My VBAC Birth story:
(Bubble of Peace for a few twists and turns along the way)
Very mild, Braxton-Hicks like waves began Friday (39w3d) morning, roughly every 5-10 minutes. We went on with our day until Friday evening and had my mom come grab our son just in case things began during the night. Things stalled out during the night, but began again Saturday morning, except at 3 min apart. I called my midwives and doula to let them know, and rolled around on my birth ball for most of the day, and walked around the mall. By the time 10 pm came, they were feeling stronger and I found a tiny bit of bloody show, but I was able to lay down and sleep for a couple hours. Around 12:30 am they woke me up and were becoming more intense, though still very comfortable- back to work on the birth ball!
(Bubble of Peace for a few twists and turns along the way)
Very mild, Braxton-Hicks like waves began Friday (39w3d) morning, roughly every 5-10 minutes. We went on with our day until Friday evening and had my mom come grab our son just in case things began during the night. Things stalled out during the night, but began again Saturday morning, except at 3 min apart. I called my midwives and doula to let them know, and rolled around on my birth ball for most of the day, and walked around the mall. By the time 10 pm came, they were feeling stronger and I found a tiny bit of bloody show, but I was able to lay down and sleep for a couple hours. Around 12:30 am they woke me up and were becoming more intense, though still very comfortable- back to work on the birth ball!
At 1 I felt the amniotic sac pop as I was working through a wave on the ball- things were finally happening! 30 minutes later the intensity was getting to me, and I couldn't quite keep my cool so my hypno-doula Aileen Larson came out to support me. Her presence definitely kept me steady and focused for the next hour or so until we decided it was time to head to the Birth Center- the waves were ~3 min apart.
Photo Credit LL Photography
At the Birth Center intensity gained, but waves would space out every now and then- I had vomited a couple times and therefore couldn't stay well hydrated/fed. Everything I ate seemed to have the worst grainy texture that would make me gag more, I fought through best I could. Through waves I would try a lot of forward leaning against the bed, in bath tub, shower, and toilet. I cycled through these places for countless hours. Eventually we began trying the spinning babies 3 Sisters techniques to help progress things along. My doula called in a local Chiropractor, and she did amazing work to open up my pelvis. Around 4pm I had begun to feel a little pressure and could hear the low groans of pushing.
Photo Credit LL Photography
My midwives wanted to check me to see if there was anything we could do to help get baby in a better position. We learned that I was at an 8 (During this pregnancy I had zero intention of finding out dilation- during my first birth I had been checked and found it to be a completely defeating/deflating piece of knowledge- but I was glad I found out this time, it helped to know the end was near!), and that my cervix was lipped around half of it's head. Through the next couple of waves she manually moved ~25% more of it off the head. We realized baby best liked when I was positioned horizontally, or vertically- no more forward leaning if I wanted things to progress! We did more spinning babies techniques as I felt more and more pushy through the waves over the next couple hours. I used my Peace and Relax cues, and the affirmations: "The stronger my pressure waves become, the stronger I become", and "Each wave brings me closer to my baby" in a continuous mantra through each wave. This really helped keep me more calm, feeling them less intensely, and kept me distracted until I got to the end of each wave.
Photo Credit LL Photography
At 8pm my waves were getting too spaced out again, and I was definitely feeling exhausted. We did another check, it's head was still covered with about 25% of my cervix. My midwife wanted me to push through a wave laying flat on my back as she pushed the rest of my cervix off (my weird little baby liked that position the best!) When the wave came- an extreme amount of intensity flooded over me and it was too much- I freaked out. I couldn't do it. After I calmed down a little, my midwives talked me through my options: power through my pushing in this position and get baby out, or head to the hospital and get nitrous or an epidural. I hated that I had to make this decision. I kept telling myself in my head, "You're in a highly suggestible state! You can't pick the hospital! You wanted a med-free birth- at a birth center! It's just one day of pressure (Definitely said the other P word here)! Your body was made to do this!"..... but it was also saying "You are really effing exhausted. You need something to take the edge off so you have the energy to push this kid out". My husband and I verbally talked it out, and the exhaustion won. I defeatedly chose to go get some Nitrous. As I told my decision to my midwives, a third choice came into play: I would be getting an IV bag of fluid to help perk me and baby up while everyone packs their things up, no matter what, BUT I could try pushing in the flat position for 10 minutes and then head to the hospital if I still needed. My exhausted brain didn't want to agree, but I did since it was a great compromise.
