. I was so happy when they put him on my chest -- it was just like I had hoped! I was so thankful to Sayf and Patrick and for the whole gaggle of personnel that materialized to cheer me on.

Ziwar weighed in at 7 lb 8 oz and was 21 inches long. He latched on right away and has been nursing really well since. He lost a little bit of weight and he was down to 6 lb 15 oz when they discharged us... not too bad. His poops are starting to change so I think my milk might come in OK soon.

I have to say, I feel like kind of a bad-ass Sayf can't talk about how proud he is of me without getting choked up and all the nurses came to meet the natural, posterior, midwife attended VBAC!

We got home today... I can't believe that 48 hours ago, I was pushing. Other than a very particular area, I feel like a million bucks! It makes a really big difference not to have the meds and of course, the major abdominal surgery! As I'm sure is clear -- I am SO happy with our decision to try for a VBAC. We were so lucky to have a practitioner who we trusted and was so competent -- he really knows his shit. And even if I'd ended up with a c-section I'd have been really glad that we tried!

My Vbac
 

I have two children, my first child, Abi, was born by c-section. She wouldn't turn and her leg was stuck in my pelvis area. I really really wanted a vaginal birth but it was either risk an emergency operation and be asleep, or pick a date and be awake for her arrival. We had her at Good Samaritan in Los Angeles, CA and after they literally tugged her out they placed her between my legs, and rolled us to our recovery room, she hasn't left my side yet.

Then Came our second child, Marcus. I had a very good doctor who was totally willing to go for a v-bac. Dr. Mark Dwight the best doctor ever!!! Anyway, Marcus decided to come 2 weeks early and I pushed that baby out! My husband and I were so excited, and I did it without any pain meds.

So now I have a boy and a girl and I've have one each way, I'm done...:lol

I am a little late in posting this, but I guess better late than never! :lol

I will try to keep this short!! But it is not likely!! I was due on Aug. 31, but I upped my dosage of EPO Friday night, Aug. 25th...and then...

3am--I woke up with pretty strong contractions. Made DH time them

4am--Decided we probably should head down the mountain. Called a friend of ours and THANK GOD she answered her cell and agreed to take dd.

Load car, drive to Reno, drop off dd, drive the hour down the mountain to thehospital.

6am--check in to hospital. Nurses want to know why I am there. Um, I am in labor? They tell me the rooms aren't clean, and I have to go sit in the waiting room.

6.30am--finally get into a room. Am dialated 4-5 cm

7.30am--My contrax change to like I had with dd. At the peak of each contrax it is like my stomach muscles completely take over and push the baby against my cervix. We're talking MASSIVE pain here bc if you aren't fully dialated, a baby's head banging against your cervix is NOT a good thing. Ugh. I tell dh that I can't do this again bc I know how it went the last time. I don't want an epidural, but I cannot even breathe when my stomach spasms like this.

DH hits the nurse call button, and when she answers he says in this super polite voice "My wife would like to discuss her pain medication options" Leave it to my hubbie to be so polite at a time like this.

Doc and nurse come in. I am at 8cm and they say if I don't want an epidural, they can give me one dose of Stadol. The doc warns me that it will not take away the pain, it will just take the edge off. Fine with me, I just need to be able to breathe.

8.00am--They check me again and I am 10 cm and it is time to push. Considering I never made it past 5cm last time, this is pretty exciting--and very new territory for me.

I push for one hour (that's what they tell me). The nurse decides that my most effective pushing is to push WHILE HOLDING MY BREATH. Yikes. His head will not budge and the pain and pressure is absolutely undescribable. I cannot tell the difference when he moves a little and doesn't move at all. It all feels the same to me.

9am--they bring my doc in. I push for him a few times, and the baby's head is still not budging. He said it looks like this may be a repeat C-section, but he knows how badly I want a VBAC. That he does not normally recommend vacuum extraction for his VBAC patients, but he thinks we might have a shot at it. If I am willing, he is going to give me ONE contrax worth of pushing (that, for me, means three pushes at a ten-count each) to get the baby out. If it doesn't work in this one contraction, it isn't going to and we will have to go to the ER. I agree to give it a go. I did not come this far to give up now.

The vacuum thingy looks like one of those plastic things in a push-up popsicle. OMG it hurt when he put it on his head. We wait for the contraction. It comes. I push. I swear, it was like the world's craziest sporting event in there. The doc is yelling, the nurse is yelling at me not scream, dh is hopping up and down telling me I can do it, I am yelling back at them. This is NOTHING like the calm quiet of my c-section.

I get through my three pushes. And I totally think I did not do it. I don't feel any differently, just pressure and pain and in that moment I try to accept the fact that they are going to wheel me in for a c-section.

And then I hear them telling me his head is out. I honestly do not believe it for a heartbeat or two. But I hear the doctor saying he is suctioning his mouth, and dh is just repeating over and over that I had done it. I am still in disbelief.

And now they tell me I have to push the shoulders out. For those of you who know dd, she has a teeny head. So his shoulders are wedged in there. I don't know how long it took to get his shoulders out, but we finally did. I remember yelling at the doctor to just get him out already. Turns out that my son's head and chest have the EXACT same measurements--13.5 cm. So, it wasn't like his head made way for the rest of his body. It was the same measurement all the way down.

Dominic was born at 9.33am DH got to cut the cord. They put him on my chest right away. It was amazing.

My birth experiences with the two kids were so different from each other, I just can't compare. I am still processingg the whole VBAC experience. Would I do it again w/o an epidural? That weekend I would have said HELL no. But mommy amnesia is already starting to kick in.

So, in summary--3 hours of labor in the hospital, a successful VBAC and a beautiful baby boy to show for it. What more could a girl ask for?

The birth of Elizabeth Anne
 

We decided to get induced on December 27, when I was 41.5 weeks. I’d been having irregular contractions off and on, but nothing “serious.” My DH and I had been using EPO, raspberry tea, nipple stimulation and sex to try to get labor started, but nothing was working. For this labor, it was going to be just me and my husband though, because my doula was having surgery that same morning and wouldn’t be able to attend our birth. This made a bit nervous, especially considering my DH had worked a 24 hour paramedic shift the day before and hadn’t gotten much sleep.

We got to the hospital around 7:45 a.m. and got all checked in. Denise (the nurse that DH had "reserved" - he works with her husband who is the pilot for the air medical flights) got me all setup for the initial monitor strip while we waited for my OB, Jan. Denise found the heartbeat high up on my abdomen, so she brought in the u/s to make sure the baby was head down. Baby was head down, but my fluid level looked low. Jan showed up around 8:15 I think and checked me...still at a 1, maybe 1.5, 50% effaced like my last check up, but my cervix was definitely anterior, which was a change (I had been about midway last checkup). She said she had just enough room to try to break my water, which she would much rather do because it would be safer than the prostaglandin. I agreed, even though I know breaking my water puts me on a clock, because I knew I wasn't about to come back the next day for another induction attempt and I also wanted to avoid the prostaglandin gel. Besides, my cervix was all ready mush, so the only thing that was going to make any changes was either the pressure of the baby’s head or some contractions.

So Jan broke my water and there wasn't hardly any fluid and the baby didn't drop. So unfortunately, this meant I had to stay in bed because they were worried about cord prolapse. I was having a few contractions, but they were pretty mild. I tried nipple stimulation for a while, but they still weren't strong enough to bring the baby down. I really wanted to get out of bed, but the baby was so high they couldn't even give her a station.

Around 9:30 they came in to do my saline lock. Oh, this was a fun experience. DH had all ready told them I had bad veins as well as I wasn’t good with needles. So they had lidocaine all ready to numb me before trying to insert the IV. Well, unfortunately, my veins didn’t cooperate. Supposedly they had to avoid putting the IV in my hand because it might blow during the pushing stage. So they kept looking in my wrists, my arms. Every time they thought they had a vein, it was either too small, it blew, or it rolled away. The nurse tried a few times, then let my DH try (he’s quite good with IV’s). He was a bit uncomfortable just because it was me, but I told him I trusted him. He tried without the lidocaine because he thought it was making my veins disappear. His stick I barely felt, but he didn’t have any luck either. He said my veins were just too small. They looked big enough until they actually tried to stick them. So they called in anesthesia. The first nurse anesthetist tried a few times and couldn’t get one either, not even in my hand. So they had to call in a second nurse anesthetist. She went for one in my hand and got it on the first try. It was over so fast we barely knew what happened. This whole process took an hour!!!

I asked about eating anything, and Denise said no because I was a VBAC. Grr....I thought they had said I could eat when I had asked during the tour, plus Jan hadn't objected to that part of my birth plan. If I had known that, I would have tried to eat some breakfast before going to the hospital. I hadn’t because I get nauseous if I try to eat that early. So, my DH kept sneaking me granola bars, crackers, and Gatorade because I really needed something to keep my energy up. We all know how much BS there is behind their reasoning for keeping us NPO in labor!!!

