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Harper Ellyn Adams... my unplanned UC!
- Jun 14, 2009 at 8:38 AM
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- Comments (10) Total Views (401) Everyone can see this journal post.
Harper Ellyn Adams was born June 8th at 2:46am in the guest room at our home in North Carolina! She was 8lbs 6oz and 19" long. This is the story of how that happened...
All day Sunday I had been having mild, irregular contractions. I knew that Dane would be home on Monday afternoon, so I was really trying to take it easy. (DH was deployed to Iraq and they were sending him home early due to over-manning) I wanted more than anything for him to be there for her birth. Mom was (is) here and she was on Vance duty for the day. I took a couple naps and sat around, drinking water like a fish, hoping to slow the contractions down. That night, I took a really warm bath and went to bed around 11:30.
The first "real" contraction came a little after midnight. I had a couple more in a half hour and couldn't fall back asleep, they were getting too intense. I got out of bed and paced around my room. The contractions were coming about every 4-7 minutes, but they were only lasting about 20-30 seconds. Everything I've read and been told said to use the 4-1-1 rule: head to the hospital when the contractions are every 4 minutes, last 1 minute, for an hour. I called my doula around 1am and told her how I was feeling. She even said that I probably had a couple hours before I needed to head in and to just keep moving and swaying with the contractions. (I had a contraction while I was on the phone with her and she said by my reaction to the contraction, I definately had some time before I needed to leave)
I kept pacing and swaying through the contractions (I would moan and vocalize in low tones as well). At around 2am I went into my mom's room (the guest room) and told her that I thought it was about time to head into the hospital. She asked if there was time for her to take a quick shower, and I said "yeah, if you make it fast!". She was in the shower and back in her room in less than a minute. As she was walking in, I had a contraction and my water broke. She grabbed her towel and put it under me. I had another contraction and I felt Harper move down into my birth canal. I climbed up on the bed and told her that I didn't think we were going to make it to the hospital and I didn't want to risk having Harper on the side of the road. I told her to call my doula.
While she was leaving a message for Candice, I had another contraction and felt my body push her down. At this point I KNOW that I am going to be having her at home... And I was very calm and ok with that (although I did say "holy shit, mom!" as the thought crossed my mind!). Mom asked "Do I need to call 911?". I told her to just give me a minute to think. One more contraction, she moved down even more, and I said "Yeah, call 911".
While mom was on the phone with the dispatcher telling our situation and giving him the address, I got into position on my hands and knees. It was the only position that felt comfortable. The dispatcher told my mom "Have her get on her back" and I snapped back "Women can have babies like this! I can't get on my back!" (that was the only time I got snappy! I swear!) Mom told the dispatcher that I had read a bunch of books and knew what I was doing. I felt another contraction coming and told mom that I felt her crowning. Another contraction came. Mom said that she was out up to her nose and that I needed to push her head all the way out. Another contraction came. Her right shoulder came out and mom said that I needed to push to get the other shoulder out. Those were the only times I actually pushed. The entire time, my body was pushing her out. Mom "caught" her and laid her on the bed on a clean towel (I'm so glad that my mom had the foresight to grab all the towels out of my linen cabnet!). She was cleaning her off and I was turning over in the bed as the paramedics came up he stairs.
They did a quick assesment of me and Harper then clamped the cord. Mom got to cut it :-) They handed her to me so I could keep her warm and hold her for the first time. After they finished their assesment and got the gurney upstairs they put me on it, wrapped Harper up in a blanket and took us out to the ambulance. On our way out I noticed that Vance was looking out the window at the flashing lights of the ambulance. He had been awake the whole time and we didn't hear a peep! I told mom and she said that she was going to get him ready and head to the hospital with Vance and my bags. As soon as I was loaded in the ambulance they handed her back to me and asked if I wanted to try nursing her. She latched on like a champ!
We got to the hospital and went to the labor and delivery floor. The nurse took Harper from me and the midwife started my assesment. I delivered the placenta and she told me that I had a 1st degree tear. I told her that I didn't want it stitched and she agreed that it wasn't nessicary. About 10 minutes after we got there, my doula showed up... Better late than never! She was so great. She stayed for about an hour and held my hand when they did the fundus massage. I swear that was the worst part!!! Holly Hell, that hurt!!! Mom and Vance got there shortly after and I nursed Harper while Vance entertained the staff :-) We went up to our room around 6:30am. I was feeling so good that I walked up to the room, pushing Harper in the bassinet.
We stayed at the hospital for 2 days and the stay was pretty uneventful. She's nursing great and sleeping better and in longer stretches every night that passes.
I feel amazing. The whole experience made me so proud of my body and so empowered! I felt no "pain". There was pressure and an intesity that I can't put into words, but NO pain. From the time my water broke until she was born was about 25 minutes and my mom said that I only pushed 5 times. I'm pretty sure I have my husband talked into a REAL homebirth the next time around!!! :-)
Comments:
your one crazy mamma.. you did a great job she is beautiful.. better the guest room then the lawn lol.
WOW what a cool story...and those paramedics to hand you her to nurse...awesome awesome
wow, that is crazy, i would have freaked out if i were to have my son or my girls at home. (which i came close to btw, i walked into the hospital at 9.5cm with waters bulging..if they had broke...man...)
Good for you!!
Yay! Congratulations! Awesome birth story :-)
What a neat story! I thought my son was going to be born on Western Blvd-I waited a little too long to leave the house, thankfully there was no traffic trying to get to Onslow. Walked in at 8cm, had him within the hour.
What a beautiful birth story!
I know exactly what you mean by the intensity. People keep asking if I had pain, and I have a hard time describing it. 9-10 cm was an intense time for me, but drugs never crossed my mind. I think I will explain it as you have.
wow thats amazing!!! how awesome r u!!
My birth was very similar.
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Congutionals to u We had to home births with our two oldest daughters but are last three childen we had to do hosptail the last one was because it was twinsssss and high risk the 2nd to last are midwife was out of town
- butterflysmom
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