I realized, I never wrote out Avery's birth story. I think part of the reason is because of the overwhelming flood of emotions that come with it. But, I want to get it written out.
Firstly,I will say generally, for myself I'm all about a natural birthing experience. With little to no medical interventions,unless truly needed. The day I actually ended up having Avery, I had been contracting for six days. Contractions coming on every 4-6 minutes. Some being nothing more than annoying. Some actually being pretty painful. Either way, six days of contractions seriously wares a person down. Due to recent circumstances, my husband wasn't around for this. Or for Averys birth. But thats for another time. I did however have amazing support from my family and my friends. My parents stayed the week I was contracting to help me with the girls. I was back and forth between the hospital and home. Getting extremely frustrated that my contractions wernt dilating me. Finally on February 24th, I had an appointment with my midwife. Still contracting. She said that after a week, I was still at 3 cm. She told me she did not want me to get so tired out from it that it lead to one of my biggest fears, a c section. So, if I were still contracting later,she would not send me home. While listening to Averys heart beat, helen asked me if he had hiccups. Nope. But, it sounded like it. We decided it was the doppler. A few hours later, my contractions got more intense. Finally! My aunt Marion (who was there for every one of my births) came to take me to the hospital. The emotions of not having my husband with me, were really hard to shove aside as we were walking into to hospital. But, I did my best. We get to labor and delivery,just as they are having shift change. Which, worked in my favor. My nurse at first, I didn't really like. She hooked me up to the monitors. Helen came in,and we found out I had finally made it to four cm. So she was going to break my water (gasp). However, it was me who asked for it. I was desperate. But before she could do so, she told me that the high risk specialist had to come in with the ultrasound machine. She said Avery's heart rate wasn't registering right. It seems like it was skipping. So, it wasn't the Doppler. Dr. Dolkart came in. And in a rush, looked him over. Told me he had premature beats. The monitor couldn't keep up with his beats, that's why it seemed as if it was skipping. But that they could check it better after birth and shouldn't cause any complications. Helen then broke my water. In came my new nurse. Sweet as can be. One hundred percent supportive of what I wanted. She didn't do one thing with out asking, she didn't demand anything. She was supportive of a natural birth and loved that I was having my placenta encapsulated. My aunt and I walked the halls, for a while. Went back to the room. Where I rocked and used the birthing ball. With the lights dimmed. My aunt who was taking pictures, told me I needed to look like I was actually in labor. I was calm, smiling and laughing. The contractions were getting pretty painful. But, I worked through them. Once they started getting really bad, I got in the shower, on the birthing ball. My midwife and nurse were there when I needed them, but they didn't push. I started to doubt myself. I wasn't sure if I could go through another drug free birth. Knowing how bad I wanted one, Helen asked if I wanted to be checked,and then moved to a room with a whirl pool tub. YES!! I was six cm. And I remember thinking "that's is?!" I might have even said it out loud. I slowly waddled to another room. Got into the bath. I'm not sure I was even there for two minutes before I started feeling pressure and extreme pain. I started screaming for my aunt. I told her I wanted out,I had to push. And damnit if I wasn't a complete ten cm,I wasn't doing it. Sure enough, since the last time I was checked,not even ten minutes prior, when the nurse checked I was complete!! Thank goodness. However, my midwife was assisting an emergency c section. So they asked if I minded another midwife from a different office delivering. Whatever, I just wanted to hold my son. So, with my aunt by my side,as she's always been and with her help, I started pushing. Part way through I wanted to stop. For the first time through my labor, I was TOLD that I couldn't, that I needed to push RIGHT NOW. Later on, I learned this was because Avery had come out with his hand up against his face. I don't know how many times I pushed. I do know that it was only for two minutes. And I had my sweet little boy handed right to me. He was kind of blue, and to me it sounded like his breathing wasn't right. So, while we got to bond,and as his cord was still pulsing (we did delayed cord clamping) my nurse every now and then would check him. He nursed like a pro right away. Once his cord stopped pulsing, my aunt cut his cord. They weighed him. Expecting him to be 7 lbs even. He was 7 lbs 10 oz. My biggest baby. After an hour of just admiring how beautiful he was, his breathing still wasnt right. So they took him to the nursery to check him over as my aunt went with him. I had to get a couple stitches for a small tear. Got cleaned up,and took my stuff to my room. Waiting for my blood pressure to be checked so that I could go be with him. Finally, I got to go to the nursery. When they brought him in, he had been taking 100 breaths per minute. It should have been no more than sixty. It took four hours for his breathing to correct itself. Then they could finally give him his bath. And FINALLY come to the room with me. I was in complete awe with him. He was so perfect. The next day he needed about ekg, and ended up needing to see the cardiologist. We STILL have to go back for more tests. From the time my water was broke, until Avery was born, was 3 hours and 33 minutes. My labor with him was so much easier than the girls' labors. Somehow with the contractions and the emotions from not having Dan there, I managed to stay calmer than with theirs too..I didn't even feel like I has given birth, I felt amazing. Looking back, I know one of the biggest reasons I got through it the way I did was the love and support my aunt is always there to give me. She truly is my hero. No matter who wasn't there,and how tiring a week with non stop contractions were, I had an amazing birthing experience and was blessed with an amazing little boy. And I must say, I'm also very proud of myself.
