Laurel's Birth Story

WARNING- THIS IS GOING TO BE A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF MY LABOR AND BIRTH, IF THAT DISTURBS YOU, SKIP THIS BLOG.

I STARTED HAVING CONTRACTIONS ON AND OFF FOR A FEW WEEKS BEFORE MATTHEW WAS BORN. I WOULD WAKE UP IN THE NIGHT WITH PAINFUL CONTRACTIONS, BUT THEN I WOULD GO TO THE BATHROOM AND CHANGE POSITIONS AND THEY WOULD GO AWAY. AND THEN I STARTED HAVING THEM DURING THE DAY, BUT THEY WOULD ALWAYS GO AWAY WITH A CHANGE IN ACTIVITY. THEN, ABOUT TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE BIRTH I NOTICED THAT THE BABY DROPPED AND ABOUT A WEEK AFTER THAT I LOST MY MUCUS PLUG. ALL THAT TIME I CONTINUED HAVING CONTRACTIONS EVERY NOW AND THEN.

I HAD A PRENATAL APPOINTMENT ON CHRISTMAS EVE AND SO ELAINA AND I DROVE DOWN THE HILL WITH NATALIE FOR MY APPOINTMENT. I DROVE BECAUSE WE WERE IN MY CAR WHICH IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND ELAINA ONLY KNOWS HOW TO DRIVE AN AUTOMATIC. I STARTED HAVING PAINFUL CONTRACTIONS AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE 15 AND WE ALMOST GOT IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THEM! SO, AFTER THAT DAY, I DECIDED I HAD BETTER NOT DRIVE ANYMORE! BUT, AT MY APPOINTMENT (38 WEEKS) I WAS CHECKED AND AT FIRST MY RNP SAID I WAS AT A 4. I REALLY DIDN’T WANT TO BE AT A 4 B/C IF YOU ARE THAT FAR ALONG THEN THEY MAKE YOU STAY, BUT IT WAS CHRISTMAS EVE AND I KNEW I WASN’T IN LABOR YET. SHE CHECKED ME AGAIN AND ACTUALLY MEASURED WITH A MEASURING TAPE AND DETERMINED THAT I WAS AT A 3 INSTEAD, I WAS REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT! SHE SAID MY CERVIX WAS REALLY THIN AND THE BABY WAS REALLY FAR DOWN. SHE SAID HE WANTED TO STAY INSIDE TO HAVE CHRISTMAS DINNER, BUT THAT HE’D BE OUT BY NEW YEAR’S!

THEN WE HAD A NICE CHRISTMAS AND I KEPT HAVING CONTRACTIONS ON AND OFF, BUT I MOSTLY JUST IGNORED THEM. THEN ON FRIDAY THE 26TH IN THE MORNING I NOTICED SOME AMNIOTIC FLUID LEAKING. THAT IS JUST WHAT HAPPENED WITH NATALIE TOO AND ITS WHAT LED TO ME BEING INDUCED, SO THIS TIME, I DECIDED NOT TO CALL THE DOCTOR YET, AND INSTEAD JUST CALLED CAROL. I STARTED HAVING SOME CONTRACTIONS RIGHT AWAY, SO WE WERE PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT I WOULD BE HAVING THE BABY THAT DAY. SHE CAME OVER AND HELPED ME PACK MY BAG FOR THE HOSPITAL AND THEN WE WENT OUT TO LUNCH AT ROADHOUSE TO CELEBRATE. I CONTINUED TO HAVE CONTRACTIONS ALL THROUGH LUNCH AND THEN AFTERWARDS WE WENT TO TARGET AND I CONTINUED TO HAVE CONTRACTIONS. BUT AFTER TARGET MY CONTRACTIONS KIND OF FIZZLED AWAY. CAROL AND I WENT BACK TO THE HOUSE AND WENT ON A WALK WITH ME WALKING WITH ONE FOOT ON THE CURB AND ONE IN THE STREET TO TRY AND START MY CONTRACTIONS BACK UP, I WOULD HAVE CONTRACTIONS WHILE I WAS DOING THAT, BUT THEY WOULD GO AWAY IF I STOPPED. THEN WE WENT BACK TO HOUSE AND ALL THE FAMILY CAME OVER AND I HAD VERY FEW CONTRACTIONS.

