I'd been suffering heartburn at night for over a month and had
been eating my main meal at noon and then just little bland
things at night. On Aug. 3 (actually early the 4th), around
12:30 AM I found I was very hungry. I'd had troubles with that
once before, where I had gone all night hungry, afraid to eat
due to the heartburn. I decided to eat a bland breakfast type
meal, and had a banana and some tea and toast. I'm so glad I did
that! I finally went to bed about one, and as soon as I was there
noticed that I was contracting, as usual, and they were crampy,
as they had been for awhile, but this time they hurt in my back.
I timed them as I had half-heartedly been doing for a week, and
this time they stayed six minutes apart. I kept getting up to
use the toilet, hoping for some plug or anything, but none came,
so I was sure it was a warmup (again).
The fourth was my original due date, from the ovulation chart, but the
ultrasound had said the fifth so I'd gone with that. I knew that
I never deliver on my due date, so figured nothing would happen.
I tried to sleep, but the crampy contractions in my back
continued all night long. I finally fell asleep with exhaustion
around 3:30 AM and woke up around five, aware that the
contractions had continued. They didn't seem any stronger, and
I was still not having any mucus or anything interesting. I
tried to sleep, but couldn't.
I finally got up about 6:30 AM and ate breakfast, another
smart thing to do! I called my friend Holly at 7 to tell her
that I thought maybe things were kind of starting and who knew
but maybe someday. She thought "today" and told me so, because
she knows my labors are pokey and strange. Once I got up, in
fact, the contractions seemed easier because I couldn't feel
the back labor as much, and they got further apart. I took a
shower, and they didn't feel like much in there, but they didn't
go away, either. My children started getting up and my husband
got up, and I told them I thought maybe something was going on,
but I wasn't sure. Meanwhile, everything continued on, every six
minutes or so. I thought it would end any time and I could go
back to bed.
At shortly after 8:30 AM, I called Leslie, my midwife. I told
her that it was impossible for me to be in labor, but I thought
maybe she'd better come that morning instead of that afternoon
as she had planned. She was much more excited than I was. I just
can never believe my body because it is so slow. This is how all
my labors go, but I never believe them! I walked around,
showered again, told the family to clean up the house because I
wanted to save my energy (again a smart move) and next thing I
knew it was about ten and Leslie was here. I sent Mark off to
get some Powerade. The smartest thing I did I think was have Powerade
ice cubes waiting. They tasted good all the way through, didn't
nauseate me and gave me a pick me up.
By the time Mark returned, in record time!!, Leslie had examined
me. She couldn't find the dilation at first because my cervix,
which is uncooperative most of the time, was very posterior and
to the left of my body. I wasn't too happy about that! I was
"thinning" and was five centimeters dilated. I still hadn't lost
any plug, although from about seven AM on, after already being
in labor six hours, I had several bouts of loose bowels. The baby
was still way up at a -2 station. It was encouraging to know I
was dilating, but very discouraging to have the baby so high and
be more dilated on one side, etc. Mark and I decided to do what
we usually do in labor, and that is walk. We walked all over our
property and up and down the long driveway. I kept having
contractions in a certain spot, in the shade. It was a warm day
and usually I would panic because I get so hot in labor, but
this time I enjoyed the heat. We called that spot our
Contraction Spot. My back hurt so much and my hips were hurting,
the pain was shooting down them. The baby was posterior and I
couldn't get him to budge. I was worried about him and about me.
I kept trying to turn him. We got in the house and I tried all
fours, but that hurt too much, so I started leaning over the
counter during contractions and had Mark crunch his fists into
my back. That felt great! The best was a hot shower, though. At
about 12:40, I had Leslie check me again. I was still 5-6 cm and
mostly on the left side. I decided I was exhausted and wanted to
go lie down on my right side to see what that would do. I went
into Laura's bed (my ten year old daughter) with my two year old,
Teresa. Teresa got bored and left, but I dozed off and kind of
slept for over an hour. I counted at least 12 contractions
during that time, but did get some rest. When I got up, I was
hungry, so had some crackers and some powerade ice. I was afraid
to eat anything else at that point. I went outside and sat in
the sun in my lawn chair. That felt so good! I sat there for two
hours, soaking in the rays, which acted as a natural analgesic,
chatting with the midwife and her assistants. They were Sharon,
who acted as her assistant, and Bedelia, who filmed and really
acted as a doula for me. Bedelia was on top of everything,
meeting most of my needs before I said them. Sharon was the
strong silent background person who anticipated all of Leslie's
needs and helped me as well. The three of them and Mark, my
husband, completed a circle with me of five people who wanted a
strong, healthy birthing. It was wonderful. I think just sitting
in the sun, rubbing my belly and telling baby to turn please,
chatting, etc was a great thing to do. The sun kind of numbed
the pain, it relaxed me, and I felt stronger despite almost no
sleep. I also called Holly again to update her and ask her to
pray for me. She prayed strongly with me and then promised to
have her whole family, all 13 of them, praying. I'm glad they
were!
