Ellie's Birth Story - Part 2

PreI had an appointment with my ob at 39 weeks and consented to a vaginal exam. He was surprised to find out that I was 4 to 4.5 cm dilated. When I left the office he grinned and said, "I'll see you soon! 

Days went by and I became a pro at prodromal labor. Contractions would start and just when I thought they were going somewhere they'd totally stop. On Saturday night I just decided that I couldn't think about labor anymore, I just needed to let it go for the next couple of days. My next appointment with my ob was on Tuesday and I decided we'd just go from there. Sunday wasn't anything special. Scott, Irelyn and I got up and went to breakfast, then we went to Babies R US. I lounged around most of the day and took a really nice nap with Irelyn. When I woke up I decided that I NEEDED nachos! I told Scott and we went and tried out a new cheap place my mom had found.

My doula (Jen) had sent me a text asking me how I was doing and I told her we were on our way to go get Mexican food. She joked and said that maybe it'd put me in labor. I laughed...I really love spicy food, and thankfully it doesn't affect my digestive system or anything. I like it so hot, that finding stuff out there that is too hot for me, well...yeah, that’s difficult!

We had dinner and then Schanelle asked if she could stop by. A bunch of my close friends went to Vegas for the weekend and they were on their way home. She came by and visited. Just before she went to leave I had this crazy pain that kind of felt like a gas pain. I honestly thought I just had to go poo....

She left and then a little bit later I had another one of these pains. It wasn't a gas pain, but it didn't feel like one of the contractions I was used to having either. When they first started there wasn't a definite start or end to them. After having about 4-5 of these "pains" I texted my doula and she asked if I was online. My computer was on, and we started chatting. We discussed what these pains felt like and she told me she'd check in on me in an hour. This was at about 9pm. I got off the computer and immediately I felt another rush...and immediately I knew we weren't playing around. Something clicked inside of me and I knew this was the real deal.

I had downloaded a contraction counter app on my phone. I began using it and keeping track of my contractions. In the next half an hour I had about 6 contractions, they were lasting about a minute and were about 5 minutes a part. I decided not to wait for my doula to check in with me, I called her and told her to come over. I knew I'd go fast and she lives 70+ miles away.

Then I got the crazy idea to take a shower! I had a couple loose stools earlier in the day and I was determined to be as fresh as possible when I arrived at the hospital. The hot water felt AMAZING during a contraction. If I could've birthed in water I think I would've loved it...

Contractions...what can I say about them...they're fun! Really! I thought I knew what contractions felt like (and I did...if they were the Braxton Hicks and prodromal labor variety), but when it came to the type of contractions I was having I had no clue! I had a LOT OF PRESSURE in my lower back during each contraction. It felt REALLY good to have Scott, or my mom press down on my lower back. I'd get on all fours or lean over the couch and one of them would press down on me. The nice thing about the contractions was that there was a pause between them! I breathed...focused on not being tense and bam, it would end, and then I'd feel normal again!

During this time my doula was keeping in contact with me while she drove down. She told me if the contractions came about every 2 minutes a part to go to the hospital and she'd meet me there. Things were moving really fast...

My mom suggested that we go to the hospital and I remember snapping at her. I wasn't mentally ready yet and honestly even though the contractions were coming quickly they weren't unbearable and I didn't think it was time. I went outside and just stood in the moonlight. I breathed and as crazy as this may sound I thought of my ancestress’, I thought about the women who came before me and birthed naturally. I thought about all the women across the world that were in labor with me and as crazy as it sounds to others, this was an incredible moment for me. My doula texted me while I was outside and told me that she was about 10 minutes away, I had 2 good contractions while I was in my front yard, I was sweaty and then it dawned on me...it was hospital time, I was going to have a baby very very soon!

Jen got here, and we immediately went to the hospital which is about 5-10 minutes away. She suggested that I wiggle my toes during a contraction in the car to keep me from tensing up and I did that. It seemed to help. I also had a tennis ball for my lower back. When I had a contraction I'd push into the ball and that helped too.

Scott made a wrong turn into the parking lot and I thought I was going to cause him bodily harm. I got to the hospital and checked in. I remember them wanting to weigh me and the scale being quite far away. I had a hunch the scale didn’t go over 350 pounds and I weigh over that, I said that to the nurse and she rolled her eyes. I wasn't a fan of the nurse I was assigned too. She didn't want my doula or mother to go back with me while she admitted me (which the hospital doesn't have a policy on), she was somewhat snappy and I could see the disapproval in her face when I even mentioned I had a doula. Lovely I thought...

I didn't let her sour disposition get to me. This was my day, my show...it was show time and I was determined not to be shy. She rudely asked me if I had a birth plan and I told her that I did not, but that I had preferences and would be more than willing to discuss things with her as they came up. Looking back I'm pretty shocked I was so well spoken with her during contractions and everything. I had preadmitted to the hospital, and for whatever reason I had to go through EVERYTHING again. That was a huge pain. There I was in transition and she was asking me if I had any STDs, etc. SUCH A PAIN IN THE ASS!

We checked in between 11:30 and midnight, so about 2 and a half hours from when I first started having those weird pains. The nurse offered me a hospital gown and I gave it back to her. I didn’t want to wear it. This will sound weird to other people, but for me the hospital gown was symbolic. I didn’t want a hospital gown that said “Property of Los Alamitos Hospital”…I was nobody’s property…The nurse gave me a look and was like, okay...