Just before noon, my OB wanted to start Pitocin to strengthen the contractions and try to bring the baby down. We agreed even though this bummed me, because I knew it meant not being able to use the whirlpool due to the continuous EFM. But I did ask about possibly backing off the Pit later on to see if I would keep contracting on my own, and they said it was possible. So they started me on the nice low dose of 4 ml and it didn't take long before the contractions got stronger. They never got into true "Pit" contractions either...they stayed nice and smooth just like regular contractions (the nice curve pattern on the paper, not the spike then decrease like I am used to seeing with a Pit contraction). The Pit just made the contractions stronger, which surprised us. I have always had such bad experiences with Pit, but then again, I don't think my body was as ready for labor the first two times as it was this time around. I figure this time all I needed was a tiny nudge. Normally when I have been on Pit, the contraction peaks right away and then decreases. Again, I think this was due to my OB letting me wait so long before the induction. I never got this much wiggle room with the midwives with my first two. 41 weeks was their cutoff.

The really bad part about not being able to get out of bed was having to use the bedpan instead of getting up to the bathroom. I have always had sympathy for my residents that had to use a bedpan (I used to work as a nurse aide), but never so much as I did that morning!!! Man it is hard to pee lying down. At one point, I couldn't pee at all and my DH and I decided they should cath me. DH wanted a Foley, but I didn't unless I got an epidural. He knew that part of the problem in my previous labors had been my bladder getting too full and getting in the way of the baby's decent. I didn't want to have to drag a Foley around as well as my IV, so they did just a straight cath. Thankfully they only had to do it once!!!

Finally they checked me again around 2 and said the baby had dropped to like -1 and I was 80% effaced and dilated to a 3, maybe 3.5. This meant I could get out of bed!! (cheers all around!!!) So they brought in the birthing ball for me to sit on for a while because I was complaining about my back (not from the contractions, but from the darned hospital bed), not to mention a numb butt! Oh that felt so much better on my back....I also tried the rocking chair. DH stretched out on the bed for a while to see how uncomfortable it was. He only lasted about 20 mins before saying he had to sit somewhere else. By 4 or so, the Pit was around 12 I think (still a pretty low dose for me, both times before they had put me on well over 100), but the contractions were getting harder. I laid back down on the bed just to try to get some rest because I hadn't slept that much the night before and knew I would need my energy later.

Around 5 I started nearing that level that I knew the contractions were getting to be a bit more than I could handle. I was still managing them, but knew if they got any stronger, I wouldn't be able to relax as well. So I sent DH out to ask for some Nubain to take the edge off so I could keep my focus. Denise was on the phone with Jan just telling her "she hasn't had anything for pain yet...wait, change that (she looked up and saw DH), she is asking for Nubain now." I got the Nubain and it didn't do anything, or at least it felt that way. So I got up to use the bathroom and to see if the change in position would help. While in the bathroom, DH and I discussed getting an epidural. He basically figured I should get it soon if I wanted it because he figured things were gonna go fast at this point (he knows me all too well and could see I was nearing or starting transition, which of course I didn’t realize). Once I did decide to get it, he did make sure to ask if I was sure and I said I was. I told him I was right at the point where I wasn't going to be able to mentally relax anymore because the contractions were just getting too strong and I didn't want to get to a point where I "lost it" and then have to deal with getting the epidural when I wasn't in control.

So we called for the epidural and the anesthesiologist got there just before 6. My OB Jan had arrived shortly before and I think I was at a 4 or 4.5, 100% effaced when she checked me. It didn't take them very long to get the epidural started and I couldn't have timed it any better. The last two contractions I had before the spinal (he gave me both a spinal and an epidural) kicked in were enough to make me cry out and squeeze the heck out of DH, and I have a high pain tolerance. We got me all settled in bed and I was amazed...the epidural took the pain away, but was light enough that I could feel the pressure of the contractions and still move my legs. It was the first time they had gotten an epidural “right” in my opinion. Jan said she was going to run home quick to change and grab a bite to eat. DH thought she should stick around, but she said she wouldn't be gone long.

It was funny when they went to put the Foley in, cause for some reason the epidural left me enough sensation to be ticklish as all get out. It was all I could do to keep from laughing as they put the betadine on and what not. It was strange because I am normally not that ticklish.

Unfortunately, this is where the one "bump in the road" happened. Soon after they got the Foley in and I was settled in bed, the epidural caused my blood pressure to drop too low (I think DH said it was like 80 over 42) which in turn caused the baby's heart rate to drop down to the 60s and 70s. They tried turning me on different sides, no real effect. So they paged Jan and the anesthesiologist, and tried scalp stimulation. That brought her heart rate up, but only when they were scratching her head. Jan and the anesthesiologist showed up fairly quickly (I think he was probably still on the elevator) and gave me an IV medication and a bolus of IV fluid to raise my blood pressure. It worked, and baby's heart rate came back up. It was a scare, but everyone stayed quite calm, which helped me stay calm. It was nice, everyone was telling me most of what was going on, especially DH, cause he knew if I didn't know what was happening I would panic. At the hospital I had my first two, they never would tell you what was happening.

Once everything was settled down, Jan checked me again and said I was at an 8! My jaw hit the floor. I had gone from a 5 to an 8 in less than an hour. I was expecting her to say maybe a 6. DH wasn't as surprised, he knew I was in transition and things were moving fast. This made me so happy and helped reinforce the belief that I was going to actually get my VBAC.

Just before 7, Jan checked again and said I was complete with just a lip left. Again I couldn't believe it. She said I could push if I wanted to or wait a little bit. I said I would like to try, since I could feel the contractions. They didn't hurt, all I felt was a lot of pressure right in my pelvis. It took a while to get the hang of pushing, probably because of the epidural. After a while, we decided to wrap a sheet around the squatting bar for me to use as a tug of war type thing. This worked well, but I still felt like my pushes weren't doing any good. Jan said the baby was sunny side up and that was why it was taking longer. Finally I got into a good rhythm and baby decided to flip around the right way. Next thing I knew Jan said "she's almost crowning, let me get geared up". She got her gown on and soon I was pushing her head out. They did have to suction her because there was some meconium (we hadn't been able to tell for sure if there was going to be or not because there wasn't much fluid). After that it was pretty quick, a little pop with her shoulders and wham, there was a baby girl. They got her all suctioned and set her on my tummy. I was so thrilled because I had done it! DH cut the cord of course and then they took her over to the warmer to finish cleaning her up and it was so weird, having all that stuff done in the same room. Again, the previous hospital had always whisked the baby off to the nursery and DH had always followed the baby, leaving me alone with my caregiver.

After I pushed out the placenta, they showed it to us (DH found it fascinating because he hadn't been able to see the first two because he was in the nursery with the baby). Jan said I hadn't torn at all and didn't need any stitches (again, hooray!!!). Finally they weighed her and said she was 8 lbs, 8 oz, which was only a few ounces short of Jason, my first vaginal. I was off by only 1 ounce, I had said she would be 8 lbs 7 oz. So I had a 8.5 lb VBAC with no tears!!!

Soon DH and I were alone with our little girl, which again, was an amazing experience. We had to wait for hours before to have time alone with the first two. I got her to latch on fairly quickly, but she didn't nurse for too long. But she acted like she was a pro, she took to nursing no prob. Soon we got settled into our family room and DH left to get our other kids so they could meet their new sister. First thing my oldest (who is almost 4) said when he saw the baby was "That's mine!" We all had a good laugh about that.

So overall, it was an awesome, wonderful experience. I didn't get to use the whirlpool tub, but I got the birth I wanted. It wasn't perfect, but I wasn't asking for perfect. I did end up having the epidural, but it was very light and helped me stay in control during a fast part of my labor.

DH and I thanked Jan profusely when she came to see us the next day. I think she was actually surprised with how grateful we were. I think she felt she didn't really do anything that special, but we both think she did. We never imagined being able to find an OB that would be so flexible and laid back with our pregnancy and labor. DH was also wonderful. I was worried when I knew he hadn't gotten much sleep at work the night before, but he was awesome. He held me, comforted me, and was totally on my side, making sure I got what I really wanted. The fact that he realized I was in transition blows my mind. He really did his homework this time around and it totally paid off. It was a great experience.

Successful VBAC! Yippee!
 

4 years after an emergency c-section, I did a successful VBAC 18 days ago! 8 hour labour, no medical interventions, no drugs, just breathing excercises..it was the birth I always wanted!! So happy! Recovery time was one day, then I was up & about.

