A couple things to note before we dive in--
1) I wanted the experience of a natural birth. My labor with Elana was an induction with pitocin, which increases the intensity of contractions, plus I had a horrifically long pushing stage. Sam was breech so he was a c-section a week before my due date. I had no idea what to expect from my body in terms of a natural labor and was still open to intervention like pain meds, etc., but the goal was to have a calm, peaceful, natural birth.
2) Early on in pregnancy I had been labeled GBS positive. That's Group B Strep, a bacteria that lives in your gut and sometimes lady parts. A third of women have it, it comes and goes often with no symptoms, and really doesn't matter unless you're having a baby. The bacteria can pass to the newborn during delivery and compromise the weak immune system, resulting in infection that has the potential to be deadly. Now, the odds are extremely low, but serious nonetheless. The current protocol is to administer antibiotics every 4 hours during labor until delivery. I did a lot of research and ultimately decided that the risks did not outweigh the benefits. I agonized over this decision for a long long long time. Just as I had agonized over whether to VBAC or have a repeat c-section. As a mother I would do anything to protect my baby, but it seems to me that antibiotics are not without consequence. If you want to know more, here's an article (written by someone else) that sums up all of my research:
http://www.healthychild.com/treating-group-b-strep-are-antibiotics-necessary/
I was nervous about how the hospital would treat me once I declined antibiotics, and when I asked my OB at an appt she was shocked. But then she also said, "Hopefully it will happen so fast there won't be time!" Clearly they are not even convinced that antibiotics play an essential role...
3) I felt that Lucy would come early. I had no reason to think that, other than my instinct. My due date was Jan 10, but as the day neared, I checked the calendar to see when the closest full moon would be and that date was Jan 5; so began my hope that she would be born Jan 5. :)
Ok, on with the story:
I had a lot of braxton hicks with this pregnancy... for months really. As I neared my due date they started to occur more often, for example, during the day and night instead of just the evening. On Monday, Jan 5, I woke up around 3a to stronger contractions. I didn't necessarily think it was labor, but rather more intense braxton hicks. It felt good to hum through them (nothing new) so I decided to lay on the couch downstairs as not to wake Colin. The contractions continued in strength and were 5-10 min apart (also nothing new). I wasn't getting any sleep so I decided to take a shower, just in case I was going to have a baby that day.
While I was in the shower, I noticed the intensity of the contractions picked up. I started rocking side to side to stay relaxed. This was the first time I thought I might actually be in early labor. I was making enough noise to wake up Colin so he came to check on me and I told him I might be in early labor but that I wasn't sure yet. He got excited.
After the shower I went back to the couch and sent a message to my doula, Adelaine, that I was probably in early labor. Being in the birth photography business, I know how nice it is to get a heads up when a woman thinks she *might* be in labor. :)
5:30a
Me: "Morning (it's so early)! - I think I'm in early labor. I just sent you an email about what I'm experiencing, but now I can add bloody show and lower backache to the list, and that felt like it was worth texting you. I'll text you again later when things progress or slow down!"
We discussed resting since I had been up for a while and also the importance of drinking lots of water. I had purchased coconut water in order to keep my electrolytes up; it was surprisingly sweet, but a little lime did the trick!
6:45a
Adelaine: "Just went outside and there's a gorgeous full moon setting through the lovely trees. What a lovely beginning to a birthday! I'm ready when you are and can be there in 25-30 min when you say."
I was very conflicted as to whether or not I was in early labor or false labor because my contractions were quite varied. Colin planned to stay home for the day but still needed to take the kids to school. It was the first day back after winter break for Will and Elana, and also Sammy's first day of Parents Morning Out. I decided it could be beneficial to have Adelaine at the house with me while Colin was out, just in case things picked up. I also texted my friend Brooke in Greenville, SC who had planned to come stay with the kids.
8:06a
Me: "Diarrhea, mucous plug lost, and a lot more bloody show, so, I think today's the day!"
With the kids and Colin gone, and Adelaine at the house, we decided I should try to eat some breakfast. I had plain yogurt with blueberries and honey. Contractions started spacing out, which was disappointing to me mostly because I had made the call that I was in labor but was still wondering if we were days away from delivery. The rest of the morning and early afternoon were spent going through cycles of rest--increasing contractions--decreasing contractions--activity to promote contractions--back to rest. I took a relaxing bubble bath. I'm not sure if there was a relationship but my contractions seemed to have increased when Colin was around and decreased when he needed to step out (picking up kids or otherwise tending to them). Around lunch time I made some vegetable juice because I needed nutrition but didn't really feel like eating anything. During one of the lulls I decided it would be great to have Mexican quinoa for my first meal after delivery so Adelaine went to the store for a few ingredients so Colin could stay home with me (in hopes to help my contractions pick up). I attempted to make the food but really I just walked around the kitchen having contractions while Colin made it. My contractions slowed and I took a nap with Sammy in my bed.
