The week of Baby A's due date, I had a check-up with my OBGYN's office on Monday, a prenatal massage and acupuncture appointment on Tuesday, and saw the chiropractor on Wednesday to help get labor moving along. I elected to not have my OBGYN doctor do any vaginal checks during my 3rd trimester to see if I was dilated or not, so I don't know when I actually started dilating. I didn't want to take the chance of a membrane being stripped or my water being accidentally broken during a check. I also knew that knowing how far dilated I was wasn't necessarily an indication of when I'd be going into labor and could psych me out mentally if I wasn't making progress throughout the passing weeks. I used the weekly OBGYN checks solely to check Baby A's movements and heart rate - they were quick five minute appointments. Honestly, the appointments stressed me out more than anything else, and I only saw my actual OBGYN doctor two times throughout all my check-ups. I normally saw his NP. For delivery, my OBGYN doctor wasn't there either. I ended up going to see a midwife two weeks before my due date because the NP said she thought that Baby A was sunny side up and told me that delivery was going to be very painful and hard, which got me all worked up. The midwife I saw spent a full hour with me answering all my questions and putting my mind at ease. She also said that Baby A wasn't sunny side up. I'll never know if she was or not, but at the time of delivery, she was not sunny side up. I did have some back pain during labor, so my doula had me do some labor positions to help change Baby A's position if she was sunny side up at that time.
On Tuesday, my prenatal massage was amazing! I met my massage therapist through my next door neighbor that had been given a prenatal massage as a gift from her mom the previous year. I started going to see her during my 2nd trimester (or maybe towards the end of my 1st trimester) and I owe her so much! She was/is so much more than a massage therapist! She is going to school to become a midwife, so she knows everything I could have needed to know for an unmedicated birth. She also gave me the name of the amazing doula we chose. While I received a wonderful massage, we would chat it up about all things baby like vaccines, baby wearing, breast feeding, home schooling, pregnancy symptoms, birth, etc. She is a fountain of knowledge and I know that the Universe put her in my path for a reason. I had an acupuncture treatment the hour before my massage. My massage therapist recommended both the acupuncturist and chiropractor I went to see (fountain of knowledge for sure!). I've always enjoyed acupuncture, but I didn't know I could have it throughout pregnancy. This acupuncturist was wonderful! I had acupuncture two times in my 3rd trimester.
On Wednesday, the chiropractor rubbed sage oil on my ears and did a little ear massage, along with making sure my pelvic bones were in alignment so Baby A could pass through easier. I saw him three times during my 3rd trimester, the last time being the day before I went into labor. He specializes in chiropractic services for pregnant women and babies/children. Baby A has already had a visit with him. Towards the end of the day on Wednesday, I lost my mucus plug and had some spotting. I texted my doula and she said to go out to a nice dinner with Brad and to get ready for labor to come soon (she knew what she was talking about).
I went into labor on Baby A's due date, Thursday, March 8th, at 3:30 p.m. That day was Brad's first day of vacation for maternity leave. He used 3 weeks of vacation time to be home with us. Brad and I were in our room laying on the bed talking about how we should try and rest while we could before the baby arrived. I started feeling some reoccurring cramping that I hadn't felt before while we were talking, so I decided to keep track of how far apart they were using a contraction app I had downloaded. The contractions ended up being about nine minutes apart. Once we decided that I was indeed having contractions, we started doing the things on our "once contractions start" list. Brad was rushing around getting dressed and grabbing things like we were going to be heading to the hospital within five minutes. It was cute. I told him that we probably wouldn't be going to the hospital for a couple of hours at least because I wanted to labor at home for awhile. Regardless, we got ready. He made peanut butter and honey sandwiches, packed the labor aide and red raspberry leaf tea ice cubes that I had made earlier in the week, filled up our water bottles, packed one of the labor balls, put our bags in the car, and grabbed some last minute things. I made the cloth diaper wipe concoction (tea tree oil, lavender oil, and water), so they'd be ready when we came home with our baby, and grabbed some last minute things. We texted our doula and she said to get into the bathtub to help with contractions. The plan was that she'd come over to our house once my contractions started getting closer together.
The bathtub was a lifesaver for contractions! Brad ran the water and I sat in the bathtub while he pushed start and stop on my phone for each contraction. He sat in the bathroom with me for hours bringing me whatever I needed. He made me oatmeal and tea. I ate a couple labor aide ice cubes. We tried once to have me get into the shower instead of the tub to see if that would feel good, but as soon as we let the water out of the tub and I lost the feeling of weightlessness from the water, I knew that the tub was the way to go. I wish I could have brought it with me to the hospital because it helped that much! I think the intensity of the contractions were cut in half with the tub. I remember calling my parents and talking to them while I was in the tub telling them I was having contractions. While in the tub, I looked at the birthing laboryth I had made, recited some birthing affirmations, talked to Brad, and listened to some music. Around 9 p.m., my contractions got to around 2-3 minutes apart and I was experiencing a lot of pain. My doula face timed me and saw my face during one of the contractions and said she was coming over. Before she arrived, she called to check in and she heard me cry out in pain during a contraction and said that she'd meet me at the hospital instead. Brad helped me get dressed and we got into the car and headed to the hospital, which was a little before 10 p.m. I had a couple contractions in the car. I'm so grateful that the hospital is only about six minutes away from our house.
