Gwen was born on Monday. I was right when I last posted that I thought that I was in labor. It was quite an experience for which there is no way to truly be ready.
In the day leading up to going into labor, Keith and I were quite busy. Keith is the head of the A/V team at church (audio visual team) and had scheduled us to work during the first church service on Sunday morning. I had told him back in November that I would be willing to do A/V for that Sunday, but had warned him that he would probably have to find someone else as we would probably already have a baby given my early dilation. I hadn't, however, gone into labor as of Sunday morning, so we didn't have to worry about finding a replacement. After church we decided to head to the mall since we hadn't been to the mall during this holiday season. We shopped for a few hours and picked up our last 3 Christmas gifts. After leaving the mall we made our way back to church. There was a wedding on Sunday and they required A/V people to work in the booth in order to run the lights, sound and video. Keith had not found another person to do A/V for the wedding, so he had been asking me for the past week if I could possibly hold off until Sunday at 5:00 pm to be the earliest for me to go into labor because we were scheduled to work the wedding. I showed up at church, Pastor Kevin made a joke asking if I was still pregnant (he had made the same joke before church that morning), and we worked in the A/V booth at the wedding. On the way home I told Keith that I had kept my promise and not gone into labor, but now that the wedding was over I was ready to have the baby. We went home and were asleep by 9:00 pm.
I woke up Monday morning at 1:00. I woke up because I had to pee, and got back into bed a few minutes later. I felt a little off, so I figured that I would hop onto my computer and cruise around the internet until I got sleepy again. I had gotten an email about our Bible Study Christmas party and was looking at the menu for the restaurant that we were supposed to go to in a couple of days in order to make my menu selection. I was having some cramping pain, so I decided to watch some tv on Hulu until I felt better (I watched One Born Every Minute, a reality birth TV show on Lifetime that takes place at the hospital at which Keith works and at which I was scheduled to deliver - it was kind of cool learning what to expect by watching that show). But I didn't start feeling better. I started feeling worse. Much, much worse. Between 1:15 when I felt my first contraction and 1:45, my contractions sped up from once every 15 minutes to once every 4 minutes (contraction 1: 1:15; contraction 2: 1:30; contraction 3: 1:40; contraction 4: 1:44), and they did not let up after that. Not only did they speed up, but they got much more intense. At 1:45 I decided it was time to take action. I woke Keith up (he was due to wake up at 5:00 to get ready for work, so I had been trying to let him sleep in case it wasn't labor) and told him that I was having really intense cramps and back pain. So of course, instead of suggesting that we go to the hospital, I said, "Could you go downstairs and clean the living room and the kitchen in case I'm in labor since we'll probably end up with people in the house?" He spent 30 minutes cleaning, during which time my contractions sped up to being once every 3 minutes.
I was getting a little bit irritable, but was trying to be patient. I had only been in labor for an hour, so I decided to update my blog and make a couple of phone calls. I called my mom and dad to tell them that I was going to leave for the hospital soon, while Keith showered and took the dog for a walk. By the time that we climbed into the car it was about 2:25. I was much more uncomfortable than I had been and was stomping my foot each and every contraction because the only way that I could think of to relieve the pain was to move, which was difficult being strapped in with a seat belt. My contractions sped up on the way to the hospital to coming once every 2-3 minutes. We got to the hospital at about 2:45, but it took about 10 minutes to get from the car to the labor and delivery floor since every time I had a contraction I had to stop walking and lean against something. I had 4 contractions between leaving the car and checking in.
Once arriving in labor and delivery triage, they hooked me up to a monitor (in order to determine if I was really in labor or not). They told me that I had to lay down because the monitors weren't working when I was standing. Each and every contraction my legs would shake uncontrollably, my back would arch, and I would hyperventilate. The nurse worked with me to stop hyperventilating because it was making me incredibly nauseated.
The next part of my labor was a surprise to me. During pregnancy I had read several books about natural childbirth and was convinced that I wanted to do it. I had grand ideas of giving birth in a birthing center and using a birthing tub for my second birth, but was already locked into a hospital birth this delivery. Plus, I became a high risk patient this pregnancy, so anything but a hospital birth was out of the question. However, I was willing to keep my mind open. I wanted to do whatever was best for the baby, and if that was receiving medication of some sort I was willing to do so. But writhing in pain (writhing is the word that Keith used to describe me) in triage, I asked the nurse how soon I would be able to get an epidural. She said that there was one person in line ahead of me, but that the anesthesiologist could come in after her.
