LockandKey
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I went into labor on September 5th at 6am, but is was a really slow labor, and my contractions kept coming on between 3-5 mins apart, then would slow to 8-10 mins apart. This pattern continued on during the next 36hrs, and although the pain gradually increased, I only dilated from 3cms to 6cms during that time. I had gone to my midwife 3 different times then as well, she said she would take me, but suggested that I stayed home for as long as I could, and after being told I was hardly dilated at all, I decided to go home every time. Sleeping the night while in slow labor was extremely difficult, the only sleep I got was in between contractions, and if I was lucky, it slowed to about every 10 mins so I could get about 5 mins or so of sleep here or there until the next contraction. After all that, I was finally admitted into my birthing inn in active labor at 6cms dilated and contractions coming on every 2-3 mins apart. I labored in my private birthing suit for 3 hours doing everything I could from talking with my nurse, midwife and DH to keep me distracted, rocking in the rocking chair, getting in the deep soaking tub, and listening to calming music, but the contractions were excruciating, and I was still only 6cms dilated. My midwife suggested that for some reason, my body just doesn't take the stresses of labor very well, causing the process to be extremely slow and my contractions to come on 10 times worse than what they should have been. After hearing that I was still stuck at only a 6, I broke down and asked for the epi, I just couldn't take the pain any longer and the thought of going through another night of that was a nightmare. I was really upset initially after the epidural was in, I burst into tears because I had to give up my dream of going med free, but in the end I don't regret my decision, because from then on, everything progressed very well, and the anesthesiologist was extremely nice. As soon as I got the epidural in, I felt a million times better, was finally able to rest and relax, and my body finally decided to get its butt in gear, and I dilated from 6 to 7cms in less than an hour.
Within the next hour, I suddenly got one giant contraction that lasted for 5 mins, and I went from 7 to 9cms in those 5 mins, which is awesome, but at the same time, during that time my little man's HR dropped and stayed very low, and my midwife called an emc doctor to be available ASAP in case the contraction didn't stop, that was so scary, but luckily it did, and my baby's HR quickly bounced back with no issues. After that happened, I requested to have the epidural shut off, so it was only on for a total of 3hrs. After turning off my epi, my midwife artificially ruptured my membranes at 9cms, and I went from 9 to 10cms within the next hour, then waited an additional 30 mins for baby to come down the birth canal on his own before pushing. At 9pm I started to push, which was a crazy intense feeling, lots of pressure, it literally felt like I was crapping out a bowling ball and being stretched to my limit, but not nearly as bad as I thought it would be, and my midwife was so great! She was so supportive and encouraging, and in betwee pushes, she held a warm cloth to my perineum and did some quick stretches and massages on my lowers, which I am certain is the reason I did not end up with a single tear, only a tiny top scrape that no longer hurts 48hrs later. That and I pushed at my own pace when I felt the need and just followed my instincts. I pushed for a total of 34mins and then Everett Samuel was born at 9:34pm on September 6th weighing 8lbs and 2.9oz and 20.5 inches long. As soon as his head was out, the rest of his body immediately came out, I didn't even have to push again! There was a small bit of meconium in my waters, but since he came out screaming, so there was no need for the neonatal doctor did not have to take him, and he was placed on my chest. We then waited for the cord to stop pulsating, then DH cut the cord. He was taken to be weihed and measured, and only 5 mins later started bfing and has been doing really great with it ever since
So it didn't exactly go as originally planned, but given my situation, I feel I made the proper choices at the time, and the end results were exactly what I had wished for, no added intervention or shoulder dystocia like what happened with my first, and I am extremely happy with my experience that I had with my midwife and my birthing inn. My mom was even able to make it for the birth this time, and she complimented me on my pushing and was surprised at how calm, collected, and focused I was and that I didn't even scream or swear once!
We are home now and adjusting great! His big sister adores him, he is such a calm and sweet baby, and we are so in love with him my family is complete, I am so over the moon with joy!
https://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp51/MissSapphireEyes/IMG_9421_zps5a77e544.jpg
Within the next hour, I suddenly got one giant contraction that lasted for 5 mins, and I went from 7 to 9cms in those 5 mins, which is awesome, but at the same time, during that time my little man's HR dropped and stayed very low, and my midwife called an emc doctor to be available ASAP in case the contraction didn't stop, that was so scary, but luckily it did, and my baby's HR quickly bounced back with no issues. After that happened, I requested to have the epidural shut off, so it was only on for a total of 3hrs. After turning off my epi, my midwife artificially ruptured my membranes at 9cms, and I went from 9 to 10cms within the next hour, then waited an additional 30 mins for baby to come down the birth canal on his own before pushing. At 9pm I started to push, which was a crazy intense feeling, lots of pressure, it literally felt like I was crapping out a bowling ball and being stretched to my limit, but not nearly as bad as I thought it would be, and my midwife was so great! She was so supportive and encouraging, and in betwee pushes, she held a warm cloth to my perineum and did some quick stretches and massages on my lowers, which I am certain is the reason I did not end up with a single tear, only a tiny top scrape that no longer hurts 48hrs later. That and I pushed at my own pace when I felt the need and just followed my instincts. I pushed for a total of 34mins and then Everett Samuel was born at 9:34pm on September 6th weighing 8lbs and 2.9oz and 20.5 inches long. As soon as his head was out, the rest of his body immediately came out, I didn't even have to push again! There was a small bit of meconium in my waters, but since he came out screaming, so there was no need for the neonatal doctor did not have to take him, and he was placed on my chest. We then waited for the cord to stop pulsating, then DH cut the cord. He was taken to be weihed and measured, and only 5 mins later started bfing and has been doing really great with it ever since
So it didn't exactly go as originally planned, but given my situation, I feel I made the proper choices at the time, and the end results were exactly what I had wished for, no added intervention or shoulder dystocia like what happened with my first, and I am extremely happy with my experience that I had with my midwife and my birthing inn. My mom was even able to make it for the birth this time, and she complimented me on my pushing and was surprised at how calm, collected, and focused I was and that I didn't even scream or swear once!
We are home now and adjusting great! His big sister adores him, he is such a calm and sweet baby, and we are so in love with him my family is complete, I am so over the moon with joy!
https://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp51/MissSapphireEyes/IMG_9421_zps5a77e544.jpg