We arrived at the hospital at a little after 6am for our scheduled ECV and induction. Shortly after we checked in my midwife arrived and confirmed with the u/s that she was already head down and no ECV would be needed- YAY! After reviewing my birth plan he was “very concerned” LOL because of asking for things that normally you just “don’t do” during a VBAC attempt like limiting monitoring, but for the most part it was followed and anything that wasn’t he let me know well ahead of time.

They started the pitocin around 8am and kept cranking it up every 15 min or so until they got to the max that would be acceptable for a VBAC attempt- had to keep cranking because nothing was really happening at all. We sat around shooting the breeze and walking the halls, changing positions, etc. all morning. The contractions were all in my back but not strong at all. The first time I was checked was around noon and I was barely a fingertip dilated but the mw managed to strip my membranes at that point, head not engaged yet.

By 3:30 I was 50% effaced and -2 station, still no dilation. Had to get on oxygen because the baby’s heart rate dropped with each contraction- uh oh, possible cord issue.

I needed to have internal monitoring at that time because of her heart rate dropping after contractions, so at 3:50 they broke my water and I went right to 3cm. FUNNY PART- when they broke my water I had a normal big gush. Then the next THREE contractions it SPRAYED out. Like a stream that flowed straight out to about mid-thigh! The nurse and midwife both said they’d NEVER seen it spray out like that and when I laughed it would gush more. They also agreed that that was some of the most water they had ever seen before as well, so our conclusion is she had a ton of water the reason she was floating around in there as well as she was!

Got in the whirlpool, changing positions, lots of back massages for my all back labor. I felt basically nothing in front except tightening, but my back killed. I never made any noises at all during the contractions though so people would be talking to me and get impatient when I didn’t answer them right away LOL

7:45 I asked to be checked again, feeling nauseated. I was at 5cm and 90% effaced, still -2 station. I asked for some Phergren for the nausea and Stadol for the pain. They gave it to me and the combo KNOCKED me out. I was aware of my surroundings, but could not open my eyes or talk at all. I could nod slightly, but otherwise couldn’t even communicate!

Still in lots of pain at 9:00pm I asked for an epidural, I was at 5cm still 90% effaced at 9:15 so I just knew it would be a while… So got the epidural, it sent a shock down my left leg so she took it out and did another one which only numbed my backside and left, nothing on my right at all. Contractions were still very noticeable so she gave me a little injection of something to the epidural to make it kick in more.

I kept asking (at least three times) if it would last long enough and she said hopefully, at least a couple hours. Well, my blood pressure then suddenly dropped with the epi and had to get oxygen again. Lots of racing around, I just knew I was headed for the OR. Before that though the MW decided to check me one more time.

He lifted my legs to the froggy position and “Ok, get the nurses in here, the head is already part way out!” UH?! What???? It was 9:55- I had gone from 5cm and -2 station to 10 cm and +3 in about 40 minutes!! Couldn’t feel a dang thing to push, so after two contractions they rotated the bed and lifted my legs for me to be in squatting position and her head just fell out LOL- then one push and her body was out too. The cord did come out with her head, so we were VERY lucky it was not prolapsed, it was definitely a close call. No stitches either!

Birth was at 10:21 pm and she looks great. Because DH’s grandmother had passed the morning before we asked the check out early so he could go to the service and they let us out after lunch the next day. Under 17 hours after birth we were home and its wonderful. I feel terrific and her big brother is very protective and interested in everything she does.

Thanks for reading!

My VBAC
 

In 1997 I had a c-section. I vowed to not have that done unless it was a real emergency. In 2005 I became pregnant. Everything went really well. I went over my due date and was not feeling the best. I went to the chiropractor, the accupunturist to get my labor going. I went into early labor on a Friday. On Saturday I was dehydrated and couldn't keep liquids down. I was hospitalized, they gave me liquids and said I ought to have a c-section. We walked out against medical advice...I felt better. Sunday I had early labor that wasn't going anywhere, it was all in my back. Monday same thing. I just sat there (I know you are suppossed to get moving but it was hard for me to do that). Tuesday in the morning it just seemed like it was time. We went to the birthing center and I was only a 1.5 dialated. She gave me some exercises to do . I sat in the shower and then my water broke. It had meconiuum in it. I was transfered to the hospital and met my attending doctor. When I got there I was a 3. 45 minutes later I was a 7. 15 minutes after that I was pushing my baby out. Even though it was not my ideal birthing experience, it went great and I was so happy I didn't have a c-section. My baby started nursing shortly after she was cleaned up....Be a little flexible but stick to your guns.

Nicole

VBA4C Success
 

This isn't my story, but I got permission from the mama to share it.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...80#post7037580

I had been having contractions for days, same with my son. I go in they say go walk for a bit while we change over for the next shift. So walk, walk, walk, I come back, they check me I'm an 8!! I'm excited. They admit me. Few hours later, still an 8, .....still an 8..... all too similar to ds labor. So I get the pit and epi less than an hour later out she comes!!! The epi worked well for me, just enough to deal with evil pit contractions, but I felt the pressure to push, I could push, and she came right out. No tears, I felt AWESOME!! I was able to BF right away, I was able to walk around. It was amazing. Not the natural birth I wanted with my first, but far from the c-section after pushing and everything I had with ds.

My successful HBA2C!!
 

January 16 was just a normal day. After the intense contractions of the day before (on the car ride up and back to MA), I had hoped that /something/ might happen overnight.. Nothing.. nadda.. not even a twinge.

I was feeling a bit annoyed.. Not that I was ready to be not pregnant or feeling ‘done’. Quite the contrary. I have never felt better in a pregnancy than this time around. I didn’t feel ‘big’ or cumbersome. Aside from the need to pee all night long, I had no real pregnancy complaints. In fact, I was happy to still be pregnant for one reason.. it meant that I hadn’t ‘tried and failed’ yet. For this specter was still in the back of my mind.. and while I felt very confident that all would work out as I wished.. there was a small part of me that doudted my body.. So, if I was still pregnant.. the dream was still ‘alive and kicking’ so to speak..

On the other hand.. and this was a bit of an anxiety issue.. was the baby’s size. My hopes for an early baby, and thus one that might be smaller than 9lbs.. and increase my chances of success, seemed to be slipping away each day. And at 38 weeks 4 days, I was wondering if I /would/ be pregnant until 40 plus weeks.. The herbs, epo and DH didn’t seem to be triggering anything…

I got up early.. Melissa was coming for tea and I wanted to make her favorite coffee cake.. and I was craving some carbs and sugar myself.. Spent a busy early morning getting DS ready and off to school. DH was leaving later in the day for a meeting and headed out around 10 am. Melissa came over and we enjoyed a nice chat. She mentioned she had to work that night and to reach her via cell phone if I needed her. I assured her that nothing.. NOTHING was happening and it wasn’t going to happen that night..

My friend Sarah called.. and I really can’t recall what we chatted about. Later she would say I was the strangest she had evern heard me be on the phone.. totally on another planet.. although I felt like I was normal.. She wasn’t the first to mention this after the fact, so I guess I was not really all in the present.. Not a single contraction all day long.

Went to get DS at school and chatted with his aide (who the next day told DH I seemed out of it.. see another person saying the same thing.) and took him to his social skills class. Had one or two twinges while sitting there and headed home. On the way home (now 5pm) stopped at Kim’s house.. (she also later said I was totally weird) to pick up some things and headed home to get the kids dinner.

Now 6pm and they are happily watching a movie as I heat up a quick dinner. Suddenly my right hip starts hurting badly and it feels like the baby’s head has crash landed into my pelvic floor..making walking difficult but no contractions.. I sit the kids down.. feeling a bit grouchy about the hip and pelvis pain.. and take my 10 drops of herbs.. I notice some odd contractions that seem centered in my lower pelvis.. no where else. Very new and strange feeling.. unlike any contraction I have ever felt..so I dismiss them as more of the same annoying twinges..but they are quite painful even though they are brief. DH arrives home at 7pm and we get the kids to bed.