They moved me from triage to my new room, hooked me up the monitor, and I immediately threw up half way through a contraction. All decency went out the window as I would double over with an open backed hospital gown for the duration of each contraction. The nurses questioned my ability to even get an epidural because they said that it would take a few minutes to place the epidural and that they doubted my ability to hold still. The danger of not holding still is that if they accidentally puncture the dural sac, cerebrospinal fluid will leak and you will end up with the worst headache of your life, all while trying to keep up with a newborn. I knew the danger of moving, so I told them that if there was a large needle in my back by my spinal cord that I would certainly hold still through anything. Within 2 contractions of getting the epidural placed I already started to feel relief. I couldn't figure out why I was such a wimp though. 1/3 of births are done without an epidural, and I couldn't even make it from 1:15 to 5:00 without getting one. The nurses made me feel better, however, by letting me know that I was 7-8 cm dilated, was going through the transitional stage of labor (which occurs at the end of active labor, just before you push, and is the most painful stage of labor). Then I felt even better when the doctor came in and checked and let me know that the baby was posterior. The easiest way for a baby to come through the birth canal is if their face is turned towards your back. If the baby is posterior then their back is pointed towards your back. This creates the most painful kind of labor, back labor, because the baby is in a suboptimal position to be born and is pushing against your tailbone. So, apparently, I wasn't being that big of a wimp. I was having about the worst labor pain possible every 2 or so minutes, so that made me feel better.
Once I got the epidural my labor slowed down. It took about 2 hours to progress the next 2 cm. I decided to take the pain free opportunity to do my make-up (hey, these pictures are going to be around for a long long time and I wanted to look good). I also straightened my hair. Everyone told me that it was a lost cause because once I started pushing my make-up would run and my hair would get sweaty. I decided to do it anyway - I felt comfortable, was being very chipper, and needed a way to pass the time. In fact, when my nurse saw that I was doing my make-up (when she had originally been worried about my ability to sit still for an epidural) she paged my triage nurse to come down to see how pleasant a person I was when not in pain. They could not believe the shift in my demeanor.
Then it came time to push. And it didn't hurt at all! I had heard that even with the epidural that the baby coming out would feel like a burning ring of fire (in fact, for most of the time that I was pushing I had the Johnny Cash Ring Of Fire song stuck in my head), but I didn't even feel uncomfortable until the last two pushes. I told my OB that I felt really uncomfortable at that point from all of the pressure and he told me that our baby was about as close to being born as you can be without being all the way out. One more push, her head came out. One more push, her body came out at 8:58 am, just less than 8 hours after going into labor. I asked, "So is she a girl?" She was. He held her up so I could see her and I thought, "Wow! She is so pretty! I'm so glad that I had such a cute baby!" They put her on my chest, and Keith counted her fingers and her toes (why do parents do this? Having an extra finger is a pretty benign problem. I guess since you can't check for heart defects that counting fingers and toes puts your mind at ease). I breastfed her for the first time. They weighed her and measured her length: 6 pounds 1 ounce and 17.5 inches. Keith and I cuddled with her and took pictures while the OB sewed me up. They kept me in my labor and delivery room for 2 hours after she was born so that the epidural would wear off and I could walk again. Gram (Keith's mom), Pap (Keith's dad) and Grandma (my mom) came in to meet her and took pictures of our new happy family. And I will say that I was right about doing my make-up and hair because I never broke a sweat and none of my make-up ran (the most important thing about childbirth...kidding of course; I may have been a bit vain with my labor beauty regimen, but the most important thing is that we have a healthy and happy little girl).
It was undeniably one of the best experiences of my life. I had preconceived notions about how my labor would go, and I was wrong on every count. But, like William and Martha Sears say in their book The Birth Book, it doesn't really matter what you decide regarding your labor and birth story as long as you have a healthy baby and are happy with your experience. I may have had full medical intervention rather than a natural birthing center birth, but I am very proud of my accomplishment and of my teeny tiny Christmas gift.
I was getting a little bit irritable, but was trying to be patient. I had only been in labor for an hour, so I decided to update my blog and make a couple of phone calls. I called my mom and dad to tell them that I was going to leave for the hospital soon, while Keith showered and took the dog for a walk. By the time that we climbed into the car it was about 2:25. I was much more uncomfortable than I had been and was stomping my foot each and every contraction because the only way that I could think of to relieve the pain was to move, which was difficult being strapped in with a seat belt. My contractions sped up on the way to the hospital to coming once every 2-3 minutes. We got to the hospital at about 2:45, but it took about 10 minutes to get from the car to the labor and delivery floor since every time I had a contraction I had to stop walking and lean against something. I had 4 contractions between leaving the car and checking in.
Once arriving in labor and delivery triage, they hooked me up to a monitor (in order to determine if I was really in labor or not). They told me that I had to lay down because the monitors weren't working when I was standing. Each and every contraction my legs would shake uncontrollably, my back would arch, and I would hyperventilate. The nurse worked with me to stop hyperventilating because it was making me incredibly nauseated.
