My med free birth story!
posted 4th May '12
I guess now is a good time to tell it, since we're home and Elizabeth is sleeping.
Elizabeth Anne
Born May 4th, 2012. 6:02 am
Weighing 9lbs 3 oz, 21 inches long.
I woke up yesterday morning at 7 am with contractions, nothing painful, but I knew active labor was on it's way during some point. I sent H to work, since I didnt see the point in him staying home watching me pace around the house all day. I told him to stay by his work phone in case I need him to come home. Poor guy called me every hour to check on me. I called my midwife to let her know that I was in early labor and to not sleep too hard tonight, because I might be coming into the birth center to have this baby. :]
So anyways I paced around my house, cleaned, ate, slept, ran to the store for some snacks, and dropped the dogs off at my mom's. Contractions didnt start getting more "painful" until around 4, so I timed them and they were about 6-7 minutes apart. H came home at 5 and since I was in no position to cook, he grabbed us some Taco Bell on the way home. I continued to labor around the house and contractions started picking up around 11. I tried to sleep through them but I kept waking up, and since I was up stirring around moaning and and leaning on everything in the house, H didnt sleep either. I think this where I got mean. Lol. H asked me if he can help me by rubbing my back or something or starting the shower. I told him to get me a glass of water, start the shower and shut up. Lol.
I really dont remember how long I labored in the shower, but the water went cold. So I guess I was in there far a while. I remember H timing the contractions, and he told me he was calling the midwife. I think they were 3-4 minutes apart?
H helped me put on a robe, and he got my bag into the car. Then we "slow danced" in the driveway for a minute before I got in the car. Somehow I lost track of time after a 11pm, but Im guessing it was 3:30am this morning when we left for the birthing center. I was involuntary pushing in the car, but I didnt tell H. When we got the birthing center, I saw my midwife and she checked me. I told her dont tell me if it's anything below 5 cm. She laughed and told me I was an 8, almost 9. Her assistant asked if I wanted to labor/deliver in the tub, I told her yes. While I was waiting for the tub to fill, H was encouraging me through my whining "I need to poooooop!". I told him to shut up once more and get me more water. My midwife checked to see if I was a 10 since I was complaining about the pressure and pushing. She told me water and bulging and that was the pressure I was feeling. She asked if she could break it, and then I could labor and deliver in the tub if I wanted. Of course I told her yes.
I labored in the tub and felt instantly better, until it was time to push. H was telling me how good I was doing and rubbing my back, and I didnt tell him to shut up this time. Lol.
When it was time to push, I moved into a squatting position, since it felt more comfortable to me. My midwife rubbed my perineum to discourage tearing, and the next thing I know I felt the "ring of fire" and everyone around me saying "Youre almost there!". 15 minutes of pushing, and I had my baby girl in my arms! 10 minutes later the placenta came out and H said "whoa, weird." Lol.
After getting cleaned up, my midwife checked out the damage, and somehow I walked out of that was no significant tearing. (Not enough to stitch.)
I still cant believe how smoothly that all went, and that I had the water birth I wanted.
Recovery hasnt been bad at all, definitely not as sore as I thought I would be. Just really exhausted, like I ran a triathlon. And Elizabeth is nursing like a champ, so far. H is absolutely in love with her already and has taken 6 million pictures of her.
quoteI have 1 child & live in
Texas
123 posts
5483 posts
1815 posts
890 posts