|
|
|
|
|
Jessica & Miah's Hypnosis Waterbirth
Story
|
|
Jeremiah Gray,
born 5/2/07 6:09 pm into the tub and his daddy's
hands, 8 lbs 14 oz, 21 1/2 inches |
|
|
May 2-
I felt a tiny gush and my eyes flew open. 6:37 am. Eva's in our bed, so I'm
not saying anything until I know for sure... I wait. Suddenly it's like
someone turned on a faucet. It just pours and pours out of me. I'm so
glad I put the waterproof pad under me weeks ago. "Jay. JAY!" "Yeah" "My
water broke and I need some towels NOW!"
He jumps out of bed with a smile on his face and runs for towels. Eva pops
up. "Your wata bwoke?" "Yes, baby. We're going to have a baby today." She
was so excited she had to run in and wake up Julian to tell him the baby was
coming today.
I waddled around trying to get last minute things together with a towel
between my legs. I put on an adult diaper and everything and it was soaked
and leaking in 5 minutes. We sure verified why I'd been measuring a
miserable 4 weeks
ahead the whole pregnancy.
Contractions started coming 4 minutes apart and pretty strong. Since my
average labor is about 5 hours we decided to get going right away. I posted
on babycenter to let everyone know, let my customer service staff know I
wouldn't be available until the next day, etc and we headed out.
We got to the Birth Center a little before 8. Contractions were kind of
petering out, but I was sure they'd pick up again when we got settled. The
bath was ready when we got there and the kids had to immediately get in.
They were in and out all day long.
By 11-ish the kids were getting mighty bored and contractions weren't
getting any stronger and were sometimes 15 minutes apart. I was discouraged
and all my rocking was doing nothing. I decided to drag Jay on a walk and we
walked about 30 minutes pretty briskly. By the end of the walk they were
much more regular and I was starving. Dh went across the street to get me a
turkey sandwich and I lay down feeling very tired. Contractions spaced out
again.
I called Eva in and asked her to give me a hand. I had to separate her from
her ravioli, but she nursed for about 5 minutes before I lost her again. But
it didn't matter because she had saved the day. Contractions started coming
every 3 minutes and much stronger at 1:30 pm.
Since they were strongest when I lay down during this whole pregnancy, I
stayed in bed for a good half hour. Finally they were strong enough for me
to want the tub. I got in and felt a little better for a little while.
Now if you've read my previous birth story I have hypnosis births with
little pain. My last birth was merely pressure for the most part 'til the
last 2-3 contractions before pushing. I was really expecting that again this
time. I don't know if it was because my water was already broken or if I was
so distracted by the kids, but by 4:00 or so I was in some real pain.
Relaxation wasn't cutting it so much anymore and I needed to do
something. I started lifting myself out of the water a little with my arms
while trying to keep my abs, vagina, etc relaxed so I could finish opening.
I was vocalizing in low moans by this point. THE WORST was any time one of
the kids would touch the water, making it ripple out and move me. Oh GOD I
wanted to kill every time something made me concentrate on anything but
relaxing.
I started shaking and feeling just really not good. I knew it was
transition, but remember saying "Knowing this is transition really doesn't
help at all". I felt I needed a position change to help me stay on top of
them and in the 15 seconds or so between this contraction and the next I got
up on my knees and leaned forward out of the tub. It was so hot, but
I wanted it no cooler on my belly and legs. Dh was still trying to keep me
relaxed, but at this point I was just trying to make it through them. I was
scrunching my face through them, struggling very hard in vain to keep my
voice low through the whole thing, and shaking my head. This whole time the
kids were just playing, walking around bored, etc. I totally didn't freak
them out at all. I guess I did a perfect amount of prep work with them, lol.
They were just so intense, and they kept coming and coming. With each one I
was waiting and waiting for them to get pushy and they just wouldn't. I kept
saying I just wanted to push, I just wanted him out, but I didn't force it.
I knew I didn't want that. At last I felt the urge to push.
I got back onto one leg and one knee and started pushing. Again this birth
was different. With the last one I didn't even push. My body did it all and
I was kinda along for the ride. This time it was an "urge to push", but I
could have stopped sometimes. Very odd and new for me. I pushed 2 times last
time and she was out. This time I pushed through at least 4 contractions and
felt only tiny movement each time. I got up into a squat sure he was close
and not wanting to injure my pelvis again. It was so weird and kinda cool to
feel him moving down the whole time. I reached down to see how close he was
and he still wasn't even crowning. I was so surprised because he felt RIGHT
THERE.
I felt myself spreading and spreading. I thought I was tearing and just kind
of panted through most of the next contraction. He eased down and his head
was right there. This whole time Jay had been running back and forth trying
to get a new tape in the camera, then getting the battery changed out. It
was par for the course for us. We've almost missed taping all 3 births. When
he started crowning Eva started yelling at Jay "Catch him Daddy! Catch him!"
She was so worried nobody would be there to pull him out of the water.
I pushed a little and his head eased out. Pushed again and shoulders were
right behind, then he just slid out. It was amazing how I felt immediately
better and normal again. Jay handed him to me and I looked at him, then the
kids. Julian looked kinda teary-eyed and he and Eva had the biggest
grins pasted on their faces. I sat back in the tub and just enjoyed him. We
all got to know him for the next 45 minutes or so while we waited for the
placenta. The kids took turns cutting the cord, and they just couldn't stop
touching him and saying how cute he was. They both said it was the coolest
thing they'd ever seen, and I hope they remember it forever.
It wasn't until he was weighed and measured that we realized he was our
biggest yet. 8 lbs 14oz, 21.5 inches long and a 14 3/4" head, born at 6:09
pm. No wonder it took him a while. And it was my average of 5 or so hours of
"real" labor, after weeks of my body teasing me.
He's an awesome nurser (despite the large nipple tiny mouth situation I
always seem to forget about!), sleeps well, and is the love of our lives.
The kids could not be happier with him and just want to hug and kiss him all
the time. Absolutely zero jealousy issues so far, and tandem nursing is
going like a fairy tale. But then I do have the best kids in the world.
The funniest thing to me is during labor I kept telling Jay to remind me of
this when I said I wanted another one. And I've already forgotten the pain,
from both childbirth and pregnancy, and want another one, lol. I'm so
insane!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|