Around 8 my mother calls to go over DS’s test results and I am not feeling anything different that before.. If I sit on my birth ball, the pelvic pain eases nicely and there are no other contractions. So I don’t mention anything to her on the phone. By 8:30 things seem to be kicking into a higher gear.. the pains are becoming steady and I have to breathe through a few. I mention them to DH and say I’m heading for the shower. He agrees it seems like more weird pains than anything else and continues to check his email and do some work on the computer.
A brief shower and things are much of the same. I decide to start moving things to the bedroom.. just in case. I clean the bathroom and get towels etc all in place. The birth kit and supplies are placed near the dresser and I head downstairs. It is now 9 pm. I ask DH to start timing the contractions. They are truly contractions now, centered in my lower pelvis but traveling down my back. I assume they are just some nasty Braxton hicks contractions and this seems confimed when DH says they are lasting less than 45 seconds, but coming 1 to 2 minutes apart.. what kind of contractions start like that?? None that I have experienced before.. at least not starting out that way from nothing.. With my second labor the contractions built all day long.. this was different..
DH heads to the shower.. in case.. and I call my MW.. convinced I am not in labor. Since she has heard that story before (from my telling her about my second labor..) she says she is heading over in an hour. I get off the phone feeling badly at bothering her and getting everyone over here for what I think is probably nothing. A call to Kim has her on her way, she had been expecting my call.. funny enough.. and I try to reach Melissa, but I can’t. I am kneeling in the living room, we are watching Dirty Jobs, and using the birth ball to rock through the contractions. DH is doing a great job applying pressure and massage to my tailbone, which is painful, when suddenly I feel this weird ‘pop’ in my lower right back and I say “wow.. that was weird..” and suddenly realize my water had just broken.. The time is now shortly before 10 pm..

I quickly crawl into the kitchen.. grab a towel and head to the bathroom.. my mind going 1000 miles a minutes.. all I can think is “crap, we didn’t want my water to break until this baby was in a good position and I went and blew it!”. I do note with relief that the fuild is clear but there is no mistaking.. my water has broken and this is happening tonight!
DH calls the MW who heads right over. I remember asking “did she want me to stay on hands and knees?” thinking maybe that might help this baby tuck his chin.. DH says she didn’t mention it. I have a huge contraction on the way back to the living room and it gives me a moment of panic.. the thought of “I really don’t want to do this right now..” flashes through my head… and I hope the MW arrives soon.. as I try to stay calm.
I am back on the birth ball, knees on the floor, as this is the most comfortable and seem to help keep me from entering into a panic with each contraction. They are painful but not overwhelming and I concentrate on breathing and keeping a loose face and neck to help dilate my cervix.
Kim arrives first, a few minutes after 10 and shortly (around 10:10) after the MW arrives. She checks the baby’s heart rate during and after a contraction. He sounds fantastic, and she heads upstairs to set up the room. I am thinking that this could go on for a while.. I haven’t puked yet and last time that was my signal I was in transition.. “no puking… I must have hours to go yet..” Suddenly I go from having a contraction to pushing.. it was in the blink of an eye.. one second I was breathing through a contraction and the next I am trying to get my nose to go out my butt.. Kim rushes to get the MW who comes downstairs “feeling pushy” she asks with a smile as I gasp “what the hell was that?”

Feeling pushy?? FEELING.. there was no FEELING.. it was my whole being taking over every conscious part of me and making me push. I have a moment of panic.. this is NOT how we discussed this labor progressing.. I was going to labor around the house, keeping myself occupied.. I was going to get to 10 cm.. and then I was going to lay or kneel and not push until I felt I had to..I envisioned pushing like last time.. hearing “ok.. this is a contraction.. take a breath.. count to ten.. blah blah blah” Yeah.. nope.. not this time… I have never heard of it going like this.. but no one else seems to think it is out of the ordinary…but this wasn’t going as planned and certainly wasn’t going how I had ever experienced or imagined labor to go..
My MW, cool as a cucumber says “we need to get you upstairs now..” I wasn’t sure I could make it.. I managed to half walk and half crawl to the bottom of the stairs.. have another “pushy” contraction.. managed to make it to the bedroom and close the door before another one hits.. My MW’s cool and calm,asks if I want her to check me.. I vacillate but then think it is a good idea.. what if I have a lip again?? What if I’m not fully dilated..?
Fully dilated, no lip..hurray! I’m still in a bit of denial.. afterall I haven’t thrown up yet…

Time now stops for me.. Kim helps hold my head as I kneel on all fours.. trying to push my way through the floor with my hands as each contraction. Water is offered between contractions.. a cool cloth appears.. all I see are feet.. people walking here and there..getting things.. low voices speak.. DH massaging my back, whispering “you’re doing it.” Or “ I see his head”. I am not sure I fully trust the status reports and it certainly doesn’t feel like much is happening other than my pushing. The urge to push is overwhelming.. I cannot control it, I must just surrender to it. It is like I am trying to get my nose to travel out my behind.. every wave is intense but not painful.. just overwhelming and full of pressure.. between each wave I wonder how much longer I can do this. I even say at one point “Not sure I like this pushy phase” to which everyone chuckles. Later I’m told this is a great sign.. that things are progressing as they should. I ask often “is it working? Is anything happening? Is he stuck?” to which I get many reassurances.. Dh keeps up his litany of reassurance. My MW says to reach down and feel the baby’s head and I do.. it feels soft.. I am surprised. I hear her say to DH “that is more head than you have ever seen huh” to which he happily replies “oh yeah” DH leans forward and says “I can see his head.. so much of his head.. you are doing it!!”

Now I can feel him lower.. I feel him trying to push out and yet at the end of each contraction I feel him slipping back in. I comment on this with frustration. My MW chuckles and says that it may feel like he is slipping all the way back in (which, to my dismay it does) but he isn’t.
Soon the tenor of the need to push changes and I struggle to keep my voice low and moans low pitched but the pressure and burning make it hard to stay in control. Calm steady voices reassure me that all is well.. help me breathe.. I am sobbing at one point.. begging someone to tell me that this will all be over soon. I even wonder if I can do it.. can I keep this up.. when suddenly, with a woosh and a sense of relief.. his head is out.. I feel it pop out with a gush of warm fluid and happy cries erupt. I hear my MW say “well.. a nuchal hand!” My MW says to me “you can push now..” to which I reply “I am not sure I want to..” She cracks up and suddenly I must push and he is out..
I am sobbing with relief.. DH has caught our son. He appears between my legs (I’ve never left all fours) and I reach down in total disbelief and gather him up to me.. DH says the look on my face was like I had won a billion dollars. I am sobbing and laughing all at the same time..in total disbelief that I have DONE IT!!
A few minutes later I am helped onto the bed. Kim takes the baby and he reaches out and grabs my hair, refusing to be separated from me. My MW says “oh your placenta is already detaching..” to which I worridly ask “is that ok?” I think I crack her up.. she laughs.. “sure is.. “ and before I can ask if this part hurts too.. out it comes.
Now I am in a blur of happy emotions.. He is on my chest.. messy and so new and I can’t get enough of holding and kissing him. Someone is taking pictures.. my MW is making sure all is well and decides that I need a shot of Pit. He latches on immediately and spends the next hour or little more sucking away. The bedroom is a flurrly of quiet activity.. things are cleaned, put away.. then we are left alone for a few minutes to just bask in the glow. I have never felt more happy than this moment.. never.. Soon everyone returns.. I need stitches.. I have two large labial tears and a nearly second degree perinial tear. I look at the needle and ask “you have to stick that where?” but the numbing agent doesn’t hurt much going in and in fact some of the stitches hurt more than that.. A few are very painful, but one of the MW assistants stroked my arm and it helps distract me from the pain.
I get up and am helped to the shower and have to pee so badly.. which is a little intimidating.. but I managed. Showered and tucked into bed.. we now can focus on our little man.. Elias James.. He seems to tiny to me.. I guess 8lbs 13.. Melissa (poor Melissa who arrives after it is all done.. but who is thrilled beyond words) guesses 8 lb 7. The sling scale shows a surprised.. 9 lbs 9 oz!!! They weigh him again.. yes… My biggest baby ever and he came out with a nuchal hand!!!! He is 23 inches long and later a head measure shows him to have an approx 37 cm head. I am in shock.. I really am in shock.. Not only did I do it.. but he was my biggest baby ever!!
I am told to eat, checked again and everyone clears out by 2 am. It takes another hour for the euphoria to calm enough to sleep… DH and I wake early.. and talk about the birth in soft voices.. each of us just in awe..
I could have never done it without the support of my wonderful team.. I am forever grateful for their confidence in me, their steadfast belief that I could do it..their unwavering support..
I did it!!

Quinn is nine months old now, but in looking through this forum I realized I never posted my story here. :lol Here's a link to the brief birth story I wrote out after he was born. :)

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=441489

My successful HBAC!
 

Michael Alton was born 1-24-07 (also my birthday!) at 12:11 p.m. He was born at home after less than 5 hours of labor! Only 21 minutes of pushing and no tears (or 'roids! YAY)! Woohoo!
He was - 10 lb, 1 oz
- 22 1/2 inches long
Basically I woke up at 7:15am after Michael punched my bladder REALLY hard, went to the bathroom and saw I'd totally lost my plug and had been feeling a few contractions.........

DH left for work at 7:45, I called him at 8:10 and told him to get back home.... He got home at 8:35 and we left for my midwife appt. that was at 9AM.... When I got there, I was already at a 4cm and 100% effaced and working REALLY hard through my contractions (I really don't remember much of the visit even though we were there for almost an HOUR!)...... on the ride home, I was in TRANSITION already! (Yeah, less than 3 hours after starting cx!)......

