was nak last time but can post a bit more now<br><br>
i had my first baby in 1989. i was 24. water broke/leaked actually. no contrax. After four hours they started me on pitocin. I was strapped down, all alone, exdh was a moron and left. Was horrible. Stadol, demerol - not sure. kept falling asleep and waking up screaming. epidural. then finally i was at ten and pushing. she kept sliding back up. Fetal heartrate dropped. Emergency cesarean. Her cord was wrapped tightly around the neck three times and once around her ankle.<br><br>
Second baby was 2000. I had just gotten online and didn't know much. I read a little about vbac but not much, just figured i'd "just do it". At 38 weeks i was induced with pitocin because she "was going to be such a big baby" per the u/s and other stupid reasons. Pitocin, epidural, fetal heartrate dropped, cesarean. Ok, they said the cord was wrapped round her waist and thigh but i still blame the pitocin. And the OB<br><br>
Third pregnancy i luckily had mothering.com, amitymama.com , ican, parents place vbac board and a library card. I read everything - vbac companion, silent knife , thinking womans guide to a better birth, birthing from within, active labor, bradley method...etc etc etc.<br>
I found a midwife and worked with a birthing center. they'd not let me birth there and dh wasn't comfortable with homebirth after two c's, so i had a hospital vba2c and it was still a great experience.<br><br>
I visualized, i listened to hypnobirthing and relaxation tapes. I wrote a helluva birth plan and prepped everyone for what was going to happen this time around. I had a friend from here act as personal labor support. she was incredible.<br><br>
water broke 8:45pm, no real contrax. just the same sporadic bh's i'd been having all day. within an hour they were 2 minutes apart and painful. lol. My friend arrived at 10pm and by 10:30 we were loading the van. Got to the hospital at 11pm and i was 4-5cm and in full active labor (yes, i screamed for an epidural but my team stalled and got me thru lol).<br><br>
I flipped onto my hands and knees at 12:30 and told them i couldnt' stop myself from pushing. Flipped over onto my back to be checked and was 9' "with a lip". Nurse told me to "try to push thru the lip". I pushed and she started screaming 'stop stop. he's coming. get the midwife'.<br><br>
mIdwife showed up in time to get one glove on and catch him cuz i yelled 'sorry. theres no stopping him' and he was out in two more pushes. he was born at 12:54am<br>
we let the cord pulse while we checked him out and rubbed him off. My teen dd cut the cord. i let them weigh and diaper/wrap him while i delivered the placenta and got two small stitches (internal skid) then i nursed him. Dad, teen, grandparents and sister all held him a bit then i sent everyone home so he and i coudl rest, cuddle and nurse some more.<br>
I was discharged at noon the following day (about 12 hours after delivery) feeling really well.<br><br>
Roman turned a year old last Saturday and we just looked at all the birth photos. It was amazing. A truly empowering beautiful intense experience. I am SO glad i birthed him naturally. He's my last child so it was my last opportunity to have a non surgical birth and i can't tell you how glad, and grateful I am that it happened.
