Photo by Mike Quain
This week's birth story is shared by my friend Coralissa Delaforce, who blogs about her adventures in mommyhood at Family of Force. She had this to say about participating in the Birth Story of the Week series: "I love sharing my almost home birth story. I am that 5% transfer rate. The more I share the more the pain of disappointment goes away and the more confidence I build for a HWBAC at some point." Without further ado, here is Coralissa's story, excerpted from her original blog post:
Wednesday May 20, 2009 at 2:45 am is when my journey started. I woke up feeling what I thought were my practice contractions (although they were a bit stronger). I decided that for some reason I had to poo (which never happens at that time). Fifteen minutes later another contraction happened and again I had to poo. Wondering if it was pre-labor I looked at one of my handouts and sure enough, contractions along with bowel movements were part of pre-labor. Ten minutes later after another contraction I decided to wake up Eye to let him know what was going. When he woke up he was like "Really?" After an hour of timing my contraction they went from 15 minutes to 10 minutes to 7 minutes, all lasting about 30 seconds long. The pain was definitely manageable. I was feeling excited that I was going to meet my boy at some point soon. I didn't want to get too excited though because I knew it could be a long day. I asked Eye to heat up the jacuzzi outside since it was way to early to call for my tub.
About 5:30 am I went outside and it was gorgeous. It was so quiet and the sun was just about to rise. Both the dogs came out and hung out with me while I sat in the warm jacuzzi. I felt so peaceful and ready for whatever my labor was going to be. Each contraction started to get closer together. They were around 3 minutes apart lasting 30 seconds long. The surges were manageable. I just breathed through them knowing that I had time to rest in between. We called Jollina for the tub and called my BFF to let her know what was going on. We also called my parents to let them know that they should start thinking about driving home since they were in Bakersfield. I was surprised how close my contractions were considering I only started 2 hours ago!
At 7:00 am Eye called Tiffany, my doula, and April, my midwife, to let them know where we were at. I labored in the jacuzzi for a while, ate some watermelon, drank water and then threw up twice against the rocks. Thank goodness we were outside. Kiko wanted to play ball and I tried to throw his ball in between contractions. Oh Kiko. Jollina came over to set up the tub so that everything in my room was ready for me. Eye was so awesome. He breathed with me while kneeling on concrete and made sure I stayed hydrated.
We went upstairs and I laid on my left side to try and get some rest. My contractions were still 3 minutes a part lasting 30 seconds long. I got on my hands and knees during some of them. I swayed for some, or laid still. Tiffany came over around 8:30 am and my contractions went to 2 minutes, 30-40 seconds long. Her hands were a Godsend! She massaged me, reminded me to get the tension out, told me to go with low deep tones. Eye was so supportive too. He always breathed with me, held me as each contraction came. They were such a good team together. They were my angels. I felt great. Even though the contractions were getting stronger, I was feeling strong and able to do the work. My body was meant for this, I knew I could do it and I was ready and open for it to get harder.
For the next 5 hours I labored everywhere. In the tub, the bathroom, the bed, everywhere in my room. It was awesome. The dogs were chilling on the bed. Everything was perfect. My contractions were getting intense, still lasting 2 minutes a part, 45-50 seconds long. Sherry, my midwife's assistant who was also one of my angels showed up around 12ish and started to set things up. The surges were strong and I managed to get through them with the help of Eye, Tif and Sherry. Time was flying by. I had no concept of time. I never once looked at a clock. April arrived at 1:00 PM and at that time I was 8cm already. (She told me after the fact because I never really wanted to know) I thought for sure that I would meet my boy very soon. He might be here before his Grandparents come back home.
For the next 5 hours my contractions were getting stronger and I was in transition for 5 HOURS. At several points April and Sherry would suggest different positions whether it by on the bed, next to the tub, in the tub, on the toilet, on the stairs. I wanted to do everything I could to get the boy down my pelvis. He just wasn't moving. At 7:00 pm April decided to break my water to hopefully help the boy come down. He just wasn't moving and I had been already dialated for hours. When she broke the water there was meconium, but we didn't worry because the boy's heart beat was still strong. They suggested I try and pee and as I was having a contraction the boy's heart beat dipped. April then said, "He's not happy in there, I think we should go to the hospital." I didn't hesitate, "Let's go."
