I think I might finally have some time to write out the birth story. However, as I sit here I can't decide where to start the story. This was the longest/shortest labor ever. On Thursday, July 19 I felt a very noticeable difference in the contractions I was having regularly. They moved! Instead of being high on my belly, they were low in my belly. Instead of starting and ending on my belly, they were starting in my back and moving forward to my belly. The contractions were different and I could tell they were "doing something." I didn't have a very accurate due date, and it was still before my estimated due date, but I was excited to be having contractions at all. Then, after about 12 hours of having regular contractions, they started to fade. I was still contracting but it was now a mix between high contractions (which I believe to be braxton hicks) and low contractions (which I believed to be early labor contractions). Also, the contractions became irregular. Then, about 12 hours later, they would change again, back to regular and real. They did this for EVER! (really they mostly followed this pattern until I had the baby, although they would occasionally stop completely for hours at a time). All of these contractions but I was still progressing slowly (about 1-2 cm. dilation/ week).
After two weeks of this, I was feeling frustrated and ready to be done. We thought for sure on 8/2 that we would end up at the hospital, but the contractions once again slowed down and became mild. I went to the doctor for an appointment on the morning of the third. The midwife was surprised when I said no thanks to the induction she had "put me in the books for" (I would have been scheduled to go in Monday morning- just 2 days after my estimated due date). I had her check my dilation and I was at 3cm. I decided after she asked to say yes to her stripping my membranes. She sent us home with the recommendation to "if possible" induce labor on our own. She was hopeful that a more "active" labor would start for us. (I want to note here for myself: the midwife expressed specifically that she did not correlate stripping membranes with any increased likelihood of my labor progressing). We went home, Philip did not return to work because we both felt like baby was coming soon. We waited and wondered if the contractions would stop as they had before.
By that afternoon, I was ready for drugs! I have a high pain tolerance and had used several tools in the past before using pain relief medication. I do feel, though, like I know my body well enough to know what things I can handle, and what things I can't. I tried the other methods, I even got in a hot bath. I was talking on the phone with mom and felt worse with each contraction. I could not handle any more back labor without medication. I let Philip know, and we headed to the hospital.
I'd never had nausea with labor before. I also had never had back labor either! Between those two things I was miserable! We arrived at the hospital and Philip wheeled me up to labor and delivery (and then ran out to park the car). They got me in a triage room and checked me out. I was at 4 cm. and would be admitted. I am sure I sounded pathetic, the way I practically begged for medicine during the entire time it took to do in-processing procedures. I was admitted sometime around 2:30 and once I got some drugs in my system, I was feeling fine. Contractions continued but they weren't showing up too well on the monitor. They continued to start in my back and no position or medicine seemed to help with the unique discomfort of back contractions. The midwife came in to break my water. I, once again, shocked a midwife when I said simply, "no thank you." She let me know that if I was not showing any progress in an hour I would either have to go home or take a step to encourage progress. I told her I would decide after that hour was up. At around 4:00 she came back to see if I had made progress. I was at 5cm. I still had no desire to have my water broken until the nurse quietly told me that it might help with the back contractions. She explained that for her, contractions moved from her back as soon as her waters broke. I was ALL for not having any more back contractions!!! I asked the midwife to go ahead and "break my water." I could've kissed that nurse! Almost instantly my contractions went to my belly and stayed there. I was relatively pain and discomfort free. Philip and I watched a t.v. show (the Unit) together. At this point in time I began to feel silly for even being at the hospital. I was ready to go home and "labor". I was still having regular contractions, but now that they weren't in my back, I felt fine. At one point in time my nurse commented that I couldn't be in labor because I was smiling too much. I think the midwife agreed. At about 5:00, she came in and said it was time to start the pitocin. I, again, said no. She recommended nipple stimulation to release oxytocin and expressed concern that my contractions were not progressing. (I will not write what she said, because it angers me and I don't need to remember that part). She did one final check before shift change (around 7) I was at 6 cm. I had hit transition, and for me, that means things speed up.
So, if you have been calculating you will see; 0-3 cm. dilation in two weeks, 3-4 cm. in six hours, 4-5 cm. in two hours, 5-6 cm. (after water broke) in just under 2 hours. As you will see, I will go from 6 cm. to holding a baby in about an hour. When I hit transition, things speed up!
Unfortunately for the nurses and midwife, but fortunately for me (because I was beginning to really dislike the midwife on duty); I hit transition right at shift change. My new nurse was just as great as the previous nurse. She checked on me and helped me get set up more comfortably. I asked her if I could get more pain meds and she said she would check and assured me the midwife would be in to meet me soon (they were in a change of shift meeting). She left and came back rather quickly with some pain meds. She administered the meds, helped me get set up, and left the room. I was now sitting in a rocking chair and talking with Cherish and Philip. I would raise up (weight on my arms, which were on the arms of the chair) to a squatting type position whenever I had a contraction. I had a contraction and sat back down. I felt a lot of pressure in my bladder, so, although I had recently gone, I stood up to head to the bathroom again. It wasn't until then that I realized it was time to have the baby! I could tell the baby was beginning to crown and called for Philip. He came over to me and I calmly (or at least I felt like I said it calmly- maybe not) told him it was time and asked him to help me to the bed. I got in bed and realized that the baby was further along then I had thought, if I wasn't wearing the underwear I had on (mesh panties with a pad because I was still gushing fluid anytime I was upright), the baby would already have come out. I had one mission, it was not to push, or to avoid pushing; it was to get those mesh panties off. By this time Philip was back at the beside along with a midwife I had never met before. Between the three of us the panties were moved down to my ankles and the baby was caught. He was quickly nicknamed speedy gonzalez. The midwife commented to the nurse about not having time to put on gloves to catch the baby. The nurse said she thought I would go quickly but didn't know I'd go that quick. They had mentioned that it was a busy night and he was the fourth baby to be born since shift change. I realized I was glad that back labor had brought me to the hospital at 4 cm. because I don't think I would've gone in before having him if I hadn't had back labor.
So, there it is. The shortest/longest labor I have ever had. I honestly never felt a sensation to push, only pressure that felt no more intense than a full bladder. William was put on my belly and Philip (for the first time) cut the cord. I held him. I nursed him. He latched on and nursed like a champ. They took him (I handed him over while they stitched me up- because I was afraid my cringing would bother him) and did all the vitals and paperwork. I got him back. I was in love! Cherish stayed for a while and then left with a promise to post pictures on facebook a.s.a.p. Philip and I stayed in the room for a while just holding and loving on our new baby. Our speedy Gonzalez!
Warning: Unless you are certain family members, or a handful of others- these pictures will contain more of Lydia than you have ever seen before. None of them are too extreme, but you'll see leg, belly and some breast. In addition to that you will see some of the messiness that goes along with child birth. Fair warning... if you don't want to see, don't scroll down.
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| Catch- note the not having time to put on gloves. |
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| Philip cut the cord for the first time. |
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| I had guessed he would be 8lb. 3oz. Just because he felt that big. I was close. |
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| I love the angle of this shot, I always love self-censorship. |
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| Happily nursing like a champ! It would take weeks, it seems, before I got over that oxytocin high! |
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