I just found this post listed as a draft from way back when Jackson was born. So somehow I forgot to publish it. So even later than it was before (now we're going on 6 years!), but posted none-the-less!
Isabella's birth story:
I was able to have a successful natural child birth with Isabella. I think I was successful at ncb because I had a midwife who was very supportive of what I wanted & would not induce until the baby was 2 weeks late. Thankfully I had her10 days past my due date! But I did have an OBGYN at the beginning of my pregnancy who would have induced me at 1 week past due (along with a whole other list of interventions she would do in certain circumstances which I did not want AT ALL.. so we switched to a CNM that my Bradley teacher had used and whom my sister Laura was working with at the time).
Isabella's birth story:
I was able to have a successful natural child birth with Isabella. I think I was successful at ncb because I had a midwife who was very supportive of what I wanted & would not induce until the baby was 2 weeks late. Thankfully I had her10 days past my due date! But I did have an OBGYN at the beginning of my pregnancy who would have induced me at 1 week past due (along with a whole other list of interventions she would do in certain circumstances which I did not want AT ALL.. so we switched to a CNM that my Bradley teacher had used and whom my sister Laura was working with at the time).
To prepare, I took the Bradley class & read a bunch. I didn't know if I could do it but I knew all of the things I did not want that would make it difficult for me to have a NCB (constant monitoring, IV, pitocin, etc.).
My labor was long & hard. I started getting light contractions on Friday at 5am. They were consistant at 6 minutes apart but only lasting 30-45 seconds.They continued like this all day friday. I had an appointment with my midwife already scheduled so we went to that. We had thought she might go ahead & admit me- we brought our bags, but she didn't. She hooked me up to the monitor & said that I was definately in labor but the contractions were just not enough to do much. So we went back home. That night we ate at our favorite chinese restaurant, the Lido. So I was not in so much pain that I couldn't eat out... but it wasn't the most pleasant dining experience I've had! I took some benadryl that night on the recommendation of my midwife to help me sleep.
Saturday, about mid-day, the contractions got a lot longer & harder (they had continued lightly through the night & morning). They were lasting anywhere from 1 1/2 minutes to 2 1/2 minutes! This I was not prepared for. Everything I had read said they would be a minute to 90 seconds long... mine were twice that long! It was very hard. I remember my sister, Laura, calling me to check in & I ended up in tears because I just didn't know how long it was all going to continue. I moved around a lot changing positions & trying different things throughout labor... birthing ball, squatting, laying on my side, the bath, etc. The one thing that provided the most relief was getting in the shower & having the hot water pour on my stomach during a contraction. I would also turn & have it on my back too b/c I had a lot of back pain. This felt so good compared to being out of the shower. I had thought the bath would be more relaxing b/c you could lay down... but it was not very relaxing at all. The shower is what did it for me. I would stay in there until the steam got so heavy that I couldn't breath very well... & that took awhile! I was in & out of the shower probably 10 times Saturday & Sunday before the baby was born.
That evening Mike made sandwiches & I tried to eat mine but just did not have an appetite anymore. I think I was well on my way in labor! At about 10pm Saturday night my contractions were happening every 3 1/2- 4 minutes so we called my midwife & decided to go into the hospital to get checked. I also called my sister Laura who was to take care of our dogs while I was in the hospital. She met us at the hospital (where she worked as a labor & delivery nurse) & her husband Miguel went & got our dogs & took them to his house. Once we got there at about 11pm I was checked & dilated to a 6-7. I was hoping for more dilation than that! I was a bit disappointed to say the least! I was admitted & continued to labor at the hospital (continuing to move around to different positions & getting in & out of the shower). I started getting a lot of pressure (not pushing pressure, just pressure) around 4 or 5am. I was checked & I was at a 9 but my water still had not broke. I let my midwife decide whether to break it b/c I thought I was far enough along that it would be okay. So she did. I was fully dilated around 6am & began pushing. Even though pushing was painful, I think my mind was partly off of the pain b/c I had something to do. I remember the labor pains a lot better than I remember the pushing pains. I pushed for 2 hours before DD was born. It seemed like she crowned forever! She was a big baby (for me) at 8lb 10oz. So maybe this is what took so long to get her out! Several times during my labor I was tempted to get something for the pain (not an epidural, but something like stadol). Thankfully I kept telling myself that I could do it & I didn't want to have to say that I didn't have a completely natural child birth. Bradley teaches a lot about relaxing during the contractions. This is the hardest thing to do! I had to constantly remind myself to relax & even then I couldn't do it very well. In the end I was incredibly happy & empowered that I had a NCB. I wanted to scream it to the world... it felt that good. Especially for all those people who say, "Oh, you'll need an epidural. The pain is too intense!" It is painful & difficult, but so worth it!
Go here for Jackson's Birth Story.
Go here for Jackson's Birth Story.
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