Everything changed in an instant. We were leaving our amazing environment to go to the hospital. I got in the back of the truck. My contractions were crazy. They were one minute apart lasting 60-90 seconds apart. April told me to stay on my knees with my head on my hands. It was very important for me to stay that way the whole car ride. That 8 minute drive was the longest drive ever. I had never focused so much in my life. I had to breath, keep calm and not move from my position. Of course we hit every red light and missed the turn into the emergency drive way. April called ahead to the hospital and contacted Dr. Bolnick (married to a midwife). He was going to be my OB for the night. I felt reassured when Sherry told me that he's not a cut-her-up kinda of guy. I was so relieved because I did not want to go under the knife.
As we pulled up to the emergency, I kept breathing and got wheeled in to the bright hospital. Thank goodness we pre-registered at Summerlin. We went straight up to Labor and Delivery and I took off my dress and got on the hard bed. It was such a whirl wind. I got strapped to a fetal monitor and a contraction monitor. I was now stuck to the bed. Unfamiliar nurses, questions asked, things to sign, contractions kicking my ass. I had no rest between contractions. They were lasting 90 seconds long. It was all so different. Thank goodness I had my angels there. Tiffany, April, Sherry, Ivan and my Mom all helped get through. Dr. Bolnick came in, checked me and let me push for 2 hours. The boy still didn't come down. I was exhausted by that point. I just didn't have it in me. I just wanted to sleep. I was suffering unnecessarily. I couldn't deal with the pain, I didn't have it in me. After 3 hours of pre-labor 4 hours of active labor, 6 hours of transition, a car ride from hell, 2 hours of pushing, I needed some help. We decided to get an epidural so that I can sleep and hopefully the contractions will move the boy down and I will have the strength to push him out after I got some rest.
Epidural please, PLEASE. Of course it took for ever for the anethesiologist to come. I was screaming, "PLEASE HURRY, PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME, PLEASE GET HIM, PLEASE!" I was thrashing around so hard my IV came out, blood everywhere. He finally showed up after what seemed to be an eternity. Then came THE hardest part of the whole day. Stay still during my strong surges? Are you high? Are you crazy????? I don't know how I did it but I did. When I has hunched over Eye said baby's heart beat really dipped. It took the guy 3 tries to get it right. It took so much out of me not to move. I can't believe I did it. All that hard focus paid off because my legs went numb and I finally had relief.
Enter Dr. Bolnick stage left. "He's not moving, he's up there and he's not coming out. She's not even a zero." (if crowning is +4, he was up there and I was a zero) "I think it's time for a C-Section, listen there was a lot of meconium..." "NOOOOOOOOOOO" I screamed. That wasn't the plan I had! I didn't even want to be in the hospital. I just wanted to sleep and I promise I'll push him out. But there was the meconium. Damn f-ing meconium!!! If that wasn't in the equation, I would have been more persistent. But I knew that in the end that was the right call.
Because Nainoa had trouble breathing he was sent to the NICU. They seem to think he inhaled meconium. He also had low electrolytes which caused them to run a series of tests. I won't bore you with all the miscellaneous tests they did on him because it honestly makes me very upset. It was so hard not being able to bond and breast feed right away. There were times I just sobbed by his bed because he looked so helpless hooked up to so many wires and cords. Needless to say on May 25th (the day he was due) we brought him home healthy and happy. I am so thankful that he is has a clean bill of health.
Looking back at the whole experience. I feel I still had my homebirth that I planned. It was such an amazing experience laboring at home with my angels. I feel like a strong woman who knows how to labor naturally. I plan on having a homebirth if and when I get pregnant again. Even though I ended up having a C-section, I always knew it was a possibility. Things happen as they are suppose to happen. I am not in control. What matters now is that I have a beautiful son who needs me. I am so thankful for that. I am thankful that he is out in this world and he is healthy. I am truly blessed.
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