When I got home, I tried the birth ball and was yelling out stuff like "JESUS, OPEN IT UP - OPEN UP MY CERVIX! LORD HELP ME THROUGH THIS CONTRACTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!" as loud as possible and wouldn't let DH help me at all... my mom came and got our 20 month old DD, I took a quick shower and then stationed myself on the toilet.... then I had DH call the midwives to go ahead and come over...

by the time the first midwife got there, I was pushy feeling..... but not pushing yet... Eventually, she convinced me to get off of the toilet at 11:45... I started pushing at 11:50 (on the edge of my bed with one leg up on the side of the box spring and the other on the floor) and pushed for 21 minutes.... and out popped little Michael! It was NOTTTTTT even close to as bad as I thought it would be at ALL!! In fact, on the video, a few minutes after the birth I said "Oh my gosh! I thought that was going to be so much harder! Is that weird?!" lol

I felt like pushing my placenta out within a few minutes after the birth and my midwives obliged. I did faint momentarily when trying to go to the bathroom a while after the birth and as a precaution, my midwives gave me oxygen and a shot of pitocin to get my uterus to do its thing after the birth (I didn't hold the baby a whole lot right after I fainted, so my uterus wasn't contracting like it would've been if he'd been nursing).... Anyway, all was well and the midwives were FANTASTIC!

Anyone in the west Texas area should certainly seek out the services of Motherly Way Maternity Services! Kelli and Shanna (and their apprentice Mel) were absolutely WONDERFUL!!!)

This has been a healing and surreal experience! My DD was born via C/S after 42 hours of labor (water broke prior to cx) due to posterior positioning and a cocked head (she was an attempted natural birth center birth, so the C/S was very disappointing to me!)...... so we were shocked that this one went off without a hitch and SO quickly!

Here are some links to some pics!
Here he is moments after birth:
http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/8977/dscf0001zv9.jpg

Here we are a few minutes later!
http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/8049/dscf0005ay2.jpg

Here he is with his grandma (my mom) and big sister Grace later that evening when they met him for the first time!:
http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/1875/dscf0007fd1.jpg

and here I am with DD and DS today!:
http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/5166/dscf00134ym7.jpg

-Jenn

Baby Jasper born 1/25/07 natural VBAC
 

I woke up at 5 am on Jan. 22 w/contractions 5 minutes apart. By 11am the contractions were strong enough that I called DH and told him to come home from work, called my in-laws and told them to be at our house within 24 hours (they live in another state), called my doula and told her to meet me at the hospital in the afternoon. I started passing some bloody mucus. At hospital triage, the contractions were still 5 minutes apart and my cervix was completely closed, so I went home after 2 hours on EFM.

Contractions continued all through the night, getting stronger but not closer together. At my regular OB appt. on 1/23, I was 1 cm dilated and I asked to have my membranes swept. :bag: Contractions continued to get stronger, but not any closer. My in-laws arrived right after the OB appt.

On 1/24, I realized I could no longer labor at home. It was too intense and it was upsetting DS1. My doula met me at the hospital at 10:30 am. My water had broken -- without me realizing it -- on the way to the hospital. I was 4 cm dilated, hooked up to an IV and EFM. With the help of my doula, I was able to change positions frequently, from the bed to the rocker to the birth ball to pacing beside the bed. Whenever I sat down or lay down, the contractions slowed down and became weaker. Whenever I got up to use the toilet, I would have 4 or 5 really strong contractions in a row.

Dilation was complete at 9 pm on 1/24, and I started getting the urge to push, but couldn't find the right muscles to use. Around 11 pm, I pushed and felt my baby's head pop through the cervical opening. DH came running in after tucking in our very anxious DS1 at home. I kept changing positions to push, and finally the baby came squirting out -- sunnyside up! -- at 1:30 am on 1/25. He was covered in meconium and had the cord around his neck. DH rushed to be by his side as his mouth and nose were suctioned and I was stitched up -- I had a second degree tear. DH insisted that we name our baby Jasper, I'm not sure where this inspiration came from, but I love it.

I never felt the need for painkillers, even though the labor lasted for 68.5 hours. I was soooooooo happy that I went into spontaneous labor (I never even had pre-labor symptoms before DS1's labor was induced at 41+ weeks), that I truly welcomed each contraction joyfully. I know that sounds insane, but it's true. The pain was never as bad as the Pitocin-induced contractions I had with DS1. I always had a break between contractions, and I used yoga breathing techniques, yoga positions and Hypnobirthing relaxation/visualization methods to ease discomfort. My doula was also familiar with these methods, and she helped immensely. It was a 3 day long yoga marathon. Recovery has been much easier than my c-section. We are having breastfeeding issues, but thinga improve every day.

Thank you for this VBAC forum --it was source of strength for me throughout my pregnancy. :)

My first DS was born via emergency c/s in Feb 2004. From the time I was admitted to the hospital to the time I left, I was disappointed in my care and how my labor/delivery/recovery went. I knew from the moment I entered the hospital, my next pregnancy/delivery was going to be different. And it was.

In June 2006, I learned I was pregnant again and called a very highly recommended OB. I was told he was very easy going and knew that he was there to assist in getting a new life here...he knew he was just an assistant to childbirth and that he was not the main focus.

I had a harder pregnancy this time, but it was just different, no complications. I learned in September that I was pregnant with another little boy. Things progressed, time passed and quickly, January rolled around. My EDD was the 31st.

On January 26th, my OB did a cervical check. I had been having contractions, but wasnt sure if they were BH or the real thing as I never felt a thing with DS1 until I was in labor. I was 5cm dilated, 80% effaced and baby was at a -1. But an NST showed no contractions so home I went.

That night, DS1 stayed with my parents for the night and DH and I stayed in and got some last minute things done "just in case". At 1AM on January 27, we went to the hospital because I was having contractions. By the time we got there, they had slowed down and decreased in intensity. I was examined and was "maybe 5-6cm, but so stretchy its hard to tell...maybe 7?" After that, I got up and walked for about an hour and a half and had some contractions, but nothing that was too hard. I thought for sure I was going home.

At 4:30, I was put back on the monitor and was having definite contractions so they called in my OB. I also had another cervical check and was 7cm. Between 4:30 and 5:10AM, when my OB arrived, I was still fairly comfortable, but needed some rest and figured I still had time. I asked if I could have something just to take the edge off and they offered stadol. I didnt get it.

At 5:13, my OB checked me and I was 9cm so he said he was going to get his "play clothes" on and be back shortly. Before he got out of the room, my water broke and before the door closed, I needed to push. Nobody told me I had to wait or breathe through it. The nurses let me do what my body was telling me to do. My OB got in his scrubs in record time and was surprised at how fast it was all going.

At 5:30AM on January 27th, 2007, my second son was born after 15 minutes of pushing. He had his "extremely long" cord wrapped around his neck twice and his chest once. After his head and shoulders were out, my OB had me hold him and bring him to my chest. He weighed 5lbs 14oz and was 21 inches long. I had a small 2nd degree tear that needed a couple of stitches.

I was amazed at the short recovery time. I couldnt believe I was up walking around comfortably within a couple of hours. It was nothing like the recovery from my c/s. Ive been asked to compare the two births and, even on the 3rd day post partum, the most painful, I said, "Id do an unmedicated VBAC 100 more times as long as I dont ever have to go through another c/s".

Victorious vagina
 

So here goes my VBAC success story!
I suppose the story starts two years earlier when my dd was born by c-section after a natural labor, 2 hours of pushing with no pain meds and then an epidural and two more hours of pushing. She never descended below zero station and I was told she was posterior and asynclitic.
Fast forward two years and this baby. I woke up at 3am with contractions which I had done for about a week - but I felt different so I got up and listened to some music, eventually I dosed off but the contractions woke me about every hour. This continued into the day and at lunch time my dh came home and we ate and I continued with mild contractions.
By 3pm they were intense and we called our doula and OB. The doula set off to our house and by time she arrived I was on all fours groaning and moaning with each contraction. My dd, who is two, was asleep downstairs. The doula helped me get into the tub but it didn't help a great deal, what did was when she pressed my hips together during a contraction - it actually felt good. Something that feels good during pain is an odd sensation. When I got out the tub my water broke and I decided we were going to the hospital. My dh who had been warned about what happens to people who go to the hospital too early began stalling. He called our OB and then slowly packed the car. We left at about 5.30pm arrived at the hospital at 6pm.
It was like I'd never had prior uterine surgery! They filled the tub and used a doppler to monitor the baby. I was fully dilated at this point and kind of grunting. My OB arrived and I sat up on the bed and started pushing. 45 minates later he came out! It was so amazing, he actually came out of my vagina!! He was placed on my chest and the newborn care was done there.
It has been a totally healing experience.

subscribing

My Hbac couldn't have gone any better!!! I was 15 days overdue when I had my second Biophysical profile. The baby passed with a perfect score and then the ob came in and recommended I have a c-section. When I asked her for her reasoning she said that statistics show that women who try to vbac who go this far beyond their due date don't successfully go into labor. If it was going to happen it would have by now-something about the baby being too high or my pelvis being too small-I assured her that I would talk with my midwife about it and I would probably try castor oil first. I left the Dr's office with a heavy heart, but I went to see my mw and she said she didn't believe I had to go for the cs yet. So that night I ate some spicy thai food, took some herbs, posted on mdc and got some encouraging feedback. I went to bed at midnight and woke up at 3 am in active labor. At 9:29 am I had my beautiful daughter at home and it was such a great experience!!! So much better than my first experience!!!! It can be done with the right support network.

