Our birth story part II

When we arrived at the birth center Vanessa and Gus, our doula, the midwives and my photographer had all arrived before I did. In my haste to get ready the day before I forgot to fill up the mini-van with gas so we made a quick stop on the way. The biggest birthing room is huge with a full bathroom and kitchen so that seemed like the perfect room for all the people we had coming. Contractions were about 8-10 min. apart when we arrived. My midwife checked me at I was 5 cm and doing great. I spent some time chatting with Vanessa and her cousin whom I okay'ed to be in the room as she was going to be the babies God mother and I had gotten to know her a bit too during my pregnancy. We got some really sweet photos of us talking, laboring and just enjoying the process before it got serious.

Vanessa and I while in labor

Within an hour or 2 my contractions were 5 min. apart and I was ready for the tub. The birthing tub is a magical place where contraction pain hardly exists and all you feel is pressure. 5 min. quickly turned into 3 min. apart and then I started grunting. So hardly 3 hours of labor before I started pushing. My midwife checked me and I was complete

















When I started pushing it was grunts at first that quickly turned into full uncontrollable pushing. These contractions never lasted what they should have or seemed very productive. This wasn't my first rodeo so I knew what to expect and that was not it. My amazing midwife and her students were on top of our vitals the entire time. Blood pressure temp, heart rate and of course the baby's heart rate were monitored frequently and as pushing progressed baby's heart tones were being checked in between every contraction and we were all perfect the entire time. After the first hour of pushing and position changes we moved to the bed to try some more complex maneuvering as it seemed the baby was posterior which can be harder to push out.

The tub was warm and cozy, I did not want to get out. This entire time I had handled the contractions and pushing amazingly well. I was calm and collected making low moaning sounds. I encourage hypnobirthing for all my clients so figured I should actually do it myself. It really helped stay calm, when I gave birth to Sammy I was screaming and freaking out. This time was completely different even at the end.

After about 45 min. of pushing in the bed, doing hands stands with my midwives arms up me trying to turn the baby we discovered not only was he posterior but his head was deflexed or extended. Basically he was trying to come out upside down and by his forehead which doesn't mold to fit through the pelvis like the top of his head does. My midwife would turn him and he'd go right back. After a little over 2 hours of pushing and trying every trick imaginable he still wouldn't come under the pubic bone. He never made it past +1 station. After the 2 hour mark and still not a single bit of progress we decided to go to the hospital hoping he'd miraculously change positions so he can get low enough by then to labor down with an epidural or vacuum out.

around hour 2 of pushing

Since this was a non emergency transfer I could have just gone by car but I was not up for freaking my kids out by pushing uncontrollably pushing in my car while Nik drove us there so we called for an ambulance. What better place to be if he, on a whim, decided to figure his way out than an ambulance while in transit. The second the EMT's arrived I waddled my way down the stairs to a sea of complete stranger I wasn't aware were there along with my kids and husband all looking a bit freaked. I forced a smile as to assure everyone I was fine and that we were just taking this party somewhere else. The babies extended family had come in for his arrival, I had just forgotten they were coming let alone that they were there already.


Part I
Part III