So I went into labor at around 11:45 pm on Wednesday September 26th, (Auntie Indy's Bday). I started to feel menstrual like cramps so I rested a little to see if it would pass. By then Tiff had went home and Ray was in the living room watching football highlights. Then I felt like I wanted to "use" the bathroom. So I did. I went back to my room and thought...Are these contractions?? I pull out my packet I received from my birthing class, that breaks down "false labor." It says, "if you change positions and the cramps stop, you are not in labor. To test this theory, I rose from my seated position on the bed, and stood to my feet. Liquid began to trickle down my leg, it was 12:18am on thursday 9/27/12 that my water brook.
I was so in the moment, images of the women swaying for relaxation from "The Business of Being Born," came to mind. In the back of my head I hear the birthing instructor saying, "relax, take a benedryl, take a warm shower, pack and stay out of the hospital until you are 4 cm's dilated." So I took a warm shower and swayed with the contractions. I called the Dr an hour later to let her know what was going on. She said go ahead and head to the hospital; that was around 1 am.
As the only thing I can do during a wave of pain intensified was breath, I said to Ray, "I think it's time to head to the hospital. Ray goes downstairs to get his work clothes ready and do God knows whatever else and then I say, go tell Mom and Dad so that you are not driving by yourself. I hear the movement through the house as someone else gets ready, but know one came downstairs. By this point I was like what are they doing, did they not know I am ready to go to the hospital??
By 2 am we were in the car and as we drove down towards the Bronx River Pkwy, I thought, "hmm, Lawrence Hospital is closer, should I risk driving into the city?" Then again, I remembered "If you get to the hospital at 4 cm's you can request an epidural." So off to the city we went I wanted the time to pass. We got to the hospital at 2:30am. I was barefoot and looked a hot mess (I regret not taking a picture). Ray helps me with my slippers and I snap at him b/c he was taking too long lol.. Triage was full and I had to wait. I was on one knee in the waiting area and breathing with purpose.
In triage they ask me a bunch of questions while I am managing my pains. A resident comes in and checks how far along I am. I hear, "she is 8 cms dialated." (music to my ears). I am ready for my Ep. Delay...My veins would not present themselves for my IV and so the nurses and residents were from one hand to the next. Contractions intensifying and time is going, I feel the urge to push and I do, needless to say someone came and cleaned me up.
Finally the IV is in and again, I am ready for my Ep. I do not know how much worse the contractions will be and so I am ready to remain ignorant of that pain. Now my BP is high and it is vital to see the results of my blood work, in case the BP is a result of Preclamsia. Shortly after, I again feel the urge to push (and I think I did a couple of times) but all that's playing in my head now is the labor stories of women I've recently spoke to. "you are going to feel the urge to push, and they will tell you not to push yet."
Now, Dr. J arrives and I hear her talking about putting on her socks and I am like really? I met some other nurses or residents all very nice people. I tell everyone that I need to hear what's going on, no one is talking to me and I need a play by play. This way, I explain, I know what's going on and what I need to do. I honestly can not remember the pain right before the birth. I remember saying I am ready to push. Dr. J said that is fine, right now we are waiting on you. I say ok, they say push on the contraction, I was like really c'mon. The Doc and nurses say push like you are having a bowel movement, I say NO and they say YES. I've heard and been coached not to push like I am having a bowel movement as that is what I will produce. I've been coached to push like I am crunching my abdominal muscles and breath through the push for a count of ten. So I say Ray you ready to breath? We say 1-2-3 breath in and Push 2-3-4...10 deep breath. They said great, give us another one just like that. I think back to the class and other long labor stories, "Labor is over when you baby comes out," I take a deep breath before the contraction and gave it, One Hell of a 10 count push. The ring of fire felt more like a warm feeling but no real pain. We all saw this full head of hair and this new little person.
It's 4:24 am and my baby was out in two pushes. Ray cut the umbilical cord which was too short to reach my chest. He was unimaginable, healthy, breathing, ten toes and ten fingers. I was more concerned now though about delivering the placenta, as this is the final stage of labor. Placenta delivered and I am stitched up.
It's over. I am full of energy and everyone is joyous. I am especially excited because I did not have an epidural. I had a secret desire to have a natural birth. I also must say in hindsight that, my whole approach during labor and delivery was to remain ignorant. I've read so much about the stages and was well informed during my birthing class. However, I missed the part about a contraction feeling like a menstrual cramp, and I was not counting contractions. I just wanted to go with the flow. Phew, and thank God, I made it!
Highly Recommend watching:
The Business of Being Born (Ricky Lake's research of what goes on in the hospital) after watching I was convinced of several things. First, that I wanted minimal intervention if possible. I was also convinced that I wanted to give birth in a hospital, and I knew I had to find a way NOT to resist the pain. It was also very informative on the history of hospital births and the practices of midwifery and doula services. One last thing, birth can really happen at anytime.
More of the Business of being born:
( I found this one after giving birth) Ricky and her Friend, interview women in Hollywood about their birthing experiences as well as Brazillian women about the high rate of C-sections. They even bring light to the amount of deaths from certain drugs that were once used during labor. Very informative and revealing of how assumptions and perceptions can scare the shit out of people and furthermore, be so far from the truth.
You Tube:
I youtub'ed people vlogging about their birthing experiences. It re-assured me that you can't really prepare for it and every experience is truly different. Furthermore, that people do live to talk about it.
