Gage Urijah Birth Story

[TheWAHM]

After 37 weeks of pregnancy, a huge tummy and body aches I was ready to meet my son! On Sept. 17, 2009 I started feeling slight contractions. I told hubby to go for a walk with me because just maybe it was real contractions and not braxton hicks. He kind of looked at me like yeah right but agreed to walk with me.

We went for a nice long walk around our neighborhood. The weather was great and I was able to walk without feeling like I was going to pass out. We got home at 9pm (after about 30 minutes of walking) and I told hubby I thought I may be in labor and wanted to go to the hospital to get checked to see if I was dilated. I was not in any pain, but did feel some discomfort with each contraction.

We arrived at the hospital at 10PM and my midwife met me to check me. I really thought she would tell me I had not changed any and that I was just having braxton hicks and send me home. So, I took no hospital bag with me thinking it would just be another false alarm.

She checked me and said I was 4 cen. dilated! She has my bag of water was bulging but the baby was still high up. I was admitted to the hospital and called my sister to let her know I was really in labor.

My midwife had me in an upright chair to help bring the baby down. At that time she asked if I wanted any pain medication. I refused because I did not feel any real pain and said when I started to feel pain I would gladly accept the epidural.

At 11PM she came back in to check on me and I asked her to see if I had dilated any more. I was a 6! I was so excited that I actually went into labor on my own, the pain was not killing me and that it was moving fast.

My sister, my friend Tony, Hubby and my midwife sat and chatted for a bit. Telling jokes and getting really excited. My midwife asked me if I was ready for my epidural. Again, I refused it because the pain was manageable. She told me if I wanted it, I needed to go ahead and get it because my labor was moving fast and that once I hit 7 cen. I would not be able to get it. I looked up at her and said, no I am ok, I think I can handle this. (little did I know I would later change my mind)

At 12PM, the baby was low and in place so my midwife went ahead to break my water. I was 8 1/2 cen. dialiated and was shocked that I was not screaming in pain. I can still remember my 1st attempt at a natural birth and by the time I hit 4 cent. I was screaming for help and pain medication.

For the next 30 minutes my midwife and nurse gathered everything for the birth while hubby, my sister and my friend all sat around enjoying the moment.

At about 12:40AM, I started feeling pressure and the discomfort turned into pain. I remember thinking in my head I had made a huge mistake not getting an epidural. How in the world was I going to do this? Instead of going into a panic I asked hubby to please rub my back. He rubbed my upper back while my midwife massaged my  lower back with each contraction.

At 1AM, the pressure was very intence. I could tell it would not be much longer and continued to breath with each contraction. My widwife checked me again and said I was 10 cen. and ready to push.

My sister came to my right side and hubby on my left (my friend Tony was the camera lady). My first 2 pushes were great. I did it like a pro. Well I guess I should be a pro now, after all this is baby number 5.

When the 3rd push was ready, I had no energy. My breathing was no longer helping with the pain and it felt like I had a fire lit inside of me. I let out a yell and told my midwife I could not do this. She ensured me I could do it, we were almost there. I told her I could not it burned way to bad and I did not have the energy to push. She asked me what I wanted to do to get comfortable.

I had no clue, all I knew at that time was I thought I was going to pass out from the pain. She told me to try getting on my knees and see if that helped. I started to stand up from the chair I was in and I remember leaning on my sisters shoulder and my midwifes shoulder to help me move, when a contraction started. The pain kicked back in and I felt paralyzed. I went to drop down onto one knee and the midwife grabbed me and held me up so I would not lean on the baby if he were to come.

When the height of the contraction kicked in my body began to really work for me. I took a deep breath getting prepared to push like crazy and my body tightened up. It felt like my body was pushing for me. The burning was intense and tears filled my eyes.

The midwife asked my hubby to come and grab my other side so she could check me and see where we were. She told me I was doing amazing and that the baby would be here within minutes.

Another contraction started to come and I reached down and yelled out I can feel his head! His head is coming. When that contraction hit the peak my body started to shake horribly and his head emerged. Tears of pain and joy started rolling down my face. It was about over and we were about to meet our son.

With the next contract I grabbed my sister and hubby's arms to support me, with one knee leaning on the bed and one holding me up I pushed with everything inside of me. Baby Gage was born at 1:20AM.

As soon as he was born all I wanted to do was sit down. I needed to rest and catch my breath. My husband grabbed the baby and my midwife got up to check him out. He was perfect.

The pain stopped immediately and I thought wow, I just had an unexpected natural birth. I did it. I was able to manage my pain and work with my body to deliver our new son. It was amazing.

When it was all said and done we had a great experience and a healthy baby boy.

Gage was 7lbs 7 oz and 20 inches long! We named him Gage Urijah Daniel Vickers!

 

[Brooke1212]

Oct. 10, 2009 at 1:27 PM

Congrats! I just experienced natural birth as well!

[JTLMOMMY]

Oct. 11, 2009 at 4:31 PM

Congratulations!