- Joined
- Dec 15, 2008
- Messages
- 6,723
- Reaction score
- 274
my husband and I planned an all natural water birth with our son. We hired a doula and learned birth affirmations. We studied hypnobirthing and acupressure for pain management. Our midwife was very supportive in the beginning. Time went on in my pregnancy and I went overdue. Our OB started talking about induction the minute I reached 39+6...I refused and switched fully to midwife led care in order to carry my son for as long as he felt was necessary. the midwife told me as soon as she knew I was fully under her care that I was safe until 10 days past due...at which point the hospitals policy was to induce and I would either have to comply or pay out of pocket for further care including the baby's birth.
At 10 days past my due date we went in for induction. the midwife and I had discussed it in detail and we had planned a "slow" induction. She inserted the pill to help dilate my cervix at 8am on Tuesday July 2nd. After 2 hours of monitoring the baby she sent us to walk around downtown in the city with instructions to return for more monitoring. We had never walked around in Nuedettelsau before (we are military stationed in Germany) and went enthusiastically to explore the neat little town where our baby would be born. We enjoyed the gardens and neat little houses, stopped for drinks and a bathroom break, and ate Doner boxes at the local turkish shop before we went back. I didn't have any contractions. After we got back and were monitored for an hour the midwife sent us home to relax and sleep. She assured me that I would have my baby the next day and that sometimes it just takes time. I wasn't in a hurry and we decided to go to dinner with friends.
The next day we went back and the midwife inserted our second pill. It was very, very painful for me. I couldn't believe how much pain I was feeling with her in there!
it was one of the most painful parts of my birth experience. We went on the monitor for 2 hours and then went for another walk. I was completely mortified that the midwife made me have an enema at this point 
that is NOT common practice in the US and I was PISSED that she told me I didn't have any choice. I told her the hospital needed to re evaluate their policy and come into the 21st century.after that I had several contractions that were very manageable while we were gone for our walk. When we got back to the hospital I was having irregular contractions that I could only just manage to talk through. Walking made me feel in control so I walked and walked until the midwife made me be monitored again. NONE of the contractions were showing up on the monitor. She said I had 2 choices...I could go home and wait for the morning to come back and do another pill or I could have pitocin and forgo my waterbirth. I chose to go home and rest up for the next day. (I was very pissed off about the enema at this point! WHY did I need it when I wasn't even giving birth that day!!!! -_- )
On July 4th we went to the hospital for our 3rd day of gentle induction. THe midwife inserted the pill at 8am and then put me on the monitor again. I wasn't showing contractions but I could feel them. I told her that I didn't care what her stupid monitor said that I was contracting and she needed to realize it. the baby was very still and quiet on the monitor and she kept shaking my belly trying to wake him up. Then she had me flipping from side to side to keep his heartrate up. We knew at this point that we weren't leaving today. My husband and I were totally in our zone at this point. He watched my cues and hit my acupressure points exactly when I needed him too. The midwife told me that because the baby was having problems they needed to insert a cath line in my arm and take some blood as well as give me fluids. This was my second concession. I didn't want any medical intervention further than monitoring but I felt that my baby was in danger. when they took the blood my blood sugar started dropping and I was shaking all over and freezing. they covered me with a blanket and moved me to the bed from the couch I was on. I was still flipping side to side. After an hour of fluids and no changes in the baby the midwife wanted to check me again. she could feel my waters and wanted to break them so I conceded yet again and let her. My waters were green and black. Baby boy was in distress and had passed meconium. I was only 4.5 cm dilated at this point and immediately after his water broke my little mans heart rate his 70 bpm. before I knew it I was being given a drug to stop my labor, having a catheter placed, and was being wheeled off for an emergency c section. the most painful part if the whole labor was having that cath. placed. it was HORRIBLE and i wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. we got to the operating room and the anesthetist tried and failed 3 times to get the spinal block in. then they told me they were knocking me out. the next thing i knew i woke up in a recovery room. i cried to see my baby but the nurse ignored me.
after an hour of asking they finall wheeled me down to my room. I was met by my husband at the door with a tiny, red headed, perfect little boy and my first thought was "who's baby does my husband have?" 
