Baby Story #1 - Labor & Delivery
We have a beautiful little girl. It’s amazing. Sunday night Mom, Tim and I sat on the couch watching something on tv. All was quiet and suddenly little gurgles filled the air. We all looked suddenly towards the sound, not having forgotten but remembering an incredible little creature now exists. I have felt her living for months now but to see her and have her in my arms defies description.
For the last few weeks, maybe a month, I have played “the waiting game,” waiting for Mom to arrive which would help me feel more prepared for greet our Munchkin. It was not until Mom was to arrive the next day that I could begin packing my hospital bag. I needed to feel that extra support and readiness, “everything is in place, now I can do this.” On the 2nd, the day of Mom’s arrival I noticed the tiniest bit of color in addition to the normal fluids, which had in fact picked up a day before. I didn’t think much of the increased fluids but when I saw color I began to wonder if my water was in fact breaking. I kept my eye on it and decided to wait to inform a profesional until our regular midwife appointment on Monday. I’d also felt a few pains over the weekend, but nothing regular. At our appointment I mentioned all these things to my midwife (Kari Janne) and she said my water could in fact have broken and as it had been a few days already she wanted me to go into the hospital to check. They allow some time to pass to wait for contractions, but I had exceeded that time. I wasn’t worried and Kari Janne was so calm that I didn’t think much of it. She made an appointment for the later that day at our hospital and we headed home to get ready to leave (it’s 30+ minutes away). Tim was concerned that I hadn’t told him about the pains I’d felt (I don’t normally complain about pain but need to keep him informed) and also wanted to make sure I understood that they may want to induce labor. This didn’t bother me, I was so excited about the prospect of seeing my baby. I’d been willing Munchkin to show up sooner so that I could have time to recover before the family visiting began.
At the hospital I saw a midwife who monitored the baby’s heartbeat for some time and documented the last days “events.” I then saw a doctor who first took an ultrasound to check for black in the sonogram which would indicate amniotic fluid. It was really grey. She then gave me a quick exam and confirmed the membranes *had* ruptured! I was to monitor my temperture for fever indicating infection and to return the next day. As contractions had not begun, they would administer a prostaglandin tablet to encourage it. These are given and monitored for a hour, and if nothing happens for 6-8 hours they would start an IV drip.
On our return home, I soon crawled into bed for a nap and about an hour later felt some strong pains but they stopped. The rest of the evening my hip was in a lot of pain as had come and gone before. We believe her head was hitting a nerve. Geez it hurt. 
I finally found relief on my back, I guess gravity moved her elsewhere. Over night I felt minor abdominal tightenings but wasn’t sure what it was. I called the hospital as instructed and was told to come right in. Again, it takes a while so after calling at 7:30AM, getting breakfast and everything together, I kissed Tim, promised to call him and headed for the train. I wasn’t in a lot of pain but I wasn’t terribly comfortable either. We finally arrived near 10AM and had to wait for some minutes before being shown to a room.
Pia, the midwife who we saw back on Nov 17th was helping me. She’s perfectly nice but I was a bit uptight out of fear that I just wouldn’t be understood. But I decided I couldn’t stay that way. A doctor also came, quick exam, and she found I had actually begun to dialate naturally. I was already open 3 cm! I called Tim to let him know and that he could take public transit and arrive about 2 hours later at 1pm-ish. I was given an enema. Something I’d never really understood and figured I didn’t want it (funny how your mind works when you’re pregnant and loads of information is available) but Mom recommended it as it would clean me out for later. I guess I’d envisioned some invasive extraction but after being given some liquid just waited and went to the bathroom. As I was already opening, the tablet to do so would not be appropriate so the doctor decided on oxytocin to aid the slow progress of contractions. I was then led to a large delivery which had comfortable space for Mom and Tim.
While I do remember some of this timing, Mom took notes so I can make this nifty timeline for you [and me]. Some parts I clearly remember, others are fuzzy.
- 11:00AM - Pia set me up with the IV drip and my contractions became more noticable and regular. Not painful, but enough to sit and watch the screen monitoring them. I could feel them clearly but it was nice to watch the screen and see when it was starting to subside.
- 12:50pm - They became regular at every two minutes but after almost two hours she increased the dose to make them stronger. And so they were.
- 1:15pmish - Tim arrives with snacks and juice. He’s surprised that I’m actually in labor as I’m relatively so at ease and talkative.
- At 1:45pm - contractions strengthen and I didn’t need the quilt over me anymore. Before the dose was increased I was pretty comfortable and could talk easily. Mom called home to let Dad know I was in labor, I was still enough at ease to talk to Dad and say hello, I told him I was actually in the middle of a contraction.
