Connect the Dots Ginger | Becky Allen: Collin's Birth Story: Part 2

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Collin's Birth Story: Part 2

Here comes the fun part of the birth story.

We just got in the car, a stick shift, to make our way to the hospital. About 4:50 or so. I pulled the seat to a flat position and I was laying on my side. Matt held on to my thigh so I wouldn't roll off the seat or anything during my contractions or on turns. Matt was following our doula to the hospital because he was concerned about how to get there. I was telling him where to go though the whole time between contractions still. Ever the side seat driver I am.

I was definitely having regular contractions, which I was still thinking were my "GI cramps," but could possibly be labor. They did slow down just a little bit though in the car and I felt like I could rest more in-between them. I told Matt that I didn't want to have the baby in the car, at all, if it really was labor! (My doc had just told me a couple of stories lately about women not making it to the hospital and having the baby on the side of the road, in rush hour traffic.) As we were driving, after what seemed like a long time, I remember looking out the front window and telling Matt, WE ARE ONLY JUST OUSIDE OF FOREST LAKES?!? (about 2 miles from the house) HURRY!!! I was so upset because it was taking forever to get there and I was not having fun!

The car ride was interesting because Matt decided to keep me entertained. He was cracking jokes making me laugh, or saying things to me which he got smacked for, (talking about my blindingly white legs or bum, as I was wearing my tank dress and showing a lot of leg and it rode up a little bit!) But during contractions Matt got the worst of it. I grabbed his bicep and just squeezed as tight as I could. A few times I accidentally grabbed and pulled his arm pit hair through his shirt. To which he would make funny sounds, that would make me laugh during contractions which only made them feel worse. I often was laughing between contractions though which helped me relax a little more, but I was still concerned about making it to the hospital fast enough. I also texted my friend on the way saying, "YOU PUT ME IN LABOR!" She just responded, "NO WAY! ;)"

Our doula took a back way to the hospital which quickly turned into a one lane road with stop and go traffic. IN A STICK SHIFT. With contractions 3 min apart! It was not the best of car rides I have ever had in my life. The car ride continued like this for the remainder of the time. Me, laughing between contractions, smacking Matt in the arm, having contractions gripping Matt's arm with a vice like grip, which he did get bruises from and me yelling at the on lookers asking if they were enjoying the show. Yep there was one car that was staring at me during a contraction and I yelled back at them. A woman in labor is apparently funny looking.

We arrived at the hospital and our doula told Matt to park far from the door to make me walk and get the baby to engage completely. Matt happen to pick one of the the farthest parking spots from the door and I yelled at him for doing so. As we walked from the parking lot to the front door, I was having regular contractions. I had to stop and squat a little and I kept begging for a toilet. I really had to go, and I was having rectal pressure (which is a sign that baby was coming!) My doula asked me if I wanted to go in the grass, and NO I was not going to do that. I had 4-5 contractions from the car to the front door. When we got in the hospital Matt asked if I wanted a wheelchair. I said no I could walk and didn't want to sit. My doula said I could use the bathroom in the birthing room instead of the bathroom right by the front door just in case. I then suggested that we run to the L&D wing which happens to be at the VERY BACK WING in the hospital. I seriously tried 2 steps in a small run, and had to keel over and stop and squat as I felt the baby drop into my pelvis. I told them, HURRY, we have to hurry!

We hobbled down the long hallway that appeared get longer with every glance and finally made it to the L&D window with the big double doors. They asked my name and then I said, "I NEED A BATHROOM!" The nurses opened the door and it was just a quick walk to my room and I went straight to the bathroom toilet. Just a few minutes later my doc popped his head in and said he wanted to check me. I told him I wanted the tub. He then said he had to check me first then the tub.

He checked me and I was 6 cm. Only a 6 with the crazy contractions I was having. I was a little sad. He broke my water and I had 2 contractions while we waited for the tub to fill up and get the ok from the doc that I could go in. The doc said, "You are just going to be getting wet in the tub and that's it before you have to get out." He felt my cervix open as he broke my water so he knew that it was happening very quickly. Which he predicted that when I went, I would go fast! The nurse in the room looked me straight in the eye and slowly but very seriously told me, "You will not give birth to this baby in the tub. You will get out when you feel pushing. Do you understand me." Yes ma'am! She kind of freaked me out a little bit.

