Nolan's Birth Story: The Perfect Ending

Every person has a birth story. Whether yours was a long drawn out labor, an emergency C-section, or you were born in the car on the way to the hospital...every person has a story. Growing up, I remember my parents telling me mine (2 weeks early, snow storm, emergency C-Section). I've decided to write out each of my children's stories, so they will have them forever. This is Nolan's.

As most of you know, on Tuesday, August 19th I had a midwife appointment. I knew she wanted to "strip my membranes" since I was full term, very dilated, and had a "favorable" cervix. After my appointment I came home and sat on a birthing ball for a long time. After lunch, I took a short nap and waited for my friend, Brooke, to arrive.  She was REALLY hoping to meet Nolan, but he just couldn't be bothered with coming out yet. She and I walked with the kids down to the park in our neighborhood, it was good to catch up as the kids played.

I went to bed Tuesday night around 11:30 - feeling like nothing was going to happen. Then at 2:45am I felt a gush. I was pretty sure I hadn't peed the bed, so I got up and ran to the bathroom. Sure enough, it was my water breaking. I yelled for Tyson from the shower and he sprang into action. We both showered and dressed...I woke my mom up to tell her we were leaving. We were in the truck by 3:15. I called Nancy to let her know what was happening.

As we got closer to Ann Arbor, my contractions got harder and faster. I was timing them at 6 minutes apart. For the record - riding in a "Monster F&%$" on Michigan's pot-hole filled roads, while having contractions is VERY unpleasant. We made it to triage by 3:45am.

Around 4:15 the L&D nurse came to take me to my room. It was a long walk, but I was able to get there in between contractions. I sat on the edge of the bed while she entered my info into the computer and the tub was being filled with water. My body was shaking, which I knew meant I was in transition phase. At 4:45am I got into the tub. The water was hot, but it felt good! I sat up on my knees and leaned forward, resting my head on the edge of the tub. Immediately contractions got stronger and I started feeling a lot of pressure in my back. I won't lie - this sent me into a panic...thinking I was having another posterior baby.

My midwife walked in around 5:10. She applied pressure to my lower back as I was contracting and I felt immediate relief. A few contractions later I asked her if she could check my progress...and in the very next breath I was screaming that I was ready to push. She checked and sure enough, the baby's head was crowning. I got in all fours (instinctively, because I never imagined I'd deliver in that position) and 4 pushes later - the midwife passed Nolan under the water, between my legs, so I could lift him up into the world. He was born at 5:34am. It was amazing.

He never cried, just looked up at me - calm and alert. He was perfect. I was on an oxytocin (birth hormone) high afterward. I felt great. Tyson and I were blessed with our third child and we knew our family was complete.

If I would have written out the way I hoped Nolan's birth would go (before he was born)...this story, his story, would have been perfectly written.

A Baby Story - the written version

As everyone knows, Josephine Elizabeth joined our family on November 30, 2011.  What you may not know is how she decided to arrive. Here is a scaled back version of her "Adventure to Birth."

Let me start by reminding you that Tuesday the 29th I had my 38 week check up. My doctor had determined I was 3cm dilated. In my head I started thinking, "It's time...she's coming."  So that night I was a woman on a mission.  I wrote a fairly detailed email to the grandparents about Jack's daycare arrangements, hospital info, etc.  I had Tyson put the infant seat in the car and we brought the hospital bags downstairs. Tyson could tell something was up.

At 1:30am I was up with Jack and felt fine.  Then at 4am I started feeling contractions. I waited a few out and then decided to start timing them.  They were 5 minutes apart, so I got up and started moving around (to see if they would stop).  By 5:00am I knew it was "the real thing."  I woke Tyson up and he jumped in the shower.  Then I started calling people. I called my mom to let her know, then called Nancy.  While I was on the phone with Nancy, my water broke (all over the guest room floor. nice.). Finally, I called Brooke - who had offered to come stay with Jack. By 6:15 - Tyson and I were headed to the hospital.

When we arrived they "checked" me again and much to EVERYONE'S surprise (nurses, doctors, ME!) I was 8cm! Immediately I was asked if I wanted an epidural.  I told them I was feeling pretty good and I would wait to see how things went. I knew I only had 2 centimeters left to go...

Background: I had a bit of an "epiphany" after Jack was born. I was annoyed that I had received an epidural too late. It didn't seem to have worked well and my entire thigh was numb for more than six months afterward. So when I became pregnant with Josie I decided to do my "homework" and understand what a natural birth would entail. I read a lot of books, watched "The Business of Being Born," and talked to as many "natural birthers" as I could. I really felt like I could do it.

Fast forward to Wednesday morning - my contraction were hard and strong...and I felt that everyone who walked in the room asked if I wanted "something for the pain." I looked at Tyson - "Can I do this?" I asked him. He assured me that he knew I could.  And my nurse (who was awesome) - told me that no one else would ask if I wanted pain medications.  That was it...the decision was made.

Labor was intense. I won't go into details, but if you are interested - I won't lie to you when you ask. I'm pretty sure my eyes were close 95% of the time. I had such intense back labor and tried every position possible to ease it. By 9:45 my doctor (ironically, the same one who had checked me Tuesday AND the same one who delivered Jack) announced that I could push. Best.Words.Ever! Again, I will save the details...but there was lots of "coaching", a birthing bar with a sheet to pull on, and I will admit - I was the woman who scares everyone in Labor & Delivery. Yes, I was the screamer. Trust me...you would have been screaming too.

Fifty minutes later, our sweet baby girl arrived. She was "sunny-side-up" (aka: posterior) - which explained the intense back labor.  The relief I felt was unreal. I held Josie for a long time before they took her away to be cleaned up.  As they were cleaning her, they heard her making grunting noises (which is an indicator of respiratory distress) - so they took her to the NICU for observation. Tyson, being the amazing Daddy that he is, went with her.  After an hour, I was taken up to the NICU to nurse her. She was a champ and the doctors determined she was just fine.

We spent Wednesday night in the hospital. Josie was in the nursery most of the night, so I could rest...and was brought in for feedings.  The second time around, the hospital seems like a prison. They have crazy rules and they make you do things that seem silly (with the first baby, you don't know any better). If you can't tell, I got in "trouble" for breaking their rules. I knew I needed out of there! We were discharged at 3:30pm and I was happy to be home where the policy is - my baby, my rules.

So - would I do a natural birth again? Yes, I would. Honestly, I feel great. And I'm proud of myself for "pushing through" (literally) the pain. I was in control 100% - from start to finish.  Granted, I realize this birth plan is not for everyone. Obviously, from start to finish my labor was a little over 5 hours - so it seemed completely do-able in my head. If I was dealing with a long, drawn out labor - my feelings may be different. But - knowing what I know about Jack's birth...and now Josie's birth... I better be in a hurry to get to the hospital from now on. Tyson's an amazing birthing coach...but I don't think I want him to deliver our next child in our family room or along the road somewhere.