- 1:57pm - A bit later they were so strong and I really want to push. I almost couldn’t help it. They showed me how to breath really fast to avoid it. It was so hard not to push! I was checked and at 8cm, too early to push and an internal monitor was put on the baby’s head to get more precise readings. If I pushed then I would overstretch myself and cause swelling or just something not good. Tim held my hand, well, I was gripping his. He later had to take his ring off (right hand) I was sqeezing so much.
- 2:30pm I was 10cm and allowed to push. Hard to believe it was 30 minutes. Felt like 5 minutes later I got the go ahead and it was such a relief, sort of. Ooh they were strong! When I first started I was getting in 3 pushes per contraction, I later went down to 2. I was getting so tired and relaxed my upper torso as much as possible, I basically wilted between contractions, getting in as much air as possible before the next one. For a while I was more comfortable on my side and they allowed me to stay that way for a while but then later insisted I move to my back when they saw working on my side wasn’t efficient enough. I need all their help to move, Tim and three midwives. One was a student midwife named Rachel. Having students present isn’t like what I’ve heard of in the US. There isn’t a gang just observing. Just one and Rachel was the main one, doing all the work in aiding me. She also spoke the best English. They all watched, encouraging me to give it everything I had, “get mad,” ” just a little bit longer”. When I was fading off one, a midwife would check my abdomen to see if it really had ended. At one point I was given a mask to breath from. I thought it was “laughing gas” for pain which I didn’t want but it was just oxygen to get more to me and the baby. It really was a life saver. I could barely get enough breath in and it gave me so much more. Talk about gulping for air. I could really feel the baby coming down and it was impossible to totally relax. As the head stretched me more, I just wanted her out! No, I didn’t want to touch the head when she offered. As she moved lower and lower, Rachel did an episiotomy to open the space more. I’m pretty sure this was necessary because I was on my back. I had considered using all those other methods using gravity but I was mentally fine where I was. I couldn’t move if I’d wanted to. I knew the cut wouldn’t hurt because it’s done during a contraction. Near the end I was actually making noise unlike before, loud growling I guess and started back to three pushes and even went up to four or five! I wanted her out!
- 3:49pm - CET Sara Ellen Juliana is born. Getting her head out was such a relief and her little body sliding out just felt so strange. It was amazing, all that pain I’d used to push her out (I’m glad I didn’t use any relief) and all of a sudden I was fine. Tired, but fine. The pain was all gone. We actually had to ask before we knew she was a girl. Mom and I looked instantly at eachother. With the all the signs, I was right in thinking her a girl. They had her right there, going to work to separate us while Rachel encouraged the placenta out and they pushed the uterus to start cleaning me out. Their pushing on my belly wasn’t great but after all that, nothing bothered me any more. They cleaned her up just a little and Tim held her. His first time ever holding a baby and just a natural. It was so sweet. I’d found out much later, not till I read his own post that he’d had some tears when she arrived and was unable to talk. I didn’t notice, too much going on. Rachel started sewing up the cut she’d made. Apparently it had torn a bit so a doctor was brought in to see if I need actual surgery or if just careful sewing would be fine. He determined I didn’t need to go to surgery. Phew. I’ve always said I’d never see a male gynocologist but at this point I just didn’t care. They were all very nice and taking good care of me. He was there for a while sewing me up. I could feel it but it didn’t hurt. What did hurt was when he pushed against the rest of me which was already stretched and sore. I only complained when it really hurt. Finally he was finished. They all finished up and I held my little girl for the first time. She’s just gorgeous. Round little cheeks, defined lips. Perfect. She’s just the most beautiful thing God ever made. Sometimes we just sit and stare at her. It’s especially fun when she opens her deep blue eyes to stare back.
It really did happen fast. No doubt. And if you asked how long it felt, *less* than five hours. Just after Pia began the drip she said I could expect to have a baby in about 10 hours. I know some women are in labor for hours and hours, even days. I don’t know how they do it. One of my roommates in the hospital room said something about my next one being ever faster but I’m not so sure about that as this was artificially aided.
I had thought with all my reading, again vulnerable time with others saying what you should or shouldn’t do, that I didn’t want an enema, induction, or an episiotomy. I didn’t want students either until I learned at the birth course that it’s always just one student midwife and they are actively involved. I knew that the baby needed to come soon after my water broke and at the time I just wanted her here and healthy. I also didn’t feel pressured, “you must do this and that,” “we’re the experts, lie back and let us work.” I didn’t feel like that. They were kind and took good care of me. They encouraged me to use all my own strength to bring her and praised me for working so hard, especially without pain relief.
I’ve learned it doesn’t really matter how the baby arrives, as long as he or she does and both mother and baby are emotionally and physically healthy and happy and that Mom-to-be is respected. I am.
Please Leave a Comment: