That Day...
3:30-5:30 a.m.
My contractions started. I had had a couple of false starts, but these were different, so after a couple of hours, I decided to start the necessary phone calls. You'd think that after having one baby, a woman would KNOW when she is in labor, but each time is different! My parents decided to come up, my sister planned to come stay with Norah, we called our doula, put the neighbor on stand by... we are having a baby today.
8:00 a.m.
We went to triage, and were sent home- "you aren't in labor honey." I felt terrible about getting so many people stirred up, and all for a false alarm! We decided to go to breakfast with my parents and hang around for a bit since I had an OB appt. scheduled for 10:30 anyway. My doctor said the same thing. I was dilated to a 2.5- maybe in labor, but no guarantees. Meanwhile, my contractions were still coming every 5-10 minutes.
11:00-3:00 p.m.
Came home, tried to relax, decided to go shopping with my mom. Staying active! It was in Hobby Lobby, that I decided it was time to go home and maybe think about heading back to the hospital.
3:45 p.m.
Headed back to the hospital. My contractions were definitely stronger and closer together. Dilated to a 4.5, we were admitted at about 4:10 p.m. We are having a baby!
Okay, here is where things got a little crazy. I had wanted to go natural this time with no medical interventions. We had hired a doula, created a birth plan, and been praying heavily for a drug free birth experience. I had an epidural with Norah and it was wonderful for me, but I felt it had created some complications for her... pushing for 3 hours, vacuum extraction.
Jeremy called my mom and our doula. Our doula planned to meet us in the delivery room, once we were set up in one. Jeremy promised to call back. We ended up staying in that tiny room in triage for an hour! In hind sight, we should have spoken up, but we were otherwise focused (at least I was... taking it one contraction at a time).
5:10ish p.m.
We are finally taken to a delivery room- well, I walked there myself- stopping twice in the hallway to get through contractions. Once in our room, I had just taken off my slippers when my water broke and all hell broke loose- seriously. It was the craziest thing I have ever experienced. I wanted to push, but couldn't because I wasn't fully dilated. I remember shouting nurses, a room full of people rushing around, one nurse shouting in my face not to push, and well, a lot of pressure.
Ivy Elizebeth was born 11 minutes after stepping foot in the delivery room. My doctor made it there for the last contraction and pushing series. My doula did not. However, our birth plan was followed to perfection, and I did it without meds!
And, we have this beautiful little blessing as a result. God is good.
3:30-5:30 a.m.
My contractions started. I had had a couple of false starts, but these were different, so after a couple of hours, I decided to start the necessary phone calls. You'd think that after having one baby, a woman would KNOW when she is in labor, but each time is different! My parents decided to come up, my sister planned to come stay with Norah, we called our doula, put the neighbor on stand by... we are having a baby today.
8:00 a.m.
We went to triage, and were sent home- "you aren't in labor honey." I felt terrible about getting so many people stirred up, and all for a false alarm! We decided to go to breakfast with my parents and hang around for a bit since I had an OB appt. scheduled for 10:30 anyway. My doctor said the same thing. I was dilated to a 2.5- maybe in labor, but no guarantees. Meanwhile, my contractions were still coming every 5-10 minutes.
11:00-3:00 p.m.
Came home, tried to relax, decided to go shopping with my mom. Staying active! It was in Hobby Lobby, that I decided it was time to go home and maybe think about heading back to the hospital.
3:45 p.m.
Headed back to the hospital. My contractions were definitely stronger and closer together. Dilated to a 4.5, we were admitted at about 4:10 p.m. We are having a baby!
Okay, here is where things got a little crazy. I had wanted to go natural this time with no medical interventions. We had hired a doula, created a birth plan, and been praying heavily for a drug free birth experience. I had an epidural with Norah and it was wonderful for me, but I felt it had created some complications for her... pushing for 3 hours, vacuum extraction.
Jeremy called my mom and our doula. Our doula planned to meet us in the delivery room, once we were set up in one. Jeremy promised to call back. We ended up staying in that tiny room in triage for an hour! In hind sight, we should have spoken up, but we were otherwise focused (at least I was... taking it one contraction at a time).
5:10ish p.m.
We are finally taken to a delivery room- well, I walked there myself- stopping twice in the hallway to get through contractions. Once in our room, I had just taken off my slippers when my water broke and all hell broke loose- seriously. It was the craziest thing I have ever experienced. I wanted to push, but couldn't because I wasn't fully dilated. I remember shouting nurses, a room full of people rushing around, one nurse shouting in my face not to push, and well, a lot of pressure.
Ivy Elizebeth was born 11 minutes after stepping foot in the delivery room. My doctor made it there for the last contraction and pushing series. My doula did not. However, our birth plan was followed to perfection, and I did it without meds!
And, we have this beautiful little blessing as a result. God is good.
3 comments:
That almost exactly describes Kaleb's birth! Those 2nd kiddos, they are going to find a way to make it just as special as the first born! She is beautiful, nice work Alycia!...and Jeremy too, a little ;)
WOW what a story! Way to go momma, gotta admit, there is nothing like 'natural' child birth.
Congratulations, she is beautiful!
Thank you for sharing this! What an incredible story! I hear so many stories of nurses/doctors acting like the expectant mother has no idea what she's talking about, always over-reacting, etc. When are they gonna get it that it's YOUR body and you probably have a pretty good idea that what you're feeling is accurate? :) 11 minutes? Yes, please!
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