Our doula met us at the hospital. She walked me up to the labor and delivery floor while Brad parked and grabbed our things. I got checked in and then Brad traded places with our doula. I had to be checked to see how far dilated I was. The check was pretty painful, so painful that I screamed out with pain. I was told that I was five centimeters dilated qualifying me to be admitted to a room. It wasn't a busy night, so I didn't have to wait long. I was given a room that had wireless monitoring, which was wonderful. Our doula and my mom met us in the labor and delivery room. A nurse got me set up - a heplock in my arm, in case I needed fluids from an IV. Unfortunately, it took three times before a nurse was able to successfully put the heplock into my arm - ouch! I ended up having some pretty bad bruising from the attempts. After the heplock was in, I changed into a nightgown I had bought for delivering in and the wireless monitoring was hooked up. Having the wireless monitoring allowed me to walk around the room during labor and not be confined to my bed. The nurse asked for my birthing wish list.
The lights were shut off, expect for the entrance light and we were left to labor. A few nurses came in from time to time to check in and help out with what they could, but it was pretty much just our doula, Brad, my mom, and I. My dad even popped in for a bit, but he didn't stay long. He was uncomfortable seeing me in so much pain. I asked him to take care of my girls (my dogs) because I was worried about them. Knowing that they were taken care of, brought me a huge sense of relief. He also went and got the labor team much needed food/nourishment. My doula coached me giving different birthing positions to get into throughout the night and early morning. I remember being on all fours, sitting on my birthing ball, leaning over my birthing ball, sitting on the toilet, standing up and hanging on to Brad, sitting on the bed, and laying down on my side. Every time I switched to a new laboring position, the next three contractions would be more intense, which was always in the back of my mind when changing. My doula had many tricks up her sleeve to help get my mind off of the pain of labor. I remember her asking me about each bracelet I was wearing and it's significance. She had different essential oils for me to smell, and yummy candies to suck on. She knew how to talk to me and who to get me to listen. My mom kept me hydrated by giving me water or whatever else I needed like my labor aide and raspberry leaf tea ice cubes. She rubbed my back and consoled me whispering words of encouragement in my ear. Brad was my rock and was there every step of the way. He gave me strength by merely being next to me. He was always so calm and collected ready to help out in any way. Just seeing him calmed me down.
My mind was aware of everything that was going on in the room, but I wasn't focused on my surroundings - only riding the wave of each contraction. If someone asked me a question, I remember answering in my head, but I'm not sure if the actual words came out or if they were just my thoughts. I was stuck at 8 centimeters for quite some time. We were all so exhausted. We would try and steal a couple minutes of shut eye between each contraction - me slumping over in exhaustion onto whomever and whatever was next to me. There was one point when all of us were surrounding my bed after one of my contractions ended that we all shut our eyes and fell asleep, only to wake three minutes later to get through the next contraction. It is difficult for me to describe how the contractions felt. I asked what contractions would feel like, so I knew what to expect before I went into labor, but people said I would just know. They said they'd feel like really bad period cramps. Yes, they felt like cramps, but it was a surge of feeling that started off with a dull discomfort that increased with intensity until it reached a peak and then would die down until the pain went away. With each centimeter more that I dilated, the intensity increased.
A nurse checked me and said that I was still at 8 centimeters. My water had not broken yet, so it was suggested that they break my water. That was against my birth wish list, but I was exhausted physically and mentally, and I honestly didn't want the labor to go on longer because of my water, so I agreed to have it broken. I had read that if your water had not broken when you went into labor, your contractions would not be as intense, which was true. The water sack provided a cushion. I was a little nervous about the pain increasing once my water was broken. A nurse broke my water and I immediately felt a warm liquid rush out and soak the bed. I don't know when my water was broken, or how long after my water was broken that I was given the clear to push, but I do remember having soaked sheets up until Baby A was born. It was a little uncomfortable.
I started pushing a little earlier than I should have, which caused my cervix to swell a little. Before labor had started, I thought that I'd be pushing the entire time. It wasn't until everything started that I learned that I wasn't allowed to push until I was ten centimeters dilated. A nurse checked me early in the morning and said that I was ten centimeters, but because I my cervix had swelled, I'd have to hold off onto pushing until it went down.
Once the swelling had decreased, I was finally given the clear to push. I pushed for three hours. It felt the best to push laying down and pulling a scarf during each contraction. I pulled one end while Brad or my doula pulled the other end. My arms were spent by the end. My legs kept cramping throughout the three hours. My dad went to Clark's and bought magnesium spray to put on my legs to help with the cramping, which it did. A nurse put coconut oil on my perineal to help with stretching, so I didn't tear as much. I had a difficult time getting the whole pushing thing down. It was quite painful. I knew that once a contraction started, I was supposed to hold my breath and push for ten seconds, but I couldn't quite hold my breath without yelling out in pain. My doula was amazing and counted to ten for me each time telling me not let any breath out by yelling. The yelling was taking away the force from my pushing. The pushing took everything out of me. I remember saying some choice words and begging to have Baby A taken out of me. I asked why did I do this (not unmedicated part) and said I couldn't keep going. I had reached my limit, but some how, I found the strength to keep going. Brad, my mom, and my doula were my cheerleaders and encouraged me the entire time.
After pushing for quite some time, everyone got excited and said they could see Baby A's head. They were all so excited. A nurse put a mirror down there for me to see her head, which helped me know where to direct my pushing. I could feel her coming out a little with each push, but then go back up again. I felt discouraged, but kept going. Once I was getting close, a nurse went and got the doctor. I kept pushing. I felt like my eyes were going to pop out of my head. Once I got the whole pushing thing down and realized that I would have to hold my screams in, Baby A started making nice progress. I knew I was close when I felt her head stuck even after the contraction was over. I kept pushing. The doctor said that there was maconium, so the NICU team would need to come in and be on stand by if they needed to take fluid out of her lungs. There were a total of eight people in the room. I did end up needing some IV fluids after about an hour and a half of pushing because I was getting dehydrated. I also needed some oxygen.
After a big push, Baby A's head came out and then her shoulders. I honestly thought that I'd be pushing much longer to get her shoulder's out, but they came out right after her head did. She was immediately put onto my chest. Baby A was warm, wet, and wiggling around just like she had been when she was in my belly. I could barely believe she was out. I was overjoyed with emotion and couldn't stop crying. Shortly after, the NICU team took her (they were right next to me) and removed some liquid from her lungs. Brad was with her the whole time. I kept saying, "that's my baby, that's my baby." My mom stayed by my side while Brad was with Baby A. I told her that I was a mom, and I wept. I was finally a mom. After I passed the placenta, which wasn't bad at all, the doctor said I had a lot of bleeding and needed some pitocin. I agreed to the shot of it in my leg.
Baby A was given back to me and put onto my chest. I ended up having second degree tearing and needed eleven stitches. They stitched me up while I was holding her. It was painful, but nothing like labor and I was too excited about Baby A to focus on what going on down there. It all seemed to go so quickly after she was born. I'm sure that some of the events I just described were out of order, but that's not important.
Baby A had some bruising from the experience of birth, so I agreed to a shot of Vitamin K. I asked the nurses to make sure that it was the preservative free version, and it was. They even showed me the box. I said no to the eye ointment and Hep shot, which was part of my birth wish list. Baby A was weighed and I was told that she weighed 9 pounds 11 1/2 ounces! Wow! I could hardly believe it! I had given birth to a huge, healthy baby girl! I was overjoyed!
Brad and I had our Golden Hour. During that time, my doula helped me with breastfeeding, and Brad and I marveled at how wonderful our little girl was. It felt like reaching a finish line and getting first place. Brad often told me that this pregnancy and labor were like my Ironman, and I couldn't agree more. I had carefully "trained" for months for my big "race", and once race day had finally come, I was ready for it (as ready as I could be).
I didn't know what labor was going to be like. I only knew from what people and books told me. After actually going through it, I can honestly say that it was nothing like I thought it would be. I thought I'd be able to look at my birthing affirmations banner, trace the birthing laboryth I had made, meditate, etc., but I didn't. I focused on one contraction at a time, listening to my doula, Brad, and my mom. They were my birthing affirmations and laboryth. They told me the things I needed to hear and they created the perfect birthing environment for me, so that I could have the perfect birth for Adeline and I. It was a beautiful birth, one that I have no regrets about. I felt safe and well taken care of.
Having an unmedicated birth was important to me because I wanted to feel every part of birth. I wanted to experience what my body was made to experience. It was not easy and it was painful, but unlike any pain I've ever experienced before. I was pushed to the max mentally, physically, and spiritually, but I survived and I'm so grateful for my story. It is my own story and I can't wait to share it with Baby A. I am a mom. I am strong. I am brave. Everything unfolded perfectly and beautifully. Brad and I have a daughter!
(Baby A ended up needing to go to the NICU for a couple days, which I will write a post about next. She's completely fine and we are all adjusting to our new life).
