You know how "they" say no two people are the same? Well no two of anything are the same. Ever. My own two feet are different sizes even (Did you know though, that Denzel Washington is said to have a perfectly symmetrical face?).
So the no-two-alike thing definitely held true for this birth. I can't say that anything was even remotely similar to that of my other two births. First of all, I did this one all unmedicated. Well that's the term they kept using. When it was shift change for the nurses, they repeated these very things as most important it seems,
No IV
Unmedicated
VBAC
And that's essentially what it was.
The whole process of getting there was a long one. I had tried for a couple of weekends to have this little girl. First at 39 weeks and then again the next week at 40. I started at 39 weeks with stripping my membranes, acupuncture, the cohosh's, etc. I only did these things because of my circumstances. I am a huge believer in the whole "babies will come when they are ready" thing. With David leaving and being 2.5 hours away from the hospital, I decided to try and control my circumstances as much as possible. Are you laughing yet?
So we didn't have success at 39. So I came down again on Thursday of the next week to talk to my midwife. Saw her, went to the Easter Pageant with the family, and discussed my options with David. We agreed to strip my membranes the next day and go from there. Maybe schedule a water breaking for Saturday. David came down on Friday, we went to the appointment, got stripped (lol) and scheduled a water breaking for Saturday. Friday came and went and I didn't feel comfortable with Saturday. So my sister texted my midwife for me and we rescheduled for Sunday. Saturday came and went. That means it was Sunday the next day.
I went in to have my water broken at Chandler hospital and they didn't have space for me in the inn. They were about to ship me home but luckily Tiffany (my midwife) was there for me to bug about going to Mercy Gilbert. She had to clear it through Dr. Kells because I am a VBAC therefore he had to be present. This man is amazing. Tiffany came back to tell me that he was on his way in to see me to go over a game plan.
He came in and sat with me. He said that when a person is dilated to a 4, she is technically in labor and by law, he is not suppose to release them. I was a 5. He went ahead and okay'd me to go to Mercy Gilbert Hospital. I'm telling you, things are meant to happen the way they are meant to happen. While sitting in this tiny little triage room, I looked up at the ceiling to see the familiar orange dot I had stared at so diligently with Sadie. That little dot kept me from dying I tell you. I had such a traumatic experience in that room. I really really really did. I think there was a reason why they didn't have space for me, that my doctor is awesome, and that I am blessed.
So we scooted on over there to Mercy Gilbert Hospital (which is gorgeous by the way) and got checked in. I was chillin' with my monitors and Dr. Kells and Tiffany came in to break my water at 11:22 a.m.
It definitely didn't take long for the contractions to hit hard (5 mins maybe?). My mom wrote down that at 12:40 I said, "I need to poop and have a baby". I totally wanted to push at that point but wouldn't let Tiffany check me. She didn't want me to push if I wasn't dilated to a 10. So I contracted more. Do you even know what that feels like? It's pretty awesome. As in, how do people not die from them? Luckily I had the best support group ever. My mom, sisters, David and Tiffany were all there.
The hospital TV offers relaxing channels of music and images which we had on, and Kristi had lavender oil that she so nicely applied for me. And everyone whispered. It was pretty serene and calm. I hummed through some contractions, ooooh'ed through others and was silent for some. I wish that I could capture in words this part. It's unlike anything I've ever experienced. I mean, with Sadie I felt a lot of these same feelings but they were suppressed a little with the epidural I had with her. Not here. Not this time. I remember asking my midwife for an epidural knowing fully I didn't really want nor would I really get one. My support group continued to push through with me, saying encouraging things and breathing and being with me.
I was kind of awesome. And I think in this case, that's okay to say. Giving birth is the most powerful thing I (and you!) will EVER do as a woman. They say I was in labor land. I think that I was. Again, during these 2-minute-apart bursts of intense crazy pain, I rested. I literally almost fell asleep. And guess what? I didn't even take classes! I am a 100 percent believing now, that women innately know what to do. I've seen the birthing videos, and I've lived it too! I'm kind of pissed at the fact that TV, movies, pretty much ALL media usually portray women in labor as screaming and dramatic and ... lame. It's not always like that! At least in the couple of births I've attended each woman has become this primal bear of a woman. Using her instincts to direct her body in the way it should go. And it's beautiful.
