Here's the longer story, for those of you who want to read on...
Long before we even talked about having a baby, Ryan and I decided we wanted to have a natural birth. I had always thought women who didn't want an epidural were crazy, why wouldn't you get one? But then I went to nursing school and learned a lot about the labor process and started considering a natural birth.
When we moved back to Austin and got pregnant, we decided to go with the Austin Area Birthing Center. But then Ryan got a job in San Antonio and we had to move. I found a nurse midwife group that delivered at a hospital, and decided to go with them. They were awesome and great!
Around 37 weeks, my blood pressure started to get a little elevated and urine tests in the clinic were showing trace amounts of protein. My labs still looked good, but the midwives seemed worried about me developing preeclampsia. They started talking about the possibility of having to induce me and they were worried I wouldn't get much past 41 weeks. So I was instructed to take it easy, stop exercising, and stay home as much as I could. I was disappointed I had to stop walking because that was my delivery strategy! I had to come in twice weekly for BP checks and fetal nonstress tests. The NST’s were kind of neat because I got to spend 20+ minutes quality time in a recliner listening to baby girl’s heartbeat.
I had been having lots of cramps and Braxton Hicks since Thursday February 28th. When I went in for my appointment on March 1st(the day before my due date), I was at a 2, almost a 3 and 75% effaced. My cramps were doing something! But I tried not to get too excited, just because it could still take awhile for her to come. Well due date came and went...still pregnant...sigh.
Wednesday, March 6th, I was supposed to have a brunch date with two of my friends. Well again, I woke up at about 4am with strong regular cramps. They went away though, and so I went to brunch at the Magnolia Pancake Haus. My friend's friend had gone into labor after eating there with friends, so I was hoping for the same thing. I had a fun time, went home, and spent the afternoon relaxing. At about 5pm I started making this new recipe, Asian Orange Beef that I was excited to try. By 5:30, I was having contractions that felt really different from the ones I had been having. I talked with my mom on the phone, but didn't say anything to her because I didn't want her getting too excited in case it was nothing. But they were coming every 6-8 minutes and made me have to stop what I was doing and breathe through them. Wow they were intense! But I was kind of excited. Could this be it? I got out my birthing ball when Ryan got home, and bounced and he helped me finish dinner. By the time we were ready to eat, I couldn’t sit on a chair through a contraction, so I grabbed my ball and ate between contractions! I know I looked ridiculous bouncing and eating!
I asked Ryan to finish packing the bag to go to the hospital. He ran around trying to get everything together and I had to remind him we weren’t going to the hospital yet. Around 8 or so, we called our friends that were going to watch Blanca. Ryan took her over around 9. I was so nervous while he was gone! My contractions were getting really intense and I felt I really needed his support. I tried to watch Grey’s Anatomy in between contractions, but was having to pause them at the start of a contraction, so I gave up. I finally called the midwife to let them know I was having regular contractions for the last 4 or 5 hours. I talked with the nurse midwife on call, Lauren, (who was my favorite) and because I was in between contractions, I was pretty calm. She asked me how uncomfortable I was and I said “pretty uncomfortable.” She told me I was probably still pretty early in the labor process, and because it was late, I should take a bath, and try to get some sleep. I hung up the phone very disappointed, doubting my ability to get through labor. Twenty minutes later or so, I felt a little squirt of fluid, and thought my water might be leaking. It wasn't a lot, so I wasn't really sure. Ryan finally got home and I had him start a bath for me. My contractions sped up to every couple minutes and got so much more intense! I told Ryan I didn't think I could do this naturally. He reassured me I could and was really supportive. I got into bed after that, but couldn't sit still. Finally around 10:30 or so, I decided that I thought that my water had broken and we should go to the hospital. The worst that could happen was that they sent me home. We were waiting to call family till I was actually admitted (everyone had been pestering me since I had passed my due date!).
