Wendy's Birth Story

DISCLAIMER: This is going to be a long post because I had a long labor. Skim through it, read parts that interest you, just look at the photos at the end, or skip it entirely if natural birth is not a topic of interest. Please comment or email me with questions . . . I love talking about Wendy's birth! That said, I am not an expert and have no medical training. 

I loved being able to hold her immediately. I was so relieved to be done with the labor and pushing!

Our beautiful girl came into the world at 1:29 AM on February 13th, 2012. She came after 39 1/2 hours of labor. She was healthy and adorable and weighed 7 lbs. 14 oz. 

Let me back up a little. My pregnancy was nothing out of the ordinary. I had my first appointment with the midwives when I was 10 weeks pregnant. For the first several months, I had a monthly appointment. Toward the end of my pregnancy I had biweekly and weekly appointments. I loved the time they took with me, never rushing me and always making sure to ask if I had any questions or concerns. I got to look through everything in my chart at each appointment. The quality of care I received was exceptional and I have no complaints, only a wonderful, positive experience to remember. Printz Charming and I also took a 5 week birth class at the center with a local doula, Lily. We ended up hiring Lily very last minute (at 37 weeks). It was one of the best decisions we made! My due date was February 15th. I put absolutely no stock in that date and fully expected that I would not go into labor until 41 or 42 weeks. 

Saturday (February 11th)

I started feeling contractions around 10 AM. This did not strike me as anything unusual because I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions for many weeks. I kept rough count of the contractions and noticed I was having a lot, but figured it would probably pass. I was sitting on the sofa when I suddenly felt wet. I was trickling clear fluid. At first I thought I had simply had an inexplicable accident, but the waters kept coming, off and on, in a small trickle. So I stood in the shower and texted my husband, "I'm leaking." (He still laughs about that.) 

I called Lily, who came over right away, and the birth center. The midwife on call, Tammy, told me to come in that evening so she could check my dilation, etc., unless things really picked up fast. The contractions were not strong or painful and there was no regular pattern. Sometimes they were close together, sometimes 10 minutes would pass without one. 

Around 8 pm we went to the birth center, Lily with us. Tammy checked me and told me I was not even dilated a full centimeter yet. Since my water had broken, she gave me a chart to keep track of my temperature every four hours and monitor for other signs of infection. We went home to try to get some sleep while Tammy rushed off to deliver another baby. It was snowing, which made me nervous! Amazingly, I slept through the night. (Printz Charming was not so fortunate.) 

Sunday

The snow had stopped and apparently so had my labor . . . almost. The contractions were less noticeable and further apart again. We went to the birth center to meet with midwife Tammy for a non-stress test to see how baby was doing. Lily met us there and brought breakfast. The test showed baby was doing just fine. Tammy saw no need to keep us at the birth center, so we went back home for the second time. Lily came with us. I spent the rest of the morning bouncing on the birthing ball and walking around the house. 

In the early afternoon, things began to change. My contractions were stronger and closer together. I began to do deep breathing whenever I had a contraction. Lily rubbed my back and kept time of the contractions. Around 3 PM, midwife Jen called. She was now on duty and wanted to check in with us. I told her things still weren't too bad and I didn't think I needed to come in yet and she agreed. Less than an hour later, I changed my mind. 

At 3:45 contractions were regular, close together, and moderately uncomfortable. It was getting harder to talk through them. I thought it might be a good idea to head to the birth center and Lily thought so too. Jen met us there and we gathered in the birthing room to discuss what our next step would be. My labor was still progressing slowly. We decided that Printz Charming would help me take a shower. Jen and Lily went upstairs to give us some space and time together. During the shower, the contractions got much harder and stronger. My Printz called for Lily and Jen. This is where my memories get a little fuzzier. :) I believe Jen checked my dilation around this point and said I was at 3 cm. Things were happening!

For a long time, my husband sat on the bed and I sat on the birthing ball facing him and leaned against him. At one point (probably after a few hours of being in that position) he stood up to stretch and I told him "No! I need you right there!" Poor hubby. Labor was hard for me, but it was hard for him too!

Lilly was with me constantly, rubbing my back when I wanted her to, helping me with my breathing, offering suggestions when one position became uncomfortable. Jen was in and out and stayed more in the background. As the labor pain became more intense, I really wanted to get into the birthing tub. Unfortunately the heating element wouldn't work! Jen filled the tub part way with a hose from the bathroom sink, but then had to wait until the birth center water heater could heat up more water. It felt like an eternity until I was finally able to get into the birthing tub, where I was hoping to give birth. 

Around the time I got into the birthing tub, I was in transitional labor. I was also exhausted, to the point where I was falling asleep between each contraction. Jen said this was my body's way of coping and that while this was the hardest part of labor, it would also be the shortest. It did not feel short. It is difficult to explain or even put this part of the labor into words in my own mind. I was comforted by my husband's presence, but at the same time I felt like I had entered a separate world where I was completely and utterly alone. I felt like it would never end. I was half-floating in the birthing tub, with my husband behind me outside of the tub supporting me by the arms. When a contraction came, I would turn from side to side and try to breathe deeply, but it was increasingly difficult. Lily said later that I seemed very calm except for a few times when I panicked. Inside I felt anything but calm. There was something more than physical pain during that part of labor. I can only describe it as an emotional/spiritual pain. 

Jen told me that she would like to check my dilation. I thought I would die if I had to get out of the birthing tub, but I managed to get the few feet from birthing tub to bed. I was 9 centimeters. I wanted to push right then and there. Jen said that she was going to break my waters further and gave me the choice to either get back in the tub or stay where I was. Strangely enough, I was more comfortable on the bed than I had been in the tub and I was too tired to move again. 

At some point Deb, the nurse, arrived. I still had no idea what time it was and I did not want to know. Jen was sitting at the end of the bed, Deb was checking the baby's heartbeat periodically, Lily and my husband were beside me. Jen said I was ready to push. She told me to push whenever I felt a contraction and was amused when I would push three or even four times with each contraction. I was determined. It felt like 20 minutes passed; in reality it was 49. At one point Jen told me to reach down and feel my baby's head . . . it was soft and squishy and did not feel like a head to me! 

Monday

Pushing my baby out was painful . . . no surprise. The unmedicated sensation is often described as a "ring of fire" and that was pretty accurate. I would push, feel the pain as the baby's head pressed part of the way out, and then baby would slip back in again. Even though it hurt like crazy, I kept pushing because I wanted it to be over with. I was lying half on my side, Deb was supporting my leg and suddenly everyone was telling me to push. Once her head was out, the rest of her body slipped out easily. There was a very brief moment where there was a flurry of activity and I think I asked if it was a boy or a girl and then Jen was handing her to me and someone was telling me "it's a girl!" 

Right after my husband cut the cord. I did not even know until my husband told me later that the cord had been wrapped around her neck and her heart rate had been dropping at the very end. That was why everyone was telling me to push.

Jen, nurse Deb behind me, and my husband, all assisting me to carefully sit up.

Snuggling that sweet girl. It did not seem real and I certainly didn't feel like a mother!

Proud new father and my incredible partner throughout.

At home, the same day Wendy was born. Real life: you still look pregnant and have to wear maternity clothes after the baby comes out! (The still-super-pregnant look doesn't last very long, thankfully.)

12 Days Postpartum. Our doula, Lily, came for a home visit. This is one of the few photos I have of her since she was behind the camera at the birth.