Birth Story - Abi
Disclaimer: I don't like pain, I would never have a tooth removed without painkillers, but I really wanted to experience a drug-free birth. Taking meds is totally the woman's choice and whatever you need to do to get the baby out healthy and happy is fine with me.
Birth Story 18-19 Feb 2011
I was 40 weeks, plus 4 days on Friday and I went for a non-stress test and ultrasound, with the plan being more tests on Monday and an induction on Wed 23rd since there were no signs of the baby coming any time soon. The previous day my fundal height (belly measurement) had dropped from 40cm to 35cm which was a bit strange but put down to the baby lying on my left side. At the US they found no amniotic fluid at all! So I had to go straight to Labour and Delivery (well, I went home to get my bags and D had to sort out getting LP picked up my our friends but the hour delay was OK cos the baby was in no distress).
4pm Friday 18th Feb
D and I arrived at L&D. We got to our room after about 10 mins and Laurel our doula arrived about half past 4. 2 other women had been referred for emergency inductions at the same time as me, and it was also a full moon night so it was getting busy in the ward.
5pm
Started monitoring - in bed with the monitors strapped to my belly. The baby was in no distress which was great news, but Pediatrics, Nicu, Obstetrics and Family Medicine (ie my doctor) had to consult to decide the best way to induce me without harming the baby - the lack of liquids meant there could be complications and that the baby may need to be taken away from me at birth.
We (D, the doula and I) had a nasty hospital food dinner and hung out.
6pm
I was given an IV and Pitocin was started at a low level - with LP they had it really high and it caused worse contractions.
My doc tried to break my non-existent waters/rupture the sac with a big crochet needle but there was no space between the membrane and the baby's head so she couldn't do it without harming the baby.
I moved to the yoga ball and spend pretty much the rest of the time there. Contractions were regular but not painful. We continued to hang out, and read our books, and do some acupressure to help things along.
(2cm, 50% effaced, -3)
10.30pm
Was getting bored and frustrated since I was only dilated 3cm. I really didn't want a long labour (LP was 23.5 hours). Things were also getting more painful and I couldn't talk anymore during contractions.
(3cm, 50% effaced, -2)
12 midnight
Change of head doctor and also nurse, but same resident. New doc managed to rupture the membranes (and as we later found out she nicked the baby's head but she is fine).
This really kick started things and this is where things got tough. For about an hour I had hard contractions that hurt my back. D and the doula took turns rubbing my back really hard (which is still very bruised).
(5cm)
1am Sat 19th
Then the feeling on the contractions moved from hurting my back to pressing down and I was in immense pain. This went on for a while and I hit the wall. I had read about this point of natural childbirth being the breaking point, if you can make it past here (where your cervix is dilated to 8cm) you can get to the end without drugs. But I didn't know if it really was it, or if I was being a wimp. I was just in so much pain. I told D that either this was it (8cm) or I was taking the drugs. So I asked the doctor to check how dilated I was. Bingo 8cm. I remember saying "fine, thanks, that is all I needed to hear". I knew I could do it.
(8cm)
1.30am
At 1.30 I went for a pee and hung out on the toilet - my doula is a big fan of sitting on the toilet since we are trained to relax there. Back to the ball and I could feel the baby coming, there was distinct pressure. We told this to the nurse and she said fine, keep going for a bit longer. 10 mins later and I really had to push. Writing this now I am still amazing with how clear the changes in the contractions were. My body was telling me exactly what to do and without any drugs to mask it you could actually listen.
2am-ish
I was still on the yoga ball at this point. In the doula's report she described the scene as me having D in a head lock while he struggled to not fall off his chair. He had to provide the resistance for me to lean against, but was also holding the fetal monitor against my belly the whole time (being on pitocin means monitoring the baby all the time, this is most easily done in bed, one of the many reasons the staff want you on your back, and relatively still. So D and the doula had to take turns holding the monitor against my tummy for the last few hours since I was moving to much for it to stay in place with the straps).
I did a couple of pushes on the ball cos, to be honest, I couldn't not. One funny memory is Derek standing on my foot mid-contraction/push cos he was about to fall over, and me laughing about it (while in lots of pain).
The transition from ball to bed was bad and I totally lost my concentration and control of my breathing. I got shouted at the basically calm the fuck down by the doc, which worked. Then 4 or 5 pushes later and the baby was out. It hurt, like hell, obviously, but it was great to listen to my body and push when I wanted to and it felt right. Minimal tearing (unlike last time) due to doing it at the right speed for my body and not on the count of when the doctor says so.
2.13 am baby arrived, and was put on skin to skin and proceeded to poop all over me (just like last time).
We were in our room afterwards by 4am. Policy is to stay for 24 hours after birth cos they do tests at 24 hours, but we talked our way out of it by 4pm, and were at home by 5pm Sat night. Our friends brought LP to us, and we got a take-away curry to celebrate. Perfect!
