Ian's Birth Story 3.5 years late!

Woke around 3:30 to use restroom. Notices contractions with a strong "burn" across the muscle. 

They continued after I returned to bed.

At around 4, I started timing the contractions and they are around 3-4 minutes apart but all lasting different lengths of time. Texted the midwife around 5, and doula around 5:30. Woke John up around that time. Midwife texted back around 6 that she was headed our way as did our doula.

John packed Norrie 's lunch and the rest of her bag and woke her up. Then occupied her in the living room till her ride came to pick her up. Around 7 everyone started arriving. Our doula, Mallory got there first, with the midwives arriving next, then Johns mom to pick up Norrie. I remember crying through some of the contractions, hanging on to Mallory, squeezing both her, and Johns hands and at one point ripping the towel bar off the wall mount in the bathroom.

After Norrie left they checked me and I was at a 7-8. I was shocked! Ian was in a funny position though sort of angled with his head in my hip. My midwife recommended a rotation. Basically you do 3 contractions on your side, belly, back, in downward dog position, and with legs spread a certain way, in an effort to get him into better position and help me get to 10. We did this for about an hour when I started feeling like I needed to push. Checked again and at a 9 with a slight lip.

I pushed a little in a side lying, and squatting position. Ian's heart rate would drop but then Come back up. Around 9 we realized that while it was coming back up it was still dropping and eventually wouldn't come back up. I was put on oxygen to help myself and Ian get better heart tones. The midwives called EMS for a transfer at around 10:55. I don't feel like I was quite pushing "right" at this point. The EMS workers where really nice but had no clue what was going on despite the midwives giving the dispatcher all kinds of info. All they knew was I was female and 28 years old. I walked from my bed to the stretcher which was agony, they strapped me in and carried me down my hallway and out the door. That's when I noticed our fire department had been dispatched as well.(not unusual as our fire depatment are first responders as well. But John had them stay back and let the midwives work and give me privacy.) They loaded me up and my midwife rode in the back straddling the stretcher. The EMS worker in the back handed her things and stayed up near my face. A few minutes later we were under way. My midwife broke my water and there was A LOT. Shortly after Ian was born in the ambulance at 11:25. He was totally fine. Pinked up fast, came out crying and his Apgars where 9 and 10. We pulled over so John could come in the back and see him. The ambulance had to take us to the hospital at that point due to liability issues but they agreed that we looked fine. We where checked into labor and delivery as an outpatient pair. The Ob on staff came and checked my bleeding and determined I had a small tear but no need for stitches. Basically they then said we could check out when we where ready. John rode with Mallory back to the house to get me shoes and clothes. When they got back we weighed little man while I got dressed and he was 8lbs 13oz!!! We left shortly after and were tucked into bed once back home.

We think Ian was hiding behind my public bone and that he was fine we just couldn't hear him. We also think that the "typical" birthing position may have been a big help in me getting him out as well as having my water broken. I pushed much better in this position and was able to feel what I was doing which made a huge difference!

All in all I am very happy with our delivery. I got skin to skin, nursed right away, a second unmedicated vaginal birth, and no separation from my baby. The most important things for me. And I wasn't to tired to do it which was my fear.