Zoesmommy
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On Wednesday, March 2nd I saw my doctor and had my first sweep done. Later that night I had some amazing acupressure by a pre natal massage therapist. I started having consistent contractions while I was getting the acupressure. They continued, and around 10:30 that night we called the on call doctor who said we should go in to be checked.
When we arrived I was 3 cm, and an hour later I was 3.5 so they admitted me. We were there al night, hardly any sleep. And the contractions started dying down by morning. My doctor told me he believed we were in false labor and sent us home. Disappointing, but we both agreed that my best chance at a VBAC was to go into labor on my own.
So we went home on Thursday, March 3rd. I didn't have any contractions for the rest of the day or on Friday March 4th. On Saturday March 5th I started having contractions that morning, around 10:00. I mostly ignored them thinking "This is false labor again." My mom was here to help me with my daughter, thank goodness. Eventually I took a shower because usually that stopped them. They continued after the shower.
I had been text messaging with our doula most of the morning. The contractions started getting stronger. Some were lasting a minute each. Around 2:00 a friend of mine stopped by to visit. My friend had just gotten off the night shift working at the Labor & Delivery ward at the local hospital
I had contractions the whole time she was visiting, and couldn't talk through most of them.
That helped take my mind off things. Eventually I started thinking maybe I should call the doctor's office and see what he thought, but I was so convinced it was false labor still. Around 4:00 I decided to sit down in a comfortable chair and just try to relax (until then I had been bouncing on my birth ball, walking around, or sitting backward on a chair). 45 minutes later I felt a small pop down below, and a huge, warm GUSH of wet. I lept up screaming "I'm bleeding! I'm bleeding!" as I ran for the bathroom.
In my mind, since I was a VBAC, since I had been contracting all day my uterus had already burst. But, fortunately, it was just my water that broke My hubby came home from work and we were off to the hospital. We were delivering in the neighboring town, 35 minutes away. The only hospital that does VBACs. The contractions continued getting worse and he called ahead to L&D to ask them to bring me a wheelchair.
On the way in I had a bad contraction and had to stop. The water was pouring out! We got to the wheelchair and the receptionist took one look at me and said we could do paperwork later. We found out the baby had pooed inside me, so we had to have extra nurses there at delivery just in case there were any complications.
At this point I was in huge pain with the contractions and only concerned about when I could get the epidural. I was dilated to 5 cm (had only been 3.5 the day before, when I had had a second sweep). Finally we got the anesthesiologist to come in and he gave me the first epidural (yes, the first). This did not work. About an hour later he gave me a second epidural. This seemed to work a tiny bit on the right leg, so they had me lay on the left trying to get it to take affect on that side too. It never did.
Finally he wanted to try a 3rd time. If I had to be rushed in for a c section they wanted me to have an epidural in place so we wouldn't have to do a spinal or put me out. I was at 9 cm and the doctor had said it would be a while because the baby was still quite high. So I agreed to try for a 3rd epidural.
While I was hunched over I felt the baby shift and had the urge to push. The anesthesiologist pulled the needled out (he had just started) and I got on my back. With the first contraction I pushed twice and yes, took a poo. Oh the glory of giving birth! The nurses were great and took care of it. Next contraction hubby could see the monitor on the baby's head coming out. Next contraction he could see a bit of blood pushing out (the baby's head). Next contraction the baby's head came half out. They told me to quit pushing, at which point the doctor walked into the room, wide eyed, trying to get his gown and gloves on. Next two pushes and I had a crying baby completely out He cried right away so the NICU nurses were very happy with that--a good sign he didn't swallow any poo.
I had a bit of a hemorrhage, as I did with DD and my C Section. But not too bad. He had a 14 inch head and I only had one minor tear and a couple of grazes. So I got one stitch. Honestly, the contractions were the WORST. I didn't feel any pain pushing. But I did feel the shot the doctor gave me to numb me for the stitch. Funny, huh?
So, water broke at 4:45 PM, and William Isaac was born at 9:51 PM weighing 8 lbs 15 oz (exactly one pound less than my daughter!) and 21 1/4 inches long. It was a great experience. Nurses at the hospital were very surprised I had a successful VBAC.
For those of you considering one, just a few things. I had a c section with my daughter because she was very large and was showing signs of not fitting through the birth canal after over 30 hours of labor. And I was induced with her, two days late.
There was not even 18 months between my daughter's birth and this one, I am plus size, and I had had a big baby. So the odds were a bit against me. Things that I believe helped this VBAC be successful was that I exercised this entire pregnancy. I walked quite a bit. When I couldn't walk I did some pre natal yoga. I knew the chances of having your second baby be bigger were high, especially with this one being a boy. But he weighed less!! And I think that was the exercise.