I waited till the second contraction was done and basically leapt out of the bed and ran to the tub. I got in but it wasn't helping as much. I felt sharp, sharp pain at the beginning of each contraction which I would let out a ear shattering scream, then I would be able to focus on my deep breathing. I had about 4 contractions and on the 5th I felt the urge to push. I called out and said, I am pushing! I just pushed. The nurse said, "ok after the next one get out!" I called out for Matt so that the nurse didn't have to help lift me out of the tub. I got out of the tub at 6:00 pm. I had my next contraction, screamed then went to my deep breathing and crying. It ended and I got up as fast as I could and stepped out of the tub and walked as quickly as I could to the bed. The nurse was drying me off with the towel and saying please don't slip. Oh gosh don't slip. I didn't care I was soaking wet I was not going to have another contraction unless I was in the bed.

On the way to the bed I told my doc, "I am not giving birth on my back!" My doc said he didn't care what position I was in just to hurry up. So I went on my knees and gripped the back of the bed in a kneeled squat position. I asked Matt for my hypnobirthing CD to play and he kept trying to put my ear phones in my ear attached to my nano. I yelled at him and told him to get my phone! Poor guy! Being on my knees didn't quite feel right and I asked for the bed to be lowered so I could be on hands and knees. This was my preferred position for this labor and will later find out why. It is a position which is great for opening up the pelvis another 2 cm or so greater than any other position. After 1 contraction on my hands and knees my doc said that I had to turn around to a squatting position! I couldn't comprehend how to turn around and told the doc I didn't know how. He said, "TURN AROUND NOW!" and I turned around. He then proceeded to poke around down there causing a super sharp pain which let out another high pitched scream and made me not want to push but to retreat from him. He said I had to push really, really hard where he was pressing. Between the 2nd and 3rd contraction I saw the Doc and the Nurse whisper something. I started wondering why this labor felt so much more difficult to push him out. It was taking EVERYTHING I had to get him out. After 3 pushes his head was out and the doc said "Don't push! The chord is wrapped around his neck, twice, very tightly." I looked down and could see Collin's head which was blue. The doc cut the chord and said, "we have to get him out NOW!" I gave one final push and out came Collin! He was born at 6:08.

I got to hold Collin and look at his beautiful face for a little bit. I was mesmerized by his blond hair and kept telling Matt he was a blond. The doc said that I had to get 2 little stitches just like last time, a minor 1st degree tear. Then, he explained why. He said that Collin was in a compound position or a nuchal hand. Collin's head was birthed with his hand up by his ear. The sharp pain I was feeling at the beginning of each contraction was basically Collin's hand, arm and elbow making me stretch a bit more than the regular 10 cm. (OUCH!)   Which has made my recovery a little bit more difficult this time around.

Collin's nurse came over and was checking him out and then said he wasn't breathing as well as they wanted. She worked on him a bit on my chest and then said that he needed to go to the station for extra oxygen.

Next, came my worry and panic as I worried over his health. I am going to add a 3rd part, sorry, but this is so long already on his very difficult transition into the world! I didn't even think about getting any pictures of him right after he came out because of the scare we had. Next post will have pictures!

To sum things up:

I started contractions around 2:30pm
Matt came home at 3:30
I got in the tub at my house around 3:45.
Called the doula at 4:15
Called the doc at 4:30
Got in the car around 4:50
Got in the labor and delivery room at 5:30
Water broken at 5:35
Got in the tub around 5:45
Got out of the tub at 6:00
Baby born at 6:08

No epidural, or pain meds for the birth. No time to even think about getting drugs if I had wanted it. But I wanted a natural labor and I got it. A Painful one but I still did it.

Total labor: 3 hours 38 minutes

PART 3: Complications and the scare of my life of Collin's Birth story: CLICK HERE.

Need to read part 1? Click to read Collin's Birth Story: Part 1

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