~~~

We got to our room and the midwife came in. She explained the possible seriousness of the situation and our options. At the time, the way she said the options and my 40 week preggo brain, they didn’t sound like options. She explained that they were going to insert a foley catheter since I was only 1.5 cm dilated and since my contractions let up and were about 8 minutes apart. This should, if my body was ready for labor, push me to 3-4cm and get the contractions started. I had the catheter inserted and then went on a walk. Sure enough, it did what it was supposed to do. I started having regular contractions.

I began using my breathing techniques that we learned in our birthing and labor class. It was wonderful! So far, labor was a cinch! Deep cleansing breath, in through the nose, out through the mouth…. he-he-he-hoo…he-he-he-hooo… so on and so forth!

I feel like at this point I should return back to my expectations I had going into labor. I expected to have a spontaneous labor…If you can look at the previously written paragraphs, I did not have a spontaneous labor. The reason I wanted this was because in our L&D class, we learned that the more medical interventions you get, the more likely you are to getting a c-section. AND, in my previous four doctors appointments, our doctor kept telling us that with a big baby, you are more likely to have a c-section because the baby could get “stuck.” The more and more we talked to our teacher from our class, she reassured us that with less interventions, the more likely we were to avoid a c-section. The moment you start adding interventions to the picture is the moment you inevitably risk having to surgically remove your baby. Which means: no induction, no pain medicine, no epidural, etc).

SO, this was my mindset while heading to the hospital. Once Jackson’s heart rate was being wacko, it sounded like induction was the only option.

7 o’clock – the changing of the guar…I mean doctors/midwives/nurses…THANK GOD!

Honestly, I look back at my birthing experience and I thank God. He totally provided for me in my moment of need. I am convinced I would have ended up with a c-section if it wasn’t for my nurse and midwife that ended up delivering me.

My new Midwife, Krista Bolton, and new nurse, Sarah (I don’t remember her last name, but of course remember her first name), saved my experience. They knew what I wanted in my labor and delivery. They knew that the way things were happening currently were not what I wanted. The midwife came in and explained to me that I wasn’t in labor yet until I was 6-7cm dilated and that when I came into the hospital I wasn’t in labor…WHAT?! This was not explained to me… She also said (which the realist in me appreciated this so much) that with the catheter, I could be in the hospital for 3 days waiting for it to work, or I could deliver that night…it all depends on if my body was ready for labor.

I immediately began crying because until that moment, I had no idea. The previous doctor and midwife did not explain this to me… They did not tell me I wasn’t in labor. If that was the case, I would have gone home. I asked Krista what would happen if I took the catheter out and went home and let labor take its course at home… Everyone in the room laughed, but I was dead serious. I think her term was that it went against “medical advice.” I decided that I would stay, but spent the next few minutes crying while everyone in the room tried to encourage me.

I think that was the moment my mom and dad started praying because I became calm and the contractions began to get more and more intense. I moved around the room trying to find comfortable positions. Eric and I went on some walks around the hospital.

My amazing coach keeping me hydrated

When I got back, we decided to go into the shower. I spent a total of two hours in there, on the floor while my mom sat on the toilet since there was no chair, counting contractions for me… I would literally fall asleep in between contractions. Totally gave me the energy I needed to get through the night. Time, at that point, disappeared. An hour felt like 10 minutes.

I got out of the shower at about 9pm, and they checked me. I was 6cm!!!! I cried tears of joy… I was officially in labor. This wasn’t going to be a three day process! Thank you, God!

Breathing through contractions on the bathroom floor.

The contractions were intense! Oh. My. Goodness. I remember, in the moment, thinking that I couldn’t take any more. I don’t think I ever said it out loud, but I definitely thought it. I breathed through each one just like I had learned in my class…focused on a spot somewhere across the room and listened to Eric count down the contractions…”45 seconds….you’re doing great…30 seconds…half way there… 15 seconds…you’re almost there… and breathhhh” What would I have done without those breathing techniques. Totally saved my life!

