A couple weeks before Jane was born, I started having contractions that would last a few hours long, and then stop. The weekend before she was born, I had contractions pretty consistently but since I had so many days before with nothing happening, I didn't think much of it. The day before it all went down, I woke up with purpose and the need to DO things. I cleaned the house some and decided it was time to get all the Christmas decorations put up. So that kept me busy. That afternoon was a Christmas parade in Kingsport, and I thought the kids would have a lot of fun there, so we made the drive, walked like crazy to find a spot and enjoyed a lovely little Tennessee Christmas parade. After we were done, we went home and had dinner and did our usual thing. I didn't think anything would happen that night but little did I know something was brewing!
Sunday morning I woke up to contractions just before 3 a.m. Kyle was fast asleep between David and me. I stayed in bed but after timing contractions for a while I text my doula Wendy that I didn't think it was really the real deal, but to be aware that I was having regular contractions. They were about 5-6 minutes apart and lasting 45-50 seconds long. I laid around hoping to sleep but was too uncomfortable. I decided to sit in the nursery and play some games on my phone to get my mind off of things. Contractions would get closer together and more intense but then they'd seem to slow down and kind of putter out so I was getting a bit discouraged.
After sitting in the nursery and playing games for a few hours, everyone was up. I told David I had been having contractions since 3 and today was going to be baby day. I wanted to just lounge in the nursery away from the kids since I could focus there. Contractions weren't really painful at this point, but I still didn't want to be up and doing everything. I laid my head on a stack of pillows on the ottoman of my glider to rest during and in between the contractions. I kept texting Wendy to keep her up to date and we decided that baby's head must have been tilted a bit because the contractions would get less intense and spread out, even as far as 7-9 minutes, but they were still lasting almost a minute long. I took a shower and tried to just keep lounging and saving my energy because I knew I'd need it at some point. I made my laboraide drink which tasted awful when I first made it because it was too salty, but I sipped a bit of it anyway. I was eating small things like string cheese and bananas and granola bars all morning as I felt the need but never really felt like eating a whole lot.
I started to feel yucky and had to use the bathroom and got diarrhea. (Total TMI, but it's the body's way to make room for baby!) I also started losing my mucus plug so I knew I had started to dilate at least some. By about 10 a.m. Wendy decided that she was going to come over and just see what was up and see if we couldn't get things going more. She had some things to take care of at her house but then she was on her way. She got here a bit before noon, took my vitals, listened to the baby and felt for the baby's position. It was determined that baby was on my right side, head down with her back curled out instead of in the center of my belly. My placenta must have been in the center and almost in the way of baby, so the goal was to get baby to move to the center and things would progress. Wendy adjusted my laboraide drink and it tasted much better, even delicious! It's made with Apple Juice, Water, Raw Honey, Apple Cider Vinegar and Pink Himalayan Salt! It provided all the energy I needed during labor. After she fixed my drink up, we went to work!
Wendy had me do Big Bird legs up the stairs, especially lifting the right let as I went up. Up and down the stairs I went for quite a while! Then we tried to have me lean on the wall for support during contractions and physically lift my belly to the center to physically move that little baby! Then it was Big Birds down the hall, deep squatting holding the banister, sitting on the birth ball. I was still sitting at contractions every 5 minutes at this point and they weren't super intense. I was definitely getting discouraged because I felt like by this point (about 1 pm) I should have been further along in labor!
So after trying a few more things and me starting to feel tired and a bit discouraged Wendy decided to have me lie down in bed to get some rest. It was baby day for sure but she was being stubborn and I had been up for almost 12 hours already. She laid me on my left side and put 3 pillows between my knees and one under my belly. The contractions were about 5-7 minutes apart again, but boy did they HURT when I was laying on my side. She got my oil bag and put a few drops of doTERRA's serenity blend on a tissue for me to inhale as I relaxed through contractions. After she got me situated, she decided that she would leave and let me rest because a watched pot never boils and she doesn't live too far from me.