About four, Leslie said I was starting to burn and I was feeling
like I was about into transition. I would rather have stayed out
but she refused to let me get a sunburn. So I reluctantly got up
and went in. I didn't want to, I'll tell you! I probably would
have delivered out there had they let me! Once in, we examined
me again. I was 6 cm! I was so discouraged at this point,
looking at the clock and figuring I'd be having an Aug 5 baby
instead and knowing I was too tired to do that. I also had
pushing left, which is the hardest part for me, and Leslie
wanted me to do the "not push", just breathe the baby out.
Leslie suggested I get in the bathtub, so Mark poured a very hot
bath. Ahhh, after nine months of no baths because I get urinary
tract infections while pregnant, I stepped into that tub and
understood immediately why no one ever wants to get out! The
contractions were much more managable in the tub and I started
to think that maybe I was just going to stop labor altogether.
Then suddenly, a change! It was about five. I felt "pushy"
during them. I got out of the tub, put on the shirt I was to
wear, and tried different positions again to relieve the back
and hip pain. All fours was horrible for me, though all I've
talked to love it. I really liked standing best, and even tried
a couple of mild pushes in that position about 5:30 PM. I wanted
to have the baby that way, but I just thought I shouldn't, it
would make it too fast. So far, things had been relaxed and slow,
even though they were painful and tiring. Leslie checked me and
I was about 9 cm with a cervical "lip" which is what I always do.
The baby was high, about a -1 station, but I was ready to start
the delivery phase and she decided to let me.
We got the supplies ready. Mine were a bowl of icy water for my
face and hot ginger water for perineal compresses. She had
everything else out. We sent four of my children to the shop,
where there are three rooms, a tv, etc. Laura, my ten year old,
had the goodie bag to entertain her two and four year old sibs,
Teresa and Glenn. She did a great job. Alex, 12, helped her out
some, too. I told her to call Grandma if she really needed her
but otherwise don't. My mother is a nice person and all but
doesn't know a thing about childbirth and gets very nervous,
making me nervous. I was hoping Laura could manage. Derrick, my
oldest at 13, had the camera and was in the hall waiting to be
called in at the crowning. Susanna, my seven year old, had been
coached and was in her room coloring, across the hall, also
waiting. I feel badly for what they had to hear.
OK, I was a wimp! Baby was posterior, big head, high, my hips
hurt, my back hurt, I was exhausted and I really did not want
to push the baby out. I had labored and I just wanted him in
my arms. I told Leslie this, about a hundred times. She was so
sweet, just would say things like, "That's fine, you don't have to push." Bedelia kept
telling me
how great I was, which wasn't true but was soothing, just to hear the soothing
voice.
She was taping and rubbing my foot. Normally I don't like to be touched in labor
but
when she asked about it I realized I wanted her to and asked her to continue. My
back
hurt so much but I wanted the Lazy C position. Between contractions I was lucid
and
fairly normal (and apologetic!) but during them the only way I could breathe and
not
push much was to complain! I told Leslie to get a forceps, I told Mark if he
loved me
he'd kill me, I told everyone I didn't want to do this at all, just wanted the
baby right now
please Leslie, no more! Every other pushing contraction was milder and I was
able to
breathe through them quietly, but then the next would be very very strong and I
would
try hard but end up pushing two or three times. I kept putting my fingers up
inside and
the progress of the baby's head was slow. On the other hand, we could feel hair,
so
that made it more real. I wanted that baby, just right now, not later. Finally,
I had
enough. I have to do this to birth. I just purple pushed for all I was worth and
I knew I
was doing it when they said, calmly, "Wow, look at that progress." Another push,
not so
calmly, 'WOW look at that progress!" and then another and I felt burning. No one
called
the children so I shouted, "Get the kids NOW!" then kept pushing. Ouch, how it
burned,
that head just took forever to birth. Then Leslie told me I'd birthed the head.
