7:00 PM
SEVEN. Seven contractions. That is how many contractions I
survived in the car on the way to the birth center. I will never forget because
those seven contractions were some of the worst throughout the whole labor!
When we pulled up, Leigh was waiting for us at the door. I was in the middle of
#7 and unable to move. She walked out to the car and held my hand, reassuring
me. “You’re doing wonderfully!” she said. I pitifully moaned back “I think I’m
only 2cm.” She told me I sounded like I was 8. I told her not to get her hopes
up.
7:15 PM
I was right. Leigh checked me and I knew by the look on her
face (and how posterior the exam was) that it wasn’t going to be 8cm! She
called me 3/100/-2, 4 during a contraction (p.s., a vaginal exam on your back
during a contraction S U C K S!). Leigh told us to go ahead and bring our stuff
in because though it was a bit early, it was indeed labor day. Laurie was
coming in to join the party soon, so Leigh said we should until she was there
so they could do the sterile water papules together. Meanwhile, I walked around
the birth room, stopping and very loudly moaning through contractions. I was
scared that it hurt so much already, and in ways I hadn’t really anticipated.
8:00 PM
Laurie was still stuck at the hospital, so I begged Leigh to
do the sterile water papules herself. They hurt like hell, but I had almost
instantaneous relief of the back pain! The contractions were SO much more
manageable without the pressure in my back. I stopped yelling and was able to
just breathe through the contractions. It was good timing, because I started
getting visitors! Shannon stopped by on her way home from work, Bethany and Laurie
arrived, and Tamara, our “doulagrapher,” came and started snapping pictures. I
was relaxed and ready to face the rest of my labor. We called my mom, who had
to make a six hour drive from Florida, and hoped she would make it in time.
(Spoiler: that turned out to be a non-issue.)
11:00 PM
I spent three hours switching between walking, the birth
ball, and the shower (my favorite place the whole labor!). I got in the tub for
a little while even though it was too early, but it didn’t help much (boo). I
got a second round of sterile water injections, and I was starting to moan
through the contractions again. At 11 I wanted to be checked again; it had been
four hours and I was hoping to be at least 6-7. Instead, I was 5. I tried very
hard to turn off my midwife brain, ignore the Friedman’s curve that I was
falling off of, and just labor.
Monday, March 5th,
2012
12:00 AM
I was struggling through the contractions and was totally
unable to pee, which made the pain worse! A straight cath and some lunges
later, I was feeling a little better but still having trouble coping. Leigh
checked me again a little after 1:00 AM- 6cm! Faster progress than the first 5,
that was for sure. I got a little more hopeful and figured I could keep going.
By this point I developed a HUGE respect for women who birth naturally in the
hospital with epidural availability- I might not have made it this long! Leigh
suggested trying some Nubain so I could get a little rest, but I wasn’t ready
for that yet. I figured the next four cm would be much faster.
1:30 AM
Or not. I was still struggling with the pain and falling
asleep between contractions. I decided to give the drugs a try. I got shot up
with Nubain and Phenergan, and within minutes I was snoozing in the “midwife
position” in the bed, barely waking up to rock through my contractions.
3:30 AM
At some point in my haze my mom showed up, and I was so
happy to see her. I was starting to wake up a little when I felt something wet
underneath me. I told Bethany “I think my water broke!” I climbed out of bed to
stretch and check it out, and what had been a little leak turned into a huge
splash on the floor. I was elated! I felt rested, in control, and positive that
this was a sign that I would be holding Annabelle soon. I got back in the tub
and floated through my contractions.
4:30 AM
I started feeling a little pressure and sure enough, I was
7-8! Wahoo! I knew this was transition and I was struggling to cope again, and
falling asleep between contractions. Everyone was afraid Kyle and I were going
to drown because we were both so exhausted!
5:30 AM
Laurie told me that she wanted to start in IV to keep me
hydrated. In the back of mind, I knew everyone was thinking hospital transfer.
I had little concept of how long this was taking, other than that it was taking
a very long time. I didn’t know or care what time it was, I was just lost in
labor land. The pressure continued and I was not coping well. Kyle was falling
asleep too, and I knew I needed to get this over with soon. I told my mom “This
baby needs to come out, now!”
6:30 AM
Another check, and instead of the transitiony
7-8 I had been, I was a swollen 6cm. Laurie gently suggested that it was time
to think about going to the hospital. I was vaguely aware of the fact that one
of my favorite patients, also a first timer, had delivered three hours earlier in
the other room. I was jealous of her! I turned to Kyle and asked him to make
the decision for me. I didn’t want to give up, but I knew I was too tired to
keep going. We decided together that they were right, and starting packing up
our stuff.Part III
No comments:
Post a Comment