I was moaning really loudly at this point(we had windows open, so who knows what our neighbors thought). I waited for a contraction to end and then hurried down the 3 flights of stairs. I didn't quite make it to the car before another one came and I had to stand at the base of the stairs, moaning through it. Then I hurried up and got in the car. The hospital was only about 3 minutes away, but it took awhile to actually walk to the L&D floor because I had to stop every 2 minutes for a contraction. It was the longest walk of my life! We checked in at the desk, I had a couple more contractions, and got into triage. I kept squirming as they tried to hook me up to the monitor, and check me. I just could not sit in the bed through it! She asked if I was planning on an epidural and I very reluctantly said no. I was really hoping I was close to transition, because I knew I couldn't keep it up for hours more. They checked me and I was a 5 or 6 and a 100% effaced! I was going to be admitted! Ryan came back, they got me in a wheelchair, and they rolled me down the hall. Then I started feeling some pressure, which I told the nurse about. She said “You’re going to start feeling some more pressure now.” I got into the bed and found myself grunting. The nurse Ashley part of me was like “Hmm, I’m grunting. Textbook sign of full dilation!” The nurse asked if I needed to push and I said yes. I then started making completely involuntary LOUD noises and pushed. She checked me and I was at a full 10! Yes! Lauren was on her way, and all the nurses were in the room with me. Some of the nurses were asking my nurse, “You’re sure she’s totally dilated? Do you want an IV?” I told them there was no way I could sit still for one. I was hanging all over the side rail on my side pushing. Interestingly enough, the contraction itself was less painful when I got to push.
Lauren got there, was real calm and couldn't believe I was there! We kind of laughed about it and I told her I guess I sounded way too calm over the phone. In between contractions, I was totally calm and talking with everyone. But man, as soon as one started and I had to push, I was so loud! I asked if they had a squat bar and they set one up for me. I was all over that rail! I was getting shaky and tired, but I couldn't sit through the pushing, I had to get up and squat. Lauren told me that if laid back and put my feet up on the bar, she could help me not tear as much. So I said ok and laid back. She asked if I wanted a mirror and I said sure. I watched a little as her head crowned, and then decided I couldn't watch anymore and was doing better with my eyes closed. A couple more really strong pushes, and then they put my baby on my chest, all wet and gooey! I don’t remember if she came out crying or not. She did pee on me though! I do remember it being so surreal! I just gave birth to a little girl, totally natural without any drugs! And she was mine? It happened so fast! I kept her on my chest almost the entire time we recovered in L&D. I asked Ryan if he wanted to hold her, but he said I needed mommy daughter bonding time. He called our parents to tell them we’d just had a baby and we were sorry it had been so fast we didn't have time to call and tell them I was in labor!
She came out with her hand on her face, so I ended up with stitches (which are no fun to recover from). Lauren was so impressed with me, and told me I was definitely made for having babies, and we needed to have like 10! I laughed and told her we did want several. Seriously? I just gave birth to one and I was already talking about the next ones as my midwife is stitching me up? I was just so impressed that I actually did it! I was surprised I was so calm through the whole thing. I was really expecting to cry once I finally got to hold our baby, but I was just really calm and so happy!
Ryan finally got to hold Rylee and I couldn’t get enough of seeing the two of them together. Around 2:30am we went up to the postpartum floor. They took Rylee to bathe her and it felt like part of my heart was gone! I missed her so much and worried every minute she was gone. I was tired, but I was also so full of adrenaline and I was so sore, I didn’t really sleep at all. The hospital stay was rough. I couldn’t get comfortable in the bed, and I was so sore, and I couldn’t sleep. We had some breastfeeding issues which was frustrating because that was part of the reason I wanted a natural birth, so we could avoid potential problems. We're still working on some issues, but I think we're getting there.
The postpartum period has by far been the hardest to deal with. Pregnancy, even labor was all easy compared to the last couple weeks. Breastfeeding is hard, being a mom is hard, sleep deprivation is even harder. But so worth it! We're making progress and we love our little girl. My favorite thing to do is watch her sleep. She makes adorable soft little noises when she's deeply asleep which we call her "owl hoots." She also makes much louder grunting noises in her sleep, which we call her "gremlin noises" which aren't quite as sweet to listen too when we're trying to sleep!
I'm also so grateful for my family. We've had so much help and I've felt so much closer to all the women in my life who have come, sometimes on short notice to help me. Thank you to my mom, my mother-in-law, sisters, and Granny who have all loved and helped us so much!
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| Asleep on Dad's chest, and then rudely awoken to be stuck in the bathtub! |
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