At some point in the middle of the night, the midwife came back in and checked me and I was 8cm. At that point, they decided to break my water. I remember her saying that I could have whatever pain medication I wanted. I heard it, but I ignored it. I didn’t even want to give myself the option. I knew I could do it and I knew I was only a few contractions, at that point, away from pushing. Then I was only a few pushes away from seeing my sweet boy.

Because I am an avid runner (sarcasm), I thought of it like running. Keep setting new goals for yourself as you run…. I am going to make it to that pole then I’ll stop. Get to the pole and set a new goal…I am going to make it to that tree, to that light, to that sign, etc. etc. etc. then I’ll stop.

I did the same thing in labor. I am going to make it to the next contraction then I’ll reevaluate if I want meds or not. After every one, I said that same thing.

So, once she broke my water, the flood gates opened up (pun intended). The transition stage pretty much began immediately. And, oh man, did I think I was going to die. I could not have made it through that without my nurse and without Eric. I was definitely in a trance-like-state, as our L&D teacher described it. I would focus on a spot across the room and do my breathing techniques….hee-hee-hee-hee-hoo… The problem with transition, though, is that you don’t get a break like you do in the other contractions. It is one intense contraction after the other. At some point, I forgot how to breath. This is where Eric was so crucial. He literally had his forehead pressed up against mine and would do the breathing with me…”hee-hee-hee-hoo-hee-hee-hee-hoo-hee-hee-hee-hoo.” At some point, I was hyperventilating… the nurse, Sarah, put the oxygen mask over my face. My fingers, that were tingly and cramping, finally started to feel normal again. I could see the end in sight.

My amazing coach…

They checked me again at some point and I was 10cm and ready to push. I had wanted to push squatting, but because Jackson was determined to be a nine or ten pound baby, the midwife was afraid of dropping him. So, they said very sternly that I needed to lay down. I was pretty upset about that because I knew that my body was going against gravity, but at that point, I wasn’t arguing…I wanted my baby out, and I trusted Krista and Sarah to accomplish that safely!

I began pushing. They put the mirror up so I could see. As I was pushing, at one point Krista said that we could see his head. She pointed it out to me and asked if I wanted to touch him. I touched his sweet head, which was full of hair!! It gave me the gusto to continue to push and push even harder! Sarah, my wonderful nurse, said at one point inbetween contractions, “if the shoulders aren’t stuck and we can get him out safely, do you want to pull him out?” Um, YES! How cool would that be!

My pushing face… lol

I pushed and pushed and pushed…for an hour and a half…. at one point I remember saying, why can’t the contractions come sooner – Everyone laughed because at that point they were coming every minute and a half. I am telling you, time has no meaning in labor. You lose all understanding of time. Ten minutes is one, and one minute is one second….and the other way, one minute is five and five is an hour. It is hard to understand until you are going through it.

The pain, at this point, was so intense, but at the same time, I knew that with every push and every pain, I was one step closer to seeing my baby. I took all advice the midwife had to give me. She told me to push longer and to not give up. I pushed longer and that is when I started to progress. Finally, his head was out. He was crying such a sweet pterodactl cry that he still has…she told me to not push. I did the candle breathing technique…Apparently at this point, the cord was wrapped around his neck. She unwrapped it. I am glad I didn’t know that at the time – I would have freaked out!! I then could continue pushing. His shoulders came out and I got the go ahead from Krista. I reached down and pulled my baby up onto my chest and cried… tears of joy, tears of relief, tears of thankfulness to God.

He immediately stopped crying once he got to my chest! He was beautiful. He had a head full of blond hair, sweet blue eyes that were the most alert, chubby little face, and such a perfect body.

8lbs 6oz, 21.25 inches long, born at 6:54am on 2/3/2015.

The story continues after I ended up back in the hospital with a 103° fever, but I will save that for a different time…Stay tuned!

…To Be Continued…