So finally at like 2:25ish I let her check me and she okay'd me to push. What a freakin' relief it was! Wow. That was the best feeling ever! I pushed a couple times with out any luck and so they reclined me back. 5 pushes or so, and 20 something minutes later, I had a baby! It was amazing. I was quiet during the pushing too (again with the TV versions of this part... really?) It wasn't painful, it just felt so good. I think that because I was at a 10 for so long and really withholding this urge to push, finally being able to release myself was somewhat pleasurable. lol. Do you hate me for saying that? The awesome part about not having an epidural (for me) was the fact that I could control the pushing. So towards the end when she told me to do short pushes, I could do it! I even felt the ring of fire a little bit. Apparently another really awesome quote, "It feels like cactus in my butt".
I held her on my chest until the cord stopped pulsating, and held her even longer. I wanted to know her weight. She came in at a big 9 lbs 1 ounce! Yay! I pushed that out of my vagina!
She immediately latched on, we bonded, it was beautiful.
I'm thankful for each person that was there that day. Tiffany said I was her first VBAC at Mercy Gilbert. The nurses and my family and Dr. Kells were all so amazing. I kind of want to write down all the wonderful things people said about me. Tiffany said that when I was in labor and contracting, she didn't think I was at a 10 because of how peaceful I was laboring. I'm pretty proud of the fact that David had to take his wedding ring off since I was squeezing so hard. We play this game where he squeezes my fingers so tight until I can't take it anymore. I'm supposed to do the same back but I've never ever been successful. But now I can say that on April 8th, I won! Dr Kells came in for the birth and I'm so happy about that! With Sadie I asked him whether I was a good, or bad patient. He told me I was medium. lol. This time when I asked him, he said I was outstanding! Yay!
No two of anything are alike, but if I had a say, I'd hope that anyone's labor experience is as good as mine. :)
***Now that it's 6 weeks later, I'm finally posting this because I've just barely looked at these pictures. David took them and they are not edited and I sort of think they are perfect.***
So the no-two-alike thing definitely held true for this birth. I can't say that anything was even remotely similar to that of my other two births. First of all, I did this one all unmedicated. Well that's the term they kept using. When it was shift change for the nurses, they repeated these very things as most important it seems,
No IV
Unmedicated
VBAC
And that's essentially what it was.
The whole process of getting there was a long one. I had tried for a couple of weekends to have this little girl. First at 39 weeks and then again the next week at 40. I started at 39 weeks with stripping my membranes, acupuncture, the cohosh's, etc. I only did these things because of my circumstances. I am a huge believer in the whole "babies will come when they are ready" thing. With David leaving and being 2.5 hours away from the hospital, I decided to try and control my circumstances as much as possible. Are you laughing yet?
So we didn't have success at 39. So I came down again on Thursday of the next week to talk to my midwife. Saw her, went to the Easter Pageant with the family, and discussed my options with David. We agreed to strip my membranes the next day and go from there. Maybe schedule a water breaking for Saturday. David came down on Friday, we went to the appointment, got stripped (lol) and scheduled a water breaking for Saturday. Friday came and went and I didn't feel comfortable with Saturday. So my sister texted my midwife for me and we rescheduled for Sunday. Saturday came and went. That means it was Sunday the next day.
I went in to have my water broken at Chandler hospital and they didn't have space for me in the inn. They were about to ship me home but luckily Tiffany (my midwife) was there for me to bug about going to Mercy Gilbert. She had to clear it through Dr. Kells because I am a VBAC therefore he had to be present. This man is amazing. Tiffany came back to tell me that he was on his way in to see me to go over a game plan.
He came in and sat with me. He said that when a person is dilated to a 4, she is technically in labor and by law, he is not suppose to release them. I was a 5. He went ahead and okay'd me to go to Mercy Gilbert Hospital. I'm telling you, things are meant to happen the way they are meant to happen. While sitting in this tiny little triage room, I looked up at the ceiling to see the familiar orange dot I had stared at so diligently with Sadie. That little dot kept me from dying I tell you. I had such a traumatic experience in that room. I really really really did. I think there was a reason why they didn't have space for me, that my doctor is awesome, and that I am blessed.
