I was tired of being pregnant, of course, but knew that baby was safe and sound inside me. The problem? Well, getting a doctor to approve the continuance of the pregnancy (midwife's requirement) and to then agree to deliver me at some point after 42 weeks is impossible to do. Fortunately, Dr. Jane Helwig blessed me with 2 extra days before scheduling my induction for 11.10.09 (at 42 weeks and 2 days).
On Sunday November 8, 2009 my midwife called in the morning. We decided it was time to get serious about any and all methods of natural induction.
"Okay, let's have you start pumping again. I will come over with some blue and black cohosh and I will do another membrane sweep to see if that does the trick. Keep doing squats and walk around...don't stop moving."
(If you are reading this please know that the above listed methods of natural induction will, at very least, seriously mess with your body. I don't recommend trying anything to get baby out until 40+ weeks!)
I did as she instructed. She came over and did the sweep, then left for the birth center. The "Charlotte Mommies" were coming to visit the center and she had to get ready.
Of course, as soon as she left, the contractions picked up. I wouldn't say that one particular method was working. I do, however, think that the membrane sweep may have done the trick.
My midwife sent another midwife by to check in on me. She hung out with me for a few contractions. My midwife came back and I asked her to check me. I was at 6 cms! Hallelujah! (I was, and had been, 4-5 cms for over a week!) At 1:00 on the dot the contractions picked up and my water broke. I was in a lot of pain, but didn't care because I was so excited about having that confirmation of real and true labor.
Barefooted my midwives and I took a walk around the neighborhood. I continued to walk through each contraction feeling strong and energized. My baby was coming! I was so happy! The weather was beautiful. We looked at the English lady's rose garden, walked up hill, downhill, and I tried to smile at my neighbors as not to scare them:)
The previous Monday (11.2.09) I had all my family over as I false labored for an entire day. That was a little much and so my midwife and I decided we were going to wait a bit before we called family this time. Sometimes women under pressure who are being watched can't get into their own natural groove and labor delays can happen. So....I continued to contract and laugh between contractions. I ate some apples and popcorn. I bounced on the birthing ball. The midwives left the room and Trey and I were laughing about something when suddenly a contraction hit me...hard! I stood up and lost a LOT of amniotic fluid. "Get me to the bathroom!" I yelled to Trey. I barely made it in, but the carpet was rescued. I squealed out in pain for the first time and my body naturally got into a low squat. The midwives came running back in. Trey held me up under one arm, one midwife under the other arm, and the other midwife looked at Trey and I heard her say in a very serious tone, "Go call your Mom's."
The bath water was running warm and I was stripping off wet clothes. Getting in my bath, my "natural epidural", felt so good! I regained my focus and breathed through the contractions. I was still happy, making jokes between contractions. Trey came back and I found I didn't want him touching me when I was in pain. I wanted to be holding a midwife's hand during each contraction. I wanted him there, but just as a comforting, strong, presence. My mother-in-law soon appeared in the bathroom doorway. Two minutes later my Mom came in. She had tears in her eyes and told me, "Your sister is on her way down from school right now!" That made me super excited. My Dad and brother, Bryan, were there to take Joey as soon as he got up from his nap...at least that was the plan. Instead, I started getting loud and they woke him up and headed out. Haley, my sister-in-law, stayed when Bryan left. I was so happy to have all these wonderful, important, women there, but as the pain worsened, I found that their laughter and excitement were very distraction and sadly sent them out of the room.
About 4:00 things were really getting tough. I was getting less and less of a break between contractions. The midwives had me get out of the bath so I could use gravity to my advantage a bit. It was so difficult because I just wanted to be in a comfortable spot and labor and every time that I went to change positions I wound up contracting someplace I didn't want to be. One time I wound up on the bedroom floor lodged in between a plastic laundry basket full of birth supplies and a plastic drawer full of baby clothes. I had nothing and no one to hold onto and I was so uncomfortable. "I don't like it here! I don't like it here! Get me out of this position!" I wanted back in the bath, but they said I needed a break from the water so I noted my pillow on the bed and dove to cuddle up with it quick before another contraction came. This is when "whale song" started.
