Being pregnant with my third child I thought I knew what kind of birth to expect. Both Austin and Bennett's labors were long. Austin was a c-section. Bennett was a VBAC with an epidural. I guess my little girl wanted to be different.
I'll have to back track a little bit. Ten days before Junette was due, I went to my regular dr appointment. I was excited because I was dilated 4cm already. During the appointment my doctor stripped my membranes without asking me. I was mad. I wanted her to be completely ready to come because any intervention increases the risk of a c-section. After the appointment I started having real contractions. I had contractions for 24 hours. They got harder and closer together but they weren't consistent and I just kept waiting to go to the hospital. I'm glad I did because eventually they stopped. I think if I went into the hospital I probably would have ended up with a c-section from failure to progress. There were two other times I thought I was in labor but again, didn't go to the hospital. I felt like I was on edge all week just waiting and working through contractions.
Thursday I had another doctor appointment. I was still dilated to a 4 even with all the false labor I had been having. I was a little discouraged. My doctor told me he was going out of town that weekend and said I needed to go to a different hospital and have a different doctor if I went into labor. I wasn't concerned. The hospital was actually nicer and closer to our home. I was only going to deliver at the other hospital because my doctor wanted a 24 hour surgery team available in case of an emergency.
Friday evening Austin came down with a fever. I stayed up all night checking on him. I was afraid his fever would get too high while I was asleep. At 5am I went to check on him again and felt a strong contraction. It was strong enough to take my breath away. After another strong contraction I got into the shower. I stayed in the shower until the hot water ran out. I rocked my hips and leaned on the wall and let the water hit my belly. Sometimes I hummed through the contractions. I got out and thought "Oh wow!" The contractions were a lot more strong out of the shower. I woke Jeff up and told him we needed to get to the hospital. He asked me if he had time to take a shower. I didn't want to wait but I said ok. By the time he got out of the shower I was laying on the bed moaning. We woke up the boys and got them loaded. I tried laying on the bed but it felt terrible so I leaned over the counter and rocked my hips. I was sweating and felt really hot.
The ride dropping off the boys and then going to the hospital was terrible. I didn't know if we would make it to the hospital but at the same time I didn't know how far along I was so I was worried that the contractions would get harder. The boys were asking a lot of questions and Bennett was getting a little freaked out. Thank goodness Danielle Dickson took the boys and they were totally happy and content.
After the boys left my groaning got louder. I felt like I needed to do it to get through the contractions. I thought "I can't do this anymore." The last two contractions in the car I felt like she was coming and I grabbed onto the handle near the window and pulled myself up. I was trying to not push. We pulled up to the hospital just as my contraction stopped so I ran into the hospital. I said "I'm in Labor." They started asking me questions but I couldn't say anything. I grabbed onto the counter and groaned through another one. They took their time getting a wheelchair. I couldn't even sit in it while I was having a contraction. They kept telling me to sit down so I held my finger in the air in a "give me a minute" gesture.
After I sat down the attendant asked if I wanted to wait for my husband. I said no, there wasn't time and we were off. I apologized to the attendant pushing my wheelchair because I was afraid I was being too loud. Jeff assures me I wasn't. We got up to maternity. Contractions in a wheelchair are hard by the way. The nurse asked me to sit in a chair and fill out paperwork. I wrote my first name and then stood up really fast. I felt like I needed to push again and I said "I have shingles and I was born with VSD but it closed when I was little, you need to check me!" She told me to wait until my contraction was over and then head over to triage so they could check me. I ran over as soon as it stopped and started furiously taking my cloths off. The nurse ran over and tried to close the curtains but I was already naked in front of the entire maternity ward. I got on the bed and started having another contraction. Jeff walked over to the bed just then and woosh! My water broke. When I say my water broke I mean it shot out of me! Jeff said it went 6ft and even pushed the curtain. I was afraid someone was standing at the foot of my bed and I sprayed them so I got upset and kept saying I was sorry. Jeff calmed me down when he said "woah" and he seemed really impressed. He was smiling really big. The nurse checked me and said I was an 8. Jeff looked at me with huge eyes and a big smile and said "An 8!" That made me feel a lot better. I knew I couldn't get an epidural but I was happy. I was worried I was acting the way I was acting and I'd get in for them to check me and I'd only be a 5 or 6.
Immediately they wheeled me into the delivery room. I started pushing on the way but everyone kept telling me to stop because I wasn't fully dilated yet. I didn't know I would feel the urge to push before being completely dilated. I tried to breath through it. I got on a delivery bed and immediately started pushing again. Jeff told me she had a lot of hair. I was so surprised her head was visible already. I just wanted to get her out to see her. This is the part of the delivery that isn't as clear in my mind. It all happened so fast and I remember thinking things I thought I said but Jeff and the nurses said I didn't really say much. They said something about her being the wrong way and needing to give me an episiotomy. I had one with Bennett's birth too. I remember looking at Jeff with big eyes. He thought I was scared or didn't want one but in my head I was screaming do it, do it. Thank goodness he gave the ok. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I yelled out but it was fast and she came with the next push.
They laid her on me and I thought oh wow she is here and she is so big. The on call doctor fixed me up. That part was worse than the delivery. It hurt and I cried. Jeff held my hand. My doctor's alternate came in and took over. I asked the on call doctor if she does VBACS, she laughed and said, "I do now."
I just kept looking at her and thinking, she is so big! They weighed her. 8lbs 11oz 20.5in long. She was born at 7:56am. I delivered her 15 minutes after arriving at Memorial West hospital. After they weighed her they put her on me and I nursed. She latched right on. She was a fantastic nurser and my milk came in while we were still in the hospital. While she nursed I told the doctor and nurses that it was our 8th year wedding anniversary. She was the perfect present. She is such a good baby and the boys adore her.
When Bennett and Austin came to visit Bennett looked at my stomach and said, "Mommy you're all empty." They both loved holding their baby sister. Austin wanted to examine every inch of her. Bennett wanted to eat my snacks and play on my bed.
We were eager to go home and so far it's been great. I am still in shock at how she came but I am so happy. I've had a c-section, VBAC with an epidural and a fast and intense natural birth. This birth was my favorite.
