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Detailed Birth Story

Posted by Maggie Thu, 29 Nov 2007 11:22:00 GMT

For those interested here is the story of Princess Peach’s entrance into the world. If you do not care to know all the little details you may skip this post.

A few weeks before birth day I started having pre labor contractions every night. These were regular contractions, not Braxton Hicks, but they would disappear by morning. It was getting very discouraging. A little less than a week before the big day I lost my plug, but my midwife said it could still be a week away. At least my mom was here now. Mom took me to my appointment that was after my due date to check my progress. I was still only fingertip dilated, but I was now 80% effaced and the baby moved down a station, to -3. Again the midwife said it could be a ways away still. Mom and I started to figure out what we would do if the baby came after she had to go back. I knew that God was in control of the timing and knew all of the circumstances, but it was still discouraging, and hard to wait on something we could do nothing about. Well, Mom did threaten sneaking Castor oil into my juice, but she never did. ;)

That night I had contractions all night long, I couldn’t even sleep through part of the night, so Mom and I stayed up and talked, I was pretty excited and thought that it was time. But by morning they had worn off and John went to work. I was beginning to question if I would be pregnant forever. I, of course, knew that it wasn’t true, but it felt like it and I wasn’t going to trust contractions as an indication. I took a couple of naps that day, and just rested, it was good having Mom there to take care of Princess Olive. That night I took a bath and went to bed early, Mom decided to go to the grocery store so she could do some cooking for us. She joked that she would start cooking and then labor would start. Well she wasn’t too far from the truth, my water broke while she was at the store, at 8:52 pm! I was very excited. I called the midwife (Marianne), our photographer friend (Cristina), who was going to take pictures for us, our parents and one good friend, who shall remain nameless at this point. I also called Aunt Debbie to come take Princess Olive.

After Princess Olive left, I tried to go to sleep, but couldn’t, I was too excited. So we decided to watch Stargate. This was fitting as we watched Stargate in the hospital while we were waiting for the Cervidil to kick in, when I was pregnant with Princess Olive. After Stargate, we put in another movie and Mom went to lie down. We didn’t get very far into the movie when the contractions started getting closer together and I moved to my bed so I could lie down and relax a bit. After about an hour or so of contractions less than 5 minutes apart we called Marianne to come. She and her assistant (Cheryl) came and started getting things set up. She then checked me and I was almost 5 cm, 100% effaced and the baby was now at -1. Yippy! We then called Cristina to have her come. I don’t remember the times of any of this, but it was the middle of the night. Things were going good. I changed my t-shirt to my swim suit top and labored in the bathtub for a while, then back to the bed, then to the toilet. John was doing a great job of helping me relax, and while it was hard work, I felt things were going well.

Around 5am I felt like I needed to go to the bathroom, so I went to sit on the toilet. I sat there through a few contractions and nothing. I didn’t know why I couldn’t go poo! Mom suggested that maybe I didn’t need to and that it was just the baby. My contractions were getting stronger and closer together and they were getting harder to handle, so we had Marianne check me. She did and I was still only 5 cm, and she thought that the baby might be posterior. She also still felt a bag of water, which was strange, since I thought it already broke. She asked me if I wanted her to break the water and see if that would get things going. I told her I wanted to wait and then had a good cry.

I remember this point with Princess Olive, only I was at 3 cm with her and the doctor had broken my water. Contractions were getting harder to handle, my back was killing me, and it seemed like I had forever to go. This is when I got an epidural with Princess Olive, but I didn’t have that option this time around. I just wanted to stop everything. I didn’t want her to break my water because I knew that would make the contractions harder and I didn’t know if I could handle it. I desperately wanted something that would just let me catch my breath, calm down and relax for about 1/2 an hour or so and then she could break my water and we could have the baby, but I didn’t want to do it right then. Relaxing became next to impossible and I started being much more vocal. It was good thing I had so many people there to remind me to breathe, and relax whatever muscles were tense, and to give me massages. I think at this point Cristina put down her camera for a while and became additional labor support. Everyone was praying for me and reciting scripture. Although I was absolutely miserable, I felt very loved and supported.

I tried the bath again and that helped for a little while. Marianne then told me about something she could do that might help with the back labor, up until then whoever was closest just pushed as hard as they possibly could on my back whenever a contraction came. I forget what it was called, but she likened it to a TB test, and said she would inject little bubbles of water right under my skin at key points and it should detract the pain. I figured it was worth a try, so I climbed out of the bath and onto the bed. The contractions were pretty close together so she had to work fast. The first one she did made me scream, I hate needles and needles going into a very painful back hurt like crazy. I let her finish, but wasn’t sure why I was letting this lady do this to me! I screamed a lot more and had a hard time recovering after she was done, but eventually I just felt pain at the surface of my skin, and the deep back contractions weren’t quite as strong. I’m still wondering if it was worth. But I’m sure it works great for some, and was worth a try though. I then labored in bed for a while, then on the birth stool and then back to the toilet.

I’m not sure of the timing of anything or even the order. But I know I was sitting on the toilet when I kept feeling the urge to push. Marianne said I could do little pushes, but nothing too hard. I was able to do that but I remember one contraction I couldn’t resist and I actually saw my tummy contract and push, it was very strange. Then I felt the baby start to come. Marianne asked me where I wanted to have the baby, I don’t think I answered, I would’ve had the baby on the toilet if it was possible. I think they quickly figured that out and brought the birth stool to the bathroom and set it in front of me so I didn’t have to do much. For those of you who have been to our home and actually have seen our master bathroom, it’s not very big, but we made do. John was sitting on the toilet, supporting me from behind. Marianne was in the door way, ready to catch the baby, Mom and Cristina were filling in wherever they could, and I think Cheryl just stayed behind.

I screamed a lot, but my baby was coming soon. Then the unthinkable happened, my friend that I called to let her know I was in labor actually called me! I don’t know why we didn’t turn off the phone earlier, but we didn’t and the phone rang, and then she called again right after and left a message! I yelled at the phone calling this dear friend of mine a few names. I guess I needed someone to yell at. :) Then Marianne told me to push whenever I wanted and soon after, at 8:29 am, my baby shot out. Literally, shot out. I thought she hit the floor, but for some reason wasn’t worried about it. Marianne did catch her, but later told me that it was a tough catch and the closest she’s ever come to dropping a baby, she had to hold on tight. She had a cord wrapped around her shoulders that Marianne undid and then set the baby on my lap. It was a girl! She was blue, I was a bit worried, but as they wiped her off and cleaned her up a bit she pinked up quickly. John then cut the cord, I finished the 3rd stage (which was huge), and I was done…well almost. I had to get back on the bed for Marianne to stitch me up, but my baby was here, Princess Olive was on her way home and I had the rest of the day to sleep… in my own bed and hold my new baby girl!

Now that it’s been a while since the whole thing I would definitely do it at home again. If you asked me during the last 3 hours I would’ve told you we weren’t going to have any more children, nothing could make me do that again. But then my baby was in my arms and maybe I could handle it again, but not for a while, and I would question the drug free route. But now looking back on it all, I would do it at home, without drugs. She nursed immediately and I was alert and coherent (well mostly, I did call her by her sister’s name less than an hour after she was born). I was very sore for a few days afterward, but I gave birth to a 9 lb baby! Yes, 9 lbs! She was over a pound and a half bigger than her sister was when she was born. I’m now feeling much better, I’m able to be up and doing things, and I’m happy. The Lord is so good. I remember yelling “I can’t!” many times during those last hours, but He can, He did, He made our bodies to do this, and He brought me through.