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!