The next part of my labor was a surprise to me. During pregnancy I had read several books about natural childbirth and was convinced that I wanted to do it. I had grand ideas of giving birth in a birthing center and using a birthing tub for my second birth, but was already locked into a hospital birth this delivery. Plus, I became a high risk patient this pregnancy, so anything but a hospital birth was out of the question. However, I was willing to keep my mind open. I wanted to do whatever was best for the baby, and if that was receiving medication of some sort I was willing to do so. But writhing in pain (writhing is the word that Keith used to describe me) in triage, I asked the nurse how soon I would be able to get an epidural. She said that there was one person in line ahead of me, but that the anesthesiologist could come in after her.
They moved me from triage to my new room, hooked me up the monitor, and I immediately threw up half way through a contraction. All decency went out the window as I would double over with an open backed hospital gown for the duration of each contraction. The nurses questioned my ability to even get an epidural because they said that it would take a few minutes to place the epidural and that they doubted my ability to hold still. The danger of not holding still is that if they accidentally puncture the dural sac, cerebrospinal fluid will leak and you will end up with the worst headache of your life, all while trying to keep up with a newborn. I knew the danger of moving, so I told them that if there was a large needle in my back by my spinal cord that I would certainly hold still through anything. Within 2 contractions of getting the epidural placed I already started to feel relief. I couldn't figure out why I was such a wimp though. 1/3 of births are done without an epidural, and I couldn't even make it from 1:15 to 5:00 without getting one. The nurses made me feel better, however, by letting me know that I was 7-8 cm dilated, was going through the transitional stage of labor (which occurs at the end of active labor, just before you push, and is the most painful stage of labor). Then I felt even better when the doctor came in and checked and let me know that the baby was posterior. The easiest way for a baby to come through the birth canal is if their face is turned towards your back. If the baby is posterior then their back is pointed towards your back. This creates the most painful kind of labor, back labor, because the baby is in a suboptimal position to be born and is pushing against your tailbone. So, apparently, I wasn't being that big of a wimp. I was having about the worst labor pain possible every 2 or so minutes, so that made me feel better.
Once I got the epidural my labor slowed down. It took about 2 hours to progress the next 2 cm. I decided to take the pain free opportunity to do my make-up (hey, these pictures are going to be around for a long long time and I wanted to look good). I also straightened my hair. Everyone told me that it was a lost cause because once I started pushing my make-up would run and my hair would get sweaty. I decided to do it anyway - I felt comfortable, was being very chipper, and needed a way to pass the time. In fact, when my nurse saw that I was doing my make-up (when she had originally been worried about my ability to sit still for an epidural) she paged my triage nurse to come down to see how pleasant a person I was when not in pain. They could not believe the shift in my demeanor.
Then it came time to push. And it didn't hurt at all! I had heard that even with the epidural that the baby coming out would feel like a burning ring of fire (in fact, for most of the time that I was pushing I had the Johnny Cash Ring Of Fire song stuck in my head), but I didn't even feel uncomfortable until the last two pushes. I told my OB that I felt really uncomfortable at that point from all of the pressure and he told me that our baby was about as close to being born as you can be without being all the way out. One more push, her head came out. One more push, her body came out at 8:58 am, just less than 8 hours after going into labor. I asked, "So is she a girl?" She was. He held her up so I could see her and I thought, "Wow! She is so pretty! I'm so glad that I had such a cute baby!" They put her on my chest, and Keith counted her fingers and her toes (why do parents do this? Having an extra finger is a pretty benign problem. I guess since you can't check for heart defects that counting fingers and toes puts your mind at ease). I breastfed her for the first time. They weighed her and measured her length: 6 pounds 1 ounce and 17.5 inches. Keith and I cuddled with her and took pictures while the OB sewed me up. They kept me in my labor and delivery room for 2 hours after she was born so that the epidural would wear off and I could walk again. Gram (Keith's mom), Pap (Keith's dad) and Grandma (my mom) came in to meet her and took pictures of our new happy family. And I will say that I was right about doing my make-up and hair because I never broke a sweat and none of my make-up ran (the most important thing about childbirth...kidding of course; I may have been a bit vain with my labor beauty regimen, but the most important thing is that we have a healthy and happy little girl).
It was undeniably one of the best experiences of my life. I had preconceived notions about how my labor would go, and I was wrong on every count. But, like William and Martha Sears say in their book The Birth Book, it doesn't really matter what you decide regarding your labor and birth story as long as you have a healthy baby and are happy with your experience. I may have had full medical intervention rather than a natural birthing center birth, but I am very proud of my accomplishment and of my teeny tiny Christmas gift.
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