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Published : June 25, 2009 |
Author : annawilliams
Category : D. Birth Stories | Total Views
: 298 | Rating :  
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 annawilliams
My name is Anna Williams. My husband Sidney and I live in Griffith, IN. We have a beautiful daughter, Esther, who is 3 months old.
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Well, I figured it is about time to write my daughter's birth story...after almost 3 months!! :)
My daughter's EDD was March 24, 2009. I had had a checkup with Bernie (my CNM) on the 23rd. I had been at 1 cm and 50% effaced for about a month by this time and had lost my mucus plug about a month earlier as well. Bernie had decided that she wanted me to go into the hospital to have monitoring done of the baby. She wanted me to go twice before my next appt., which I scheduled that day for Monday the 30th. Up until that point, I felt like I was doing well. But the thought of getting checked out made me edgy, so I called my doula, Kristi, to talk to her about it. She said I should call Bernie and discuss it with her, so I ended up doing that and compromised that I would go to be monitored, but would only go once. So I scheduled that for Sat. March 28th at 1 pm so I would be able to have lunch and Baby would move better.
Well, I had been having small contractions for a few weeks, so nothing new was happening. Friday, the 27th, I started having quite a few sporadic contractions at about 18:55, I was on the computer and Sidney was working on an issue for work (he had just gone on call for the week). We decided that maybe we should get some rest, just in case, so we got around and ended up in bed around 22:30.
My contractions must have slowed a bit because I was able to sleep pretty well up until 02:43 when I awoke with a pretty good one! I had a bowel movement (first of many :P) and then I tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't so I decided a bath would be nice. I took that at 03:15 for about 20 min. I finally woke Sidney and let him know what was going on. He got up and got his computer out to start timing my contractions with an online timer. They were pretty much 2-3 minutes apart and not too bad. In between contractions we would talk and I had some orange juice and some yogurt.
At 05:00 My contractions were 2.5 to 3.5 min. apart and about 1 min. long, so we decided to call Kristi to have her come to our place to be with us. Kristi arrived at 06:00 and I was still the same. At 06:30, Kristi thought it would be a good idea to call Bernie and let her know what was going on. She asked me how I felt and if I was ready to come, but I wanted to stay at home. She suggested getting in the tub again and call her back around 07:30 and that's what I did. By this time we had called my parents to let them know what was going on and to come because I wanted my mom at Esther's birth. I had had my second bowel movement by this time and contractions were moving along quite well. At 07:20 contractions were getting pretty strong, so we called Bernie again and let her know we were coming. By the time we got around to me getting dressed, Kristi was helping me through contractions, and Sidney throwing together the stuff for the car, so it was 8:30 before we left. I kept having to lean on or sit on my birthing ball to let each contraction pass and I still needed to get some clothes on from my bath! Boy was that hard! And by this time I had my third bowel movement (oh my GOODNESS!!!) .
The car trip was the worst. I was in transition by this point and very uncomfortable in the car. Kristi and I were in the back seat and I was lying on her lap and Sidney drove very carefully to the hospital. I felt as though I would throw up at any moment and just wanted my pants OFF because they felt way too tight around my belly. We arrived to the ER at 09:00 and I kept pausing to walk in. I actually had to squat at the front desk while Kristi was checking me in and Sidney was parking. I'm sure the other people in the ER thought I was crazy. Finally after what seemed forever a nurse from the seventh floor (birthing floor) came with a wheel chair and we went up. Although, we had to stop twice so I could go through two more hard contractions.
We arrived in our room at 09:05 and Bernie was there waiting for us. She asked me if I wanted to get in the water, but at that point I didn't really care to. She said she would fill the tub just in case. I just needed to get my clothes off because I felt the urge to be completely naked for some reason (and even though it was in the 30s outside!). I was on the bed lying down on my side with my arms wrapped around Kristi's belly and I was checked and at 9.5 cm! We could hardly believe it! They hooked me up to the monitor and then I decided I wanted to be on the floor with the birthing ball. I remember telling Bernie that I didn't think I could make it if I had to push for two hours. She said, "Honey, the way you are going, I doubt you will be pushing that long!"
AT 09:20 I felt a STRONG urge to push. Sidney had called my parents again to check where they were, but I yelled at him, "GET OFF THE PHONE NOOOOWWWW!" My system STILL needed to be cleared, so I just kept going and going
.and at 09:30 I was on the floor on my hands and knees when POP!, my water broke like a balloon. That was such a great feeling! There was a little meconium in the amniotic fluid, but Bernie stayed calm while a couple of nurses were asking if they should go get the nursery nurse. And apparently, the fetal monitor had shifted to they were hearing my heart beat, but Kristi had shifted it back to place and they heard Esther's heart beat, so Bernie said I was fine and doing great. Bernie then told me that I needed to get on the bed to birth. I said 'no way', but when she said she would put the ball up there for me, I hopped up after a push and got on the bed. But the ball had to go, so I was just on my hands and knees. My bowels just kept moving and, at one point, I was like, "I'm soooo sorry, it smells!" The nurse and Bernie were making light of it and said that theirs never stank (haha), but seriously, don't apologize, I was doing beautifully.
I needed someone in front of me to encourage me, so Sidney came and sat there. I remember every time I pushed I had to yell, like something deep from within me, something guttural. I grabbed Sidney's hair at one point and was pulling, pulling. He did great. Esther's head started to crown and I definitely felt a ring of fire; it was very intense. Sidney shifted back to get ready to catch and Kristi started taping. Bernie told me to feel her head, but it was so bizarre because she felt like a part of me. Bernie told me to not push hard anymore, to just give three little grunts, I did, and slowly her head was birthed and then WHOOSH, she squirmed out like a big jelly fish! She was born at 9:55 that morning. That was the most glorious feeling ever. I felt at that moment like I could have jumped up off that bed and run a marathon, I kid you not. Sidney caught her and then Bernie checked her and laid her underneath me (since I was still on my hands and knees). She was so beautiful and calm and just staring at me with her black eyes. I kept saying, "Oh, my gosh"! Over and over. I asked if she was really my baby and Bernie said considering she was attached to me, yes, she was mine. We finally shifted me and put Esther on my tummy and they covered me with warm blankets. It was wonderful.
She latched on at about 10:15 and got to work. After the cord stopped pulsating, Sidney cut it and then we enjoyed our baby girl. I birthed the placenta at 10:20 and then Bernie sewed me up, only two stitches! My parents never made it to my birth. I was sad, but I hope to have my mama at my next one and we have this one on tape. They were caught in traffic and the whole birth went much faster than we thought. All in all, My labor was about 7.5 hours. Awesome for a first timer, I think! I really did enjoy my birthing experience and pray it goes that well every time for me. I could do it a hundred times over. I hope you enjoyed reading my story! :)
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