SO, THE NEXT DAY WAS THE PARTY AT DAVID’S PARENTS HOUSE, AND SINCE I WASN’T DRIVING ANYMORE, CAROL & AARON GAVE NATALIE & ME A RIDE. ALL THAT MORNING I WAS HAVING CONTRACTIONS AND ON THE DRIVE DOWN THEY GOT MORE REGULAR. SO, I TOLD CAROL I WAS HAVING THEM, BUT WE BOTH THOUGHT THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THAT MEANT NOTHING BECAUSE I HAD BEEN HAVING THEM OFF AND ON FOR A LONG TIME. SHE AND HER FAMILY WERE GOING TO HAVE LUNCH WITH FRIENDS, SO I TOLD HER TO HAVE A NICE LUNCH, BUT THAT AFTERWARDS SHE MIGHT WANT TO CHECK ON ME, IN CASE I WAS STILL CONTRACTING. ALL THROUGH THE PARTY I HAD MORE AND MORE CONTRACTIONS, BUT I DIDN’T TELL ANYONE WHAT WAS GOING ON, BECAUSE I STILL WASN’T SURE ANYTHING WOULD COME OF IT AND I WAS TRYING TO PLAY LABOR DENIAL. I STOOD UP MOST OF THE TIME BECAUSE IT WAS MORE COMFORTABLE FOR ME AND I DID A LOT OF ROCKING BACK AND FORTH. EVENTUALLY THE CONTRACTIONS WERE VERY REGULAR AND PRETTY CLOSE TOGETHER, ALTHOUGH I WASN’T TIMING THEM, SO I FIGURED THAT I WAS REALLY IN LABOR.

I CALLED CAROL AND TOLD HER TO COME PICK ME UP, AND THEN I TOLD THE FAMILY AT THE PARTY THAT NATALIE AND I WERE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE EARLY BECAUSE I WAS IN LABOR. EVERYONE GOT REALLY EXCITED AND THEY HAD ME OPEN ALL OF OUR CHRISTMAS PRESENTS AND THEY OPENED ALL OF THEIR PRESENTS FROM US. IT WAS A LOT OF PRESENT OPENING VERY FAST, BUT WE GOT A LOT OF FUN AND CUTE THINGS! THEN, AROUND 3PM CAROL AND AARON PICKED US UP.

I KNEW I WAS IN LABOR, BUT I WASN’T READY TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL YET AND ALL OF MY SIDE OF THE FAMILY WAS MEETING AT VICTORIA GARDENS, SO WE DECIDED TO GO THERE TO DROP OFF NATALIE WITH MY MOM AND THEN WALK AROUND FOR A LITTLE WHILE UNTIL I WAS READY TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. CAROL STARTED TIMING CONTRACTIONS AND WHEN SHE STARTED TIMING THEM THEY WERE ABOUT 5 MIN. APART AND ABOUT 1 MIN. LONG. I WAS STILL CHEERFUL AND TALKING IN BETWEEN. BY THE TIME WE GOT TO VICTORIA GARDENS AND GAVE NATALIE TO WADE & GEYSA, MY CONTRACTIONS WERE ONLY 2-3 MIN. APART AND LASTING BETWEEN 1-2 MIN. SO, WE DECIDED NOT TO WALK AROUND AFTER ALL AND TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE HOSPITAL.