It was a great experience, and not to diminish the birth of LP, but Abi's was a lot more positive experience and even though I was induced it still went I wanted (and had wanted for LP but never happened). As well as being a much shorter labour, the recovery has been so much easier. Leaving the hospital after 12 hours and being completely fine was incredible. I have 2 stitches, a pulled muscle in my leg, and bruises on my back but that is it. I have had worse "injuries" out drinking for a night. ;-)
Birth Story 18-19 Feb 2011
I was 40 weeks, plus 4 days on Friday and I went for a non-stress test and ultrasound, with the plan being more tests on Monday and an induction on Wed 23rd since there were no signs of the baby coming any time soon. The previous day my fundal height (belly measurement) had dropped from 40cm to 35cm which was a bit strange but put down to the baby lying on my left side. At the US they found no amniotic fluid at all! So I had to go straight to Labour and Delivery (well, I went home to get my bags and D had to sort out getting LP picked up my our friends but the hour delay was OK cos the baby was in no distress).
4pm Friday 18th Feb
D and I arrived at L&D. We got to our room after about 10 mins and Laurel our doula arrived about half past 4. 2 other women had been referred for emergency inductions at the same time as me, and it was also a full moon night so it was getting busy in the ward.
5pm
Started monitoring - in bed with the monitors strapped to my belly. The baby was in no distress which was great news, but Pediatrics, Nicu, Obstetrics and Family Medicine (ie my doctor) had to consult to decide the best way to induce me without harming the baby - the lack of liquids meant there could be complications and that the baby may need to be taken away from me at birth.
We (D, the doula and I) had a nasty hospital food dinner and hung out.
6pm
I was given an IV and Pitocin was started at a low level - with LP they had it really high and it caused worse contractions.
My doc tried to break my non-existent waters/rupture the sac with a big crochet needle but there was no space between the membrane and the baby's head so she couldn't do it without harming the baby.
I moved to the yoga ball and spend pretty much the rest of the time there. Contractions were regular but not painful. We continued to hang out, and read our books, and do some acupressure to help things along.
(2cm, 50% effaced, -3)
10.30pm
Was getting bored and frustrated since I was only dilated 3cm. I really didn't want a long labour (LP was 23.5 hours). Things were also getting more painful and I couldn't talk anymore during contractions.
(3cm, 50% effaced, -2)
12 midnight
Change of head doctor and also nurse, but same resident. New doc managed to rupture the membranes (and as we later found out she nicked the baby's head but she is fine).
This really kick started things and this is where things got tough. For about an hour I had hard contractions that hurt my back. D and the doula took turns rubbing my back really hard (which is still very bruised).
(5cm)
1am Sat 19th
Then the feeling on the contractions moved from hurting my back to pressing down and I was in immense pain. This went on for a while and I hit the wall. I had read about this point of natural childbirth being the breaking point, if you can make it past here (where your cervix is dilated to 8cm) you can get to the end without drugs. But I didn't know if it really was it, or if I was being a wimp. I was just in so much pain. I told D that either this was it (8cm) or I was taking the drugs. So I asked the doctor to check how dilated I was. Bingo 8cm. I remember saying "fine, thanks, that is all I needed to hear". I knew I could do it.
(8cm)
1.30am
At 1.30 I went for a pee and hung out on the toilet - my doula is a big fan of sitting on the toilet since we are trained to relax there. Back to the ball and I could feel the baby coming, there was distinct pressure. We told this to the nurse and she said fine, keep going for a bit longer. 10 mins later and I really had to push. Writing this now I am still amazing with how clear the changes in the contractions were. My body was telling me exactly what to do and without any drugs to mask it you could actually listen.
2am-ish
I was still on the yoga ball at this point. In the doula's report she described the scene as me having D in a head lock while he struggled to not fall off his chair. He had to provide the resistance for me to lean against, but was also holding the fetal monitor against my belly the whole time (being on pitocin means monitoring the baby all the time, this is most easily done in bed, one of the many reasons the staff want you on your back, and relatively still. So D and the doula had to take turns holding the monitor against my tummy for the last few hours since I was moving to much for it to stay in place with the straps).
I did a couple of pushes on the ball cos, to be honest, I couldn't not. One funny memory is Derek standing on my foot mid-contraction/push cos he was about to fall over, and me laughing about it (while in lots of pain).
The transition from ball to bed was bad and I totally lost my concentration and control of my breathing. I got shouted at the basically calm the fuck down by the doc, which worked. Then 4 or 5 pushes later and the baby was out. It hurt, like hell, obviously, but it was great to listen to my body and push when I wanted to and it felt right. Minimal tearing (unlike last time) due to doing it at the right speed for my body and not on the count of when the doctor says so.
2.13 am baby arrived, and was put on skin to skin and proceeded to poop all over me (just like last time).
We were in our room afterwards by 4am. Policy is to stay for 24 hours after birth cos they do tests at 24 hours, but we talked our way out of it by 4pm, and were at home by 5pm Sat night. Our friends brought LP to us, and we got a take-away curry to celebrate. Perfect!
It was a great experience, and not to diminish the birth of LP, but Abi's was a lot more positive experience and even though I was induced it still went I wanted (and had wanted for LP but never happened). As well as being a much shorter labour, the recovery has been so much easier. Leaving the hospital after 12 hours and being completely fine was incredible. I have 2 stitches, a pulled muscle in my leg, and bruises on my back but that is it. I have had worse "injuries" out drinking for a night. ;-)