Thursday, May 9, 2013
Labor started at 1:30am. Surges and nausea woke me up.
I tracked the surges for the first hour and found myself rocking on all fours mostly. More than 8 happened that hour.
I texted Anna at 2:30am, just letting her know what I was feeling. I thought it would go away.
Showered, put in laundry, was able to nap on the floor while "folding laundry", aka trying to breathe.
Woke up, I thought they eased up for 10 minutes or so, which would prove false labor.
Texted my mom at this point, telling her we may be in business today, but not to panic or wake up.
Lol. Boy was I wrong about the false labor thing! Came back double strength.
Woke Johnny up, and told him it was baby time.
Texted Anna that things were definitely happening at 7:00am. Texted my mom again as well.
I was just focused on getting through one surge at a time. Into the hot bath tub I went (and didn't come out until we had her!)
Time was a blur at this point. I was at serious work in the tub. HypnoBirthing tracks were playing, Johnny was helping me come into a relaxed state by pouring water on me, talking me through it, offering affirmations and physical help (massage, shoulder squeezes, etc) during each surge. Could NOT have done it without his encouragement and support.
I remember my mom arriving, although I had no concept of time (by design). Surges were SO close together. Yeah. Changing breaths at this point felt amazing, so I started breathing her down, instead of taking full surge breaths (to enhance them and make each one more effective).
I remember Anna and her assistant, Kristy, walking in, although again I don't know what time without looking it up... Anna arrived at 9:30am and Kristy a little after 10:00am.
I'm pretty sure my body was is serious robot mode at this point. I apparently was in the tub facing outwards when my shower curtain was removed?! Yeah, absolute surprise to find that out later. Didn't notice that at all.
{Everything else up until actually birthing her out was a total blur, so I'm getting help from the midwives' notes now. I will put all of their notes in a post soon... They are awesome.}
I ate some spoonfuls of honey at 10:10am. It was crazy delicious. I had previously eaten oatmeal and an orange.
The desire to push was unreal during surges at this point. I tried to save that energy by breathing her down instead, but I remember some quick pushes every now and then. During one of those, at 10:29am, my bag of water broke. It popped! Was kinda weird.
With a lot of coaxing, I was helped out of the tub at 10:48am. I could feel how potentially close she was and was just scared to move. I am so glad we did. Ended up taking a supported (by Johnny) squat in the living room. I remember thinking to myself as I hobbled in there that it looked like we were having a picnic! -- towels, sheets, plastic stuff, bags, supplies... Everywhere!
Got "comfy" and just had to get her out. Not going to lie, it was the most intense moment of my life in every way. My triceps have never been this sore ... it's all from lifting up my weight onto Johnny and bearing down at the same time. I pushed with surges when I could, but she needed some directed help.
Silly girl emerged head AND hand (crowned at 11:02am), which made it all that much more fun for me. Ring of firrrrre! We tackled it, though.
She was on my belly at 11:05am and let out a cough and lovely cry!
Only one little tear, and it is internal. Not enough to need sutured.
Placenta was HUMUNGOUS, like beyond large. I was carrying two babies basically. It came out quickly and without assistance. Anna said it was the healthiest placenta she had ever seen. Because of this, I apparently was bleeding too much for my body to get it to stop without some help, so immediately after birth, I got a shot of pitocin in both thighs to force clotting. (YUCK! Pitocin! It was a necessity though.)
Not going to lie, it was a little nerve wracking but they are professionals and bring everything needed in case there is a special circumstance.
I need to take it easy, more than most, for the next 2 weeks. Bed rest for 4 days!! They just want to make sure I heal up good and let everything clot up in there.
Most unpleasant part of birth?
The uterus mashing afterwards, which all doctors/nurses are supposed to do to help the excess come out. My WORD... I thought I was going to die. That was after I had just birthed an 8 lb 13 oz baby into this world. Oh, and most epidurals have already worn off in hospitals at that point, so there isn't much escaping it ... Looked this up.
We have had an amazing first day.
The birth was beautiful.
As hard as it was, I would do it again without even hesitating. SO WORTH IT -- and I'm so glad that I could bring her into this world without us being drugged up. She was so alert in the seconds after birth, it was incredible.
Here's our little girl. She is the most beautiful human, but I'm a little biased! ;)
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