The story of Olivia's birth

On 3/3/2011, I woke up around 6AM with contractions. They weren’t very strong or close together, but I was having them and they were more intense than the Braxton hicks I had been having before. Anastasia and I went about our day, but I took it easy just in case I did start to go into labor. We just snuggled and watched a lot of TV and read books. I sat on the exercise ball and rocked my hips back and forth in an effort to try to get labor going. 

When Max got home from work, we ran a few quick errands and I noticed I was having stronger contractions and they were coming less than 10 minutes apart, and by 10pm they were coming closer to 7 minutes apart. I was having to concentrate through them so I knew at that point labor had finally begun.

It was bedtime, so that is what we did. I sat up and counted contractions and dealt with them on my own. I knew what little sleep Max would get that night would be crucial. I think I was able to snooze in between for a little while, and about 1 I got up and started using different positions like the exercise ball. Around 3am I woke Max up because I really needed the help dealing with them. He started filling the birth tub and helped me through contractions.

A little after 4, Anastasia woke up and we realized we needed help. It was time to call in the reinforcements. He called my mom and she grabbed her things and was here within the hour. All throughout the night I had been texting with my midwife back and forth, and she decided to come around 4:30 and actually beat my mom here. She got her things set up while Max and I labored, and then left us to labor in the dark and quiet. This was one of my favorite things about the labor, there was very little distraction compared to the hospital and I felt completely comfortable in my own home.
By 6, contractions were coming 2-3 minutes apart but they just weren’t getting any longer or increasing in intensity. I called Mandy because I figured the baby would be here by around 10. I was wrong. The majority of my contractions were between 40-60 seconds. It was a slow, easy labor up until this point, but I was still very tired nonetheless and ready for things to progress further so I could hold my baby and be done with this whole labor business. I was having severe back labor and my midwife was convinced Olivia was posterior (she was right). She made some suggestions to help intensify the contractions so we could get the baby out. At this point I still had not seen any bloody show or mucus plug, and my bag of water was still intact.

By now, our entire birthing party had arrived—my mom, midwife, doula, and photographer. Staci thought it was a big party! I continued to labor but things just didn’t seem to be progressing like they had with Staci. I used some of the techniques the midwife suggested and really started to feel a change in the contractions. I walked around, swayed, hung on Max for contractions, walked up and down stairs, sat on the couch and got a foot rub with jasmine oil (nice!! But those contractions sucked LOL) and after a little while went upstairs to our bedroom.

I was really surprised by how hungry and thirsty I was the whole time. I would have been completely miserable at the hospital. I ate and drank through the whole thing and there’s no way I could have labored for so long without that fuel.

Finally, by 10:30, I was starting to get really frustrated. I was exhausted and I felt like things were not progressing the way they should. I finally had my midwife check me to see where we were. I was convinced I was hardly dilated, but thank goodness I was wrong. Midwife said I was 8cms and felt to see what Olivia’s head was doing. She was coming down posterior and in a full military presentation—which means that instead of tucking her chin to her chest she was holding her head straight up, and the widest part of her head was presenting instead of the smallest (crown). The midwife pressed against her head to try to get her to reposition, and also allowed more fluid to fill in the bag so it would put a little more pressure on my cervix in order to get to 10. This whole experience was really terrible pain wise but I’m glad she did it. As soon as I got up I started feeling pressure in my bottom with the very next contraction.

At this point I was teary and upset that I didn’t have a baby yet, and felt so bad for everyone in the birth party that it was taking sooooo long. Per my midwife’s orders, I found the positions that hurt the most and used them for every contraction. Not something I wanted to do at ALL but I was motivated to get Olivia out so I could be done, and I definitely think this helped tremendously. I hung on Max and put one leg up on the bedframe to try and change the opening of the pelvis and help Olivia come down. I walked up and down the stairs sideways as well—but this was really awful pain-wise and even though I wanted the baby out, I could only tolerate that one time.

Shortly after doing the stairs, I began to grunt and push very slightly with contractions. I got back in the birth tub, but found that the contractions I had there I didn’t want to push with. So, I got back out and leaned over the outside of it while I squatted. The urge to push came immediately with the next contraction. The midwife suggested I get into more of a full squat instead of leaning forward—so I was upright and the pushing was even more intense. After just a few of those contractions, I felt Olivia coming down. FINALLY, my water broke and she started to crown. It is lucky she was crowning so soon after my water broke, there was a little meconium so I was in a hurry to get her out so she wouldn’t breathe in any of that. Just a couple of pushes later her head was out, and her shoulders and body were out with the very next push. Olivia was born at 12:35pm on March 4th, 2011.
I was SO happy to finally be done!! Max caught her as she quite literally flew out, and I heard her cry for the first time. He handed her to me and after snapping a couple of pics, Mandy ran out to tell everyone, “She’s here!”. It was so amazing to get to hold her immediately after her birth. She was completely covered in vernix—so sticky and waxy and weird but I really did not care! Because my water didn’t break until she was coming out, I was losing both amniotic fluid and blood at the same time, but my midwife thought it was ALL blood. She immediately administered a shot of pitocin and something else to stop bleeding (can’t remember what she called it) and also had her ammonia thing for me to smell in case I passed out. I knew instinctually it wasn’t as bad as I could tell she thought it was—I did not feel woozy or shaky or weird like I would if I really were losing too much blood.
The placenta was delivered very shortly after the birth, and we noticed how short and thin the umbilical cord was. This is when we figured out why the labor was the way it was. Olivia spent the whole time stretching out the cord so she could come out without ripping the placenta off the wall of my uterus. We do think that is what happened in the end, but I think my body had already started to clamp down on those blood vessels. Also, this is why it hurt so much when she came out as opposed to having Staci, which didn’t hurt hardly at all. I was pushing out a baby who was bringing her placenta with her.

