Friday, May 2, 2014

birthing a baby

Often, when I tell my first birthing story the women I'm relating it to will look at me like I'm completely crazy and/or lying through my teeth.

Now I know why.

With the Pirate labor began on it's own, naturally. It was a slow and steady progression. All of my hypnobirthing practice totally paid off. I separated myself from pain, feeling only pressure because I was able to completely relax all muscles in my body, leaving no tension, and no pain. The spaces between "surges" were long enough to give me a bit of rest. It was a beautifully sacred, and empowering experience. I felt the real call and gift and power of womanhood and motherhood and it was just wonderful.

This time? A whole different story. At my Wednesday appointment I mentioned a symptom I'd been having to my CNM who was pretty concerned about it. She requested I get some blood work done first thing the next morning (since the blood test required fasting), and then explained if it came back positive, and she really felt like it would, that they'd induce labor that day. I left her office with tentative plans for an induction the next day.

Two hours or so later she called me back. She just couldn't shake me from her mind. She talked to the doctor about my symptoms. They decided they were so classic to "[medical name I never could remember]" that they were going to make the diagnosis without the blood work, and to head to the hospital for an induction.

So... I got the Pirate situated with a friend & lined up a ride from the airport for my super-awesome SIL who was coming that night to help out for a few days, and Hubs and I headed to the hospital. We were checked in at 3:30ish... They did their medical things... Then we waited. And waited. And waited some more.

We slept most the night... I woke up around 8:00AM to a trickle I didn't tell my body to make & they confirmed my water had broken and I was at a 6. I thought "Cool! I slept from a 3 to a 6! Induced labor is kind of awesome."

HA!

A few hours later I was singing crying a different tune. Around 11:00 I asked for something to "take the edge off" and they dosed me up with something that was fabulous, for one hour. And only one hour. By 1:00ish? (I have no idea) I asked for an epidural. It went a little something like this:

Me: I need an epidural!
Them: Oh! But you're doing so good! You can do this!
Me: I need an epidural!
Them: Are you sure?
Me: Give Me An Epidural! Please! Please!
Them: Okay. We called the doctor. It's going to take 45 minutes.
Me: [In my head] 45 MINUTES!? DON'T THEY REALIZE I MIGHT DIE!? Oh my gosh! Oh. I need to push. It's too late. It's too late for an epidural. Kemra's done this. She's done this three times. I have to do this. I have to do this. I don't want to but I have to do this. There is no stop button. Oh I wish there was a stop button! There is no stopping it. I have to do this. I can do this. I have to. This is a bitter cup! 
Me: I need to push. I think I need to push.
The CNM: You're at a 7.
Me:[In my head] She doesn't believe me. I'm trusting my body though. I'm going with it.

*What felt like 1 minute later*

The CNM: Get me a blanket!!
Me: [In my head] She believes me now! Ha!

*What felt like eternity and mere seconds both*

The CNM: Heather, if we can get you on your back I think this will go a lot faster. Can you just get onto your back?
Me: [Deep breath, flipped onto my back]

*What felt like two seconds later*

Everyone: *{crickets]*
Me: Talk to me!
Everyone: You can do this! You're almost there! You're doing great! Push! Push! Push!
Nurse: She's crowning!
Everyone: Push! Push! Push! Push! Almost there! Push!
Someone: There's the head!
Hubs: Heather. You. Are. My. Hero.
Someone: One more push! Common! One more!

And then they were laying him on my stomach because the cord was too short for him to reach my chest, and then they were handing Hubs scissors, and covering us with warm blankets and this new Babe was howling-mad. They moved him to my chest, but I was shaking really hard and I couldn't focus my eyes on anything and I was feeling dizzy. They were giving me another pill to help stop the bleeding and then a shot to help stop the bleeding and I told Hubs to take his shirt off and do the skin-to-skin with the baby because I just couldn't. I couldn't.

Hubs took the Babe for awhile.

I threw up ALL OVER myself, the blankets, the bed, the pillows, everything.

And eventually the shaking stopped, and I could focus my eyes, and I felt like I could nurse the little guy, who had finally stopped screaming his lungs out.

In my head it was all very dramatic. To the nurses it was probably all pretty normal.
I was just really relieved when it was all over.

And I vowed if I ever have another induced pregnancy I will get an epidural.

And here I am three weeks later thinking... Maybe it wasn't so bad.

11 comments:

Laurie said...

That last line is killing me!! Haha. An amazing story. Yeah, birth is no cake walk! :)

Momza said...

Love you and your Amazing-ness.

Melinda said...

I was induced with my second baby too, and would NEVER do it again! I did not enjoy that experience at all!! So with my last when I was ten days over due and EVERYONE was pressuring me to induce, I was like NOPE, gonna wait. And it was so much better that way! :) Congrats, I'm so happy for you!

Unknown said...

You are amazing! Induction is no joke!!! I can't wait to meet the Little Man :)

Unknown said...

You are amazing! Induction is no joke!!! I can't wait to meet the Little Man :)

Unknown said...

I don't know why it is publishing as "unknown" - but it's me, Kem! Love you!

Cynthia said...

I was induced with my first three...not with number four and I will wait it out if/when we have number five. Induction is no joke! I love birth stories - thank you for sharing!

Jessica said...

Great story! I'm impressed. Both my kids were c-sections, cause they had to be. So- it's always interesting when I get to hear these stories of a natural birth.

Unknown said...

They always end up inducing me (except with Ryan, because I refused to have pitocin put in me) even though I actually DO go into labor naturally- every time though it is SO slow!!! So they give me pitocin to speed things up. And I have to say, shaking is THE worst. I had to do the same thing with Ryan- I was shaking so violently Jordon held him skin-to-skin until I felt like I could hold him safely.

http://www.dewilddespains.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-birthing-story-finally.html

Anonymous said...

That last line was something I said too!!! 20 hour labor, 5 spent pushing and after a week with my little guy I totally felt like doing it all over again! Crazy hormones!!! I love birth stories :)

Anonymous said...

Oh and I was induced too 2 weeks overdue!