Jared and I were not expecting to meet Miss Sylvia when we did! Wednesday, I went into the doctors office for a ultrasound to make sure she was in ship shape to keep on waiting. That was not the case! Her waters were low, she wasn't "breathing" in utero, and her heart rate was low. All of those things pushed me out of the low risk category. Dr. Podraza sent me over for a "balloon induction". So, what that means is that he inserted a catheter in my cervix, and filled some in the front of my cervix, and some in my vagina. The pressure between the two stretched and dilated my cervix. Jared wasn't there, we had no one to watch my kids, Amy (my dula) was at another birth, and I was there all alone! That was scary. Jared found someone, headed over and the induction started, and Amy's other client stalled. Finally we were REALLY going to start! Podraza said it would take about an hour. Not the case. Immediately my labor kicked off! At 1pm, my labor was into contractions every 5 minutes. We were getting this baby out! Amy was a great help!
Labour progressed really well and by 8pm, the balloon popped out and I was 6cm dialated. It really picked up and we were all really excited! By 10pm, I was at 7cm and my water broke. And it all changed. I had really intense contractions and had a hard time relaxing in between. I wasn't sure i was going to make it to the end. I started to panic especially when i was having a contraction. Jared was tired, my dula was tired, and i was EXHAUSTED. (this was my special sucker. i had that thing for an hour!)
I took a shower, we all tried to nap, but nothing was changing. I wish someone had taken a picture of Amy at the foot if my bed, Jared at the head, me on my side and all of us trying to sleep between contractions! The nursed checked me about 3am, and I had no change. I was still posterior and no progression. I knew then that I would be put on pitocin. The game changed about then! I needed relief. We talked about just an IV drug, and I agreed, but another contraction came and i said NOPE! Epidural, please. After the epidural at 5am, things got hazy.
I finally was relaxed, we finally got some rest, and i thought for sure i'd have this baby by noon! Wrong. I still had slow and steady labour. Podraza monitored my pitocin very carefully. He made sure it was just the right amount for my body to work WITH the pitocin. There was a lot of turning it up and down for my progress. I made it up to a 7.5 and my cervix was in the right place at about 6pm. Progress! At last! After that, things started to speed up. Jared left to get himself dinner and I was feeling a lot of pressure. I wanted to be checked and my dula said, "Wait" with a huge smile on her face! Jared got back, i was checked, and i was a 9.5!!!! People got ready, then it all started to rush. I was really not really ready for what happened next. I looked at Amy and said, "I'm going to push?!" And she said, "It's time to meet your baby!" It was a very insane feeling. Like I was never going to get here, and then BAM! It's time! I pushed a few times, and I was getting frustrated. They kept saying I was making progress, but I just wanted to be done. I was so tired. Jared was SO supportive during pushing. He kept telling me how awesome I was, how great i was doing, when to push, and how much he saw the baby. It was amazing. I evenutally got sick, threw up everywhere, and she came past my pelvic bone. Then i got energy. Amy looked at me and said, "Get mad, and get this baby OUT!" So i did! Two pushes later, (no rips or episiotomy!) and she was out! I could NOT believe it!
I just had a baby! She was placed on my chest and I was almost afraid to touch her. It was surreal! I just did EVERYTHING i said i was going to do! I couldn't believe it! I was so happy and proud of myself. I Had a vaginal birth!
There were so many times I was worried that this wasn't going happen. What if Podraza changed his mind about letting my body take it's time? What if i got scared and scheduled a section? What if i spent all this money on Amy and she was a waste? Then there were the concerns during labor. When i stalled at six, i needed Pitocin, was that going to be too hard on my body. Did i just give myself a "death" sentence when i said yes to an epidural? Was Podraza going to give me a time line?
I'm telling you, my decisions from the beginning of my pregnancy made a huge difference. First, was my belief that i could VBAC. My body was made to birth. I had to do some serious meditating and visualization in the last two weeks, but they helped! Staying positive helped!
Second was my support from my dear, sweet, amazing husband. I'm not sure my extended family thought i could have a vaginal birth. Not that they said anything directly, but they also werent' above and beoynd excited for me to try. Knowing Jared trusted my body, and my choices were more important than the belief in myself.
Third was hiring Amy as my dula. I love her, i trust her, I would follow her direction. She was SO worth it. She was my voice when I couldn't say what I needed. She let Jared lead when he needed to and stepped in when she needed.
And i think the best of all was my choice to have Podraza as my OBGYN. He is SUCH a good man! his belief that a woman's body CAN VBAC and should VBAC, made all the difference. I still cannot thank him enough. He was there from Wednesday at six a.m. Until 12 a.m. Friday morning!
And every time I asked him "what's the plan?" He'd respond, "have a baby" or "wait for your body!" Not "If you don't push by 9pm...SECTION!"
Not many women get to have the experience I had. Many don't get the opportunity to build this support around them like I had an opportunity to. I'm humbled, I'm grateful, I'm still surprised, and lucky enough to have this little lady added to my awesome family!
Not many women get to have the experience I had. Many don't get the opportunity to build this support around them like I had an opportunity to. I'm humbled, I'm grateful, I'm still surprised, and lucky enough to have this little lady added to my awesome family!
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