Leah's Birth Story
I woke up at 5:30am on Wednesday with strong contractions. They were coming every five minutes. I was able to doze off in between them until 8:30 or so.
At 11am, my doula came by. We had planned to go to a quilt shop and check out their yarn room. I continued to contract the whole afternoon, pausing to sway and breathe. The contractions weren’t picking up in intensity, but they were still five minutes apart.
We had lunch at the café then headed out to pick up a bottle of wine thinking that a glass might help calm me down a bit. I did NOT want for things to stop again. It had been almost a week of on again, off again, contractions.
After the glass of wine at home, my contractions spaced out again; every six to seven minutes. My doula went home and Todd went to work. The kids and I went about our evening.
Before the kids’ bedtime, my contractions were picking up and I *knew* it was the night. I called my doula again and asked her to stop by after her kids were in bed. There was no rush, but I didn’t want to be alone.
She arrived around 9:30. We started working on the puzzle that was on the table (a puzzle seems to be the theme towards the end of my pregnancies!). It was a way to pass the time. My contractions were getting rather strong; I had to breathe and focus. After a few of those I HAD to call Todd home as I knew we needed to get going shortly. My contractions were now every four minutes with cramping.
Our friend Nate came over to watch the kids. We got out bags put in the car and we were off! It was an hour drive to the hospital. Contractions were now every three minutes and it was getting hard to focus, but I managed.
We arrived around 1-1:30am. I was told that I had to have continuous monitoring and have a heplock started. It was hospital policy, as I am still a VBA2C (Vaginal Birth After 2 Cesareans). However, I didn’t want any interventions, so I declined them both. I did consent to 20 minutes every hour.
When my midwife got to the room, I was checked for dilation. I was only at 3cm. It sure felt like more! I had a hard time finding a laboring position that was comfortable for me. Eventually, I settled into a rocking chair at a bit of an angle. During each contraction, I could feel baby’s head move down further into my pelvis and slowly retract at the end. It was a GREAT feeling and it helped me concentrate on what was really going on with my body.
The nurse started to fill up the birthing tub and I was excited. I plopped myself in the tub around 5am (I *think*) and felt really good! I was now 6-½ to 7cm dilated. I was still in control of my contractions and breathed through each and every one of them. I was focused and determined.
I spent an hour or two in the tub. It was time for the 20 minutes of monitoring so I got out. I was none too thrilled with the monitoring at that point, as it was making me lose my focus. I laid on the bed to be checked and was between 8 and 9cm with a little lip around baby’s head. Her heart rate was good, bag of water was bulging, so I got back into the tub.
The contractions were REALLY strong at this point. It took all of me to concentrate. Todd got into the tub this time and helped as much as he could by pouring water onto my back and rubbing my neck (he was AMAZING!). My midwife wanted to do another exam to see where things were at. She wanted to try to push my cervix around baby’s head with the next contraction. I tried to let it happen, but it was so very painful.
My water broke with that contraction. I don’t know if it was due to my midwife having her hands in there or if it indeed broke on it’s own. Regardless, there was meconium (baby passed her first bowel movement in utero) so there was a new concern.
The nurse checked her heart rate with the doppler while I was in the tub. Baby’s heart rate was having a hard time getting back to “normal” after each contraction. I also went from 8-½/9cm back down to 7cm after my water broke. It was discouraging, I was tired (I had been awake for over 24hours at this point) and concerned about my peanut. Not quite sure what time it was, but I knew the sun was shining and it was SUPER COLD (-20°)!
Out of the tub again and we couldn’t get her heart rate on the monitor. My midwife was rather concerned so I consented to an internal monitor. The intern, who happened to be a midwife (not sure if she was a CPM or LMW) did the monitor and accidentally went through her glove. It was a bit amusing, but it meant a re-do on the monitor. I felt so bad for my baby!
The monitoring was showing that her heart rate was decelling and taking quite a while to come back up. My contractions were now uncontrollable. I had the most overwhelming urge to push, but was being told by everyone not to. It was so difficult. I couldn’t find a position help me focus. I lost it.
