You can read Lydia's birth story here. It was a wonderful day (isn't it always when a sweet baby is born!) and I am so thankful for every detail. Because her birth had so very few complications (aside from those brought on by the epidural), David and I decided early on in this pregnancy that what would be best for me and for our new baby would be to cut down on any unnecessary interventions. We discussed a home birth but decided it wasn't for us. I tried hard with no avail to find a birthing center close by. I started my prenatal care with a midwife who unfortunately wasn't able to help me sufficiently through my hyperemesis. So there we were around 20 weeks knowing I wanted to try to have a natural birth, but also knowing we would be delivering at a hospital with an OB. We had been through this before, and we knew that if we really wanted anything to be different we needed some support, so we decided to hire a doula (a birthing coach/ labor support person). Around 30 weeks I became uncomfortable with my large OBGYN practice and decided to switch doctors again, to a more naturally-minded doctor with her own practice.
Looking back, these two decisions really helped me to have the birth I wanted. As I approached the end of my pregnancy I didn't do much to "prepare" for the birth. I was working part-time and not feeling great, and David was working a TON as well as finishing up an accounting course. I borrowed the Hypno-birthing CDs from a friend and listened to the birthing affirmations a couple of times, I read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, I had two prenatal appointments with my doula, and I prayed about it... a lot.
Everything was pretty much a mad rush until Christmas, and by the end of December we felt so ready to meet our baby girl. But then I woke up New Year's Day with bronchitis - I had been battling cold and sinus stuff for about 6 weeks, but on this day I stayed in bed coughing and sleeping all day. My doctor ordered me an antibiotic and steroid and I started them the next day, convinced I was at least a week from labor. On Saturday January 4th I was starting to feel better, so we woke up and ventured out into the freezing weather to walk the mall. We shopped with gift cards from Christmas and had a great morning together as a family. We came home and Lydia and I took a nap, and that evening we went to my sister-in-law's for dinner. I ate a full meal and we had fun hanging out and playing with the kids, and I left her house with a dull back ache but no other signs of labor.
At 3:00 am on January 5th (my due date) I woke up to pee.. typical. I went back to sleep, and then at 3:30 woke up at the peak of a contraction. It started in my back and wrapped around to my front, and I immediately remembered the sensation from Lydia's birth. I went back to sleep, and at 3:40 another one hit. I laid in bed, falling asleep in between contractions until about 5, and they were consistently 10 minutes apart. At 5 I woke David up just to let him know what was going on and I asked him if I should keep resting or get up and walk around. He suggested I rest for as long as possible and he went back to sleep. I was so excited, so I got out of bed at 5:30 and watched some TV. At 6 I turned on some quiet music and laid on my side as I timed contractions. They were 5-7 minutes apart for the next hour.
At 7 am I woke David up and suggested we start our day. I told him I thought today would be the day, but that we probably had a long way to go. We thought about going to church, but after talking to my doula decided it would be best to stay home, create a calm environment and rest for as long as I could. I drank half a cup of coffee, ate a poptart, got Lydia her breakfast and hopped in the shower. As I started to move around more I could tell my contractions were getting closer together. I couldn't feel a definite beginning and end, but soon enough I was having to stop and breathe at the peak of each one. I powered through and dried my hair, finished packing my hospital bag and packed Lydia's overnight bag. By 8:30 I felt like I needed to sit down and focus more on breathing and I pulled out the contraction timer again. I asked David to call my sister and suggest that she come over soon just to entertain Lydia while he finished up his last minute things. My contractions were 3 1/2 minutes apart for the next 45 minutes, and so I called my doctor. She suggested I take a warm bath and drink a big glass of water and call her back. I called my doula to update her, and she said she would be over in an hour.