VBAC success gestational diabetes
 

Hello to All.

I always felt somewhat responsible for my daugter's casarean birth. I was not properly prepared for birth. I took the weekend class at the hospital and figured I would try my best to avoid drugs. My Mom actually told me to let nature take its course. Besides, I thought. Why would I need a c-section? I'm healthy and in good shape.

My water broke before labor started with my daugther at 37 weeks. I expected to go late and was totally caught off gaurd. My parents drove me to the doctor because my husband was at work. Dr sent me over to the hospital at about 4pm as I was beginning to dilate. I was all alone when a nurse came in and told me that I needed to stop "climbing the walls" and lay down when I was trying to get into a more comfortable position that I learned about in my short but sweet childbirth class. The nurse said "You need drugs." I resisted at first, but then chose an epidural as I did not know how to cope with the contractions. I think this was a big mistake. I was fully dilated a little after 10pm and began pushing. I had them turn down the epidural but then had it turned back up again. The baby was in a weird semi posterior position. The dr tried to turn her many times, but she would just flip to another weird postion. I pushed and pushed for over 3 hours and then had a c-section at 1:43 am. My baby was taken to the NICU and I didn't get to hold her for 6 hours. She had lots of trouble learning to nurse, and didn't latch on until she was over 2 weeks old. I cried a lot.

So, I got pregnant again. I live in Tampa, Florida. There are midwives available who will do a home birth VBAC, but they can not legally do VBACs in the birth center. I was not interested in a home birth. Being home in my messy house is not relaxing to me. I had to research to find a hospital that would allow a VBAC. I found a midwife group, the only group I know of in Tampa, that would provide care for a VBAC candidate at Tampa General Hospital. I liked the group, except for one woman. She was extremely discouraging. She kept talking about uterine rupture and death a lot. I had to sign some scary consent forms. In November I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. What a pain! I was worried that would jeopordize my VBAC. I had to be super strict with my diet. In December the midwives were concerned that the baby was "still breech" but I felt it turn when I was about 34 weeks. I was told more than once that my chances of success were not good and the OB consultant for the group did not want me to try for VBAC. Legally though, no one can cut you open without consent. (Unless maybe you are unconscious?) I was not trying to be radical or unreasonable. i just wanted to try to birth my baby vaginally. I did not want major surgery for no really good reason.

I prepared for this upcoming birth by taking Hypnobirthing classes and reading my friend's Bradley Method Childbirth information and doing some of the exercise. I also followed the exercises and sitting and sleeping recomendations for optimal fetal positioning I found on spinningbabies.com. I meditated with the Hypnobirthing CDs and a VBAC CD by Maggie Howell almost every day. I hired a doula and called her whenever I had a discouraging appointment (often). I talked to 3 successful VBAC friends.

At almost about 37 weeks my midwife said I was 3 cm dilated and very thin. This was around Jan 18th I think.

So, by January 20 i was in a really FOUL mood, and sick of my stupid gestational diabetes diet. On the 21st I took my 2 yr old daughter to the zoo in the morning. At about 7 pm she threw a whole bunch of crayons on the floor. When I bent over to pick them up I heard a "Pop" and felt water, just a little bit, trickle into my undies. Oh god, I thought, was that my water breaking?
Yes, it was. I was not having regular contractions though. I fooled around doing dishes for awhile as I somewhat freaked out. I called my mom and dad to come watch my daughter. Then I took a shower, and my daughter took a shower with me. I decided to dry my hair, which is very out of character for me, but it gave me something to focus on. My parents arrived around 10pm and we got my daughter to bed. i made sure everything was ready in my bag and went to bed around 11pm with irregular contractions. I may have slept a little but not much. I moved around trying to get comfortable. Around 3 am I was on my hands and knees to get through a contraction. My husband suggested going to the hospital but I didn't want to go yet. He was getting a bit anxious, and we left for the hospital around 4:30 to beat morning traffic. My husband called the doula. I listened to my hypnobirthing stuff on my ipod in the car. I still did not feel it was time to go to the hospital and told my husband that if I was less than 5 cm I would not stay. The whole hospital thing was kind of scaring me. We got there and I stopped to sit on the exercise ball a couple times on the way up. My contractions were still not regular, but seemed a little stronger. I was in a good mood.
The midwife was at the nurses station when we walked in. She smiled and asked what was going on. I told them my water broke around midnight because I felt I had to buy some time. I had heard that they will not let you go more than 24 hours after your water breaks and I was afraid I was at the hospital too soon. She asked me my pain and I stubbornly said 1 on a scale of 1-10 because I was determined that my pain level would not be higher than a 2. She checked me and exclaimed "Girl, you are 7 cm! maybe 8!" Wow, I was so excited. maybe this was going to work. The midwife and nurse were excited too and kept telling people that there was a woman in natural labor dilated to 8 cm who was only a 1 for pain. That made me feel proud and was encouraging. My doula arrived and she and my husband took turns applying pressure to my lower back, the sacrum, with every contraction. I was quiet, and would say "Push please" for pressure whenever I felt a contraction starting. The pressure really helped. I listened to my Hypnobirthing stuff and VBAC Maggie Howell stuff on the Ipod. I mostly stayed in a kneeling position with my arms and head leaning on the top of the raised part of the bed. The labor and delivery nurse was great. She helped me achieve the best position possible by moving my legs apart a bit. I started to growl. I had always heard it was important to make Low noises during birthing. I got really hot and tangled up in my gown and took it off. Not normally my thing, but birthing is something else, right? :)
I tried standing for a few contractions around 7 am. Then I was on my back for a few contractions while the doula and husband held my legs. That gave me a little rest, but I didn't want to stay that way because I knew that was not using gravity to my advantage.
Now, in Hypnobirthing you are not encouraged to push. Your uterus will push the baby out for you. But man, my legs were getting tired. So around 9:30 am I decided to push. I used the squat bar and the baby moved down a lot. I almost started to scream high, but my doula reminded me to stay low with my voice. I did, and it really helped. I was getting tired and tried lying on my side some. Not so good for descent, but again, gave me a chance to rest.
I starting squatting with pushes and lying down in between. This was working. I felt a hot splash and yelled "What the hell was that?" It was my forebag of waters breaking. Oh, i never knew about that. I was getting scared. I had been pushing for awhile and no baby was coming out. Was I going to have the same problems I had with my first birth? No! The baby was in a good position. Still I was starting to freak out and yelled at people "I'm not doing this right! You have to help me. Tell me what to do." They all reassured me that the baby was moving down and it was going to come out. The midwife said "Babies come a little bit at a time." Finally, I felt burning. Yes! The baby really was going to come out! I was finally convinced that I knew what I was doing and that this baby would be born vaginally. At 10:31 there was crowning and the head came out. At 10:32 my husband actually caught the baby. It was immediately placed on my chest, just where I wanted my baby to be. I announced "It's a boy!" I was so so so so happy to be able to hold my little warm wet baby. I got to hold him right away! This was the best part. I got to hold him for a long time. Over an hour. He had his first latch on at 11:30 am. I felt so happy and proud.

If you are considering a VBAC, I say go for it. It was the most empowering thing I have ever done. Learn a lot, find lots of support, and be determined.

It is so worth it.

When my son was 6 days old I walked a mile to the playground with him in the sling and my daughter in the stoller. Recovery was a breeze.

Elizabeth
mom to Cassandra Nicole 1/14/05 and Alexander Joseph 1/22/07
_________________

VBAC hospital birth.
 

I had written this out a long time ago somewhere on the net, and now I can't find it. And I had saved it on my computer but it was lost when I had a crash... :(

So I will try again here.

