I finally found myself a few extra minutes to write down dear Isaac's birth story....enjoy!
My first two labors/deliveries were very FAST so I was (with good reason I think) anticipating the same with this one. That said - the last 2+ weeks of my pregnancy I was very 'aware' of my body and every time I would have consistent Braxton Hicks I would worry (excited-ly of course!) that it was it and plan out how I would manage a fast delivery with 2 kids etc...
After 2 false alarms of thinking I was in labor and then it wasn't I began to throw caution to the window and 'ignore' (as much as you can) my Braxton Hicks and try to go about life as usual.
At my 39 week appointment my midwife (who was VERY surprised I hadn't delivered my baby yet!) swept my membranes (again..I had it done at 38 weeks too) and said I was dilated to 2+cm and she would be surprised if I didn't have this baby soon. Trying not to get my hopes up I went about my day - and the next day - and the next day.....
On Friday (my 39 week appointment was Wednesday) I started to spot a little...hooray! Always a good sign (it means you're dilating!) and tried again not to get my hopes up. I went about my normal Friday - went to tutor math (College Calc and Pre-Calc...no biggie in pre-labor right? ;) and came home. Around dinner time I noticed my 'Braxton Hicks' were starting to feel a little different....not harder or more painful just different. I told my mom (who was at my house watching the big boys while I tutored math) and I talked to Joe. We decided we better be safe and sent the kids home with my mom for the night...just in case. Still my Braxton Hicks/contractions weren't hurting or anything but we all knew how fast I went with the other two.
I had Joe pick up Chipotle for dinner - partially because it sounded good and partially because we have quite a few friends that swear Chipotle pushed them over the edge into labor. We enjoyed our delicious dinner and went for a walk. My non-hurting-contractions were still there about 10 minutes apart and we were just waiting for them to start hurting and get closer together. We went to bed and I told Joe I'd wake him if anything changed. I woke up quite a few times in the night to time them (still not hurting - still trying not to get my hopes up that it was the real deal) and they were still 10 minutes apart.
Fast forward to morning - we got up - got dressed - etc and headed out. Did lots of walking trying to get my contractions (that didn't hurt still) to start hurting. I think it's funny how I was trying to inflict pain on myself! We walked and walked and walked. Walked the mall - walked stairs - had an Orange Julius (MMmmm) and sat down to discus what we should do. I had been timing them on my handy iPod Touch and we reviewed the times - every 5 minutes for an hour lasting a minute each. Textbook for when to go in. We all know the 511 rule right? 5 min apart. Lasting 1 min each. For an hour? That's where I was but they still didn't HURT. I noticed them but I could still talk and walk.
We made the decision to go in and get checked *just in case* it was the real deal. I halfway thought we'd be sent home but the timing and consistency made it appear as if I was in labor.
We went to the hospital at noon and I got checked at Triage - I was FULLY EFFACED, dilated to a FOUR and baby was REALLY LOW. Ok. Good thing we went in:) I got admitted and we went to our room. I paced around the room a little and they were starting to come a little closer together - still not painful though. Right when we got admitted they had a nurse switch so we got a new nurse - our old nurse poked fun at me saying (to the new nurse) and you can't tell when I'm having a contraction except that my face gets a little red! I still was talking through them and everything. If it weren't for the monitors they had me hooked too I don't think they would've believed I was in labor! They checked me again and I was a SIX at this point.
They let me walk around with my monitors on (I had like a 3ft sq to wander in being attached) - they were monitoring baby because he wasn't showing the variation in heart rate that they wanted. His heart rate was right in the normal range (hooray!) but he wasn't showing them the increases that they wanted (like if he got excited or something). Also, when I would have a contraction his heart rate monitor would drop low - there was some question as to if the drop was HIS heart rate dropping or if the contraction made baby move so the monitor was picking up MY heart rate. Either way - they wanted to see him have some accelerations and he wasn't so I had to stay monitored. The midwife told me they would need to see 20 minutes of no decelerations and have some accelerations for me to have my desired water birth *just to be safe*. I'm cool with being safe.
So, here I am hooked up to the monitors (thankfully NOT in bed - who wants to be in bed while in labor? not me.) I decide on the birthing ball. That ball is AWESOME! I would sit on it and Joe sat next to me on a stool and my nurse (who was the BEST by the way!) on my other side watching the monitors (and me since I go so fast..) I would get a contraction - put my hand on Joe's leg - he'd put his hand on my back and I'd rock back and forth. All while having a conversation with our awesome nurse:)
I hung out on the ball for a while and chatted with Joe and our nurse. Side note: Our nurse was absolutely AMAZING! She was my age, from Australia (wonderful accent!) and a Christian! I loved how she would say
"you're doing wonderful doll!" - "you're amazing dear, keep it up sweetie" all in her adorable Aussie accent!
Midwife comes in to check on us - she is amazed at what the contraction monitor is saying compared to what I am showing emotionally (being able to talk through them all still) - we chat about options and she concludes that because of the baby's heart rate we can't do my water birth. BUMMER. The pool had been filled and staring at me this whole time. So they empty the pool. The plan is after the pool is empty my midwife would come and check me and break my water if I wanted.
I tell my nurse that I'm starting to feel the urge to push with my contractions now - hooray! I'm partially in denial that I would feel that because I felt SO GOOD while I was having contractions. Still not 'hurting' in the sense that my others did and still being able to talk through them.
My midwife comes back in - I move onto the bed (boo! I hate the bed) and she checks me. I'm a
NINE and my bags of water is
RIGHT THERE. She breaks my water and boom I'm a
TEN. First contraction after my water is broken I push with all my might and
HELLO there's my baby! Break down of the last few minutes:
6:19pm - midwife checks me - NINE cm, Breaks my water
6:22pm - FULLY DILATED TO TEN
6:24pm - contraction - PUSH - Baby's born!
so FIVE minutes on the table - not to shabby:) I pushed for one contraction (1 min) and he's here!
NO tears, NO stitches, no complaints from this mama!
I got to hold him all gooey and new for 45 minutes!! He latched on right away and nursed like a pro. He also pooped and peed on me. Rock star baby.
Whew. I loved it. Every minute of it. Call me crazy:) I felt SO in control. SO empowered. SO strong. I want to do it again...Joe thinks I'm crazy for that:) My labor never got to the point of unbearable pain. I was able to talk through my whole labor. I'm glad we went in when we did because otherwise I don't think I would have 'believed' I was in labor till it was too late.
I am so in love with my new baby. I was sad a didn't get to do a water birth but in the big picture I don't care. I had a wonderful birth experience!
Can you tell which is which? Probably not since I haven't posted many pictures of Isaac yet:) Top one is Judah and bottom is Isaac - you can definitely tell they're brothers! Now I need to find a baby pic of Ethan with his head facing that way....