I was so
out of it, it seems like a dream, but I reached down and touched my sweet baby's
head
and just shrieked in joy and relief. Then another contraction, well that's
easier, I
thought. The head is out! But nothing, I felt burning again, but no progress.
Another
push, Leslie said, for all you are worth, please, let's get the baby out! I
pushed for all I
was worth. Nothing again. Leslie said, very sweetly, "Stop pushing and breath."
She
was working away. I saw her taking the clamps and scissors. She said, still very
calmly,
"I need to cut the cord now." Mark started to freak out and asked her what was
up. She
told us the cord was twice around the neck. She cut fairly quickly and was
immediately
spurted with cord blood. Then she told me to birth my baby now please. I pushed
and
pushed and those shoulders burned like a head but still wouldn't come, so she
told me
to squat. I got up but couldn't manage much so Mark got behind me. It was so
cool,
kind of like he was birthing with me. He supported me up and squatting is
wonderful
(unsolicited opinion). It did everything to open me up and I birthed those big
shoulders,
then grabbed my baby and delivered him to my belly, his on mine. No one could
see
the sex. While I was lifting his leg for Susanna to see and announce, "A boy!"
then she
said, "Hi Karl!" as she had planned, Leslie was rather busily massaging him. She
said,
still sweetly, "Reba, it is time to massage this baby. Let's get him started."
So I started,
and she wanted more vigorous massage. I heard a little peep from him, but she
wanted
more, so we worked until poor Karl finally gave out a cry. The relief was
everywhere in
the room. Mark jumped over the bed, got the oxygen and used it, then collapsed
on the
bed in tears of worry and relief. It was beautiful to know that he cares that
much about
our seventh child.
Then everything changed from the worry and work to the relief
and excitement. Karl's APGAR scores weren't too good. He only
got a five at one minute, and an 8 at five minutes. I'd wrapped
him in a few blankets but he was bare tummy to mine. I finally
lifted the blankets and stared at my beautiful son. I told
Leslie, "This baby isn't small." She hadn't really looked, too
busy working on him, and she looked and said, "You're right!" I
didn't think about it anymore then. My placenta took an hour to
expel. I took two doses of basil and had Karl nurse a lot. I
tried on the toilet but didn't like it, so went to the bed and
finally about 7:30 expelled it. Birth time had been 6:28. I seem
to take longer each time to get rid of it. Meanwhile, though, we
were all enjoying the special awake quiet hour with Karl. The
children wandered in and out. Laura had called my mom about
ten minutes before he was born, so she arrived shortly after.
Laura had told her not to get in an accident on the way! Andreas
was my mother's grandfather, so she was thrilled when she
realized we'd named him Karl Andreas.
We ordered pizza and a party atmosphere took over. Laura made a cake, we
all munched down and celebrated. Bedelia continued to film and
got fantastic first hours baby stuff on there. Derrick snapped a
lot of photos. Then, about two hours after the birthing, we all
gathered to weigh and measure him. Mark put him on the scale, his
eyes grew huge and he said, "Leslie, you weigh him!" She looked
and it really did say ten pounds! He was 22" long, and his head
was 15 and a quarter inches, and so was his chest. No wonder!!!
We'd all guessed and the prizes were waiting. Derrick had long
ago guessed a boy July 31 weighing ten pounds, so he was the
closest, only off four days on the date. He was so proud of
himself! Mark won for the date, had guessed Aug 5th and Glenn
and Alex split the last prize for guessing a boy.
The midwife left around 9 I think, and her helpers with her. We
all just settled slowly down and hunkered in for the night. Karl
slept like a dream, waking at 1:30 AM just like he always did
inside! I had to stare at him a couple of hours before going back
to sleep.
Leslie returned the 5th in the evening, and did footprints and checked me. I'd
had a first
degree tear that had just closed back in on itself so she didn't stitch and when
she
checked the 5th it seemed great to her so she left it. It hasn't caused me any
pain. In
fact, after a rather painful labor, the recovery has been great. I have to make
myself
stay down because I feel good, so far anyway.
It was a wonderful labor and birth. Very painful compared to my
others, but so relaxed and slow and just filled with peace and
love. I'm so thrilled that I was able to do this at home, at my
pace, doing what I wanted. And best of all, we have our sweet
Karl to hold and love!
Copyright 1997
Used by permission of author