3p
Brooke and two of her girls arrived. At that point I was in a phase of more frequent/intense contractions and had been upstairs in my room for quite some time. My contractions had progressed in a way that was causing quite a bit of pressure on my back. Adelaine and I had been doing a number of things during those more active phases: belly wrapping, lunges, hands and knees rocking, squeezing my hips during contractions (which helped TREMENDOUSLY with the back pains), and of course putting the water bottle in front of me after each contraction. I really needed someone to do that! I was uncomfortable enough to be grumpy and worn out so I started smelling lavender oil to relax. I knew that my contractions were still not strong enough for me to be in "active labor" and with the constant stop and start, frankly, I was dumbfounded as to why I wasn't on a steady trajectory from early labor to active labor. I developed a lingering back pain on my left side so Adelaine tried a number of acupressure points to help me relax. Somewhere in there it was suggested I eat again so Colin made me toast with avocado. Sometime after 4p I became overwhelmingly sleepy (and my contractions had yet again spaced apart). It was the first time all day that I felt as though I knew exactly what I needed to do: rest (for most of the day I had been preoccupied with how my decisions to rest or keep active were affecting my labor). I remember looking out the window and seeing how the sun was starting to set. I expressed my disappointment that I wasn't further along but resigned myself to the process. Adelaine did a few more acupressure points thought to help get baby in a better position and also increase dilation.
After that period of rest (I don't know how long), I woke up again to contractions, but they were the strongest yet. The humming and rocking I had been doing started to change to a louder moan and the back pain was so intense that I had to have someone squeezing my hips during every contraction. This was when I knew that I had finally progressed to the next stage of labor. I didn't like the way I felt, but I knew that things were FINALLY getting started and that was reassuring/validating. Still upstairs in my room, I worked through the contractions. One in particular felt a little pushy (as in I felt my body starting to push a little) and that was when I decided we should go to the hospital. We weren't even timing my contractions yet, although they had been coming steadily, probably 2-5 min apart. It definitely appeared early to be leaving for the hospital but I decided I didn't want to be in the car for anything more intense than what I was already feeling, even at the risk of stalling the labor (which can sometimes happen during a transition).
5:36p
Colin called my doctor's office to let them know we were going to be on our way. He was on the phone for what felt like a long time; apparently the hospital was more concerned with whether or not I had Ebola! At one point they asked if my stomach was hard in between contractions. I still don't understand that question! Adelaine and I decided to start heading to the car even though Colin was still on the phone. I was hoping to make it downstairs and outside before the next contraction because I didn't really want all the kids staring at me, but I only made it to the kitchen. By this point my vocalizations were quite loud so I buried my face in the pillow I had in my hand. All the kids stared. They were very concerned but I assured them I was doing great. One of them asked if I was singing and Brooke said. "Yep! She's singing to that baby" or something to that effect. ;) I started to head for the door but only made it to the other side of the island before another contraction hit. After that one I went outside while Adelaine and Colin started collecting the bags. I had one more contraction outside before making it into the car. I wondered if any of the neighbors could hear me. I got in the backseat of Colin's car and faced backwards on my knees hugging the pillow in the space of the back windshield. The next contraction came and I felt my water break. It was as though there was a hot water balloon that gently burst. I didn't even look down. I couldn't believe it happened in the car but was also pretty focused on the labor. At that point I was just glad it didn't get all over my new slippers I was wearing. Colin was the next face I saw and I said. "my water just broke." He ran inside to get towels (and apparently very cheerfully announced that my water had broke... in the car). He was excited to see my progress. With Colin and Adelaine still grabbing stuff from inside the house, I felt the next very intense contraction and Lucy's head. I pulled down my pants and reached down because it seemed like she was already crowning and sure enough I felt a little head full of hair. Adelaine was the next one to the car so I said, "She's coming out!!!!!" Suffice to say that Colin and Adelaine abandoned their tasks and we started driving to the hospital.
5:58p
My contractions were out of this world intense and I was screaming and shouting out the back while Colin drove to the hospital (that is about 10 min away). The contractions were so strong that I couldn't not push, hard! I tried to relax in between in order to give us time to get to the hospital. I suggested we call 911 to let the ER know the baby was coming out and we needed a team ready for us at the curb. Adelaine was with me in the backseat and watching my progress/helping me stretch/other unmentionables (ha). With me shouting out the back windshield, I can only imagine what the drivers behind us thought was going on... I couldn't believe my baby was coming out in the car but also just had to accept it--there was no choice about it! I wanted to get to the hospital!