Firstly,I will say generally, for myself I'm all about a natural birthing experience. With little to no medical interventions,unless truly needed. The day I actually ended up having Avery, I had been contracting for six days. Contractions coming on every 4-6 minutes. Some being nothing more than annoying. Some actually being pretty painful. Either way, six days of contractions seriously wares a person down. Due to recent circumstances, my husband wasn't around for this. Or for Averys birth. But thats for another time. I did however have amazing support from my family and my friends. My parents stayed the week I was contracting to help me with the girls. I was back and forth between the hospital and home. Getting extremely frustrated that my contractions wernt dilating me. Finally on February 24th, I had an appointment with my midwife. Still contracting. She said that after a week, I was still at 3 cm. She told me she did not want me to get so tired out from it that it lead to one of my biggest fears, a c section. So, if I were still contracting later,she would not send me home. While listening to Averys heart beat, helen asked me if he had hiccups. Nope. But, it sounded like it. We decided it was the doppler. A few hours later, my contractions got more intense. Finally! My aunt Marion (who was there for every one of my births) came to take me to the hospital. The emotions of not having my husband with me, were really hard to shove aside as we were walking into to hospital. But, I did my best. We get to labor and delivery,just as they are having shift change. Which, worked in my favor. My nurse at first, I didn't really like. She hooked me up to the monitors. Helen came in,and we found out I had finally made it to four cm. So she was going to break my water (gasp). However, it was me who asked for it. I was desperate. But before she could do so, she told me that the high risk specialist had to come in with the ultrasound machine. She said Avery's heart rate wasn't registering right. It seems like it was skipping. So, it wasn't the Doppler. Dr. Dolkart came in. And in a rush, looked him over. Told me he had premature beats. The monitor couldn't keep up with his beats, that's why it seemed as if it was skipping. But that they could check it better after birth and shouldn't cause any complications. Helen then broke my water. In came my new nurse. Sweet as can be. One hundred percent supportive of what I wanted. She didn't do one thing with out asking, she didn't demand anything. She was supportive of a natural birth and loved that I was having my placenta encapsulated. My aunt and I walked the halls, for a while. Went back to the room. Where I rocked and used the birthing ball. With the lights dimmed. My aunt who was taking pictures, told me I needed to look like I was actually in labor. I was calm, smiling and laughing. The contractions were getting pretty painful. But, I worked through them. Once they started getting really bad, I got in the shower, on the birthing ball. My midwife and nurse were there when I needed them, but they didn't push. I started to doubt myself. I wasn't sure if I could go through another drug free birth. Knowing how bad I wanted one, Helen asked if I wanted to be checked,and then moved to a room with a whirl pool tub. YES!! I was six cm. And I remember thinking "that's is?!" I might have even said it out loud. I slowly waddled to another room. Got into the bath. I'm not sure I was even there for two minutes before I started feeling pressure and extreme pain. I started screaming for my aunt. I told her I wanted out,I had to push. And damnit if I wasn't a complete ten cm,I wasn't doing it. Sure enough, since the last time I was checked,not even ten minutes prior, when the nurse checked I was complete!! Thank goodness. However, my midwife was assisting an emergency c section. So they asked if I minded another midwife from a different office delivering. Whatever, I just wanted to hold my son. So, with my aunt by my side,as she's always been and with her help, I started pushing. Part way through I wanted to stop. For the first time through my labor, I was TOLD that I couldn't, that I needed to push RIGHT NOW. Later on, I learned this was because Avery had come out with his hand up against his face. I don't know how many times I pushed. I do know that it was only for two minutes. And I had my sweet little boy handed right to me. He was kind of blue, and to me it sounded like his breathing wasn't right. So, while we got to bond,and as his cord was still pulsing (we did delayed cord clamping) my nurse every now and then would check him. He nursed like a pro right away. Once his cord stopped pulsing, my aunt cut his cord. They weighed him. Expecting him to be 7 lbs even. He was 7 lbs 10 oz. My biggest baby. After an hour of just admiring how beautiful he was, his breathing still wasnt right. So they took him to the nursery to check him over as my aunt went with him. I had to get a couple stitches for a small tear. Got cleaned up,and took my stuff to my room. Waiting for my blood pressure to be checked so that I could go be with him. Finally, I got to go to the nursery. When they brought him in, he had been taking 100 breaths per minute. It should have been no more than sixty. It took four hours for his breathing to correct itself. Then they could finally give him his bath. And FINALLY come to the room with me. I was in complete awe with him. He was so perfect. The next day he needed about ekg, and ended up needing to see the cardiologist. We STILL have to go back for more tests. From the time my water was broke, until Avery was born, was 3 hours and 33 minutes. My labor with him was so much easier than the girls' labors. Somehow with the contractions and the emotions from not having Dan there, I managed to stay calmer than with theirs too..I didn't even feel like I has given birth, I felt amazing. Looking back, I know one of the biggest reasons I got through it the way I did was the love and support my aunt is always there to give me. She truly is my hero. No matter who wasn't there,and how tiring a week with non stop contractions were, I had an amazing birthing experience and was blessed with an amazing little boy. And I must say, I'm also very proud of myself.
No comments:
Post a Comment