Baby Luna - August 20th
"What I learned...the sheer power of deep breathing and loving human touch and voice as a pain killer."
Luna Jade Agh
Friday, August 20th at 4:18 AM
9 pounds, 2 ounces
Our Birth Story:
My contractions started on Wednesday morning and continued all day and night (no sleep for me unfortunately), it was extremely uncomfortable to lay down. Only standing or leaning over the ball felt ok. The contractions started at about 5 minutes apart and pretty much staying in that pattern the entire labor, which was rather unexpected. I called my Doula at 4 AM on Thursday and she came over and we labored at home for a bit longer and then we checked into the hospital at about 8:30 on Thursday morning.
I was 3 CM dilated at check in. From then on, we just labored in the room and we were progressing slowly but steadily and my water broke spontaneously at about 5 CM dilated. Everything was going as planned and I was 8 CM dilated at about 8 PM and everyone was saying how we were getting to the point of almost pushing and they brought the baby cart in and we were getting ready for the big "transition".
Then three more hours went by...checked again, I was still at 8 CM and the baby was starting to show some signs of distress being how my water had broken so long before. We had to insert some fluid back into me to give her some additional buoyancy and give me a "whiff" of Pitocin to try get my contractions strong enough to push me past 8 CM. All of a sudden my gentle birth experience turned a lot more hectic and I was hooked up to several additional monitoring machines and Doc. Green was called in and he stayed in my room with me for several hours.
This was also my breaking point. I think it had been about 36 hours and I had not been able to sleep or eat since Wednesday and my contractions had been 4-5 minutes apart the entire time. I felt like a crazed wild animal. The thought of having my contractions get stronger (Pitocin) and waiting another three hours and then to have to push was beyond my comprehension and I did ask for the epidural at this point.
I was so tired I could barely stand. I was given the epidural and then I had to be flat on my back paralyzed for another 3-4 hours (a new type of torture, so glad I only had 3 hours of this state).
At about about 3 AM on Friday, they checked me again and I was still at 8 CM. It appeared that I could not go past 8 CM, either due to sheer uterus fatigue or just an issue with my particular cervix. The only option at this point was a c-section and it was very clear that it had to be done. Because I had been able to rest a bit due to the epidural, I think I was able to accept the the situation with better grace and I was given a spinal tap and wheeled into the operating room. Both my husband and Doula were allowed in during the procedure.
The c-section was a bit harrowing as the the spinal tap only partially worked and I could feel quite a bit of pain half way through (we had to use labor breathing to get me though this part until they were able to put me completely under). Basically, they pulled her out, I heard her cry and then I drifted off to sleep. My husband went with Luna to the NICU unit (she had a little trouble breathing and had to have tubes in her throat to get the fluid out) and my doula stayed with me while they stitched me up. There was one part at the end that was pretty dicey when my uterus would not contract, both doctors where massaging it on the table until it finally stopped bleeding, fortunately they got it to contract and while I lost a lot of blood I did not need a transfusion.
The hardest part for me emotionally was after the c-section when I did not get to see Luna for many hours. She was under observation in the NICU and I was not allowed in a wheel chair so I did not meet my daughter until 3 PM that afternoon. At 3 PM, she was given a clear bill of health and she was brought in and latched right on my right boob and she has pretty much stayed there ever since (haha).
We were discharged from the hospital the following Monday. All the nurses were amazing and a wealth of knowledge and so helpful and caring, especially since I could not sit up on my own and I could not keep down any solid food till Sunday (normal reaction to the drugs they gave me during my operation). I gotta tell you, once you go down the drug path its like a drug spiral, then you gotta take drugs to get off the drugs you are on and then there is the pain meds and the detox. I felt like I was in drug rehab for the first two days post-partum. I sure was happy when I could finally eat on day four...really, really happy.
What I learned....The sheer power of deep breathing and loving human touch and voice as a pain killer. My husband and doula (Robin Grey Reed) were with me for nearly every contraction, holding me and breathing with me and I could not have done it with out them. Looking into my husbands eyes and him telling me the contraction was almost over was one of the most bonding and magical experiences of my life. Knowing that he can provide me this kind of relief, it's well......life changing.
The labor could have been a bit shorter, but I am really, really glad I opted for trying to have a all natural birth experience. While in the end I chose to do an epidural for some relief...I definitely would not have wanted that experience the whole time.