The nurse checked me and to my complete and utter surprise I was already 9 cm dialated! I mean, yeah, I knew I was at 4/4.5 cm from the week before, but since my water hadn't broken I honestly didn't think I'd be that far along. After they did the cervical check they needed to hook me up to the external fetal monitor to calculate the babies heart rate. I made the comment to the nurse that I had

 discussed this with my ob and he had agreed to intermittent monitoring, then my lovely nurse informed me that my doctor wasn't on call, that the other doctor in the practice was and she would need to discuss with her. I remember the snappy nursing acting as if she had one upped me or something. Thankfully I had previously met the other doctor. I didn't have an established relationship with her, but seriously, what can you do?

The most difficult time during labor was laying somewhat still while they tried to get the external monitor on me. Oh, and at the same time another nurse was trying to put a heplock in (I didn't want an IV, but did consent to having a heplock). At the same time a tech was drawing blood from my other hand. All three things at once, LOVELY, right? I know they got to do what they gotta do, and I completely respect that, but in order to get through those contractions I had to do what I had to do as well. I didn't even think in terms of, oh, I'm in transition or anything...I just knew I needed to wiggle...and moan.

I think I was somewhat of a novelty to the hospital staff, there were about 3 other nurses that came in to observe and help with the heplock. They weren’t intrusive or anything and I wasn’t bothered, but I remember how weird it was that these other nurse thought I was so different. I wanted to be like, “Haven’t you ever seen a woman in labor before!?”

I had planned on eating during labor. It’s a complete fallacy how most hospitals don’t let a woman drink or eat during labor. I asked the icky nurse if I could have some water and she was totally rude. My doula looked at me and was like, “Would you like some water?” I said yes. My assigned nurse grumbled something and the other nurses that were observing had mixed reactions. Two of them smiled and the other nurse kind of looked puzzled.

While they were doing the heplock I started thinking I couldn’t do it. I was in an uncomfortable position and in my head I kept hearing “I can’t…I can’t” over and over again.  In response I started chanting “I can do this” over and over again during a contraction. That wasn’t planned…it was just something that clicked and worked.

My doula offered to move the hospital bed into a position mimicking how I felt sitting on the toilet, she did that and I felt so much better! The ob showed up and she began to monitor Ellie's heart rate by hand. She asked me if I would consent to an internal monitor because she was having a problem keeping Ellie’s heartrate on the monitor. I asked if there had been any dips, she said no and I politely declined the monitor. She said I knew you would and smile. Then she checked me and I was pretty much at 10cm...without my water breaking and she asked me if I wanted her to break it. It was up to me, which I liked. I decided to let her go for it. She broke my water, I had another contraction or two and was told I could bear down and push when I felt like it. The ob also moved these foot petal things out. I was still in a sitting position, but was able to put my feet to the side and press down. This really helped as well.

Can I just say I hate directed pushing?! With Irelyn I had to push on a schedule, count, hold my breath and it was so mechanical. With this labor I pushed when my body told me to push...and it was AMAZING and wonderful. The first time I pushed I felt the ring of fire start and I intuitively I knew it wasn't going to be long, but in my head I was scared. My doctor and doula encouraged me to bear down again and both of them told me it would feel good. Honestly, it did kind of feel good, but not wonderful or anything. My doctor asked me how long I pushed with Irelyn and I told her about 20-25 minutes. She immediately put on a plastic gown. I had another really good contraction and I pushed...and I pooped. It was lovely! I even said, oh dear, I just went poo! The nurses, and doctor were so kind about everything, it was no big deal, and I was even encouraged to continue to poo!

One more push...and bam, Ellie flew out! She came out in a rush and the doctor almost dropped her!

She was placed on my belly and I was in complete heaven. I couldn't believe it happened so fast, and I was honestly shocked at how much it didn't hurt. We did delayed cord clamping and when it came time to cut the cord, I did it! That wasn't planned, but when the nurse asked for Scott to come over and cut the cord something clicked inside of me and I knew I wanted to be the one to cut it. I said, "Honey, do you mind?" He smiled and shook his head. Without words his look told me he understood and that he didn't mind.

Looking back on the experience I’m still surprised that I did it. I put my mind to it…and bam, it happened. This birth is SO unlike my first birth in so many ways. Yes, my nurse bugged me, but my doctor was more supportive than I anticipated (and she wasn’t even my primary doctor). Every preference I wanted actually happened (and I had prepared myself for that not happening).

My body went into labor on its own. Absolutely no pain medication. No IV. No continuous monitoring. No internal monitoring. I sat in a squatting position. I had immediate skin to skin. AMAZING.

Her full name is Elle Alice and we call her Ellie. Alice is after my grandmother.

She weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces and was 21 inches long. Oh, and her head was 14 cm in diameter :o)

I delivered an hour and a half after I checked into the hospital total length of labor was 4 hours long =) Ellie and I came home at 7pm on the same day I gave birth. After having to check out with Irelyn nothing felt better than taking my baby home with me. One of the best memories is having Irelyn come to pick Ellie and I up from the hospital!

This is what natural birth looks like, picture taken right as Ellie was born.

Ellie nursing for the first time!

Irelyn meeting her baby sister for the first time