Once I got in the bath tub things definitely picked up. I wasn't timing them, but I could feel a "wave" as each contraction started and passed. I couldn't find a comfortable position at each peak, and I was starting to focus on exhaling slowly rather than holding my breath. I listened to a labor playlist a friend had given me and closed my eyes as my sister got Lydia ready to go and David brought me oranges and crackers that I nibbled on. Around 9:50 I got out of the tub, got dressed and went downstairs to our "laboring space". I had my yoga mat, music and some lit candles. Lydia was gone and the house was so quiet and peaceful - and within 30 minutes my doula had arrived. Things get a bit fuzzy here - I called my doctor again to let her know contractions were now 2-3 minutes apart and I had to stop and breathe through every one. She said I could come in, or I could wait and I decided to wait. I talked to Molly (the doula) and David in between contractions, but now when they hit I needed to sway my hips on my hands and knees and breathe/verbalize a little bit. I told Molly I was most nervous about going to the hospital; about deciding when to go and also about making the transition there. She said she thought we could leave whenever I wanted since I was "clearly in labor". I remember hearing this song on my playlist, and then David read an encouraging text to me that my sister-in-law had sent him. After that I felt I was ready to go, so we called me doctor, packed up the very last of our things, got through a few contractions and left.
The car ride was the thing I was dreading the most, but it actually wasn't so bad! It helps that we live 5 minutes from the hospital and that it was a cold, snowy day so there weren't many people out on the road. I leaned over the back of the passenger seat during contractions and pushed back through my hips. All of the pain was in my back, just like with Lydia. We made our way into the hospital slowly but surely, pausing each time a contraction hit.
We checked into triage and an awesome nurse gave me a hep-lock, asked me questions, and monitored baby in between my contractions. At this point I would turn on my side and hug on David as he would rub my tail bone during each contraction. They were about 1 minute apart and all of the pain was in my lower back. Once all of the formalities were taken care of the nurse checked me and said I was 6 cm and 90% effaced. This was at 12:25 pm. Immediately after the check I had a strong contraction and she said, "And now you are probably 100% effaced." As we were about to leave she told me that she thought my desire to go natural was inspiring and that at some point I would want the epidural but I should just remember I could do it. It was so encouraging. She passed me off to another nurse, named Alicia, who helped me to the delivery/recovery room. It was only a few yards away but I had to pause 4 times for contractions. I saw my doctor on the way there and she said she had the birthing ball all set up in the room and that she would see me soon. She was wearing her jeans and bright orange Bengals sweatshirt which I thought was funny.
I think that as soon as we got into the room I began to hit the transition part of labor. All of the sudden nothing was comfortable, I moaned through contractions and there was almost no break in between them. I really started to block out everything and felt myself turning inward and focusing hard. I tried to sit on the birthing ball and lean forward onto the bed, kneel on the bed and lean over the back, and stand and sway. All of it hurt and I was starting to feel out of control. This is where Molly stepped in big time. I remember her asking if I wanted to try to get in the shower, but I don't think I answered. Then before I knew it I had moved there, someone had brought the ball in, and I was sitting on it as hot water was sprayed across my low back. It definitely provided some relief and helped me to regain control of my emotions. It also helped me to continue to block out the outside world and focus on working with my body.
At some point Molly and the nurse decided it was time for me to start "officially" pushing and they somehow convinced me to get out of the shower and walk over to stand by the bed. My doctor was there, still in her jeans, and she was sitting on the floor. She told me to squat down low during my next contraction so that she could check and make sure I was fully dilated. This was the second and last time I was checked. When that contraction was over I sat on the ground because my legs were so exhausted and my doctor pulled a stool around, sat on it, and then pulled me up onto her lap... not kidding. Then with authority and kindness she told me what was going to happen. She instructed the nurse to raise the bed and David to go to the other side. She told me to stand up, grab David's arms, and with the next contraction to bend my knees and push my baby out. I said, "Really?!?' and she said "Yes. You can do this". Everyone assumed their roles and with the next contraction Nora Belle was born.
The doctor "caught" her, suctioned her quickly and then handed her up to me. I was still standing as I looked into her eyes and heard her first cries. Once the bed was lowered I climbed up into it and gazed at my baby girl, in shock that it was over and that she was here. David and I were simply in awe.
Nora was born at 2:05 pm and weighed 7 lbs, 3 oz and was 19 and 3/4 inches long. She was perfect.
We are so thankful for her health and my lack of complications and are still talking about how different aspects of that day changed both of us forever. We are totally in love with our little girl and our new family of 4.