I was screaming, growling, you name. It was around 11:30am. I was awake for 30 hours with no rest and continuous contractions. I was at my limit. I SCREAMED for an intrathecal. However, the doctor that needed to administer it was in surgery. Contractions were every two minutes and SO HARD to handle. I would take a deep breath and the peak would be right after it. There was no prepping for it. I wanted to push and had to at the end. That was my only relief. I was being told I would cause my cervix to swell if I continued to push but I couldn’t help it.
When the doc finally got in the room, I felt a little relief. Not from the meds, just that I was going to get a break. A small nap even. Boy was I wrong! Got the meds and *BANG* time to push! I was so beside myself! I wanted to rest, but baby was ready. Worst thing was, I was pushing on my back, AGAIN!
I never got the pain relief. I felt every contraction. The best thing though, is I FELT EVERY CONTRACTION! I felt my baby being pushed down and out each and every time. I was given oxygen as her heart rate was still having issues. I looked over to Todd at this point for reassurance and was met with a look of horror. I knew what this meant. They were cutting an episiotomy. I couldn’t feel a thing and no one mentioned it either. A few more pushes and her head was out.
The cord was around her neck and her head was facing towards my thigh. Pushed again and I could feel her whole body just slither right out of me. It was 12:29pm on Thursday, March 12th. I had been awake for 31 hours and in labor for 15 or so. Baby screamed for the first 20 minutes of her life and was perfect: 7lbs 2oz, 20-¾ inches long @ 40 weeks 5 days. She was a whole pount smaller than Natalie and everyone was thinking she was going to be big because of her gestational age and my gestational diabetes.
I was so loopy after that. I’m guessing it wasn’t from the meds, but from being awake for so long. I am VERY happy that we had another vaginal delivery. I’m proud of myself for being so focused and in control of my labor until my water broke.
Saying I’m upset about the end of my labor and delivery is a bit of an understatement. I wonder, if I would have been *allowed* to push when I felt the urge, could I have made it without the intrathecal and had the waterbirth I wanted? I’m so mad that I lost control and couldn’t handle things anymore.
I’m simply amazed with everything that my body did to birth my baby, whether or not I was in control and aside from the interventions. Leah is healthy, I’m recovering well and I’m very thankful for that. I know it could have been much worse.
~Karri Bergren
At 11am, my doula came by. We had planned to go to a quilt shop and check out their yarn room. I continued to contract the whole afternoon, pausing to sway and breathe. The contractions weren’t picking up in intensity, but they were still five minutes apart.
We had lunch at the café then headed out to pick up a bottle of wine thinking that a glass might help calm me down a bit. I did NOT want for things to stop again. It had been almost a week of on again, off again, contractions.
After the glass of wine at home, my contractions spaced out again; every six to seven minutes. My doula went home and Todd went to work. The kids and I went about our evening.
Before the kids’ bedtime, my contractions were picking up and I *knew* it was the night. I called my doula again and asked her to stop by after her kids were in bed. There was no rush, but I didn’t want to be alone.
She arrived around 9:30. We started working on the puzzle that was on the table (a puzzle seems to be the theme towards the end of my pregnancies!). It was a way to pass the time. My contractions were getting rather strong; I had to breathe and focus. After a few of those I HAD to call Todd home as I knew we needed to get going shortly. My contractions were now every four minutes with cramping.
Our friend Nate came over to watch the kids. We got out bags put in the car and we were off! It was an hour drive to the hospital. Contractions were now every three minutes and it was getting hard to focus, but I managed.
We arrived around 1-1:30am. I was told that I had to have continuous monitoring and have a heplock started. It was hospital policy, as I am still a VBA2C (Vaginal Birth After 2 Cesareans). However, I didn’t want any interventions, so I declined them both. I did consent to 20 minutes every hour.
When my midwife got to the room, I was checked for dilation. I was only at 3cm. It sure felt like more! I had a hard time finding a laboring position that was comfortable for me. Eventually, I settled into a rocking chair at a bit of an angle. During each contraction, I could feel baby’s head move down further into my pelvis and slowly retract at the end. It was a GREAT feeling and it helped me concentrate on what was really going on with my body.
The nurse started to fill up the birthing tub and I was excited. I plopped myself in the tub around 5am (I *think*) and felt really good! I was now 6-½ to 7cm dilated. I was still in control of my contractions and breathed through each and every one of them. I was focused and determined.