We pulled up to the ER and I was both very relieved to be there but also concerned about how long I'd have to push based on how long I'd already been pushing (not that it had been long but I was kind of expecting Lucy to pop out in just a few pushes). There was no one outside to meet us; Colin ran in and the security guard said, "You the one with a baby?" and I saw him (the guard) come out with a wheelchair. Um, no. I didn't see the next few minutes of activity but Adelaine said that when I pushed Lucy's head out there was no one else in the car. Apparently I announced it matter of factly, "Heads out." Meanwhile Colin was trying to get the ER to understand we didn't just need a nurse, we needed a doctor to catch the baby. Folks (staff) came out and there was a lot of back and forth about getting me out of the car but the stretcher wouldn't fit through the main entrance and they couldn't get it close enough to me and how the heck am I supposed to get out of the car with a head sticking out?! At that point I was on all fours (still in the back seat) because I had tried (and failed) to make it out of the car. I screamed a number of obscenities, mostly because I felt myself tearing and I wanted to get my legs further apart but couldn't because of the width of the seat. At some point a couple folks (staff) hopped in the back seat behind me then very quickly hopped back out. Lol. Not sure if that was before or after her head was out. A labor and delivery team came with a cart of instruments but the wheels fell off going over a bump and all the instruments scattered on the pavement. Finally there was a doctor behind me to catch Lucy. He saw that Lucy's head was purple, which he later said was likely due to my position and the fact that it was extremely cold, so he was anxious to deliver her as fast as possible; we were unaware of this at the time. I felt an unproductive push and started to worry that Lucy was stuck. On the next push I felt the doctor maneuver Lucy and the rest of her body came out at 6:15p (her shoulder was hooked so he had reached in and pushed on it, allowing her to make it all the way out). They very quickly cut the cord and started stimulation which she responded to! There was brief debate over whether to take Lucy to a warmer but Adelaine quickly interjected they should put her with me. So I turned around and grabbed her with blankets bundled around her and stepped out of the car (wearing only a tank top) and onto the stretcher. I believe this was the first moment I realized how many people were outside; it was a solid wall of blue scrubs, probably 25 people, for which I was very thankful because otherwise everyone in the ER waiting room would have seen EVERYTHING.
They covered me in blankets and wheeled me inside. Even though we had barely made it in the door, someone asked how baby was and when we looked under the blanket she was blue. A nurse stimulated her and she responded right away. I'm so glad that person asked! I saw faces looking at me as we went through the ER waiting room. I remember one lady in particular shouting, "Congratulations!!!" I think I tried to smile back. I had to have been in shock. Also I was still in a lot of pain.
We made it to the labor and delivery room and Lucy went to Colin for skin to skin time (and Adelaine stayed with/took a first pass at cleaning the car). I had to get myself off the stretcher and onto the bed which was very difficult. I had intense pain in my back/bottom, my legs were shaking, and the contractions were still strong because I hadn't delivered the placenta. Once I was on the bed I delivered the placenta and felt a lot of relief although the pain from tearing became my biggest concern. The OB had to give me multiple numbing shots. In an effort to stay calm I asked Colin to come sit closer and tell me about Lucy. Considering all that had transpired, the hospital could have easily whisked Lucy away but I am grateful that through the promptings of Adelaine and the flexibility of the staff that Lucy was able to remain with us. We delayed weighing/measuring/shots/eye ointment and were able to enjoy a few moments of peace with our healthy baby girl. We nursed for a little bit and then she pooped on me. :) I guess I had forgotten there were things called diapers to help with that!
It took me a long time to get my big camera out (see previous post for those photos), but I snapped a few pics with my phone. I spent the first 12 hours mostly awake, watching Lucy closely for any possible signs of the GBS infection. Luckily she remained healthy! The second night she cluster-fed (essentially non-stop feeding) from 9p-1a. That was really tough considering I had not slept enough the first night, but I'm sure she did it for a good reason (cuing my body to switch from colostrum to milk). We did the eye ointment and also the vitamin k shot during a cycle of sleep in order to reduce stress. The hep vaccine we delayed til first pediatrician appt. We stayed at the hospital for 48 hours after delivery (to monitor for GBS infection, which there was none). A mobile detailer came and cleaned the car. ;) We were not allowed to have visitors because the hospital had just instituted a flu policy (only family and only those over the age of 18 could come) so the kids didn't get to meet Lucy until we got home. But how they love their new baby sister!!!
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| 8lbs 2.5oz, 20" long |
I have to thank the Perkins for caring for the rest of our family during this time, Adelaine for doing a great job guiding me and Colin through the labor AND CLEANING THE CAR (OMG), Dr. Rogers (ER doc) for delivering Lucy safely, and of course Colin for all the things he did before and after Lucy's arrival--it's a lot to juggle a laboring woman and 3 kids... or a postpartum woman and 4 kids! I feel like so many aspects of Lucy's birth came together in just the right way. It's a little overwhelming actually. I know that the Lord had a hand in it, and no matter what happens He is worthy of our praise. We are grateful to be rejoicing and celebrating this new life!
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