Harmony, Chris, & Luna Jade
Friday, August 20th at 4:18 AM
9 pounds, 2 ounces
Our Birth Story:
My contractions started on Wednesday morning and continued all day and night (no sleep for me unfortunately), it was extremely uncomfortable to lay down. Only standing or leaning over the ball felt ok. The contractions started at about 5 minutes apart and pretty much staying in that pattern the entire labor, which was rather unexpected. I called my Doula at 4 AM on Thursday and she came over and we labored at home for a bit longer and then we checked into the hospital at about 8:30 on Thursday morning.
I was 3 CM dilated at check in. From then on, we just labored in the room and we were progressing slowly but steadily and my water broke spontaneously at about 5 CM dilated. Everything was going as planned and I was 8 CM dilated at about 8 PM and everyone was saying how we were getting to the point of almost pushing and they brought the baby cart in and we were getting ready for the big "transition".
Then three more hours went by...checked again, I was still at 8 CM and the baby was starting to show some signs of distress being how my water had broken so long before. We had to insert some fluid back into me to give her some additional buoyancy and give me a "whiff" of Pitocin to try get my contractions strong enough to push me past 8 CM. All of a sudden my gentle birth experience turned a lot more hectic and I was hooked up to several additional monitoring machines and Doc. Green was called in and he stayed in my room with me for several hours.
This was also my breaking point. I think it had been about 36 hours and I had not been able to sleep or eat since Wednesday and my contractions had been 4-5 minutes apart the entire time. I felt like a crazed wild animal. The thought of having my contractions get stronger (Pitocin) and waiting another three hours and then to have to push was beyond my comprehension and I did ask for the epidural at this point.
I was so tired I could barely stand. I was given the epidural and then I had to be flat on my back paralyzed for another 3-4 hours (a new type of torture, so glad I only had 3 hours of this state).
At about about 3 AM on Friday, they checked me again and I was still at 8 CM. It appeared that I could not go past 8 CM, either due to sheer uterus fatigue or just an issue with my particular cervix. The only option at this point was a c-section and it was very clear that it had to be done. Because I had been able to rest a bit due to the epidural, I think I was able to accept the the situation with better grace and I was given a spinal tap and wheeled into the operating room. Both my husband and Doula were allowed in during the procedure.
The c-section was a bit harrowing as the the spinal tap only partially worked and I could feel quite a bit of pain half way through (we had to use labor breathing to get me though this part until they were able to put me completely under). Basically, they pulled her out, I heard her cry and then I drifted off to sleep. My husband went with Luna to the NICU unit (she had a little trouble breathing and had to have tubes in her throat to get the fluid out) and my doula stayed with me while they stitched me up. There was one part at the end that was pretty dicey when my uterus would not contract, both doctors where massaging it on the table until it finally stopped bleeding, fortunately they got it to contract and while I lost a lot of blood I did not need a transfusion.
The hardest part for me emotionally was after the c-section when I did not get to see Luna for many hours. She was under observation in the NICU and I was not allowed in a wheel chair so I did not meet my daughter until 3 PM that afternoon. At 3 PM, she was given a clear bill of health and she was brought in and latched right on my right boob and she has pretty much stayed there ever since (haha).
We were discharged from the hospital the following Monday. All the nurses were amazing and a wealth of knowledge and so helpful and caring, especially since I could not sit up on my own and I could not keep down any solid food till Sunday (normal reaction to the drugs they gave me during my operation). I gotta tell you, once you go down the drug path its like a drug spiral, then you gotta take drugs to get off the drugs you are on and then there is the pain meds and the detox. I felt like I was in drug rehab for the first two days post-partum. I sure was happy when I could finally eat on day four...really, really happy.
What I learned....The sheer power of deep breathing and loving human touch and voice as a pain killer. My husband and doula (Robin Grey Reed) were with me for nearly every contraction, holding me and breathing with me and I could not have done it with out them. Looking into my husbands eyes and him telling me the contraction was almost over was one of the most bonding and magical experiences of my life. Knowing that he can provide me this kind of relief, it's well......life changing.
The labor could have been a bit shorter, but I am really, really glad I opted for trying to have a all natural birth experience. While in the end I chose to do an epidural for some relief...I definitely would not have wanted that experience the whole time.
Harmony, Chris, & Luna Jade