I woke up at 1:30am Monday August 29th with some crampy contractions. They weren't regular so I tried to sleep but couldn't. Hubby woke up at 3 and I told him what was going on. He decided to stay home and work a half day. We went for a walk around 1 in the afternoon. After calling our midwife and my sister. Sister decided to head over and hang out. Midwife said she'd be by in an hour or so based on my description of the contractions.
walked halfway up the street and came back. That seemed to move things along. When my midwife got there we were at 4cms and very thin and stretchy cervix.
She went to finish her prenatals for the day and called her assistant to come stay with us in the meantime.
We labored standing, leaned over the bed or birth ball and on all fours in child's pose. By 6 pm we where at 6 cms. I was told I could try the birth tub. Baby wasn't happy about the tub temp so we had to get out. I was so sad because asside from size the tub felt wonderful. I do not remember at what time we where told we where at 9cms with a tiny bit of cervical lip. I was told not to push just yet but try to relax and use little grunts to move baby down.
So we started pushing for real around 1 am. I wasn't getting far in the tub (which We'd decided to try again once we where further along) so they had me get out and use the birth stool. I liked gripping the handles on that. At that point each push was a little progress but not Much. Her heart rate had some decels but they came back up on their own and where within the norm. I know I yelled and screamed a bit. Poor hubby was so upset watching me in pain. He told me later that he didn't understand some of the sounds I was making or what they meant so it was hard for him to know how to best help me occasionally. Finally after multiple positions we found one that worked. On my left side with my leg up in the air. Hubby supported my leg because my arms felt like they where going to fall off at that point. At 3:55 am Tuesday morning Norrie was born. I was so thrilled to have her OUT! Pushing was really the best part for me. I was working with the pain and could feel the progress rather than just dealing with it.
I tore in two small spots. My midwife reffered to them as "skid marks" since they are super small and surface only. I'm convinced the water, and heat, and perenial massage during pushing is why it was so minor.
When Norrie came out she had meconium all over her and had breathed some in. Her breathing sounded "like a purring kitten" according to my hubby. The midwifes suctioned a good bit out but she still sounded terrible and was having trouble crying. My main midwife asked hubby if he could call emergency services so they could continue to use oxygen and suction on Norrie. Hubby called and was very calm. EMS arrived right as Amie cut the cord. Hubby went with Norrie and the midwifes assistant followed. (as we'd planned in case somthing happened)There was no indicator of meconium during the birth and even when my water "broke" we.didn't see anything.
I delivered the placenta after being given a dose of angelina? And pitocin (to prevent Post Partum Hemorhage). I'm doing great and healing really well. I don't even feel the torn areas much at this point.
The hospital got us set up with a room due to us wanting to breastfeed. The newborn nursery nurses where awesome at keeping us updated till we got our room. They where great and asked us what we wanted to do for everything and respectful of our wishes when we said we didn't want something done.
Sadly the second night they needed our room for other families. And since we where not the paitients we where not the priority Norrie was. So that second night we sadly went home and left our baby in the newborn nursery. That was the hardest thing I've ever done. Even harder than giving birth. We went to walmart to pick up a few things and I heard a little baby cry and about broke down in tears. Thankfully the next day after sitting with Norrie for a few hours we where released and able to go home.
I had said all along if we had to go to the hospital I would be ok with it because it would be where we needed to be. We where mentally prepared in case such an event happened and either the baby, myself or both of us needed to be transfered. My midwives followed proper procedure to the letter, and I am happy I got my unmedicated home birth.
My support team (hubby and sister) where awesome.
My midwife stayed overnight with me and when I woke up she'd cleaned up everything and run the washing machine all ready. She cooked me breakfast fed me, checked my bleeding then after I fell back asleep washed all my dishes and unloaded and reloaded my dishwasher. My house looks like nothing happened except there was a mattress in the floor wher I'd given birth and slept.
I feel so blessed! Norrie weighs 7 lbs 3.3 oz and is 19 inches long. We speculate it took 3 hours to get her out due to my tailbone having been broken when I was younger. Total we where in 17 hour of active labor(4cm's and beyond in dialation) and 3 hours of pushing.
Norrie Marie Hall is now Almost 2 months old. I've been trying to get back to normal life and i's been hard but she is worth every bit of frustration, sleepless night, shower-less day, and spit up covered shirt.
I mean could you get upset at this face?
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