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Birthing Story9/6/07
The last three days have gone like a whirlwind. Well . . . sort
of. Monday there wasnt
anything new to write after Sundays entry. Just holding my own
with fairly easy 1-2level irregular contractions. Both Sunday and
Monday afternoon I had good sleeps with
only brief interruptions of contractions half hour to an hour
and a half apart until aboutmidnight. It would have been nice to
have someone there to help with counter pressure on
my back. But neither hubby nor doula were available to just hang
around for days
waiting on babys schedule. So I followed my doulas advice and
used a juice jug waterbottle with a folded blanket and pillow to
push against the wall or back of the chair or bed
to provide my own counter pressure. The birthing ball helped a
lot too as well as soaking
in the tub.
My doula said to phone her and hubby to come when my
contractions became regular at
seven minutes. After midnight Monday I could no longer sleep
between contractionsregular at 11 minutes, as best as I could chart
them on my computer spreadsheet. So I got
in the tub again suspecting they would relax like they did the
night before. They were at
least bearable there without counter-pressure assistance but
they didnt really relax. In
fact within an hour they were close enough together that my
vocal exercises were gettinglouder and I was unable to sit up even
long enough to reach the controls to refresh the tub
with hot water.
I beeped the nurse to change my IV bottle and mentioned that
things were getting a little
intense. But alas my stop watch battery had died a few days
before and I wasnt going to
bring my computer into the tub room so couldnt give the nurse a
very intelligent guess
on how far apart my contractions were. The tub room was right
across the wall from thenurses desk so I said, well, you can hear
me. Every time I yodel, it is a contraction. She
said for me to call her if I thought they were three min
apart.
Then I needed to go piddle and unfortunately there was no toilet
in the tub room. I knew I
wouldnt be able to get out, dry off, dress, and waddle across
the hall back to my room
and be back in the tub in time to deal with the next
contraction. And I was certain I couldno longer handle them myself
outside of the soothing tub. So I beeped the nurse. An aid
stepped in that I had never seen before and answered my request
with a curt, Bedpan!! I
dont have time or a bedpan; Im doing assessments!!! as she
rushed back out. She paidno attention to my protest that the
contractions were too close together for me to do
anything without assistance.
A few minutes later I suddenly felt the urge to push. Thats
strange, I thought, theyarent even consistently spaced or of
consistent strength. How do I know if they are three
minutes? The next wave was much less so I didnt worry about it.
But the next wave was
stronger and again I felt the urge to push.Id better beep the
nurse and hopefully I willget her and not that aid who figures my
situation is not needing assessment.
Fortunately the nurse came and as soon as I told her things were
intense and I felt the
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urge to push, she spun into high speed. Weve got to get you out
of here and on the bed
and check you out. I protested that I couldnt get out and dry
and dress and handle the
contractions out of the tub. She called another nurse and they
helped me up, threw ablanket over me, allowed me to kneel down
briefly to deal with a contraction, and hustled
me across the hall which surprisingly I was able to walk.
Can I at least get on the birthing ball? I begged as the next
wave hit. Oh no! On the
bed with you. The floor is dirty. You musnt have your baby down
there!! I started to
kneel on the bed but she insisted, On your back; Ive got to
check you out. I protestedcause Id read in the book that the back
position is the worst for birthing. But checking
me only took a second and she exclaimed, You are fully dialated!
Dont push! Dont
push! Weve got to get you to the birthing room!
I had just a few seconds to grab the phone, find my doulas
number on the computer and
get her out of bed at 4 am. Hello S, this is R. Im having my
baby! What????!!!! Im
fully dialated; Ive got to go to the birthing room. Bye! The
nurses whisked me into a
wheel chair, set my feet on the IV trolley and rushed down the
hall saying, Dont push!Dont push!!
The birthing team set up in high speed and amid my protests
managed to get me on the
bed between waves, on my back, feet in stirrups, and the bed
taken apart. Oh well, just
the position I didnt want but I was certainly not in control
anymore. Because baby waspreemie, the sweet gray-haired lady doctor
I had picked was not able to do the delivery.
The obstetrician on duty happened to be a man. Through my entire
pregnancy and
birthing experience until now, all the nurses and doctors I had
seen had been women
which I believe is according to the counsel. But again, at this
point there was no otheroption and things were happening at
whirlwind speed so that was the furthest thing from
my worries.
My doula got there in record time. The nurses called GR but of
course at 4 am he was
sound asleep and two hours drive away anyway. Dr. Ann came with
her associate so they
were present. The neo-natal team arrived in time and waited
patiently and quietly in theback of the room.
Now I had been practicing relaxing for the past 60 hours or so
and now they wanted me
to push. I had never gotten past the stage 1 pages of my Bradley
birthing book. Thecoordination of breathing and pushing is opposite
to the relaxing. The doctors and nurses
urged me to breathe deep, hold it in, and use the air to push
long, deep, and hard. My
instinct was to grunt, but that lets the air out. Now the
contractions seemed mild to me sothat sometimes I didnt know one
was coming except that the nurse holding the monitor
on my tummy was telling me to push. Between waves I could smile
and laugh and look
around the room. I told them, By the time this is over Ill get
this pushing thing downpat!
After only about three or four cycles I asked, Is baby through
the cervix? Oh yes! In
the canal already!!? That gave me courage that I didnt have far
to go.
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Breathe deep! Hold it in! Push hard . . . keep pushing, again,
again, again!!!!
Can you see it yet? Oh yes! What is it? . . . Oh, I guess those
parts would still beinside. One nurse offered, I think it looks
like a boys head. Thats what we ordered.
I wish I had had a mirror, and my doula offered to get one. But
she was helping me holdmy leg so I didnt want her to leave me for
even that long to reach in her bag and get it.
Oh well.
Breathe deep! Hold it in! Push hard . . . keep pushing, again,
again, again!!!!
It was hard to keep pushing when baby hit the perineum because
the stretching and
tearing of that gave me some sharp pains. But I cant complain
since that was basicallythe only pain I felt.
Soon I looked down and babys head was out already! Of course it
was elongated and
odd-shaped from the journey out but it was covered with curly
hair. A few seconds later Iheard a little cry and the doctor was
holding my baby!! Is it a boy or a girl? was my
first question, of course. Its a girl! Oh dear! Ive been calling
it a he all this time!Oh well, were happy for whatever we get! What
time is it? 4:41 am. I think it was
about 4 am they got me out of the tub so I wasnt pushing for
even half an hour!!
Right away the doctor cut the cord and gave baby to the
neo-natal team while he took
care of third-stage delivery and stitched me up. My legs got
terrible shaky then and didnt
stop shaking for most of an hour. I was so grateful for a little
massage from my doula and
help putting my socks on and a blanket. I would never attempt a
birth without thewonderful assistance of a doulaespecially when
hubby couldnt get there in time.
Because my doula stayed with me to help me get up, showered,
dressed, and move
myself and my stuff to the postpartum room. We had some time to
visit in between and itwas so nice to have someone to talk to
instead of lying there by myself for an hour. The
nurses were all very nice but very busy too.
The neo-natal team allowed me to hold my nicely wrapped baby for
a minute or two
before they whisked her down to the incubator. Her eyes were
open and seemed dark but
I couldnt really tell the color. And besides, that will probably
change anyway. I thought
she had a head full of dark curly hair, but it was wet so the
color was not necessarily true.
I kept saying to my doula, I cant believe I had a baby! I cant
believe Im done with
contractions now that Ive lived with them for nearly three days!
Victory! Success!! Icertainly got through it naturally if you mean
that being without any drugs. No time for
that kind of junk, and no need either.
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:8
