I am officially a 41 weeker with all of my pregnancies. I was hoping and praying not to see the 41 week mark, but alas, my babies just feel too comfy in my tummy. Both Via and Soren were born at 41 weeks and 2 days. Since I had gestational diabetes with this baby, the OB recommendation was to induce at 39 weeks. No thank you! The midwife team I saw supported my decision to not induce at 39 weeks, but wanted me to deliver by 41. When I was 40 weeks and 5 days I agreed to be induced in 4 days - a Tuesday. Upon getting home from that appointment I had a call from the midwife that labor and delivery couldn't take me for induction on Tuesday so we scheduled for Monday, August 1.
Now I was really hoping to go into labor over the weekend and avoid the induction. I tried almost all the tricks in the book and had little more than a few Braxton hicks contractions. Boooooo!
I'm the type of mama that wants as natural of a birthing experience as possible. I was induced with Via and it was not fun. With Soren I went into spontaneous labor and had an amazing and quick delivery. I was just so bummed that I thought I was looking at more of a Via-type birth experience.
Justin and I went in on Monday morning and they checked me. 2 cm 60% effaced. The midwife offered two methods of induction. Break my water and see what happens, or start me on some pitocin. Surprisingly, my gut said to go with pitocin. After a few hours I was dilated to 4 and it seemed like we were making progress. Contractions were 2 minutes apart so they decided to turn the pitocin down. I should have spoken up and that point because even though the contractions were frequent, they were not even slightly painful. After they turned down the drip progress completely stopped. Oh no! I wanted to have my baby!
I started calling them to the room to turn up my pitocin and they were laughing at me saying that I was the only person to repeatedly ask for more pit. It was about 3:30 PM and I was on a mission to have a baby for crying out loud!
Let's just say things got real fast. The contractions became increasingly painful very quickly and I could tell my body was making progress. I couldn't talk through the contractions and I felt like I wanted to labor on my knees. Just as Justin was helping me to get into that position my water broke. Yessss!!!
The midwife checked me and I was at 8 cm. Progress! I had wanted a water birth, but was not a candidate under their guidelines due to a couple of my risk factors (gestational diabetes and previous postpartum hemorrhage), but they did say I could labor in the tub for pain relief and by this time I definitely needed some relief. I hopped in and it felt amazing, but it wasn't long until I wanted out again.
Earlier in the day, my midwife had suggested that I consider nitrous oxide for pain relief - laughing gas! I thought she was kidding, but she explained that it's a nice option, because I am in charge of how often and how much I get. She also let me know that it is in and out of my system with just a few breaths. This appealed to me, so I signed a consent form earlier in the day so I could have the option if I found I wanted it.
The synthetic contractions were very painful, so after I got out of the tub I asked to try the nitrous oxide. It was weird at first, but I got the hang of it and used it to breath through my contractions. At this point it was about 6:00 p.m. I thought - I need to change positions, and I NEED to have this baby by 7:00 p.m. I hopped into the bed and they put the back of the bed up so it was more like a chair. I was on my knees again as this was truly the most comfortable for me. My midwife and my husband were awesome - giving me counter pressure on my hips. I was facing backwards and I felt the urge to push. After one and a half pushes Silas Shepherd Mederich was born at 6:07 p.m. Huzzah! Babies are amazing and tons of emotions burst forth as only they can when new life enters the world. 8 pounds, 3.5 ounces. 21 inches long. Head full of blonde hair and just as handsome as could be!
Because of my gestational diabetes I was on a very low carb diet for the second half of my pregnancy. As I was nursing Silas and receiving my post delivery care, Justin was there to feed me an old-fashioned blueberry donut. Bless this man. Bless him forever and always. :)
Now I was really hoping to go into labor over the weekend and avoid the induction. I tried almost all the tricks in the book and had little more than a few Braxton hicks contractions. Boooooo!
I'm the type of mama that wants as natural of a birthing experience as possible. I was induced with Via and it was not fun. With Soren I went into spontaneous labor and had an amazing and quick delivery. I was just so bummed that I thought I was looking at more of a Via-type birth experience.
Justin and I went in on Monday morning and they checked me. 2 cm 60% effaced. The midwife offered two methods of induction. Break my water and see what happens, or start me on some pitocin. Surprisingly, my gut said to go with pitocin. After a few hours I was dilated to 4 and it seemed like we were making progress. Contractions were 2 minutes apart so they decided to turn the pitocin down. I should have spoken up and that point because even though the contractions were frequent, they were not even slightly painful. After they turned down the drip progress completely stopped. Oh no! I wanted to have my baby!
I started calling them to the room to turn up my pitocin and they were laughing at me saying that I was the only person to repeatedly ask for more pit. It was about 3:30 PM and I was on a mission to have a baby for crying out loud!
Let's just say things got real fast. The contractions became increasingly painful very quickly and I could tell my body was making progress. I couldn't talk through the contractions and I felt like I wanted to labor on my knees. Just as Justin was helping me to get into that position my water broke. Yessss!!!
The midwife checked me and I was at 8 cm. Progress! I had wanted a water birth, but was not a candidate under their guidelines due to a couple of my risk factors (gestational diabetes and previous postpartum hemorrhage), but they did say I could labor in the tub for pain relief and by this time I definitely needed some relief. I hopped in and it felt amazing, but it wasn't long until I wanted out again.
Earlier in the day, my midwife had suggested that I consider nitrous oxide for pain relief - laughing gas! I thought she was kidding, but she explained that it's a nice option, because I am in charge of how often and how much I get. She also let me know that it is in and out of my system with just a few breaths. This appealed to me, so I signed a consent form earlier in the day so I could have the option if I found I wanted it.
The synthetic contractions were very painful, so after I got out of the tub I asked to try the nitrous oxide. It was weird at first, but I got the hang of it and used it to breath through my contractions. At this point it was about 6:00 p.m. I thought - I need to change positions, and I NEED to have this baby by 7:00 p.m. I hopped into the bed and they put the back of the bed up so it was more like a chair. I was on my knees again as this was truly the most comfortable for me. My midwife and my husband were awesome - giving me counter pressure on my hips. I was facing backwards and I felt the urge to push. After one and a half pushes Silas Shepherd Mederich was born at 6:07 p.m. Huzzah! Babies are amazing and tons of emotions burst forth as only they can when new life enters the world. 8 pounds, 3.5 ounces. 21 inches long. Head full of blonde hair and just as handsome as could be!
Because of my gestational diabetes I was on a very low carb diet for the second half of my pregnancy. As I was nursing Silas and receiving my post delivery care, Justin was there to feed me an old-fashioned blueberry donut. Bless this man. Bless him forever and always. :)
On the morning of induction Justin ran out and got me a coffee and this shirt.
Laboring in the tub.
Shortly after delivery. Snoozing Silas Shepherd.
Best Dad award goes to this guy. Love him.
Yeah. Okay. So we were a little bit happy to have finally met our newest guy.
Meeting brother at the hospital. Via was only disappointed for a second to find that we didn't have a girl. They love him so much. In the weeks since he was born I've probably said, "Give Silas space!" about a thousand times.
Via girl.
Brother Soren.
Headed home to start life as a family of 5!
Grandma Becky and my boys!
This girl. This face.
Silas got all dressed up for his first day of church.
Awesome story Robyn! Someday I hope to rock birth as much as you do! I want everyone in our family to write their birth stories as they remember them. What a fun family archive that would be :). For Abbie and Amanda we would do their gotcha stories. Can't wait to meet Silas!
ReplyDeleteI love that idea!
DeleteBeautiful story. Thank you.
ReplyDelete