birth story
Elliot Nova is 7lbs 3 oz and 20 inches. Her face is really bruised and she has broken blood vessels in her eye from being born so quick.
Her hobbies incluse nursing and wanting to nurse.
I had been having really annoying "prelabor" contractions all week, so when they started up on monday evening I didnt think much of it.
We had a mellow evening, took a walk and watched a movie.
At around 9:30 we had had some sex and about a half hour later the contractions seemed a little different than the ones I had been having. After a few that made it pretty clear that I was really in labor this time, I called my midwife Beth. She and two assistants arrived at about 12:45.
Beth checked me and I was 2-3 cm with contractions 5-8 minutes apart.
The midwives went to sleep in various parts of the house and scott and i went in our room to try to sleep. I managed to doze a little. Contractions were getting stronger but they seemed really short. Scott said they were over a minute long, but they were only painful to me for about 20 seconds.
Beth checked me again around 3:00 and I was 3 cm. She told scott to go ahead and fill the pool. I got in and Beth went back out to rest. Scott laid back down to rest for awhile too. The water was so wonderful. It was all nice and warm and the room was candle lit.
I got out of the pool after about a half hour and walked around the house a bit, stepping over sleepy midwives. The contractions started to come one on top of the other and I was starting to make some noise. Though they were intense , they still felt really manageable.
All three midwives noticed a change in my vocalization and woke up and started quickly setting up there supplies. I wondered why they were scurrying around. I thought I had lots of time. When Beth came in I told her I didnt want to be checked. Since I was only 3 cm two hours before I thought I was probably 5 cm and I didnt want to be disapointed if I wasnt that far along.
Little did I know, I was in transition! I had expected to freak out during transition, or at least feel that "I cant go on" feeling. But I felt fine except for the contractions being really close together. After one particularly long one Beth asked me If I was pushing. I said i didnt think so. I still thought i had just hit active labor.
I got back in the pool and sure enough with the next contraction my body was pushing. I told Beth I thought it was too early to push and she told me to feel where the baby was. I was shocked to feel her head and a bag of water. I asked Beth if that meant I had already done transition and didnt notice. I was so thankful when she said yes. She said aparently I have a higher threshold for pain that I thought I did. I was really proud, and amazed. I thought I was a total wuss durring my 37 hour first labor.
The pushing contractions didnt feel painful, I just felt and urge to bear down. Between pushes I was laughing and saying how weird it was that I felt so good. I pushed through about four contrations and I felt her body slide down. That was intense!! I think I was hollering pretty loud at that point. I gave one really big push and her head was out, I was screaming "get her out"!!!
Beth said "slow down she doesnt have to be born with this contraction"
I thought she was crazy for suggesting that I wait with half a baby hanging out. So I pushed and screamed and out she flew. I was on my knees and Beth passed her up between my legs. She floated to the surface. I was in shock. The first thing i said was "I did it and it wasnt even horrible. It was fun!"
It was exactly how I wanted it, it was such a great experience.
Her hobbies incluse nursing and wanting to nurse.
I had been having really annoying "prelabor" contractions all week, so when they started up on monday evening I didnt think much of it.
We had a mellow evening, took a walk and watched a movie.
At around 9:30 we had had some sex and about a half hour later the contractions seemed a little different than the ones I had been having. After a few that made it pretty clear that I was really in labor this time, I called my midwife Beth. She and two assistants arrived at about 12:45.
Beth checked me and I was 2-3 cm with contractions 5-8 minutes apart.
The midwives went to sleep in various parts of the house and scott and i went in our room to try to sleep. I managed to doze a little. Contractions were getting stronger but they seemed really short. Scott said they were over a minute long, but they were only painful to me for about 20 seconds.
Beth checked me again around 3:00 and I was 3 cm. She told scott to go ahead and fill the pool. I got in and Beth went back out to rest. Scott laid back down to rest for awhile too. The water was so wonderful. It was all nice and warm and the room was candle lit.
I got out of the pool after about a half hour and walked around the house a bit, stepping over sleepy midwives. The contractions started to come one on top of the other and I was starting to make some noise. Though they were intense , they still felt really manageable.
All three midwives noticed a change in my vocalization and woke up and started quickly setting up there supplies. I wondered why they were scurrying around. I thought I had lots of time. When Beth came in I told her I didnt want to be checked. Since I was only 3 cm two hours before I thought I was probably 5 cm and I didnt want to be disapointed if I wasnt that far along.
Little did I know, I was in transition! I had expected to freak out during transition, or at least feel that "I cant go on" feeling. But I felt fine except for the contractions being really close together. After one particularly long one Beth asked me If I was pushing. I said i didnt think so. I still thought i had just hit active labor.
I got back in the pool and sure enough with the next contraction my body was pushing. I told Beth I thought it was too early to push and she told me to feel where the baby was. I was shocked to feel her head and a bag of water. I asked Beth if that meant I had already done transition and didnt notice. I was so thankful when she said yes. She said aparently I have a higher threshold for pain that I thought I did. I was really proud, and amazed. I thought I was a total wuss durring my 37 hour first labor.
The pushing contractions didnt feel painful, I just felt and urge to bear down. Between pushes I was laughing and saying how weird it was that I felt so good. I pushed through about four contrations and I felt her body slide down. That was intense!! I think I was hollering pretty loud at that point. I gave one really big push and her head was out, I was screaming "get her out"!!!
Beth said "slow down she doesnt have to be born with this contraction"
I thought she was crazy for suggesting that I wait with half a baby hanging out. So I pushed and screamed and out she flew. I was on my knees and Beth passed her up between my legs. She floated to the surface. I was in shock. The first thing i said was "I did it and it wasnt even horrible. It was fun!"
It was exactly how I wanted it, it was such a great experience.