I’m writing this more so I don’t forget than for your benefit – so feel free to skip to something more interesting.
Most expectant mothers have some idea of how they want their delivery to go. My past delivery experiences are here. Now, I think that modern medicine is great – and hey – I married a doctor. But, I also have come to have a very strong opinion that our bodies are wonderfully made, and more often than not can do what they’re meant to do better without quite so much medical intervention. Because of this, I really wanted a natural childbirth. I’ve got no problems with the majority of women out there who don’t want to do things the old fashioned way, but it’s what I wanted.
There are a few things we did to make this possible this time around.
First: Cameron found me an AWESOME doctor. He knows my quirky ways, and asked around quite a bit to find a doctor who was gung ho about my preferences. Dr. Bauman is the best doctor I’ve ever had. She wanted me to be able to do things my way as much as I did.
Second: After Cameron’s experience doing OB, we decided that St. Elizabeth’s Hospital was the best place (though surprisingly less popular around here) for our little one to be born. What makes them so special is their greater experience and lack of insistence on cookie cutter deliveries. When I said I didn’t want an IV, didn’t want to stay hooked up to monitors, and that I wanted to eat when I was hungry – even if I was in labor, they all said, “Okay – that’s just fine.” Besides all that, they have and regularly use Jacuzzis in every L&D room.
Third: Hypnobirthing. I came across this book near the end of my last pregnancy. I bought my own copy early on this pregnancy, and was able to re-read and review the concepts many times. Someday I would LOVE to take the classes. Without teaching, I’m not really able to achieve the completely self-hypnotic state which can make for a pain-free delivery, BUT I learned so much about working with my body rather than against it, that I was able to keep control of myself and actively help my baby come into the world.
So now for the story:
I was actually almost induced. Charlotte was about a week late. My doctor was willing to let me wait until I was two weeks late, but faculty at the clinic that day (my doc is a resident) was worried and convinced her and my husband that nothing good would happen if we waited. I wanted what was best for my baby, and all indications said my body was ready for labor, so I agreed to have my water broken. Cameron took the afternoon off and we headed to the hospital. BUT, the hospital was full of last minute admissions, and they didn’t have the staff available at that moment to let my doctor break my water. We thought it’d just be an hour or so. Shifts changed, and the new faculty for the clinic didn’t quite feel the same urgency as the one who said we really needed to have baby that day. After waiting around and feeling very silly for several hours we finally got a time frame that they wouldn’t be able to do anything that night. We came home. I was happy not to be induced, but I admit, after thinking I’d have my baby that day, I was a little disappointed. I was also resigned to whatever was going to come (induction or not) and whenever it was going to happen.
We had a busy weekend ahead of us. Cameron’s parents and sister had spent the week with us, and would need to head back to Utah on Saturday. My doctor was out of town for the weekend. Cameron was on call Friday night (for this residency doctors take call at home, and only have to go in for admissions), and had weekend coverage (rounding on all the patients for his class) Saturday and Sunday.
I went to bed Friday night. Cameron had run off to do an admission. Around 1:00am I was fairly uncomfortable. Around 2:00 I figured out that it was regular contractions, and not just a bad sleeping position. Around 3:00 Cameron came home and I told him my labor suspicions. Right then he got another call, and we figured we had time so he ran off to do another admission. I couldn’t really sleep so I had a snack, packed a bag, and read a book. Around 4:30 he got back, woke up his parents, and we left for the hospital. We’d taken care of all our paperwork at the non-induction on Thursday so check in was pretty easy. That was good, since Cameron got four more pages right then. At that point he only had a couple of hours left of call, so we didn’t think it worth him finding someone to cover for him.
After a little confusion we figured out who was substituting for my doctor for the weekend. Ironically, one of Cameron’s admissions that night needed an urgent procedure and he had scheduled this particular doctor to take care of it at 10:00 that morning.
After some initial monitoring it seemed we had a little while before baby would be coming, so Cameron went off to do some rounds and tie up his loose ends from call. I hung out in the Jacuzzi (EVERY woman in labor needs one of these things!) and read some more. He got back around 9:00am. I got out for a little monitoring and found out that baby would be there very soon. My doctor postponed her other urgent procedure. I was hungry so I ate toast and drank some orange juice while going through transition labor. It was great to have something to give me energy! My doctor broke my water (it never seems to want to break on its own). I was using all my concentration to work with my contractions. The doctors and nurse all commented on how incredibly quiet it all was.
Around 10:00 I knew her arrival was near. After a couple of contractions I rolled to my side and baby started heading out. About a minute later I was holding my little Charlotte Lucy Grange!
I won’t lie and say it was easy or painless. It was, however, my best birth experience yet. I am so glad to have had all my children, and everything I went through to get each of them was worth it. But the contrast is incredible.
Seven years ago I had my first baby. It was exciting and frightening. I used every common medical procedure (ripening, pitocin, pain drugs, epidural) because I thought medicine was the best, and really the only way. The pitocin hurt so bad I couldn’t help but cry. The pain drugs put Esther to sleep and made me forget to breath. The epidural made me so numb I didn’t understand how to push, and still couldn’t do anything for hours after. The whole ordeal took so long that I hadn’t been able to eat anything for nearly a day (and I don’t do so well when I don’t eat).
Four days ago I had a baby with no medical intervention. I felt empowered. I had all the strength and energy I needed. I knew what my body was doing and I knew how to help it along. Pitocin made me cry. This birth made me strong. It is amazing what our bodies can do – especially when we have the right information, tools, and support to do it.
Anyway – Charlotte had arrived! She was and is beautiful! Cameron went home to take a shower, and in a little while he was back with Charlotte’s brothers and sister, Grammy, Grandpa, and aunt. We were all ecstatic. Grammy and Grandpa decided to stay through Saturday night and try to make the drive back to Utah all in one day. We headed off to the nursery where Esther and Will helped measure and wash their sister. They held her hands to help her be brave for her shots. Charlotte and I were doing very well so we opted to stay at the hospital for just 24 hours (I love having that option). We are all very excited to get to know Charlotte!
