I’m proud to announce the birth of my wonderful new girl, Jude Elizabeth, born March 29, 2009 at 1:15pm, weighing 9 pounds 3 ounces, 20.5 inches long.
Birth Story
By the time 41 weeks had rolled around, I was feeling pretty anxious, and I was fearing a potential induction. I had been looking forward to a positive, natural birthing experience and did not want pitocin! I tried everything to get my body to kick start itself: red raspberry leaf, evening primrose oil, dancing to Beyonce, etc. Finally, on Saturday the 28th (9 days late), I started feeling some crampy contractions in the early afternoon, which I took to be Braxton Hicks. I didn’t want to get my hopes up! Mat and I had a big, delicious lunch with my family at Can Can, and decided to power walk home. When I got home I took a nap, got up to pee and discovered the loss of my mucus plug. I got pretty excited, although I assumed that I could still have 1 or 2 more days until things really got started. I laid back down, but just a few minutes later I felt a “pop-pop”, and a gush of water. I ran to the bathroom, and discovered that indeed my water had broken. The water was NOT a good color, however. It was brown, and the more that came, the darker it got. I called Nicole, my midwife at St Francis and she told me not to worry, that many babies who are past due have pooped in the womb, but we should head to the hospital just to make sure that our little one was not in distress. We arrived at the hospital around 5pm (just an hour after the water broke), and got settled in. Labor really started kicking in on the car ride there, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before things got rolling. We started walking the hallways, which seemed to really speed things up. Sara, our doula arrived around 8pm and things were starting to get painful. I was getting through the contractions fine with some lower back massage and low moans. Mat and I were able to joke around between the contractions, and were beginning to get cocky. “This baby will probably be born before midnight” – very, very wrong. It turns out, I was only 5 centimeters, and that’s when I knew that it was going to be a very long night. The sun went down, and as the hours rolled by things were becoming incredibly intense. It was so difficult to change positions, as each new one was so painful (the more pain, the more progress). Nicole finally moved me into the tub, which saved my life. I was really able to relax and let loose with my female animal instincts. I’m pretty sure the sound of my loud, low moans will haunt Mat for life. As the sun started to come up, with no urge to push, I began to hit a wall of frustration and exhaustion. Nicole checked me and I was only 8cm. I broke down in sobs, wondering how I would ever make it. I kept going, however… and a few hours later, around 9am got checked again and was still at 8cm. I was utterly exhausted and could barely hold my head up in between the contractions. Nicole decided to offer me some pain coping suggestions. I could continue doing what I was doing, I could get a shot of Nubane, (a narcotic that would allow for 1 hour sedation between contractions), which would allow me to rest, or an epidural. I knew that I did not want an epidural, but an hour of rest sounded incredibly crucial, so I opted for the Nubane. Once I got the shot, I rested a bit, although the contractions were just as strong and painful.
After the hour had passed, the fun would really begin. Nicole checked me again and I was 9cm with a lip of my cervix remaining. We decided to take matters into our own hands, and Nicole had to use her fingers to stretch my cervix over the baby’s head as I pushed. This was the most intense pain I have ever felt in my entire life. It took several, several pushes for her head to emerge past my cervix which was not fully dilated. After she made it through the first hurdle, it took about another hour of pushing for her to come out. Once her head finally came through that ring of fire… I felt such relief and pride as I gazed down at this beautiful, purple blueberry head that had come all this way. When they placed her on my chest, I felt hysterical with emotion, and Jude just stared up at me as she took her first breaths – completely alert. It was such an amazing moment! No one expected such a big baby, and I was very proud of her and myself for getting through such an ordeal.
I couldn’t have done it without my amazing “team” of Mat, Nicole, Sara, and the other nurses. My advice to people who are planning for a natural birth: read birth stories, watch footage of natural birth, hire a doula, and go to prenatal yoga! Thanks Leslie!