A year ago today - a birth story - part 3 / the big finale

read part 1 here and part 2 here

just born

At 7.30 in the morning I was fully dilated and the most important and final part of the delivery was about to start.

The pain medication flowing into my veins was turned off, 

I was on some sort of morphine drip and wasn't allowed to use it during the final moments to make sure the baby wouldn't get it in his system, 

from there on out I suffered through all the primal pain a woman giving birth feels.

^ ^ ^ ^

During my preparation for the delivery I had read about the benefits of using a birth stool, 

so I asked if I could give that a try. 

I sat on it through two pushes but I felt so uncomfortable I begged to lie down on the bed again.

The next thirty minutes went by in blur, I remember pushing whenever I was allowed, 

and holding back when I was asked to.

The nurses and doctor and B. were all so encouraging and kept telling me how great I was doing but I kept thinking to myself  'there's no way I can do this, he will never come out'.

^ ^ ^ ^

After quite some time pushing I sensed B. and the doctor glancing towards the monitor that was attached to the baby's head, they had worried looks on their faces.

'The baby is in distress, his heart rate is dropping' our doctor told us. 'He needs to come out soon'.

She told B. and I that our baby was stuck behind a ridge and for him to come out I would need an episiotomy and that for the birth of our son a vacuum pump would be needed.

And so it happened, the incision was made, the pump inserted and with all of her might the doctor pulled out our boy. I was so full of adrenaline and excitement to meet our long awaited son I hardly felt any pain.

^ ^ ^ ^

At 8.47 on a sunny summer morning Micha came into this world, screaming and with a head full of hair.

He was placed onto my chest and I cried and laughed while I softly touched his head.

He was the most perfect thing I had ever layed eyes on.

B. kissed me with tears in his eyes and an exhausted yet ecstatic look on his face. 

We made it, we finally had our son!

^ ^ ^ ^

We spent a few minutes as a brand new family taking each other in, 

Micha looked at us with big curious eyes, he was so alert.

After a while the nurse took him and checked if everything was okay, 

she clothed him and brought him back to me.

And there we were, me and my men. 

The biggest adventure of our lives had finally begun.

it's been a good year

Love, Maria

A year ago today- a birth story- part 2

read part 1 here

before pain medication

after, much happier!

Almost twenty-four hours had passed since my water broke, and despite the painful contractions I wasn't progressing fast enough to have a safe home birth.

We would meet our baby boy in the hospital.

Luckily there was no reason to rush to the hospital 

and I was able to spend the next few hours laboring at home. 

I spent most of them in the shower, the warm water easing the pain.

^ ^ ^ ^

The midwife had told us to check in at the hospital at 4 a.m. 

So at 3.30 we decided we should head to the hospital. 

I got dressed, B. grabbed my hospital bag I had prepared just in case, 

and we headed out the door, took the elevator down 

and crossed the parking lot to our car pausing every two minutes due to contractions.

The ten minute drive to the hospital was almost the worst part of the whole delivery. 

Every little bump in the road felt like a mountain even though B.was driving so carefully.

When we arrived at the hospital it was so quiet and dark. 

We found our way to the delivery ward and checked in.

I was brought to a room, assisted onto a bed and hooked up to a million monitors.

This was not how I had imagined our birth experience to be.

^ ^ ^ ^

The contractions kept on rolling in and as best as I could I concentrated on my breathing, 

trying to get in some sort of relaxed mode. 

But the pain became unbearable. 

I was tired, sore, disappointed and just wanted to meet my baby.

I wanted something to relieve the pain, even though it felt like giving up.

I shared my thoughts with our nurse and she sternly but lovingly told me to ease up on myself.

And that was what I needed to hear.

I happily accepted some pain medication and finally I was able to relax.

The medication I was on made me a bit woozy and so the following hours flew by like a dream.

And then it was time. I was fully dilated and it was time to push.

to be continued...

Love, Maria

read the big finale tomorrow!

A year ago today - a birth story - part 1

very pregnant, but still in wedges to church!

Exactly a year ago, two days before my due date, my water broke.

It was a Sunday and that morning we had been to church. 

After church my, also very pregnant, friend and her husband over for coffee.

We talked about going into labor and I was certain I would be at least a week overdue.

But that night, right after B. and I had gone to bed, it all started. 

^ ^ ^ ^

I had gotten up to use the bathroom and on the way back to bed my water broke.

We were so excited and couldn't believe we were actually going to have our baby so soon already.

We called our midwife and asked what we should do.

'Just stay calm, wait until the contractions are at least a minute long and are coming every two to three minutes, than call me again and I'll come and deliver the baby.' 

(We were planning on having a home birth, like most women in Holland do.)

So we waited and waited and waited some more. 

Surely we would be parents the next day.

And then they came, first one contraction and then a few minutes later the next one. 

We were so excited, it was happening, we would definitely be holding our baby soon.

But then after a few contractions nothing happened anymore, 

we waited all night and all day the following day.

^ ^ ^ ^

When the midwife checked in that afternoon still nothing was happening. 

I hadn't progressed at all and she told us that if the contractions weren't regular by one a.m. that night (twenty-four hours after my water breaking) I would have to go to the hospital to deliver the baby and would probably be induced as well. 

I was devastated, I wanted so bad to have our baby at home, in a warm and loving environment. 

And I definitely didn't want to be induced. 

I was hoping for and counting on an all-natural delivery without any drugs.

^ ^ ^ ^

Our deadline for having the birth experience we wanted was coming closer and closer.

We hoped and prayed that contractions would come and then at eleven p.m. they finally started up again.

We couldn't believe it, we would have our home birth after all!

At midnight my contractions were so regular and painful that the midwife came to check how far along I was.

I was in so much pain and I was certain I would be at least half way there. 

I was only one centimeter dilated.

We would be going to the hospital that night.

No home birth for us.

At that point I really didn't care anymore, I just wanted to meet my boy.

And secretly I was thinking of the option of using some pain relief, 

something I thought I would never do.

So much for a birth plan!

To be continued....

Love, Maria

read part 2 tomorrow!