Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Birth Story - Part 1

Ok - lets see how far I get. Timing is tight around these parts these days - as I either have boobs hanging out from just feeding or about to be feeding or pumping or SOMETHING. Mr. M has used all methods possible to keep my curtains closed on our main floor of our house. He's getting pretty creative - chip clips, buttons, pins, - remind me to take pictures.

Sunday July 15th - 3:00AM

I was awoken with a contraction that was unlike any of the others I thought I was having up until that point. This one was very much like a menstrual cramp - so much so I thought I would go to the bathroom and have my period. When I did get to the bathroom I had some bloody show (just mucus with a few traces of blood). I put on a pad - to protect the undies and I tried not to get excited, I convinced myself to go back to sleep - which I did for a few hours.

7:00am
Once again awakened by a menstrual cramp - same intensity as the other one. Not like I couldn't bear it - it was just uncomfortable. I nudged Mr. M and whispered, "I've been having contractions I think." We snuggled a bit - and then I went downstairs and made a contraction tracker in excel (what, you thought I'd stop project managing when I went into labor?!?) I ate some cereal - and the contractions were about 7 minutes apart - I was unable to figure out how long they were as they kinda snuck up on me and then faded without a clear end to them.

I started baking cookies - as I'd always planned to do in early labor. I made my famous chocolate chip cookies and continued to have 7 minute apart contractions through that whole process. This whole time I'm letting Mr. M sleep since I knew that I would need him to be completely rested for whatever was about to happen the rest of our day. As I took the last batch of cookies out of the oven, Mr. M came downstairs. We hugged and were a bit giddy - as THIS COULD BE IT! eeeeeee!!!!!

Mr. M asked why I was timing the contractions. I thought about it for a minute and figured he was right. Why WAS I timing them?? It's not like if I was in labor I would miss it some how. So I abandoned my contraction tracker for a bit and took a shower. The shower felt awesome - but the contractions kept on coming. When I got out I made sure to put a another pad on - just because it was easier to keep track of just how much mucus and blood I was getting.

11:00AM
Contractions started getting much stronger at this point, so I started tracking them again - sure enough they were 5 minutes apart. So I asked Mr. M to call the midwife - he left a message (since it was the weekend) on the answering service. Less than 10 minutes later the midwife called back - and I was happy to find out that it was one of the 4 or 5 midwives I had hoped would be present at my birth. As soon as Mr. M answered the phone I started peeing my pants - of course I didn't pee my pants, but that is really what it felt like. I clamped my legs together like a 5 year old who has to go pee pee and wiggled my way to the bathroom saying - I'm leaking I'm leaking. I heard him on the phone with the midwife say, "I think her water just broke."

All of this was so surreal - how could my water be breaking?? How could these really be contractions?? Was I having my baby today?!? I felt a mixture of emotions; anxious, scared, strong, confident, and excited. I spoke to the midwife briefly and she suggested we come on in and have this baby. So we scrambled around the house a bit making sure all the last minute things made it into the suitcase for the hospital. I had the pillows, Mr. M had the bag and his laptop. We were ready - and we were giddy.

Once in the car the contractions started getting strong - not kill me strong, but strong enough to make me moan and groan a bit. I felt almost out of body - watching us make this trip. I still feel a bit out of body - like I'm watching myself care for this little peanut girl. We got to the hospital and I had a few more contractions trying to walk to the admissions desk in the L&D area. The whole time my pad is filling with more and more amniotic fluid. I thought for sure my pants were wet - but they never did show the signs - I have a nice thick absorbent pad to thank for that.

They put me in a wheelchair and wheeled me to Triage - they call it PETU. They hooked me up to the fetal monitor and contraction monitor for the agreed upon 20 minute strip to make sure my baby girl was ok and to be sure these contractions were real. I undressed and got into hospital garb. I had originally put on my birth plan that I wanted to wear my own clothes - but at that moment - I really didn't want that. The midwife came to check me - and believe it or not I was at 5 cm!! I was so proud of myself for laboring at home and having my water break naturally. I felt that I had already accomplished something at this point. However, since my water had broken the contractions were becoming increasingly unbearable.

12:30
They admitted me immediately since they never send anybody home who's water has broken or people in active labor for that matter - hehe. Second goal accomplished! I'm a first time mom and I went to the hospital only once - and that was to have my baby. Once we got to our room they ran me a bath at my request. I didn't have any IV at this point as that was in my birth plan that I would not have any needles unless absolutely necessary.

I got in the bath and the contractions were UN-believeable. The water helped but I felt like I wanted to crawl out of my body. This was amazing pain - nothing I have EVER felt before. Don't be scared, those of you who are close to giving birth, there is a reason I had this pain. Mr. M was such a godsend. He was by my side with such steadfast love and support that if I ever doubted that I married the right man - this moment changed my life (ok - already crying). I screamed my guts out in the bath tub. I'm a singer remember - so me screaming packs quite a punch. They told me to try and bring the sounds lower as that will help against the contractions. At one point I think I was arrrrrrrging like a pirate.

Then I hit my wall - I asked Mr. M for the epidural. I said our "code word" so he knew I was serious. I was terrified of the epidural but I couldn't visualize myself experiencing this level of pain with contractions for the remainder of the birth.

sorry - have to shower while she's sleeping.... more to come.

2 Comments:

At 5:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I did the same thing. Hit my wall and begged for the epi!!! Whew!

 
At 9:24 AM, Blogger kimmykins13 said...

I was really hoping you wouldn't have to have the epi because it seemed (from your previous posts) that it was important to you that you have her natural.

I had a feeling you might have to go with it though. You have indicated (or so it seems) that you have a low threshold for pain in past posts. I know how this goes - I'm the same way.

At any rate, I'm so glad things went well and I'm eagerly awaiting Birth Story Part 2.

 

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