Maren's birth story

Definite TMI and longness alert. I am writing this for me to remember, so read at your own risk!

On Tuesday, February 22 (due date), I went to the doctor and they stripped my membranes, which apparently jump starts labor for some mothers. Well I guess it worked for me or it was time or some combination, but I was woken up Wednesday morning a little before 7 with regular, mild contractions. They were 6-7 minutes apart all day on Wednesday and I went to work, noticing the contractions like cramping in my back but not believing this might be the start of it. Wednesday night, we walked to Chizu and picked up dinner and came home and ate it. The contractions started getting stronger not long after that, but remained 6-7 minutes apart. I slept a little overnight between contractions and they were stronger still in the morning. By lunch time, I definitely needed to breathe through them. They were coming more like 5-6 minutes apart but lasting only 30-40 seconds. Grammie came and took Annie to her house for awhile and they brought back dinner (and Annie's awesome matching outfit with baby). I was pretty uncomfortable at this point and definitely not eating dinner, so they took Annie home with them for the night and Chris and I settled in.

Contractions were getting closer together (more like 3-4 minutes apart) but still not lasting a minute. But they hurt! Oh my goodness, it was all in my back and I just could not get comfortable in any position. "They" recommend hands and knees or sitting up and leaning over a chair for back labor, but sitting very straight up and down was the best of the worst positions for me. By around 8 we were talking about when to go to the hospital, but I was thinking that I wanted to stay home as long as possible. My dream VBAC would be a 12 hour labor where I labored at home (in the tub, with soothing music of course) and ended up at the hospital 9 cm dilated and nearly ready to push. No meds, no interventions.

I started feeling really nauseous from the pain, and I was afraid to take my blood pressure because pain can make it rise, and I was afraid of showing up at the hospital with a super high reading and being whisked off for surgery. I did turn on some hypnobabies and worked on meditating between contractions. It helped some for awhile, but a bad contraction would take me out of my semi-relaxed state. Around 11 pm on Thursday, I had an especially bad contraction, and the pain was too much. I started vomiting everywhere and couldn't stop. I was scared of the pain and the BP, and we decided to go to the hospital.

The ride to the hospital was not as bad as I had feared, and I kept thinking, we should stay at home, we are going to get there and I am going to be 2 cm dilated and this is going to be all for nothing. I felt a little better once I got to the hospital. (Why does this always happen when you go to the doctor?!) They checked me and I was 4-5 cm dilated so I was admitted. They asked if I wanted an epidural, and I said yes (INTERVENTION). (I had decided earlier that evening that this natural labor stuff was for the birds.) I got the epidural around 3 and it was great. Instant relief. The epidural was much different than the one I had with Annie. With Annie, it was really scary because it was as if everything below my waist was turned off. I couldn't feel anything and couldn't move my legs. At St. Luke's, they do a walking epidural (misnamed as they do not actually let you walk although you could), and I could feel contractions without the pain and could freely move my legs. It was as if all the back pain had just been taken away, and I could still breathe deeply through contractions so I knew the baby was getting oxygen. Chris and Mom were there, and we all slept a little until around 7. I ate a lot of ice and focused on staying positive.

Everyone was positive for me - the nurses (one of whom had had her own VBAC and had me as her first VBAC patient), my midwife. There was no talk of anything but success, but I was progressing slowly. Around 9 or 10 Friday morning, I was still not dilated to 6 cm. This was very mental for me, as that is as far as I got with Annie. They broke my water (INTERVENTION). Contractions were stronger but not strong enough per what they "like to see" so I was started on a super low dose of pitocin (INTERVENTION). I was a little scared at this point because so many things were happening that I had not planned and I had already been in labor for so long.

But, the pitocin took and I started dilating (relatively) more quickly. I passed 6 cm (YAY YAY YAY) and started to feel the urge to push sometime after 1 pm. This is all a bit fuzzy, but I pushed for just under two hours. Again, the epidural was great, because I could feel the contractions a bit, but I could feel the pushing distinctly. It hurt. I was a bit of a baby and yelled that I couldn't do it. I couldn't open my eyes and I was burning hot all over. Chris was awesome because everyone kept saying, you can do it, almost there, there's the head, but when Chris said it, I knew we were close! So finally out she came in a bizarre exhilirating feeling of relief. She was sunnyside up; i.e. backwards; so that is probably why I had (1) back labor; and (2) so much trouble pushing her out. Apparently proper positioning of baby is more important than size, and I had both against me.

Maren Katherine Prevatt was born on Friday, February 25, 2011, at 3:47 p.m., 9 lbs even, 21.25 inches and perfect! I got to hold her on my chest right away and Chris got to cut the cord. Those two moments alone were worth all the trouble and angst over the past 9 months. Also, she never left the room at all. When she came out, they were saying, can you see what it is? My mom was on that side, and she said something like, I don't know! I'm not sure! Ha! Then everyone was yelling at once, IT'S A GIRL! This was a COMPLETE SHOCK. It was the best surprise ever! Another little girl! She is amazing. Long and strong already with some medium brown hair, long hands and feet, and sweet little chin. She looks a lot like Annie, I think, but I'm not sure if that is just in an "all babies look the same" sort of way. We are in love.

Recovery has been even easier than a c-section than I had thought, and I didn't even have a tough c-section, really. This time, I had a second degree tear and lots of stitches, but I was still up using the bathroom myself two hours after delivery and showering myself the next morning. I have some pain, but there is just no comparison.

I am very fortunate, especially with all the interventions I had. I fully support natural labor, and I would try again with a future kid, but I am also 100% satisfied with this birth. I never would have made it without the epidural! I also had more support than I could possibly hope for. No one in my family ever questioned me questioning the norm of a repeat c-section. My midwife/OBs and even ROC were unfailingly positive and sincerely rooting for me. Every woman should have the opportunity to have the option of a normal birth.