After she left around 2:45 ish I laid in my bed through a few more contractions. I decided I really wanted to get in the bath. As I was filling the tub I had a contraction that made me really stop, have to really concentrate to relax and made me moan deeply. I sat in the bath and had another contraction and primal instincts took over and the low moaning began. I text Wendy that they started up more just to keep her up to date. I got out of the bath and sat down by my bed through some contractions. David was down with the kids and his mom this whole time and I was working through everything alone. I was proud of myself for being able to get through this much on my own! I had lots more intense contractions and felt like I needed to leave go to the hospital because I just couldn't focus well hearing the kids playing and running around downstairs. I text Wendy and said I wanted to go to the hospital even though things don't feel like they're full blown yet because I need to focus. She agreed and said she'd meet me there. We got the things into the van and I sat in the van and waited for David to finish some things up (and eat some dinner, HAH!) I was cranky and antsy and just wanted to leave. Contractions through the car ride were NOT comfortable at all and I couldn't wait to get there. We rolled up to the hospital at 4:20 and David dropped me off in front of the Women's Center doors. My contractions were still around 5 minutes apart but they were strong. Wendy was there at the front desk with all my paperwork and bracelets already printed so all I had to do was sign the papers. I had a contraction shortly after getting to the desk and this one made me cuss! It hurt, it was strong! Wendy and I joked about how God has mercy on laboring women and you get a free pass when birthing a baby. Thank goodness, right? He knows it's hard work!
They said they had a room ready for me already so we started walking back to the room. I had to stop in the hall to make it through the contractions and Wendy was great at helping me remember to relax. Then they decided they wanted me in a triage room and when we got to the room, it was dirty from a previous patient (looked like a c-section prep, and there was evidence left on the bed. YUCK!) I was thoroughly grossed out and just wanted my room right THEN! David had parked and brought bags in at this point. More contractions and we got to my room. Thank goodness. Wendy raised the bed and made a pile of pillows for me to lean on. This was the most comfortable position for me to be in and I was too tired to really walk around too much anyway. They got the wireless monitors set up, I changed into my gown, left a urine sample and started to get settled. Oh, they also had to put an IV port in just in case since I was a VBAC patient. The nurse came in and asked if she could check me at about 5 p.m. I said yes, but I was expecting to be nothing more than maybe a 4 or so. I was shocked to hear I was at a 6! The nurse said they were calling my doctor to let him know I was here. I had done so much laboring at this point and I was so relieved to hear I was making good progress. Wendy rubbed my back through contractions, helped me remember to relax and kept giving me encouraging words and telling me I was doing great. Dr. Herrell came in and joked saying, "Aren't you going to have that baby yet?!" We laughed and I was glad he was here. I really loved him as my doctor. Then the world's rudest anesthesiologist came in to talk to me. She came in and said, "I know you don't want my services but I have to talk to you and get you to answer some questions." I had already pre-registered, and she asked me literally the same questions that I had already answered. She said I don't know WHO you talked to but I need to know for myself. She was demanding, rude and so arrogant. I was having contractions and Wendy asked her to wait until my contraction was finished and the rude lady just sat there still talking and demanding answers! Thankfully she was only there through a few contractions and thankfully I wasn't feeling up to punching someone because she was about to get decked if she didn't back off. I mean seriously. I am in HARD REAL LABOR, I DO NOT WANT TO TALK TO YOU! Do not demand answers from a woman DURING her contractions, especially a woman who is feeling EVERYTHING because she did not get an epidural which you were so rude to point out. UGH. It left a nasty taste in my mouth! Not long after that I hit a point when I just said it hurts and I want to cry, so Wendy told me to cry, and I did. It felt so great and I really needed to just let it go and cry some, because labor hurts!
More contractions and reminders to relax, back rubbing and laughing and joking between the contractions. I was eating ice chips and using the bathroom as needed. It was so nice to have wireless monitors! By 6 p.m. I decided standing was too tiring and I wanted to try to lean on the back of the bed but be on my knees.
Then this is where crap got real!!! Contractions started coming hard and fast and I was getting too hot, making loud laboring moaning sounds and almost yelling. David was up on my right side and Wendy on my left. They got me a cool rag to drape on my neck to cool me off. Then I needed to take my sports bra off because I would want to do skin to skin ASAP after baby was born. Contractions were 2.5 minutes apart at this point and just hard! After maybe 2 contractions in I told Wendy it felt like I needed to push. She grabbed the nurse, she checked me and the nurse said, "You're complete!" So the doctor and the nurses come in, wheel the warmer and stuff in and a really intense contraction came and Wendy asked me if I needed her to coach me. I said yes because I couldn't focus on what I needed to do and just wanted to get this baby OUT! David and doula were standing at head of bed I was still on knees leaning on back of raised bed. I was holding David's hand with everything I had. I'm shocked I didn't break it.