WE ARRIVED AT THE HOSPITAL AT ABOUT 5PM, MY CONTRACTIONS WERE VERY STRONG AND I WAS QUIET IN BETWEEN THEM AND FOCUSED. ON THE WAY THERE I ASKED AARON TO TURN OFF THE RADIO AND EMMA TO TURN DOWN HER IPOD BECAUSE I FOUND THE NOISE VERY DISTRACTING. I HAD TO BE WHEELED INTO THE HOSPITAL IN A WHEEL CHAIR, BUT AS CAROL WAS WHEELING ME IN I HAD TO STOP HER A COUPLE OF TIMES WHEN I WOULD HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT CONTRACTION SO I COULD STAND UP AND LEAN AGAINST THE WHEELCHAIR AND ROCK. WHEN I ARRIVED IN L&D THEY SAID THEY COULD TELL I WAS IN ACTIVE LABOR. IT WAS REALLY HARD WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO PUT MY MONITORS ON AND TAKE MY BLOOD PRESSURE AND THINGS BECAUSE I KEPT HAVING CONTRACTIONS AND WOULD HAVE TO GET OUT OF POSITION SO I COULD DEAL WITH IT. THEY TRIED TO GET ME TO PEE IN A CUP, BUT I JUST COULDN’T DO IT!

CAROL PASSED OUT COPIES OF MY BIRTH PLAN AND I WAS VERY HAPPY WITH HOW WELL THEY WERE RECEIVED. THE MIDWIFE CAME IN AND I HEARD SOMEONE SAY, “JUST A HEPLOC? NO IV?” AND THE SHE SAID, “THAT’S THE WAY SHE WANTS IT. SHE WANTS TO GO TOTALLY NATURAL AND LET IT HAPPEN HOW IT HAPPENS.” I DON’T THINK MY NURSE HAD EVER ATTENDED A NATURAL CHILD BIRTH BEFORE BECAUSE SHE SEEMED TOTALLY CONFUSED AND DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO, WHICH WAS FINE BECAUSE THERE REALLY WAS NOTHING FOR HER TO DO. THEY CHECKED ME AND I WAS AT A 7.

CAROL WAS TELLING ME “HOORAY YOU ARE AT A 7!” AND I TOLD HER THAT I WAS AFRAID OF TRANSITION AND THAT I WOULD NEED LOTS OF ENCOURAGEMENT. I HAD FOUND THAT I WAS MOST COMFORTABLE ON ALL FOURS AND ROCKING BACK AND FORTH OR CIRCLING MY BEHIND. ALSO, I STARTED LOW-MOANING. DURING MY BRADLEY CLASSES SOMEONE MENTIONED LOW-MOANING AND DESCRIBED IT AS “SINGING YOUR BABY INTO THE WORLD.” I REMEMBERED THAT AND TRIED IT AND FOUND THAT IT REALLY HELPED ME TO BE ABLE TO VOCALIZE THE PAIN, I FELT LIKE I WAS ABLE TO RELEASE IT OUT OF MY BODY THAT WAY. WHEN THE NURSE PUT MY HEPLOC IN, I WAS ALREADY IN TRANSITION OR CLOSE TO IT AND I HAD TO SIT UP AND BE STILL. IT WAS REALLY PAINFUL AND I HAD TO MOAN VERY VERY LOUDLY TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT, THE NURSE DIDN’T LIKE THAT AND ACTUALLY SHUSHED ME, BUT I IGNORED HER. ALL THROUGH TRANSITION I KEPT HOPING I WOULD FEEL THE URGE TO PUSH. EVENTUALLY I FINALLY DID!

I PUSHED THE FIRST FEW TIMES ON ALL FOURS, BUT I DIDN’T FEEL LIKE THAT IT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE, SO THEN I TRIED PUSHING ON MY SIDE, BUT I DIDN’T LIKE THAT BECAUSE IN BETWEEN CONTRACTIONS I FOUND IT UNCOMFORTABLE. THEN I TRIED SQUATTING BUT I DIDN’T LIKE THAT EITHER AND EVENTUALLY I SETTLED INTO THE CLASSIC POSITION. I REMEMBER THAT I WAS TRYING TO FIND A GOOD PUSHING POSITION MY GOWN KEPT FALLING OFF. I COULD FEEL PEOPLE TRYING TO PUT IT BACK ON ME AND I SAID, “NO, ITS HOT!” AND SO THEY TOOK IT OFF AND I GAVE BIRTH TOTALLY NAKED. THAT IS FUNNY TO ME BECAUSE IN MY BRADLEY CLASS WE LEARNED THAT YOU CAN TELL HOW FAR ALONG A WOMAN IS IN LABOR BY HOW MUCH CLOTHING SHE IS WEARING, BECAUSE SHE WILL START OUT ALL CUTE AND FULLY DRESSED AND THEN BY THE END SHE WILL BE TOTALLY NAKED.