I spent an hour or two in the tub. It was time for the 20 minutes of monitoring so I got out. I was none too thrilled with the monitoring at that point, as it was making me lose my focus. I laid on the bed to be checked and was between 8 and 9cm with a little lip around baby’s head. Her heart rate was good, bag of water was bulging, so I got back into the tub.
The contractions were REALLY strong at this point. It took all of me to concentrate. Todd got into the tub this time and helped as much as he could by pouring water onto my back and rubbing my neck (he was AMAZING!). My midwife wanted to do another exam to see where things were at. She wanted to try to push my cervix around baby’s head with the next contraction. I tried to let it happen, but it was so very painful.
My water broke with that contraction. I don’t know if it was due to my midwife having her hands in there or if it indeed broke on it’s own. Regardless, there was meconium (baby passed her first bowel movement in utero) so there was a new concern.
The nurse checked her heart rate with the doppler while I was in the tub. Baby’s heart rate was having a hard time getting back to “normal” after each contraction. I also went from 8-½/9cm back down to 7cm after my water broke. It was discouraging, I was tired (I had been awake for over 24hours at this point) and concerned about my peanut. Not quite sure what time it was, but I knew the sun was shining and it was SUPER COLD (-20°)!
Out of the tub again and we couldn’t get her heart rate on the monitor. My midwife was rather concerned so I consented to an internal monitor. The intern, who happened to be a midwife (not sure if she was a CPM or LMW) did the monitor and accidentally went through her glove. It was a bit amusing, but it meant a re-do on the monitor. I felt so bad for my baby!
The monitoring was showing that her heart rate was decelling and taking quite a while to come back up. My contractions were now uncontrollable. I had the most overwhelming urge to push, but was being told by everyone not to. It was so difficult. I couldn’t find a position help me focus. I lost it.
I was screaming, growling, you name. It was around 11:30am. I was awake for 30 hours with no rest and continuous contractions. I was at my limit. I SCREAMED for an intrathecal. However, the doctor that needed to administer it was in surgery. Contractions were every two minutes and SO HARD to handle. I would take a deep breath and the peak would be right after it. There was no prepping for it. I wanted to push and had to at the end. That was my only relief. I was being told I would cause my cervix to swell if I continued to push but I couldn’t help it.
When the doc finally got in the room, I felt a little relief. Not from the meds, just that I was going to get a break. A small nap even. Boy was I wrong! Got the meds and *BANG* time to push! I was so beside myself! I wanted to rest, but baby was ready. Worst thing was, I was pushing on my back, AGAIN!
I never got the pain relief. I felt every contraction. The best thing though, is I FELT EVERY CONTRACTION! I felt my baby being pushed down and out each and every time. I was given oxygen as her heart rate was still having issues. I looked over to Todd at this point for reassurance and was met with a look of horror. I knew what this meant. They were cutting an episiotomy. I couldn’t feel a thing and no one mentioned it either. A few more pushes and her head was out.
The cord was around her neck and her head was facing towards my thigh. Pushed again and I could feel her whole body just slither right out of me. It was 12:29pm on Thursday, March 12th. I had been awake for 31 hours and in labor for 15 or so. Baby screamed for the first 20 minutes of her life and was perfect: 7lbs 2oz, 20-¾ inches long @ 40 weeks 5 days. She was a whole pount smaller than Natalie and everyone was thinking she was going to be big because of her gestational age and my gestational diabetes.
I was so loopy after that. I’m guessing it wasn’t from the meds, but from being awake for so long. I am VERY happy that we had another vaginal delivery. I’m proud of myself for being so focused and in control of my labor until my water broke.
Saying I’m upset about the end of my labor and delivery is a bit of an understatement. I wonder, if I would have been *allowed* to push when I felt the urge, could I have made it without the intrathecal and had the waterbirth I wanted? I’m so mad that I lost control and couldn’t handle things anymore.
I’m simply amazed with everything that my body did to birth my baby, whether or not I was in control and aside from the interventions. Leah is healthy, I’m recovering well and I’m very thankful for that. I know it could have been much worse.
~Karri Bergren
