Back from hiatus! (and a birth story!)
Well… I’m back from hiatus. I guess 19 weeks is truly long enough! Most of my (few) readers know the recent events, but I’ll fill you all in briefly.
When I was exactly 40 weeks along, I delivered our third baby! I’ll have to say that Vivian’s birth was the most wonderful and fulfilling delivery I have had. The story goes something like this… Friday night we were both a bit frustrated and distraught that the baby hadn’t arrived yet. I had scheduled post-date testing (as mentioned in the last post) and was nervous that the testing would be used as a means to get me in the hospital for an unnecessary induction… I decided to relax and have a nice long bath and go to bed early. The next morning, we woke up early, and found my water had broken. B showered while I changed the sheets and called our moms and the doctor. It was about 7:30 when this all began. My water was obviously ruptured, but I wasn’t uncomfortable or anything, so I wanted to get the wet sheets off the bed and we finished packing the last minute things.
Around 8:00, I began to feel some contractions. I was busy, though, getting ready to leave, so I wasn’t paying a lot of attention to them. B’s mom got to our house and was going to feed breakfast to the big kids while my mom was on her way from Monteagle. I remember wanting to stop and have coffee and pancakes on the way to the hospital, but we opted for the hospital instead… Thankfully, there were some empty spots in the active labor parking, so we were able to park there. Mind you, my water had broken and I had a towel between my legs, so walking was, well, interesting. I also was moving slowly because the baby had moved quite low over the last week and I was laboring more productively than I knew. I filled out my paperwork and was wheeled to triage to be checked. Apparently, not many people have spontaneous labors anymore, so it was us and a few other people who happened to be in labor on that day — not a lot of people around. In fact, Baptist doesn’t use a whole section of LDR rooms on the weekends because of scheduled births during the week…
Anyway, I had a great nurse in triage who confirmed that I was at 4-5 cm and really in labor. She kept asking if I was uncomfortable and what I wanted to do about the discomfort. To be totally honest, I was uncomfortable now and again for a minute or so, but I was able to breathe through it and find nice positions so I wasn’t interested in pain relief. As per my wishes, they installed a port in my arm “just in case” I needed any interventions. I didn’t get the routine IV. Our very kind nurse took us quickly to a LDR room, making sure all the equipment worked (like the tv!) and dimmed the lights for us. It was a rainy morning, and the dim light made it easy to relax. My dr arrived and checked me and I was at a 6. This was all by 9:30. They asked us what we wanted, and I explained I didn’t want any interventions for pain or anything. I was allowed to labor in peace and calm. B kept me engaged in tv and conversations and he would apply pressure when I would be uncomfortable. We had a nice time together — it was very intimate and relaxing. I had read all the books explaining that women felt “high” during labor and I thought it was trash and not even a remote possibility, but on the contrary, I felt that labor “high” throughout. It intensified closer to the delivery, making me feel at ease and calm and pleased with the scenario. Because I had chosen to labor naturally, I was pretty much left alone. The nurse and my dr would come in periodically and ask me how I was, but I only opted to be checked occasionally. I was progressing quickly. The beauty of laboring naturally is the dignity. I had to use the restroom, and I could walk myself, close the door, do my business, and not be monitored by a lot of people. It was sharply different than the times I had to be catheterized and treated like an animal. By 11:00, I was noticing a lot more intensity. By this point, I was having to use all my attention when I would have a contraction. In between, though, I was able to catch my breath and relax. By 11:30, things were getting a bit dicey. I felt uncomfortable and unable to reach a good position and was likened to a cat with tape on its tail. I was completely paranoid — I felt that nobody would believe me. I had the nurse check me and I was an 8 on the right side, and I felt like lying on my right side. She seemed to think this would help me to complete faster, and almost immediately after turning to my side, my body began to push. I began to flip. I was told “no, you’re just at an 8, so you need to not push, just wait!” Then, B took a look, and he saw the baby, so we got everyone in to help out. By the time I felt I had the go ahead to push, I was feeling fantastic. Nobody counted, complimented, told me what to do. I pushed as I needed, slowed when I needed, and delivered our 8.8lb baby at 12:08. Another dr had to pinch hit while mine was scrubbing up. I delivered the placenta on my own, no drugs involved. I had my natural, healthy, wonderful labor. I was not compromised in any way, shape, or form, and I had the most spiritual experience of my life.
So, we now have three (!) kids and are truly busy. I haven’t slept well since 8/23, and I am not confident I will sleep through the night for another couple of years. I’m taking it in stride as well as possible — so far there is little time for the things I have grown to enjoy like swimming/running/weights. Fortunately, I didn’t gain much during the pregnancy, so I am a couple pounds lighter than I was at the beginning of pregnancy, although I could use the exercise for toning and general health. I am having a tough time with the lack of breaks from nursing. With the others, I didn’t worry about leaving B with a bottle to feed the baby, but with Viv, she hasn’t successfully taken a bottle since October. So, I am nervous about leaving her. We also have little time to go out alone. B and I went out to dinner one night, and that was great. I’m anxious for another date that involves leaving the house together without our kids, but it’s a lot to ask someone to watch all three. Especially since the baby may or may not take a bottle. I imagine these things will iron out as time goes on, but there are definitely some issues with having this many kids. On the other hand, our lives are full and our kids are a true blessing despite all the hard work. And I try to remember that before I know it, we will be sending them off to college.
So that catches us up for the most part. We have been in the throes of baby/kid care. The big girl is going back ti kindergarten tomorrow for the first day after the holidays. We’ve had a nice break, and it will be good to get back in the routine again!