I got my IV and everyone began the packing up process around me. I sat on my birthing ball and rode out the waves. I began to feel intensely pushy, and everyone could very clearly hear it in my grunty voice. After 10-15 minutes someone suggested I head to the toilet to get through these waves/pushes. I got to the toilet, and it was crystal clear I was going to be staying at the Birth Center- and having my baby in the bathroom! I started out facing backwards leaning up against the toilet with my husband pressing behind me on my hips. After a few waves my midwife came in and instructed me to face forward so she could see a bit better in there.
I got my IV and everyone began the packing up process around me. I sat on my birthing ball and rode out the waves. I began to feel intensely pushy, and everyone could very clearly hear it in my grunty voice. After 10-15 minutes someone suggested I head to the toilet to get through these waves/pushes. I got to the toilet, and it was crystal clear I was going to be staying at the Birth Center- and having my baby in the bathroom! I started out facing backwards leaning up against the toilet with my husband pressing behind me on my hips. After a few waves my midwife came in and instructed me to face forward so she could see a bit better in there.
Photo Credit LL Photography
As I did this, pads and blankets were brought in for the baby to land on and everyone took their places: my husband next to me in the bathtub, my doula also in the bathtub, my birth photographer perched up on the sink counter, and my three midwives one by one out through the door! It was quite the setup in this small bathroom! Several more waves and I was brought down onto the ground with a rolled up yoga mat bolstered underneath me, ready to meet my baby! I was able to reach down and feel my baby's head, and they had a mirror so I could watch my baby as it crowned (this was *insanely* helpful and the perfection distraction through the powerful waves & sensations I was feeling in my birth canal). After enough waves, I was able to look down and see it's head! I wasn't sure if I should have kept pushing so often because I couldn't quite tell if I was feeling a wave, or if I was just feeling a baby between my legs, so I just got my breath level and would push with all my might. Once the head was mostly visible, I pushed and pushed until baby was fully out at 8:55pm! It was a boy!!
I couldn't hold him right away- they had to force air into him for around 4 minutes, which was worrying for my husband.. But they kept saying that his heartbeat and color were perfect, and his cord was still attached, so I wasn't as concerned. Eventually he took a breath and cried/grunted! I finally got to hold him :) Getting the placenta out, we realized I was hemorrhaging a bit and so we dealt with that. Later, after getting to lay in the comfy bed, I was checked for tears and I ended up having three along my perineum, and labia- all an inch long. I was sutured and utilized my Peace cue yet again (Note: I did not do perineum massages during pregnancy).
All in all, I would consider my experience with Hypnobabies a success! Using my mantra of cues and affirmations helped keep me level through each wave of my 23 hour long birthing time! I still am in shock of how things turned out, I had completely given up, but my body and baby had other ideas! I am so proud of myself for rocking this VBAC and reaching all of my goals! I am forever grateful for my extremely supportive husband, doula, team of midwives, chiropractors, and craniosacral therapist who all made this experience possible for me.
I couldn't hold him right away- they had to force air into him for around 4 minutes, which was worrying for my husband.. But they kept saying that his heartbeat and color were perfect, and his cord was still attached, so I wasn't as concerned. Eventually he took a breath and cried/grunted! I finally got to hold him :) Getting the placenta out, we realized I was hemorrhaging a bit and so we dealt with that. Later, after getting to lay in the comfy bed, I was checked for tears and I ended up having three along my perineum, and labia- all an inch long. I was sutured and utilized my Peace cue yet again (Note: I did not do perineum massages during pregnancy).
All in all, I would consider my experience with Hypnobabies a success! Using my mantra of cues and affirmations helped keep me level through each wave of my 23 hour long birthing time! I still am in shock of how things turned out, I had completely given up, but my body and baby had other ideas! I am so proud of myself for rocking this VBAC and reaching all of my goals! I am forever grateful for my extremely supportive husband, doula, team of midwives, chiropractors, and craniosacral therapist who all made this experience possible for me.
Photo Credit LL Photography
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