Introducing: Bear Hancock Baxter
8 pds 9 oz. 22 inches long. born 6-23-2011 at 4:42 pm
This is his birth story:
We are thrilled to have Bear with us and even more happy that we are all healthy!
Monday night I started having contractions (after taking Caster oil, I was desperate I tell you!) The contractions started around mid-night and lasted all night. They were about every 8-10 minutes from midnight to 2am. Then they were about every 5 minutes 2am-5am. They were strong but I was able to breath though them and sleep in between some so I didn't bother going to the hospital or calling because I wanted to labor as much as I could at home. At about 6am I called Janice and she told me that Belinda would be on call at 7 and asked if I wanted to wait until then. I was happy to wait and called Belinda at 7. She asked if I wanted to go to the hospital or go to her office first to see if it was real. I decided to wait a little longer and go to the office at 8am when it opened to make sure they were real. From 7am-8am they were like clockwork and exactly 5 minutes apart and getting stronger, which made Logan and I get more excited... but the second I got into the car and drove to the office was the last of any contractions I had for the day. When I got to the office and was hooked up to the monitor and didn't feel anything or show any more signs of labor I was devastated! When Belinda walked in to check on me I just started balling, I couldn't believe that I had had them ALL night long and that they could just disappear like that. I was convinced that Bear was "camera shy" and that I would never go into labor by myself. (I know Caster oil isn't "by myself" but it’s better that being induced at a hospital!) She was super sweet and said all the right things and sent me on my way.
Tuesday was pretty normal, maybe one or two contractions, but nothing significant. Even though I took caster oil AGAIN! What is totally weird though, is that it didn't even do what it is made to do even though I took the recommended amount, in fact a lot of people told me it would make me dehydrated. But like most pregnancies I was constipated the whole time, all it did was make me regular. I wish I had taken it my whole pregnancy! ;)
So Wednesday (my due-date) My husband went about the day normally. That night I slept very peacefully with no contractions and woke up at about 9 with a strong contraction. I had them every 5 minutes until ten and even though they weren't very strong I headed to the hospital because I wasn't going to let them disappear before I got there! I drove myself and my husband stayed at home with Bou so we could make sure I was going to stay there before worrying about getting a babysitter.
I got there at about 10:30 and was monitored for about 30 minutes. They told me that my contractions were too small to be admitted and let me walk the halls for an hour to see if it would help them to get stronger. At 12 I was checked again and told that I was a 3, maybe 4 and that I was going to be sent home because nothing was happening. To which I said, “heck no! I'm not going home, your gonna have to do better than that!” After the nurse laughed at me she called Belinda so said she could give me 2 sets of gels and see if they would do the trick. I called my husband and told him I wasn't going home and that he should call a babysitter and head over. He got there at about 1 and as soon as he did I went into full-blown labor. The nurse didn't even give me the second set of gels and recommended that I be admitted because I was having all back-labor. I was sent to a room where I was able to get into the birthing pool and relax a little better. I didn’t’ really like the tub because I wasn’t able to ge in the position I liked because of the back labor. Otherwise I know I would have loved it. I wanted to go natural really bad and my nurse knew it but around 3:45 I was dying at asked for an epidural.
My GENIUS nurse must have realized that I hit transition and asked if I wanted to be checked before I decide for sure because I might be an 8 and she could break my water and then it would go even faster. I was totally fine in-between contractions and even had about 3 minutes break each time so that sounded really good. She was right and I was an 8! Belinda broke my water and 20 minutes later I wanted to push. I pushed through about 2 contractions squatting, which I didn't like so I tried laying on my side. I pushed though about 4 contractions on my side and didn't like that either so I asked for a mirror and pushed on my back though 2 more and out he popped!
My husband was able to "catch" him and I was so unbelievable proud of myself for doing it natural, and even more surprised that I was able to do it even though ALL my contractions were in my back. It was the most amazing and intense pain I have ever had in my life. What I was most surprised about was that as soon as he was out, and even as soon as a contraction would end I felt zero pain. It was so rewarding and I am so happy that I did it natural! I even feel great now! (3 days later) I'm not in any pain and didn't tear, so I am recovering great. After my husband caught our son, he handed him to me and we bonded for about 45 minutes until the cord stopped pulsating and my husband cut it. Belinda was so wonderful during the labor and deliver. She just sat on the end of my bed and watched the whole thing, barley even toughing me. It made me feel so strong and confident. She gently told me what has happening and how wonderful I was doing. I will be forever grateful for her service.
I am so SO grateful for my nurse, Frances, and that she recognized that I had hit transition and encouraged me to stick to the birth I wanted.
I am also so, so, so grateful for my mid-wife, Belinda who made Logan as involved as possible and guided him though the process of delivering his son.
I could not have asked for a better birth and am still in shock that it was all over and that I actually did it! Doing it all natural was so important to me and I can not begin to explain the joy and fulfullment it brings to me. With both my children I wanted to go natural, and even though I didn't with my first, I never felt like a failure. The BEST advice I ever received was that you should put as much thought and planning into your birth as possible. Make a birth plan and share it with your provider and partner. But once your labor and deliver being don't expect anything to go that way and be happy no matter!
Thanks Bear for coming to our family! We Love You!
Thanks Belinda for being so wonderful and to all the midwives at Valley Women for Women!
Joyful Momma: Clarissa B.
