Monday, July 16, 2012

Sophia's birth

Just like every mom, I was sure I was going to go early this time :-) So Erik's mom came to town a week before my due date. She only had 2 weeks with us so we figured if I go a little early shell be here when the baby's born, and if not my midwife was going to try to induce at 40 weeks due to my having gestational diabetes and high blood pressure. So it was supposed to be win win. Well, my due date came and I was dialated, effaced, nothing! So my midwife said I would take cyotec orally every 4 hours until contractions were going steadily on their own. Now, this drug is pretty mild when taken orally it really won't force your body into something it's not ready to do. She had never had anyone do more than 3 days worth without going into labor. I was SURE though that it would only take one day for me! Well, we ended up doing two days straight. Lots of contractions and no progress! So we did a rest day and then started again for two days, still nothing! So another break this time for two days, then on day 8 past my EDD we started again. I ended up having two pills and when time came to take a third I called my midwife to tell her my contractions hadn't died down this time, they were still going. So she said to just wait and see what happened and if they stopped to just get some rest and we would discuss where to go from there. So we hung up and of course the contractions started dying down. So we ate dinner and I was feeling terrible becase my MIL was waiting to meet Sophia. So I decided to go for a walk and try to get things going again. So my mother in law came with me and we walked about a half hour. Contractions started again, but they seemed to have a real pattern to them, unlike the ones I would have with the pill. These continued from about 6 pm to about 10 or 11pm. I was so sick of waiting at this point but tired too, so I just fell asleep. I woke up at 1am to pee and lost my mucus plug. I went and laid back in bed and immediately began having suck strong contractions that I couldn't lay down. So I went and paced the kitchen and started timing them. By 2 am my contractions were really strong and about 2-4 min apart, but weren't lasting but about 30 seconds. My contractions with my first daughter never followed the rules though, so I wasn't expecting this labor to follow the 4-1-1 rules either. Around 3 or 3:30 they were about 2 min apart, still not lasting we're long, but I had begun shaking uncontrollably like I was in transition, and the contractions felt as painful as my transition contractions during my first labor. So I waited a little longer til 4 (secretly hoping I'd wait too long and have to give birth at home) to wake my husband and let him know we needed to go. So we get to the birthing center around 4:30 ish and my midwife checks me and tell me I'm dialated to a 2!!!! I was so devastated, I was sure I was at least a 6 or 7. Then she tells me to go walk for an hour. I was so exhausted and upset I just wanted to hit her for even suggesting a walk at 4:30 in the morning!! But still we walked. After an hour I had dialated to a 3 and I just wanted to go home to labor, but she wanted me to stay in case things sped up. So I asked if she could give me a shot for pain and to help me sleep if I promised to go to my parents house which was less than 5 min away. She warned me that it could stall labor but agreed. So I had the shot and went to nap in my parents bed. My contractions stopped and I fell asleep hard for about an hour or two. Then around 8:30 or 9am I woke up again to those same really intense contractions I'd been having all night. They quickly became about a min apart, but I kept telling myself nothing was happening because this had gone on all night and had barely gotten me anywhere, so I decided to grit my teeth and bare it. My husband and mom came to check on me after my dad went and got them (I think I freaked him out a little cause he came into the room as a contraction was starting and I just grunted and waved at him to come push on my hips, it was pretty funny looking back) so my mom and Erik come in and I ask Erik if he would be upset I just decided to go to the hospital and get an epidural or better yet a c-section. He was so great and told me he would support me and not think any less of me no matter what I need to do. So this serious conversation continues and my mom and Erik are telling me well you need to go see Betty (my midwife) and let her know you want to go to the hospital and let her check you. (my mom and Erik were smart enough not to try and argue with me at this point because they knew I wasn't being rational...they just needed to talk me into getting checked, which I was refusing because I didn't want to be touched!) so they talked me into just 'stopping in to let Betty know our plans on the way to the hospital'. But of course she wanted to check me and I complied and before I could even let her know my changes of plans she told me I was at an 8. So there was no turning back at that point! So we filled the tub (I planned on a water birth) and I got in at around 10am I believe. And then the waiting began. With my first my midwife broke my water because I stalled at an 8, after that my daughter was out in about an hour but I had no break in contractions and she came out so quick that I had severe tearing. So I was terrified of a repeat, so I had asked my midwife to not break my water. Well appartley my body always likes to stall at an 8. So I sat at an 8 until about 2 or so in the afternoon. The contractions werent pleasant but I think I just needed to mentally prepare for the part I was dreading. Thankfully I think my midwife knew I was stalling too so when she check me my water 'accidentally' broke, at least, that's the story I'm going with :-). Once my water broke my contractions never changed or sped up. From 2 or 3am all the way until time to push my contractions stayed the same intensity, which in some ways was nice. Because though it was excruciating at first after several hours I realized how to get into zone and get through them. I was actually pretty quiet all through this labor (unlike my glass shattering screaming with my first,lol). After my water broke like clockwork I was at a 10 within an hour. Betty asked if I felt the urge to push and I remember thinking I never felt an urge with my first I just did it, so I'll just push wether I feel like it or not cause I'm ready to be done! So she agreed I could do a few pushes and just see if anything happened (because I still had cervix remaining but she said it may just move out of the way with some good pushes) so I gave about 2 or three good pushes and she was crowing majorly, so my midwife tells me to stop and get on my handles and knees to finishe pushing. this was part of the plan because we knew I was having a large baby so it was to help her come out easier and minimize tearing, however in the moment I thought she was nuts and yelled at her. 'Are you kidding me?!' to which she replied 'NO!' so I flipped as fast as I could and I swear I'll never forgot the feeling of trying to move with a baby's head between my legs! I think I got her head out in one more contraction and then Betty told me to stop because the cord was tightly wrapped around her head. It was hard to keep from pushing at that point but I'm kinda glad I was forced to slow things down because I think it kept me from tearing. Once the cord was unwrapped I gave one more good push and she slid right out and I flipped over and stared into my sweet Sophia's eyes! It was alot longer of a labor than I had expected but the birth was perfect. I was so scared of tearing again but I felt so under control even the pain. I just felt so much more able to manage my breathing and stay relaxed through it all. Sophia weighed 9lbs. 9.5ozs. (2lbs more than her sister did)21 inches long and born at 3:37pm March 18 2012. She latched on within the first hour a nursed like a champ. Her birth was just what I needed to feel brave enough to have another down the road without all the fear.