Well, there's my very long and detailed story. He latched right away and is a great nurser. He also sleeps great. The recovery of a natural birth is so much better than the c section! I was up to the bathroom within an hour, walking on my own. The pain is better, even with the stitch. And I can pick up both kids instead of not being able to do anything for six weeks. I am so glad my VBAC was successful! I will be happy to answer anybody's questions
When we arrived I was 3 cm, and an hour later I was 3.5 so they admitted me. We were there al night, hardly any sleep. And the contractions started dying down by morning. My doctor told me he believed we were in false labor and sent us home. Disappointing, but we both agreed that my best chance at a VBAC was to go into labor on my own.
So we went home on Thursday, March 3rd. I didn't have any contractions for the rest of the day or on Friday March 4th. On Saturday March 5th I started having contractions that morning, around 10:00. I mostly ignored them thinking "This is false labor again." My mom was here to help me with my daughter, thank goodness. Eventually I took a shower because usually that stopped them. They continued after the shower.
I had been text messaging with our doula most of the morning. The contractions started getting stronger. Some were lasting a minute each. Around 2:00 a friend of mine stopped by to visit. My friend had just gotten off the night shift working at the Labor & Delivery ward at the local hospital
I had contractions the whole time she was visiting, and couldn't talk through most of them.That helped take my mind off things. Eventually I started thinking maybe I should call the doctor's office and see what he thought, but I was so convinced it was false labor still. Around 4:00 I decided to sit down in a comfortable chair and just try to relax (until then I had been bouncing on my birth ball, walking around, or sitting backward on a chair). 45 minutes later I felt a small pop down below, and a huge, warm GUSH of wet. I lept up screaming "I'm bleeding! I'm bleeding!" as I ran for the bathroom.
In my mind, since I was a VBAC, since I had been contracting all day my uterus had already burst. But, fortunately, it was just my water that broke
My hubby came home from work and we were off to the hospital. We were delivering in the neighboring town, 35 minutes away. The only hospital that does VBACs. The contractions continued getting worse and he called ahead to L&D to ask them to bring me a wheelchair.On the way in I had a bad contraction and had to stop. The water was pouring out! We got to the wheelchair and the receptionist took one look at me and said we could do paperwork later. We found out the baby had pooed inside me, so we had to have extra nurses there at delivery just in case there were any complications.
At this point I was in huge pain with the contractions and only concerned about when I could get the epidural. I was dilated to 5 cm (had only been 3.5 the day before, when I had had a second sweep). Finally we got the anesthesiologist to come in and he gave me the first epidural (yes, the first). This did not work. About an hour later he gave me a second epidural. This seemed to work a tiny bit on the right leg, so they had me lay on the left trying to get it to take affect on that side too. It never did.
Finally he wanted to try a 3rd time. If I had to be rushed in for a c section they wanted me to have an epidural in place so we wouldn't have to do a spinal or put me out. I was at 9 cm and the doctor had said it would be a while because the baby was still quite high. So I agreed to try for a 3rd epidural.
While I was hunched over I felt the baby shift and had the urge to push. The anesthesiologist pulled the needled out (he had just started) and I got on my back. With the first contraction I pushed twice and yes, took a poo. Oh the glory of giving birth! The nurses were great and took care of it. Next contraction hubby could see the monitor on the baby's head coming out. Next contraction he could see a bit of blood pushing out (the baby's head). Next contraction the baby's head came half out. They told me to quit pushing, at which point the doctor walked into the room, wide eyed, trying to get his gown and gloves on. Next two pushes and I had a crying baby completely out
He cried right away so the NICU nurses were very happy with that--a good sign he didn't swallow any poo. I had a bit of a hemorrhage, as I did with DD and my C Section. But not too bad. He had a 14 inch head and I only had one minor tear and a couple of grazes. So I got one stitch. Honestly, the contractions were the WORST. I didn't feel any pain pushing. But I did feel the shot the doctor gave me to numb me for the stitch. Funny, huh?
So, water broke at 4:45 PM, and William Isaac was born at 9:51 PM weighing 8 lbs 15 oz (exactly one pound less than my daughter!) and 21 1/4 inches long. It was a great experience. Nurses at the hospital were very surprised I had a successful VBAC.
For those of you considering one, just a few things. I had a c section with my daughter because she was very large and was showing signs of not fitting through the birth canal after over 30 hours of labor. And I was induced with her, two days late.
There was not even 18 months between my daughter's birth and this one, I am plus size, and I had had a big baby. So the odds were a bit against me. Things that I believe helped this VBAC be successful was that I exercised this entire pregnancy. I walked quite a bit. When I couldn't walk I did some pre natal yoga. I knew the chances of having your second baby be bigger were high, especially with this one being a boy. But he weighed less!! And I think that was the exercise.
Well, there's my very long and detailed story. He latched right away and is a great nurser. He also sleeps great. The recovery of a natural birth is so much better than the c section! I was up to the bathroom within an hour, walking on my own. The pain is better, even with the stitch. And I can pick up both kids instead of not being able to do anything for six weeks. I am so glad my VBAC was successful! I will be happy to answer anybody's questions
xx