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| Notice the clock in the background-it says 6:20 p.m. |
I didn't let go one bit! One push and a lot of yelling and intense work from me and I felt a pop and my water broke. I could feel the next contraction coming on and the doctor asked Wendy if she wanted to catch the baby. Then Wendy says maybe dad should catch the baby and David says it's up to me. Meanwhile I am in the ZONE and pushing this baby OUT NOW. As they're having this conversation I'm literally thinking to myself (unable to speak because I'm pushing baby out) that I do not care WHO catches the baby, some one better catch the baby. As I'm thinking this and pushing and moaning and doing all this hard work I felt her head crowning and I'm thinking on my gosh she's crowning nobody is saying anything somebody better catch the baby. I felt the ring of fire and with that push her head came out. Literally right after that the next contraction comes and I push with all I have and I feel her little warm body slip out and the rest of my water gushes. Baby cries one little "waaah" and everyone is shocked, says WHAT just happened!? And the bed catches the baby!!! Luckily I was only inches up from the bed and not at the edge because of where I was positioned. I was shaking from the exhaustion of pushing and the nurses were trying to get the baby up to me and I was trying to pick her up. Her cord was super short so it was making it hard to grab her. The nurses got me turned over onto my back and baby up on my chest and they were cleaning the bed up. Right after she was born the nurse looks at the clock and says should we say like 6:23? So just two hours after getting to the hospital I had my baby girl in my arms!!
From my awesome doula, Wendy:
" I was completely enamored by Dr. Herrell's offer and my face lit up like a Christmas tree. However, I immediately remembered my role was not student-midwife but doula and mom and dad may not feel so comfortable. As your next contraction began I got cheek to cheek with you and my back turned to the room. I helped you pushing through that one and saw a suspiciously slight expression of relief. All in one brief moment I raised up to turn to your 'other end' to see what had taken place and when I did I noticed every nurse and Dr. Herrell had their back to you. Like you, I had been expecting someone to say 'I see hair' or "you'll feel a little stretching'. Instead, in mid turn I hear the faintest 'whaa' and everyone's head turned then! There she lay moving and transitioning nicely to breathing on her own! "
" I was completely enamored by Dr. Herrell's offer and my face lit up like a Christmas tree. However, I immediately remembered my role was not student-midwife but doula and mom and dad may not feel so comfortable. As your next contraction began I got cheek to cheek with you and my back turned to the room. I helped you pushing through that one and saw a suspiciously slight expression of relief. All in one brief moment I raised up to turn to your 'other end' to see what had taken place and when I did I noticed every nurse and Dr. Herrell had their back to you. Like you, I had been expecting someone to say 'I see hair' or "you'll feel a little stretching'. Instead, in mid turn I hear the faintest 'whaa' and everyone's head turned then! There she lay moving and transitioning nicely to breathing on her own! "
The high that I felt was the most incredible feeling I have ever felt in my life. I held baby on my chest, they put warm blankets on us and I cried tears of joy. I looked up at David and cried and was the happiest I have ever been in my life. I kissed the love of my life with tears in my eyes. My squishy warm baby was here on my chest and perfect as can be! I did it! I got my VBAC, unmedicated and labored mostly at home! It was perfect, every bit of it! They let the cord pulse for 6 or so minutes, then David cut the cord, I got baby latched at the breast and the oxytocin was flowing so much, I was just enamored! I barely tore just a tiny little bit and didn't require any stitches. What an amazing feat. I was so happy. Baby was here, I did it, I was amazed with myself and with how miraculous my body was!
After having an hour of no interruptions, they came in and gave baby her vitamin K shot while she was nursing and it barely bothered her, thank goodness. They took baby, weighed her and she was 7lbs 9 oz and 18.5" long.
I credit my doula for keeping me where I needed to be, helping me relax, letting me know it was OK to cry and say some strong words and for believing in me and my amazing husband who nearly got a broken hand, believed in me the entire time, supported my birth choices and helped me keep my calm.
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