So we scooted on over there to Mercy Gilbert Hospital (which is gorgeous by the way) and got checked in. I was chillin' with my monitors and Dr. Kells and Tiffany came in to break my water at 11:22 a.m.
It definitely didn't take long for the contractions to hit hard (5 mins maybe?). My mom wrote down that at 12:40 I said, "I need to poop and have a baby". I totally wanted to push at that point but wouldn't let Tiffany check me. She didn't want me to push if I wasn't dilated to a 10. So I contracted more. Do you even know what that feels like? It's pretty awesome. As in, how do people not die from them? Luckily I had the best support group ever. My mom, sisters, David and Tiffany were all there.
The hospital TV offers relaxing channels of music and images which we had on, and Kristi had lavender oil that she so nicely applied for me. And everyone whispered. It was pretty serene and calm. I hummed through some contractions, ooooh'ed through others and was silent for some. I wish that I could capture in words this part. It's unlike anything I've ever experienced. I mean, with Sadie I felt a lot of these same feelings but they were suppressed a little with the epidural I had with her. Not here. Not this time. I remember asking my midwife for an epidural knowing fully I didn't really want nor would I really get one. My support group continued to push through with me, saying encouraging things and breathing and being with me.
I was kind of awesome. And I think in this case, that's okay to say. Giving birth is the most powerful thing I (and you!) will EVER do as a woman. They say I was in labor land. I think that I was. Again, during these 2-minute-apart bursts of intense crazy pain, I rested. I literally almost fell asleep. And guess what? I didn't even take classes! I am a 100 percent believing now, that women innately know what to do. I've seen the birthing videos, and I've lived it too! I'm kind of pissed at the fact that TV, movies, pretty much ALL media usually portray women in labor as screaming and dramatic and ... lame. It's not always like that! At least in the couple of births I've attended each woman has become this primal bear of a woman. Using her instincts to direct her body in the way it should go. And it's beautiful.
So finally at like 2:25ish I let her check me and she okay'd me to push. What a freakin' relief it was! Wow. That was the best feeling ever! I pushed a couple times with out any luck and so they reclined me back. 5 pushes or so, and 20 something minutes later, I had a baby! It was amazing. I was quiet during the pushing too (again with the TV versions of this part... really?) It wasn't painful, it just felt so good. I think that because I was at a 10 for so long and really withholding this urge to push, finally being able to release myself was somewhat pleasurable. lol. Do you hate me for saying that? The awesome part about not having an epidural (for me) was the fact that I could control the pushing. So towards the end when she told me to do short pushes, I could do it! I even felt the ring of fire a little bit. Apparently another really awesome quote, "It feels like cactus in my butt".
I held her on my chest until the cord stopped pulsating, and held her even longer. I wanted to know her weight. She came in at a big 9 lbs 1 ounce! Yay! I pushed that out of my vagina!
She immediately latched on, we bonded, it was beautiful.
I'm thankful for each person that was there that day. Tiffany said I was her first VBAC at Mercy Gilbert. The nurses and my family and Dr. Kells were all so amazing. I kind of want to write down all the wonderful things people said about me. Tiffany said that when I was in labor and contracting, she didn't think I was at a 10 because of how peaceful I was laboring. I'm pretty proud of the fact that David had to take his wedding ring off since I was squeezing so hard. We play this game where he squeezes my fingers so tight until I can't take it anymore. I'm supposed to do the same back but I've never ever been successful. But now I can say that on April 8th, I won! Dr Kells came in for the birth and I'm so happy about that! With Sadie I asked him whether I was a good, or bad patient. He told me I was medium. lol. This time when I asked him, he said I was outstanding! Yay!
No two of anything are alike, but if I had a say, I'd hope that anyone's labor experience is as good as mine. :)
***Now that it's 6 weeks later, I'm finally posting this because I've just barely looked at these pictures. David took them and they are not edited and I sort of think they are perfect.***
My mom took this one. :-) |
I know she sucked her thumb/fingers in the womb |
What a beautiful inspiring story! Makes me excited for my babys natural birth! You are a rock star!!!
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