My VBAC baby boy is here (long)
So much emotion involved in this journey, and I just don't know where to start. My daughter's birth in 2006 was an unnecessary c/s. I felt like I had no option, I was told I could never birth a baby vaginally. To change doctor at the time was impossible, we've paid him and I felt I was being robbed of my birth choice... I felt so broken inside out from the experience...
With later pregnancy I determined I was going to do it my way, regardless the outcome I'd know it was MY choice and I would be in peace with it. I did research after research and got my self a caregiver, an independent midwife, who understands my wish for natural childbirth and supports me 100%. We're going to do it MY way, she's there only to care and support me which she did greatly.
I had a slow and long labour due to baby's posterior position.
So, here goes the story...
On Tuesday at 3am I was starting to get irregular contractions. They weren't painful, just uncomfortable. I couldn't get back to sleep though so I just tried to rest in between contractions. In the morning my private midwife came and we did an internal check - I was 1cm dilated. So off she went home and I continued my slow labour at home accompanied by DH.
Time went by and came Wednesday morning. My midwife came back and checked on me I was 3cm dilated. However, my contractions weren't strong enough the main concern was that I was going to be too tired to give birth. She also concern about my scar since I’ve been in labour for 24 hours.
We decided to go to the hospital to consult an obstetrician. He wasn’t worried about my scar at all, he said my scar would be just fine. He offered me to give something to relief the pain so I can rest overnight, OR they can speed things up by breaking my water. This is Wednesday early afternoon. DH said to me that the best thing for me at the time was to get some rest, how I'm grateful for his support as I couldn’t think straight at that time being too tired... So off we went home after took the pain killers and the contractions slowed down and much less strong so I got to sleep for most of afternoon and evening, and so did DH.
Came Thursday at dawn my contractions were starting to picking up again. At 3am I sat there working through a rather strong contraction I was thinking how I've been in a slow labour for 48 hours. I've now had my rest for a good few hours on Wednesday so I made the decision to go to hospital that morning and speed things up by having my water broken.
DH woke up sometimes later hearing me breathing and moaning through contractions then I told him about my decision.
I rang my midwife at 5.30am, she said she'd come at 9am, do a quick check and we'd all go to the hospital.
I can't really remember what time we got to hospital, all I remember I was 4cm dilated then. At 12.35 they broke my water, and I was actually 5cm dilated.
Now things were getting very serious from here, contractions were stronger and closer together. I wanted to be in the shower with hot water spraying on my back. The back pain was caused by the posterior baby whilst he tried to turn himself his head was pressing hard on my spine. At one stage they told me to get out of the shower because they couldn't monitor the baby's heart rate due to the spraying water. He was doing very well though, his heart rate was never dipped - not even once.
I went from 5cm to fully dilated (10cm) in less than 2 hours. I was kneeling and leaning over the hospital bed whilst pushing in an upright position. After for about 30 minutes pushing the head was born, a minute later my beautiful baby boy sloshed out me with a big gush of amniotic fluid. He was pink and crying healthily. I leaned over him as they put him on the mattress between my legs - wet and slimy, yet the most beautiful thing I've ever seen... The midwives helped me to pick up the baby and here we were, DH and I and the newborn having our first cuddles... This was 2.54pm...
After 60 hours of labour my uterus took its toll, I was starting to bleed heavily straight after DH cut the cord and the placenta had to be manually retracted. I lost around a litre of blood but didn't require transfusion. The next hour were a bit fuzzy, suddenly there were more people in the room as they're trying to control my bleeding.
Whilst during labour and birth I didn't have any pain killers (was offered to suck-in the happy gas but didn't like it), this time I was breathing in the gas like there was no tomorrow! They managed to stop the bleeding and they stitched my 2nd degree torn perineum – ouch!
Sometimes after 4pm the room finally quieten down again, we were left alone just me, DH, our newborn and our private midwife. She then left a short time later...
DH told me how proud he was of me, and we talked how despite the bleeding it was an amazing experience... He nearly missed his son's being born, having had to move the car and organising a car seat for our daughter he didn't think I was progressing that fast.. It was all good at the end and he was there in time to witness the birth of his son.
We were planning for a homebirth but I believe considering the circumstances I couldn't be happier with the outcome. I wouldn't change a thing, my baby boy is perfect and healthy and I got my VBAC - couldn't get a better outcome than that!
I did it, I gave birth. I birthed my son, naturally...
LadyNoor
xxx
Statistics
Baby Boy
DOB: 4 March 2010
Time of birth: 2.54pm
Birthweight: 3,18kg
Length: 52cm
Head circumference: 34.5cm
Apgar scores: 9/9
Re: My VBAC baby boy is here (long)
Congratulations on your VBAC!!! That's fantastic! Thanks for sharing your story. :)