SO, I PUSHED A FOR A WHILE, BUT I STARTED TO FEEL LIKE THE PUSHING WASN’T WORKING THAT WELL AND THAT HE WAS HAVING A HARD TIME COMING OUT. I STARTED TO THINK THAT I NEEDED AN EPISIOTOMY, BUT I DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING. AFTER A FEW MORE TIMES PUSHING MY MIDWIFE SAID, “THE ONLY THING I COULD DO TO HELP YOU AT THIS POINT WOULD BE TO GIVE YOU AN EPISIOTOMY.” I THOUGHT SHE WAS RIGHT AND I LOOKED AT CAROL AND I THOUGHT SHE SEEMED TO AGREE AND SO I SAID, “YES, DO IT.” I THINK THE MIDWIFE WAS RELUCTANT TO OFFER AN EPISIOTOMY BECAUSE MY BIRTH PLAN SAID I WANTED TO AVOID ONE, AND SHE WAS BEING VERY RESPECTFUL OF MY PLAN, BUT I THINK I REALLY NEEDED IT.

I HAD A FEW REALLY GOOD PUSHES AFTER THAT AND I FELT HIM CROWNING, SO I REACHED DOWN AND TOUCHED THE TOP OF HIS HEAD. IT WAS REALLY EXCITING TO BE ABLE TO TOUCH HIM AND KNOW THAT HE WAS REALLY COMING. THEN THE MIDWIFE HAD ME SLOW MY PUSHING WAY DOWN TO TRY AND AVOID TEARING. HE KEPT COMING AND SOON HIS WHOLE HEAD WAS OUT AND I COULD SEE HIM, AND I REACHED DOWN AND TOUCHED HIM AGAIN. AFTER A FEW MORE SLOW PUSHES HE WAS OUT AND THEY PLACED HIM ON MY CHEST AND THEN PUT A WARM BLANKET OVER US BOTH. IT WAS 6:59 PM.

THEN THE MIDWIFE LOOKED AND SAID I HAD 4TH DEGREE TEARS! I WAS VERY SURPRISED BECAUSE I HAD PUSHED HIM OUT SO SLOWLY. BUT, I HAD 4TH DEGREE TEARS WITH NATALIE TOO, SO I WASN’T SUPER DISMAYED BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU CAN HEAL FROM THAT. BUT, NEXT TIME I WILL TRY AGAIN NOT TO TEAR SO BADLY! THEY CALLED IN AN OB TO STITCH ME UP SO THEY COULD DO A REALLY GOOD JOB.

WHILE I WAS BEING STITCHED I GOT TO HOLD AND NURSE MATTHEW. HE LATCHED ON RIGHT AWAY AND NEVER WANTED TO LATCH OFF. EVENTUALLY AFTER HE HAD BEEN NURSING FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS STRAIGHT, I LATCHED HIM OFF SO THAT WE COULD MOVE TO THE ROOM WE WERE GOING TO BE STAYING IN. HE NURSED PRETTY MUCH 24/7 WHILE WE WERE IN THE HOSPITAL. HE WAS VERY ALERT FROM BIRTH AND HE GOT TO ROOM WITH ME, WHICH WAS WONDERFUL. ALL THAT NURSING PAID OFF I GUESS, BECAUSE MY MILK CAME IN AFTER ONLY 2 DAYS, IT TOOK 4 WITH NATALIE.

NOW WE ARE HOME AND HAPPY TO BE SETTLING IN. NATALIE LOVES THE BABY, BUT IS LEARNING HOW TO SHARE HER MOM. SOMETIMES IT IS HARD FOR HER, ESPECIALLY SINCE SHE HAS BEEN SICK ALL WEEK. AT NIGHT, WHEN I AM ALONE WITH MATTHEW I JUST LOVE TO STARE AT HIM BECAUSE HE IS SO PERFECT AND I FEEL SO BLESSED.