A Birth Story

If the title doesn't warn you to avoid this post if you don't like birthy details, then I don't know what will.

It's about time I write down our sweet little Tess's birth story before the details fade from my memory.  I know I'm already going to have to consult Byron to help me remember certain things, and it's been less than 2 months!  I wish I could blame my bad memory on having four kids five and under, but unfortunately for me I've always been this way.  Good thing I have a husband and a daughter with remarkably good memories who can help me recall the details of my life.

Monday, April 10th, six days before my due date, I started to feel some tightening in my lower abdomen around lunch time.  It wasn't painful at all, more like braxton hicks.  I'd planned to run some errands after I picked Lila up, and driving away from school I figured I'd start timing these "tightenings" since they seemed to be coming at fairly regular intervals.  The first one I recorded was at 2:59 and from then on they continued to come every 4-8 minutes.  We went to Target for a while and on the way out I called Byron to tell him something was going on, but it probably wasn’t labor.  I was very, very skeptical that it could be early labor since the tightenings were absolutely painless and I've heard so many stories of women who go on like that for days or even weeks before they finally give birth.  

Our sweet friends, and twin sisters, Stacey and Kristi had offered to watch the kids that night so we could go on one last date before the baby was born.  Even though the contractions were still coming really frequently, we decided to go out since they weren't painful and I continued to believe it was false labor.  We did tell them I was timing contractions, but said it was probably nothing.  We had planned to go somewhere nice downtown, but decided that we better go somewhere a bit more casual with an easier exit on the off chance I was in labor and my water broke or something.  That wouldn't be very fun in the middle of a nice French meal!  We went to one of our favorites, Napizza in Little Italy, where we enjoyed some delicious bacon potato, lasagna, and house pizza.  Yes, lasagna pizza.  Sooo good. Byron said to include the details of our meal because "wouldn't it be cool to know what pizza your parents ate the night you were born."  Haha!

By the time we got to the restaurant, my contractions had sped up to 2-4 minutes apart but were still pretty painless, but during the course of our meal they started to make me a little uncomfortable so we decided to go straight home after eating so I could get into some more comfortable clothes and relax.  And yes, I still thought it was false labor.  Are you sensing a theme here?  

At home I started listening to my hypnobirthing relaxation CD and tried bouncing on a exercise ball, laying down, etc. but was most comfortable just walking around.  Around 7:30 we decided we better go pick up the kids so we could put them to bed.  By the time Byron got home from picking them up, my labor had really started to pick up.  The kids of course wanted to talk to me, ask me for help with all sorts of things, and started arguing with each other and I just kept walking ignoring them and shouting for Byron to get them away because I could NOT talk to anyone at that moment.  My poor family.

The moment when I was finally convinced I was truly going to have the baby that night was when I threw up.  I’ve never heard of anyone throwing up during false labor.  That’s when Byron when to get the neighbor to watch the kids so we could go to the hospital.  Unfortunately that plan fell through so we called my mom who also wasn’t able to make it down that night to watch the kids.  Oh dear.  Three small children with no babysitter and I was about to have another child any moment.  Not a good situation.  Luckily we knew our dear friend Raquel would be willing to help night or day even though she wasn’t part of our original plan.  She doesn’t drive so Byron had to go pick her up and while he was gone I realized we needed to get to the hospital ASAP. 

I rode on hands and knees in the back of the van on the way to the hospital and that’s when I started my low moaning technique.  Trust me, it works.  Sounds awful though I’m sure.  I had a strong contraction in the doorway of the hospital and had to stop dead in my tracks.  They offered me a wheelchair, but sitting down sounded like torture and I let the contraction pass before heading up to triage.  They of course see women in this condition all day every day, so it’s no big deal to them and they ask you all sorts of casual questions to find out if you’re really in labor when HELLO ARE YOU SERIOUS IT’S MY 4^TH KID AND I SWEAR SHE’S ABOUT TO POP OUT!!!  I know they’re just doing their job, but yep, that’s how I felt about triage at the time.  Did I mention I did NOT want to sit?  Well I asked not to have to lay down on their silly little bed, but they said I had to so they could check me.  Sure enough, I was at a 9, everything else good to go, bag of waters sagging.  Take that silly triage questions- told you I was in labor!

They yet again tried to get me to sit in a wheelchair to go up to labor and delivery which I again refused despite several eye rolls from medical personnel.  The poor people in the elevator going to visit their loved ones newly arrived babies might still be suffering trauma from witnessing me in my half-open gown bracing myself against the side of the elevator in the middle of a contraction. 

I climbed right up on my knees, leaning my hands and chest on the back of the upright bed when I got to the delivery room.  This was definitely transition, and the hardest transition I’ve had yet.  I think it’s because my water hadn’t broken yet.  It’s always broken on it’s own before and oh my was I feeling a lot of pressure this time since it was still in tact.  The nurse asked if I wanted the doctor to come in to break my water because if she did the baby would be ready to come, and I responded with a definitive YES, GET THIS BABY OUT!  I was saying things like “I can’t do it, it’s too much” over and over again.  I was so much more vocal during this birth than the others, at least at the very end. 

The nurse kept assuring me the doctor was on her way, and with each contraction I felt my anger and resentment building for this unknown doctor whom I’d never met -- I don’t care if someone is having an emergency c-section, break my water now!  “Can’t someone else break my water,” I asked the nurse.  No, the doctor has to do it and she’s on her way I was reassured.  Yeah right, I thought.  She’s on her way, you’re next, blah, blah, blah, “You’re all lying to me!  You have to say that to make me feel better, but I know she’s not on her way!” I shouted.  Looking back on it I can see I may have been a bit dramatic. 

Then I felt it, the wonderful urge to push.  Yes, the baby is coming! I thought.  Unfortunately I missed the chance for a lotus birth like my awesome sister-in-law Laura got to experience, because when I pushed, my bag of waters broke and absolutely gushed everywhere on the bed (remember I was on all fours).  Byron says it literally sounded like a balloon popping.  And it felt soooo good.  All that extra pressure was gone and I was so much more relaxed.  On the next contraction I felt the urge to push again and went for it.  The nurse was still the only one in the room and had no idea what was going on.  She asked if I was pushing and when I said yes I heard her call the doctor and say to hurry because I was pushing but not to worry because it didn’t look like the baby was crowning yet.  Well, one push later I felt the baby’s head come out.  The nurse looked over and said, “The baby is out!” and rushed over to catch her.   I collapsed on my chest on the bed and said “I did it.” 

Our little Tess had arrived after 2 pushes.  8 pounds ½ oz, exactly the same as her sister (same length too, but I can’t remember right now!).  It was 9:57 pm and we had been in the delivery room since sometime after 9:30.  We arrived at the hospital at 9:15.  I held her and fell in love again for the fifth time.

Oh, and don’t worry, the doctor arrived to deliver the placenta so she could still receive her paycheck.  Thanks a lot doc.  I’m calling this my first unassisted birth despite the fact it was in a hospital.  And that’s your birth story Tess!