And Then There Were Three: Baby Boy's Birth Story - Part 2

The acupuncturist was amazing. She explained what the purpose of the needles were for and why she placed them as she did. I laid, relaxing in the quiet, dim room, and felt contractions come. The weren’t as strong as the were that morning, but they were there and they seemed regular.

After an hour, we removed the needles and I headed home to grab some food and “rest” before my midwives arrived. We ate as a family and I tried to rest, but I had been out of the house for 5 hours and the girls needed Mama’s attention. Drew attempted bedtime and my midwives and doula arrived. We did accupressure. We talked about herbs. I went for a walk with Drew and Lady Lou. At around 10 they gave me red raspberry leaf tea and we discussed my options. We all agreed that I needed rest since I had been out all afternoon and we’d meet back in the morning at 10 for - CASTOR OIL.

I really didn’t want castor oil. REALLY didn’t want it. After everyone left, I settled in to watch the last episode of The Tudors on Netflix and try to relax my mind so I could sleep. I noticed that my contractions were a little more intense and a little more painful, but I assumed that was from the tea. At around 12:30, Drew tucked me in and I was able to drift off amidst the slow waves of pain.

At 2:45, I woke up. Why was I awake? A contraction hit and I tried to lay through it. I squirmed. I sighed. I gripped the pillow. Well that was, unpleasant. I rolled to the other side and got as comfortable as I could. I felt the twinge and then the wave again. I glanced at my phone 2:49. Interesting. I sat up to decide if I should move or just wait. Twinge and wave - 2:52 am. I got up and headed to the bathroom and had several more contractions sitting on the toilet. Each more intense. Each 3 minutes apart.

Drew heard me lingering in the bathroom and came in to see if I was okay. I looked at him and asked “Am I in labor?” He grabbed his contraction timer and we sat together through several contractions. “I think maybe, yes?” he finally replied. I now had to breathe through the contractions. He coached me through and timed them all. On average, they were over a minute long and about 3 minutes apart. At 3:30 I went to stand to change positions and lost my mucus plug. I called my midwife.

She told me to monitor the contractions for 30 minutes and keep her updated. I shifted to the floor and took the next few contractions on hands and knees. 15 minutes later she called me back and told me she was heading over to my house. I grabbed a towel to make the tiles a little more comfortable and hung out in the bathroom.  Drew made himself a cup of coffee because he hadn’t been to bed yet. At this point, I began to realize that this might be it.

When my midwife arrived a few minutes after 4, G told me to keep doing what I was doing. Her assistant was en route and she wanted to see how I labored. Contractions kept coming and she checked the baby’s heart rate. He was doing great. After a few more contractions, I moved to our bedroom so I could kneel and lean on the side of the bed. The contractions got a little closer and more intense.  

At 4:45, M arrived and we checked the baby’s heart rate again. At this point, they went downstairs to let Drew and I have some privacy. It was time for me "to do my work" as she presented it. I asked about the pool and she said she wanted to wait until I would be at the “get me meds” point at a hospital. They shut our door and Drew knelt beside me. As the contractions came, I had a harder time just breathing through them. Soon, I was moaning on the exhale to try to focus on something else. Drew stayed by my side: holding my hand, reminding me to breathe, and that the contraction was almost over. At a few minutes after 5, I looked at him and said “I need something, NOW.” He went downstairs to give my message to G and M. They entered the bedroom and G said- "I’m going to check you now." I laid on the side of the bed and she did a quick check - 6-7 cm and very stretchy. At the time all I heard was 6-7, not the stretchy part. I asked if I could have the tub and she said she thought it was time.

It is at this point in my birth story that some aspects get hazy. I know that Drew and M went to the laundry room to get water going. I know that G stayed with me to keep me calm, relaxed, and hold my hand during contractions. I also remember asking to go to the bathroom because there was so much pressure I had to pee AGAIN. I remember going down the hall because the pool in our bathroom was still filling and I didn't want to trip in the hoses.

When I made it to the bathroom and say down, another contraction started to form. About 1/2 way through, my body tried to push on it's own. I freaked and told Andrew to get G. "I don't want to have my baby on the toilet!!" G came to listen to my next contraction and told me this was all a good sign. M had finished up with the tub and it was ready and waiting for me.

I walked slowly back down the hall, into our bathroom, and sunk into the heavenly water of the birth pool.

And Then There Were Three: Baby Boy's Birth Story - Part One

Prodromal labor. Before my third pregnancy I had no idea what this term meant or that such a thing even existed.  You were pregnant, then you had contractions that eventually regulated in a few hours, then you had a baby - simple right? WRONG.

With Miss Moo, I had Braxton Hicks, but no real contractions until they were 5 minutes apart and I woke up trying to determine just why I was awake. With Miss Roo,  I had random contractions for a few days before labor, but nothing that seemed abnormal. Once I was in labor with both, the contractions came or they didn’t (as with Roo) and then after a few hours I pushed out a baby.

And then there was Baby Boy. I began having some contractions with him at about 36 weeks.  I didn’t really find this odd being my 3rd pregnancy. None of them were strong enough to worry me, they simply just were. At 38 weeks I had stronger contractions, but nothing regular. I was sure that I would meet my son soon and had my parents come back to town “just in case.”

At the 39 week mark I started having periods of contractions. Ten minutes apart for two hours and then nothing. Seven minutes apart for 5 hours then nothing. I would go 12 hours and feel no contractions and then begin to think things were starting when another 4-5 hour session would set in. Nothing really HURT, but they WERE uncomfortable - they weren’t false labor contractions.

At 40 weeks, I got nervous. I felt pressure ALL THE TIME. Contractions were pretty steady at 10-15 minutes apart, but they still didn’t really hurt. I didn’t think I was ever going to have this baby.  I went for a fluid check and a non-stress test. I was told by the tech “Sadly, your fluid levels are fine.” Apparently, most moms she sees at 40w 3d WANT an induction.

At 41 weeks, I began to worry. I had fought so hard and worked towards my goal of a homebirth and it looked like it might not happen. My parents went home and I walked as much as I could. My midwife checked my cervix for the first time at 41 w 1 d : 4-5 cm and stretchy. That’s right, 4-5 cm. She gently stripped me and scheduled another NST in 3 days. I walked all weekend. We spent quality time together as a family.

I woke up Monday the 15th with contractions that hurt. I laid in bed as long as I could and go up to use the bathroom. I had been having contractions 5 minutes apart for almost an hour. This MIGHT be it. But as I sat on the toilet, my heart sank. 7 minutes, 10 minutes, nothing. I emailed my midwife to let her know what had happened. She told me to stay positive, have my NST, and come see her afterwards.

My NST went well again. We were both healthy and working just fine together. The OB that I had overseeing me checked my cervix - definitely 5 cm - and stripped me - this time not so gently.  I headed to my midwife’s office.  We had a candid discussion and she told me we needed to try some things to get my baby out. We both wanted me to have my home birth and once we crossed the 42 week mark, things were going to look grim. She suggested acupuncture and they scrambled to successfully get me an appointment that afternoon. She also suggested coming to my house that night to see if we could make anything happen. 

 I agreed to that plan and headed out the door a bit deflated and worried. I’m not a huge fan of needles. I was by myself because Drew was at home working and overseeing the girls. All I could hear was a huge clock in my head ticking away the time until I’d end up in a hospital again.