It was approaching 5:00 at this point. This labor was fast and furious! I didn't like contracting out of the water, but I felt stuck on the bed at this point since the contractions were so close together. I found myself in constant pain. Little did I know, my body was trying to transition. "Hospital now! Hospital now! I can't! I can't! Listen to me! I am tired. I need a break. I just need five minutes to regain my energy. Help me! TREY! Hospital....waooooo...waoooooooo....". I sang the "whale song" as I later found out everyone called it for what seemed to be an eternity. In the seconds between contractions I begged for transport. I kept thinking I was a "stupid woman". Then, my midwives broke the news....I was not effectively laboring. All my energy was coming out in a high pitched noise. They told me it was time to walk the stairs. I told them they were CRAZY!
Somehow between the two of them and Trey, they got me outside the bedroom (they had all the family members go outside) and onto the stairs where I had a contraction and shouted, "I dont' want to contract here! I don't want to be here! Hospital NOW! TREY MONTGOMERY! HOSPITAL NOW!" With one midwife on each side they had me walking circles around the couch and reminded me how badly I wanted this home birth. I had gone 2 weeks overdue to achieve this! Trey reminded me how many times I told him I would never forgive him if he took me to the hospital when I was begging for it in labor. I regretted doing that! I got myself back through the bedroom doors when my Mom came in....she got in my face as I begged for the hospital and said, "NO! You have wanted this home birth for nine months! Now you do what they tell you to do and breathe and get the baby out!"
For some reason my Mother's "talk" really worked for me. I crawled back onto the bed, calmed down, and breathed. Breathed. Breathed. Someone rocked my hips and the midwives talked me through breathing and loosening my bottom. I was so uptight. Fear had taken over my body and it was stopping labor from progressing. They kept telling me to get on my hands and knees...I kept refusing. They listened to for the heartbeat (as they had been doing through the entire labor) and became very serious. "Jennifer, you have got to get on your hands and knees NOW!" I started to argue again until I saw them taking the oxygen tank out of a big suitcase. OH HELL! I got up on all fours super fast and grabbed the mask breathing deeply. They checked for the heartbeat again and then checked me. I was grasping the headboard screaming as serious as EVER, "hospital NOW! NOW! TREY!"
"Jennifer you are at 9 cms, you can't go to the hospital you will have the baby in the car." Then, I got the grunting/pushing urge. I grunted and pushed and grunted and pushed and then got the exciting news that I could get back in the tub. AMEN! Back in the tub I was in still in so much pain. I was hitting the wall trying to make the pain stop, but the only way to stop it was to work through it. Suddenly I was pushing and getting directions on breathing. It felt so good to push! I loved pushing. Her head came out. Everyone announced that her head came out, but I already knew that. They told me I could touch her head, but I didn't want to because I was so focused on delivering the shoulders. I had to wait for another contraction because I couldn't push without it. It came and I delivered the shoulders and the rest of her just slipped out. Midwife put her up on my chest and I DID IT! I DID IT! She was very blue in the face but I knew she was okay because she was breathing and rooting. I rubbed her little body and then warm towels were placed over us. I spoke to her and she became more alert with my every word. Trey was beaming and he was so excited. The midwives gave us a little space and our Mom's and Haley and Stephanie came rushing in. Everyone was so happy and celebrating. I was SO HIGH on love! It was amazing and the word amazing isn't even enough to describe that moment.
Ailey never left me. It was exactly what I wanted. I delivered the placenta (which felt SO strange!) and then, after the cord finished pulsating, Trey cut it. Ailey and I got out of the tub, dried off, and went to cuddle in bed...MY OWN bed. The midwives were in the other room eating spaghetti...totally giving us our space. It was nothing like being in the hospital. It was so warm and happy and beautiful. Family came in and out of the room to visit us and my brother came back with Joey. It was so amazing when he met his sister. He loved her instantly showering her with hugs and kisses. We watched as my midwife weighed and measured my beautiful little girl. 8 pounds, 10 ounces, 21 inches long! She latched on after that and had her first meal of colostrum. After she learned to latch, that was all she was interested in doing. :)
I was still in the tub with Ailey when I thanked my midwife for not allowing me to transport. I mean, really, she couldn't because Ailey would have come in the car, but still. I am so thankful I got my home birth, and even more so, my happy, healthy, gorgeous, baby girl.
2 comments:
So proud of you! I cant imagine! Cant wait to meet her!
i love this story! so beautiful. what a long ordeal her arrival was, but it had a great ending!
Aunt Meg
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