Kiss08
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I woke up at 6 am on the morning of September 12th with my first contraction. Throughout the day, my contractions would be regular for a while, die out, and come back. I was in complete denial that she was really coming! I just went about my normal day (including visiting friends at 5:30 pm and going out to dinner at 7 pm -- all while having contractions!). Contractions were 3-5 minutes apart starting at 5 pm and went to 2-3 minutes apart around 8 pm. I used my breast pump (10 minutes on one side, 8 minutes on the other) at 4:30 and I think that's what jump started things.
My doula came over at 8:30 pm which is when contractions got more intense. I had been feeling all my contractions in my back so we did lots of things to try to get baby to change positions but to no avail. My doula did a lot of hip squeezes which helped tremendously! I got in my bath tub about 10:45 and my water broke in the tub around 11 pm. I said I wanted to go to the hospital shortly thereafter. We got around and drove to the hospital (somehow I was able to keep my composer in the car and felt relatively little pain). Arrived at the hospital at midnight and triage took 40 minutes (and they wouldn't let my doula come back!). I was 5 cm upon admission.
By the time I got to my room, I was in transition. We immediately filled up the tub and as I undressed, my entire mucus plug fell out. I had three contractions in the tub. On my 3rd one, my doula asked if I was pushing. At first, I said no but then I said I wasn't sure. I was just trying to relax and my body naturally pushed. She told me to get out of the tub immediately (no water births are allowed at the hospital). My nurse checked me and I was 8-9 cm. We called my doctor in (he was already on the floor as he had recently delivered another baby). By the time he came in (about 10 minutes) I was fully dilated. I pushed in a side lying position for about 25 minutes. The baby's heart rate kept dropping during contraction (from 130 to 95) due to coming down the birth canal so quickly. They gave me some oxygen but by the time they got it, I was on my second to last contraction. She came out with her head sideways and screamed before her body was out. I flipped from my side to my back and my doctor placed her up on my chest. It was so amazing! DH cut the cord and we did skin-to-skin for an hour before she was weighed and checked.
I got a second degree tear and fainted after delivery due to normal blood loss (I faint easily with even a finger prick). Otherwise, though, quite an ideal birthing experience! I could not believe how "according to plan" it went! I had learned hypnobirthing and used some techniques but things went so quickly I hardly got a chance to really use any of it in any detail.
All in all, from first contraction to delivery, I was in labor for nearly 20 hours, but only about 6 of that was active labor including about a half hour of pushing. I feel very fortunate to have been able to have the birth I had envisioned: natural, medication-free, and mostly laboring at home. It was a great experience. I could not have done it without the support of my husband, my doula, and my OB.
Lily Elizabeth was born at 1:40 am on September 13, 2013. She was 7 pounds, 19 inches. This photo was taken when she was about 15 minutes old.
My doula came over at 8:30 pm which is when contractions got more intense. I had been feeling all my contractions in my back so we did lots of things to try to get baby to change positions but to no avail. My doula did a lot of hip squeezes which helped tremendously! I got in my bath tub about 10:45 and my water broke in the tub around 11 pm. I said I wanted to go to the hospital shortly thereafter. We got around and drove to the hospital (somehow I was able to keep my composer in the car and felt relatively little pain). Arrived at the hospital at midnight and triage took 40 minutes (and they wouldn't let my doula come back!). I was 5 cm upon admission.
By the time I got to my room, I was in transition. We immediately filled up the tub and as I undressed, my entire mucus plug fell out. I had three contractions in the tub. On my 3rd one, my doula asked if I was pushing. At first, I said no but then I said I wasn't sure. I was just trying to relax and my body naturally pushed. She told me to get out of the tub immediately (no water births are allowed at the hospital). My nurse checked me and I was 8-9 cm. We called my doctor in (he was already on the floor as he had recently delivered another baby). By the time he came in (about 10 minutes) I was fully dilated. I pushed in a side lying position for about 25 minutes. The baby's heart rate kept dropping during contraction (from 130 to 95) due to coming down the birth canal so quickly. They gave me some oxygen but by the time they got it, I was on my second to last contraction. She came out with her head sideways and screamed before her body was out. I flipped from my side to my back and my doctor placed her up on my chest. It was so amazing! DH cut the cord and we did skin-to-skin for an hour before she was weighed and checked.
I got a second degree tear and fainted after delivery due to normal blood loss (I faint easily with even a finger prick). Otherwise, though, quite an ideal birthing experience! I could not believe how "according to plan" it went! I had learned hypnobirthing and used some techniques but things went so quickly I hardly got a chance to really use any of it in any detail.
All in all, from first contraction to delivery, I was in labor for nearly 20 hours, but only about 6 of that was active labor including about a half hour of pushing. I feel very fortunate to have been able to have the birth I had envisioned: natural, medication-free, and mostly laboring at home. It was a great experience. I could not have done it without the support of my husband, my doula, and my OB.
Lily Elizabeth was born at 1:40 am on September 13, 2013. She was 7 pounds, 19 inches. This photo was taken when she was about 15 minutes old.