I had my first (CS) in 1994. After being strapped into the bed, and monitored continuously for the entire time, while on pitocin, and no epidural, I didn't progress past a 4 after 7 hours. They strapped me to the operating table after giving me a spinal. I couldn't feel anything but pickiness on my fingers, so when they removed my beautiful Emerald and brought her for me to see, I couldn't feel anything. I didn't hold her for a long time, not because I wasn't encouraged, but because I thought I would drop her, because it took so long for the feeling to return. I was in the hospital for 5 days because I developed an infection. But never did it occur to me that the surgery wasn't necessary.

In 2000 I got pg again, and decided that I was going to have a RCS, I miscarred at 12 weeks.

In 2002, I was once again, pregnant and due in March, just the day after my first. I had decided to kick my dh out of the house (he wasn't dh then) and continued with my pregnancy, just me, my oldest and the little person inside me. I decided after much thought that I would try for a vbac, it was healthiest for me, and I would be better able to take care of things by myself when I was through. I found a careprovider that was willing to go along with my plans, and things went to the end with no issues. 6 weeks before I was due, I started having contractions, every 5 minutes... I learned to check myself, to make sure I wasn't dilating, so I didn't have to run to the hospital each time, and until two weeks before I was due, I wasn't dilating, although, they hurt! I walked a lot. I sat on the birth ball. I read every birth story I could. 9 days before my edd, I started having even stronger contractions. I went to the doctor, and she said that I would be in true labor within the next 24 hours. She stripped my membranes and she said to have a glass of wine and get a good nights sleep.

I went home, and had a glass of wine, and snuggled with my 8 year old. It was Friday night. Saturday morning, I got up to pee at 5 AM. I was thrilled that I had slept through the night, and I was well rested. I was still having contractions, but the wine was just enough to help me relax. I went to get into bed, figuring we could snuggle some more, and start our day later... and I felt a pop. I ran to the bathroom, pulled down my underware to sit and fluid poured everywhere. The contractions I had been having for weeks on end, came to a complete halt. I was pretty excited, so I got up and started cleaning and doing laundry. Posted to my friends on the net, and then kept cleaning, and getting stuff ready. Within an hour, the contractions were back, and much stronger than before. I called my sister to meet us at the hospital. I called the doctor who wanted me to come in right away... I finally got there about 9 AM. I drove myself and my oldest. We parked and walked up. They stuck me in bed, and put a monitor around me. It took 4 tries to get an IV in, and boy was my arm bruised when they were finished. My nurse seemed OK at first, but she was kind of a control freak. I wanted something to eat, or drink... anything, but she said the IV would be enough. She kept taking my daughter from our room, and showing her around the floor to everyone else. My dd and I were very close. She hated when my mil would do that. Unless she was with her friends, she wanted to be with her mom.

The nurse instructed my dd not to give me even a taste of her popsicle. They decided to hook me up to pitocin, to augment my labor, because I was on that time line, with my ruptured membranes. She told me that I would be required to stay in bed, and I argued that I knew my labor would be more effective if I didn't just lie there. She told me it was hospital policy, and I said, that I knew my rights and I was willing to check myself out and go home. She said that I could sit in the rocking chair and I did. It really helped with the contractions. About 2 hours later, they checked me again, and I was 4 cms. They asked if I wanted an epidural, because things were getting pretty painful. I was nervous because the spinal I had with my first. I wanted to be able to feel everything. They told me it would be different. But I would have to stay in bed once I got the epi. I got back into bed, they gave me the epidural, and immediately I felt like I had to poop. I told my nurse, who told me to rest... I wasn't tired. My sisters and dd were out eating lunch, and I was alone, with this pushing feeling.

An hour later the doctor comes in and asks how I am doing, and I tell him that I feel like I have to poop. He checks and I was to a 10. He calls for the nurse and tells her that I can push. She tells me, "you have done this before, just push" I tell her that I have never been dilated past a 4, and I didn't do this before.

She leave me there (in fact, there was no one in the room at all!!) while I start trying to figure out pushing. Luckily, my mom and sisters come in with my dd. Dd, was tired and decided to try to get a bit of a rest. My mom was helping me by holding my leg back when I had to push. The nurse refused to help me, and when I requested her help, she would hold my foot, by the cornor of one hand and I kept sliding off her hand.

I pushed for a good three hours. I wasn't pushing effectively, because I was scared of two things. 1) that I would poop on the table, and 2) that I would get an episiotomy that I didn't want. Once, I expressed these concerns and told them, they assured me that I didn't poop, and they wouldn't cut me.

I could feel the baby coming down, and one of the doctors, the resident doctor that was there... said the the baby was coming out sunny side up, and he was going to try to turn her. He did, and within a minute or two her head was out. I pushed again and they put this squirmy, messy thing on my belly... and the doctor said, "And you were nervous that it wasn't going to be a girl.." I said, "What is it?" And they said, "It is a girl!" I nursed her right away, and I don't even remember delivering the placenta. I got 3 stitches, not because I tore, but inside from when the doctor turned her head.

I remember them taking me to my room, and thinking... wow! I can laugh... I can go potty, I can EAT! This is so great!!! I felt like a million bucks, compared to the section. I went home in 2 days, only because I didn't want to go back to work right away... (I have a home daycare) and I drove myself home too!

At no time, was I ever told that I wouldn't have my hospital birth. They assumed it would work out. Even if I brought it up, they would assure me that I would have the baby without surgery. The following year, I was pregnant with number 3 and went with another practice. It wasn't the same experience at all, and ended with a section. Since then, it has been a lot harder to find a provider than would take me on to allow a tol under their care. I am currently planning a hba2c.

Even though, I didn't have my second vbac, with my 3rd, it was well worth the trying. I know a lot more now than I did before.

twin hbac
 

Here's a link to my ubac story!

http://ubirthcanada.ca/boychuck_story.html

My second UC baby will be arriving in October.

Marlowe's VBAC!
 

Marlowe’s birth started around 4 am on March 17th 2007 when I went to bed having had what I thought might be early contractions for a few hours. I woke back up at 8 am, with contractions continuing through a shower and breakfast. I sent Doug back to bed, and went shopping with my mom and Cora. The contractions strengthened and the timing shortened during the trip, and by the time we returned home around 11 am, Doug & I started packing up for our trip in to Oak Park.

We left Cora with her Nana (she gave us a hearty, “BYE!”) and headed out. Through the drive the contractions strengthened more (we were still calling them “surges” as per the birth prep class at that point). We were having a good conversation, and I stopped and breathed deeply through a relaxation exercise while rubbing one of the beads from my birthing necklace during surges. We checked into the hotel around 1:15pm, just as I was beginning to need more active management.

We called my doula, Lisa, who had a half hour drive, so I decided to use the big hotel tub for a while before she arrived to help me relax & get in a good laboring mindset. I thought when reserving the room that I would love having the massage jets from the tub, but when I tried them during a surge they were physically overwhelming and I turned them off immediately.

After a half hour or so my hips were sore from the tub, so I moved out to the bedroom. I sat on the ball and leaned on the bed. Around that time my lower back started hurting terribly with contractions, so Doug started doing counterpressure and guiding me through some progressive relaxations. My doula arrived soon after (around 3pm?), and brought her trainee.

She judged me as being well into active labor, and was guessing 4-5 cm dilation. I was at the point of not having my eyes open much. I was doing every mental relaxation technique I could remember, and Doug was doing a FANTASTIC job of reminding me to keep my shoulders down, relax my forehead, keep my jaw open, and breathe very deeply. My doula put some hot bags on my lower belly and lower back, which felt so great that she suggested I move back to the shower, but sit on the ball there.



Thus commenced the world’s longest hot shower, thanks to the hotel’s never-ending water heater. After 2 hrs in the shower, my doula convinced me to get up and walk around the room a bit. I got halfway across the room, and could only be convinced to go farther with a promise that I could get back in the shower if I touched the opposite wall.

During contractions at that point I was sagging/hanging from poor Doug’s neck, and making long low sounds. They started out as humming, started changing into low groans, and by the time I was back in the shower were more like low moos. By 6 pm I was completely lost in the contractions, nothing else existed. I was trying to avoid any pressure during contractions, so I’d half-slide off the birth ball and suspend myself by the sides of the tub.

I was starting to arch back and grunt during contractions, and could feel my body trying to bear down. I knew it couldn’t be time yet, and was trying to fight the urge to help it along. By 7 my doulas and Doug were putting a pair of pants and a shirt on me. They attempted to get shoes on me, but I guess I refused outright.