I was told to wait another hour before nursing him to get everything out of my system. he latched on almost immediately and nursed like a champ.
Eli Cole born July 4th, 2013 at 1:04pm. 7 pounds 11 ounces.
At 10 days past my due date we went in for induction. the midwife and I had discussed it in detail and we had planned a "slow" induction. She inserted the pill to help dilate my cervix at 8am on Tuesday July 2nd. After 2 hours of monitoring the baby she sent us to walk around downtown in the city with instructions to return for more monitoring. We had never walked around in Nuedettelsau before (we are military stationed in Germany) and went enthusiastically to explore the neat little town where our baby would be born. We enjoyed the gardens and neat little houses, stopped for drinks and a bathroom break, and ate Doner boxes at the local turkish shop before we went back. I didn't have any contractions. After we got back and were monitored for an hour the midwife sent us home to relax and sleep. She assured me that I would have my baby the next day and that sometimes it just takes time. I wasn't in a hurry and we decided to go to dinner with friends.
The next day we went back and the midwife inserted our second pill. It was very, very painful for me. I couldn't believe how much pain I was feeling with her in there!
it was one of the most painful parts of my birth experience. We went on the monitor for 2 hours and then went for another walk. I was completely mortified that the midwife made me have an enema at this point that is NOT common practice in the US and I was PISSED that she told me I didn't have any choice. I told her the hospital needed to re evaluate their policy and come into the 21st century.after that I had several contractions that were very manageable while we were gone for our walk. When we got back to the hospital I was having irregular contractions that I could only just manage to talk through. Walking made me feel in control so I walked and walked until the midwife made me be monitored again. NONE of the contractions were showing up on the monitor. She said I had 2 choices...I could go home and wait for the morning to come back and do another pill or I could have pitocin and forgo my waterbirth. I chose to go home and rest up for the next day. (I was very pissed off about the enema at this point! WHY did I need it when I wasn't even giving birth that day!!!! -_- )On July 4th we went to the hospital for our 3rd day of gentle induction. THe midwife inserted the pill at 8am and then put me on the monitor again. I wasn't showing contractions but I could feel them. I told her that I didn't care what her stupid monitor said that I was contracting and she needed to realize it. the baby was very still and quiet on the monitor and she kept shaking my belly trying to wake him up. Then she had me flipping from side to side to keep his heartrate up. We knew at this point that we weren't leaving today. My husband and I were totally in our zone at this point. He watched my cues and hit my acupressure points exactly when I needed him too. The midwife told me that because the baby was having problems they needed to insert a cath line in my arm and take some blood as well as give me fluids. This was my second concession. I didn't want any medical intervention further than monitoring but I felt that my baby was in danger. when they took the blood my blood sugar started dropping and I was shaking all over and freezing. they covered me with a blanket and moved me to the bed from the couch I was on. I was still flipping side to side. After an hour of fluids and no changes in the baby the midwife wanted to check me again. she could feel my waters and wanted to break them so I conceded yet again and let her. My waters were green and black. Baby boy was in distress and had passed meconium. I was only 4.5 cm dilated at this point and immediately after his water broke my little mans heart rate his 70 bpm. before I knew it I was being given a drug to stop my labor, having a catheter placed, and was being wheeled off for an emergency c section. the most painful part if the whole labor was having that cath. placed. it was HORRIBLE and i wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. we got to the operating room and the anesthetist tried and failed 3 times to get the spinal block in. then they told me they were knocking me out. the next thing i knew i woke up in a recovery room. i cried to see my baby but the nurse ignored me.
after an hour of asking they finall wheeled me down to my room. I was met by my husband at the door with a tiny, red headed, perfect little boy and my first thought was "who's baby does my husband have?" I was told to wait another hour before nursing him to get everything out of my system. he latched on almost immediately and nursed like a champ. Eli Cole born July 4th, 2013 at 1:04pm. 7 pounds 11 ounces.