After examining the placenta, my midwife realized what she thought had been all blood was really also a lot of fluid, and my blood loss was within normal limits. Also, it had a subculate lobe, which may mean there was another baby there in the very beginning. I think it’s really cool that you can tell that just from looking at the placenta. 

One of the best things about having the homebirth was getting into the herb bath shortly after the birth. The herbs were very soothing and helped fight swelling. It also smelled wonderful! I brought Olivia in with me and the midwife showed me how to hold her in it. I cradled her head in my hands, careful to keep her ears out of the water. The rest of her body floated and she adjusted herself—like a little mini instinctual chiropractic adjustment. It was SO cool to watch! My hour old baby was a pro at maneuvering herself in water—fancy that.

While I finished soaking, they weighed Olivia and did all her measurements. Her head was 14”, 20.75” long, 7lbs9oz.

Big sister Staci is adjusting beautifully and loving her little sister. We are on cloud nine!

Olivia is here!!

On March 4th, 2011 at 12:35pm, Olivia Charlotte was born.  She weighed in at 7lbs 9oz and was 20 and 3/4 inches long.  She came to us after a long labor and I had to work to get her to come out--but it was worth it!!  Mandy took some beautiful photographs of the labor and birth, and put together this amazing slideshow for us.  Stay tuned for the birth story!

Looking back and planning ahead

Today marks 31 weeks pregnant, and my biggest area of focus right now is preparing for labor and delivery.  This is my second time around, and my goal is that it goes at least as well (and hopefully much better) than my first labor and delivery.  It is an amazing, almost out of body experience--at least it was for me.  Those of you that know me well (and probably even if you don't know me that well!) know that I am a huge supporter of natural labor.  In a normal, healthy pregnancy, it is my belief that it's best to allow things to progress as nature intended.  Luckily, I was successful in a natural labor and delivery with my first baby.  Almost every mom I talked to, excluding my own, basically told me I wouldn't be able to do it. But I did.  It wasn't easy, but it was something that was very important to me, and I was lucky that things progressed the way they did in order to allow it to happen. 

As I look back on Staci's birth, there are things I know I want to be different.  I don't want to have to sign 874 pieces of paper during hard labor.  In fact, it's actually illegal to ask a woman in labor to sign anything within a certain distance from a hospital.  And yet hospitals still do it.  I'm pretty sure I would have signed away my baby for all the reading I was able to do in that state.  I don't want a HEP-lock inserted into my wrist during a contraction while another nurse holds me down.  I don't want a nurse so unsupportive of natural labor she refuses to acknowledge simple requests, like keeping the lights off and being quiet during contractions.  I don't want to be 'checked' when I say no.  There is no reason to check until I am ready to push, and shoving your hand where the sun don't shine is still not ok even if I'm in labor.  I definitely don't want 15 people to waltz into the room as the baby is crowning to watch the freak show.  I literally was thinking to myself, 'perhaps I should apologize for not keeping my nether regions a bit more, well, kept?'  I really shouldn't have to worry about that as I prepare to push a baby out, should I?  And finally, I don't want a support staff so unfamiliar with the natural progression of labor that my doctor is literally MIA and barely makes it in time to catch the baby. 

As the hospital bills started to roll in, I felt angry.  We chose to have our birth in the hospital 'just in case' anything went wrong.  And I fully understand the reasoning behind that--but I can honestly say in MY situation--a healthy baby and a healthy mommy--the chances of anything going wrong are very, very slim.  Nonetheless, it was my first go and I don't regret my choice one bit.  But, it was angering to pay so much money when I felt I did not get the kind of care I SHOULD have received for that kind of price.  Seriously, if I am paying someone $800 (and that doesn't include what our insurance paid out) to waltz in and catch the baby at the last second, what have I really paid them for?  Literally, anyone could have caught her.  I could have reached down and grabbed her myself.  and saved $800! and that was only for the OB.  I think by the time all was said and done, we spent well over 2k, even with the help of our insurance.  I felt cheated.  I felt mistreated.  I was angry. 

After much research, and considering my and Olivia's healthy disposition, we have chosen to strive for a homebirth this time around.  (GASP, I know)  Before you go lecturing me on how unsafe it is, I encourage you to do your own research.  I have found surprising information confirming that for healthy babies and healthy pregnancies, it is equally as safe as a hospital birth.  If we do need to transfer to a hospital, I live just 10 minutes away.  The chances of something going wrong where we couldn't get to the hospital in time are very, very slim.  Especially since this is our second baby, and second babies generally come a bit easier than first babies.  Also, to put your mind at ease, if anything feels hinky I will not wait to transfer. 

A good overview of statistics found by a recent study in the US can be found here. 
Another overview of studies done on homebirth around the globe can be found here. 

All of that said, as long as I and Olivia stay healthy, a homebirth is ideal for us.  But in no way do I think everyone should have or want a homebirth, nor is it appropriate in many situations.  Please send healthy, happy, and easy birthing vibes our way!  64 days and counting...give or take ;)