The journey from room to car is probably an immediate legend at that hotel, as the mooing woman had 4 contractions on the way to the elevator, another 2 on the way to the lobby (it’s gotta echo …), and an eternity of contractive walking from elevator to car. During that time I was dangling heavily from Doug’s neck during each contraction, breathing as deeply as I could, and vocalizing any way I could (ie LOUDLY). The hotel has a spiffy restaurant off the lobby, and the poor waitstaff was trying to get past us in the hallways … We finally made it to the doors, and I had a gush of something (midwife later confirmed it as an outer bag leak) just as we got into the car. I tried to sit down in the car, and immediately stiffened and screamed, “NO! NO! I DON’T LIKE THE CAR I CAN’T DO THE CAR I CAN’T SIT! NO!” Poor Doug tried to smoothly navigate 10 blocks of suburban traffic while avoiding being head-butted as I writhed trying to find a way to not be sitting down, and avoiding having his shoulder bitten as I failed. By the time we got to the hospital entrance, my teeth were chattering and I was shaking uncontrollably.

We pulled up to the emergency room entrance, and I started to swing my legs out of the car. The world’s most incompetent ER security officer came to the car asking what was wrong and if I could walk. Doug said, “What do YOU think, genius? LOOK at her! Now get us a chair!” The guy did, then spent precious painful moments trying to finagle the foot pedals – I yelled at him, “I’m going to have this baby on your HEAD if you don’t MOVE!” He started pushing me inside, then turned and told Doug to go park the car. Doug was terrified of what might happen to me if I were triaged in the ER (he’s heard enough of the VBAC struggle stories), and refused to leave me. Much consternation & confrontation ensued, with me arching my back over the back of the wheelchair with every contraction, screeching, “My body is fucking PUSHING with every contraction you fucking IDIOTS, get me to my midwife NOW and leave my husband alone!!!!”

At that my doulas came screeching around the corner from the parking garage at top speed. My doula calmed the Doug situation, the assistant went to park our car, and Doug, doula & I went upstairs. I have a vague memory of repeating to Doug several times on the way, “if there’s ever a next time, it’s going to be a damned homebirth.” I had my eyes closed and didn’t see a single face of the people addressing me, but told every warm body near me, “Get me in a room! Skip the damn belt! I know I’m in labor!” My doula manged the triage nurse wonderfully (“I’ve been at over 100 births, and I’m certain she’s at least 7-8 centimeters; we’ve been checking the baby on the Doppler and feeling good movements, her midwife’s on the way”). They did a very cursory internal (no prolapsed cord, bag intact, late active-stage dilation) and got me to the ABC room. My midwife on call (Julie) came in, gave me a hug, got the deep tub warmed up, and said that I was just shy of 8cm but having great transitional contractions.

Julie hooked up the external fetal monitor to check the baby’s heartrate, but didn’t have me get a heplock (IV) or any other tethers that were supposed to be requirements for VBAC. The ER confrontation had me very wound up, and it took a good 45 minutes or more in the tub to start feeling calmer. Unfortunately, that very calmness was starting to pull me back out of the good transitional contractions that had been so effective earlier.



My midwife and doula decided that I should walk across the room and spend some more time on a birth ball under the shower, but instead of getting the water against my back, I needed to have it against my chest to help strengthen contractions (nipple stimulation).



I couldn’t get my temperature regulated in the shower, and was constantly moaning, “TOO COLD!” “TOO HOT!” wanting the water temperature changed. Between the steam and the splash-off from the shower, it was hard for my attendants to stay next to me for long. Doug hovered at the doorway, continuing to encourage me and remind me of relaxation points. I can’t say that any techniques were helpful by then, but his presence and calm were irreplaceable.

After a short while in the shower, I was back to arching and grunting and trying not to push. My teeth were chattering and I was shaking uncontrollably again. I had absolutely no sense of there being anything in the world outside of me and my pain – I heard people talking in the room, and could understand intellectually what they were saying but it made no impression on me. All I could say was, “I’m so tired.” The reassurances of, “we’re close to having baby here” meant nothing to me, I barely remembered that there was a baby involved in the process at all.

An hour or so later, my midwife wanted to check again to see if I could stop fighting that pushing urge, so I needed to get out of the shower. I hated moving. I wanted to find one position that hurt less than the others and never have to move again. By then, though, there was no such thing. Doug continued to try to keep me as grounded as he could, but there wasn’t much left for him to do but hold me and try to keep me going.

It was about 10:45. The check showed that I was still about 8cm. While we were all in agreement that it wasn’t a worrisome thing for labor to hold at that point for a while, it had already been there for at least 3 hrs, and the anterior part of my cervix was starting to swell a bit. I was terrified that it would continue to swell, and that I would end up in surgery after all.
We tried having me lay on the bed, but the supine contractions were unbearable to the point of screeching. We tried having me kneel on the bed over a beanbag, but the back pain became intolerable. We tried having me squat a bit and rock my hips, sit on a ball leaning on the bed … The only thing I could tolerate without flailing was to hang from the neck of whoever was nearby.



Half an hour later, I was losing my ability to hold back on the pushing, but I still hadn’t dilated any further, and the cervix was continuing to swell somewhat. My midwife suggested that we consider breaking my bag, as the baby’s position was ideal otherwise. I was terrified of intensified labor that might go on for hours more. We discussed the options. My doula Lisa was absolutely fantastic. She knew from our prenatal visits that I had wanted to avoid an epidural, and did everything in her power to dissuade me, including lying to me (as I’d asked her to) about not having a room available. Doug pulled out all of his cards as well, and we had a long heart-to-heart about potential problems and the grief I’d felt over Cora’s birthday. I talked more with my midwife, though, and decided to have a light epidural done, wait a bit to see if the cervix could recover, then to have the bag broken.

That decision meant that I could no longer stay in the Alternative Birthing Center, so we had to move to a regular birthing room down the hall. It was another LONG LONG walk down the hall dangling from someone (Lisa?). When we got to the birthing room, they asked me to use the toilet. Remembering how sitting flat in the car had felt I refused, saying I would pee on a chux pad but there was no way I would sit on a toilet.

The anesthesiologist had a good conversation with me (as much as such a thing was possible at that point in labor) about the epidural being “late and light” and being on a pump that Julie would control. Dealing with contractions at that level while sitting & remaining immobile was an incredible feat, but he was fast and effective, and Lisa’s shoulders have hopefully since recovered from having my fingernails dug into them. Once it was in place, I had a fast release from the level of desperate exhaustion I’d hit. I could still feel the contractions fully, but more as they had been when we first arrived at the hotel. Moreover, I had full muscle control over legs & pelvis. My midwife was wonderful, staying unruffled by a few decelerations as we adjusted (nothing like the panic over Cora’s), and not fretting about my slightly elevated temperature (to the point of telling the nurse that there was a technical error and that her recheck had been okay). She waited half an hour before putting in a catheter, and used a very tiny amount of pitocin ( started at “1” never raised to “2”) to counteract the back position & epidural. When Doug & the doulas ordered pizza at 1:30, she even encouraged me to eat something (never before has a 2am mozzarella stick been better).

She checked me at 2:20 and judged us ready to go – dilated to 10 and at 0 station. She had already turned off the epidural pump, and when the pushing urge came back in fully at 2:30 we were off. I stayed on the bed initially out of comfort, and we planned to have me move to squatting or kneeling if the position seemed ineffective. Julie directed my first push, showing me with her fingers where to “aim”, but the pushing urge was strong enough to keep me going from there and the direction backed off to encouragement and reminders. It felt SO good to finally not be fighting that urge!

Our birthing class had said to not “push” but to “breathe down” … my body wasn’t having any of that; I pushed hard. It lasted about 20 minutes, but it seemed to fly. I just couldn’t believe that I had finally gotten to that point, and was going to be able to birth my baby.

I got to touch her squishy head around 3am, and at 3:08am, Marlowe was born. I pulled her up onto my chest, and couldn’t stop laughing and crying for another 30 minutes. I was astounded that we had done it, she was here, and that she was with me. She nursed well right away, and stayed on my chest through the repair of a few mostly-first-degree tears and arrival of the placenta (which I hardly noticed). We let the cord finish doing its job, and had Lisa cut it. Julie gave me a tour of our placenta, which was in great shape with a few tiny calcifications expected at 40w6d.



Marlowe stayed with me, without having been held by another person, without having even been cleaned up, until I was ready to get rid of the IV and take a quick shower. Then she went to the nursery with Doug to be weighed and measured. Her temperature was fluctuating a bit too heavily then, so she was observed for about 40 minutes, while I dozed a bit. We moved into our little postpartum room and dozed a bit more off and on until the first visitors (Nana, Boppa and Cora) came around 9am. I couldn’t believe that I was able to get out of bed without excruciating pain, and actually walk on my own power.

Marlowe’s birth was the most intense experience of my life, and emotionally / mentally healing from the grief I’d felt over missing Cora’s first hour+ of life. I felt validated that my body wasn’t broken and that I was whole. I had been so scared the weeks leading up to her birth about having two children. Marlowe’s birth brought me into a larger sense of motherhood.

My VBAC Story
 

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