Cooper came into this world Monday, October 19, 2009 at 1:13 p.m. He weighed 7 lbs, 1 oz and was 20.5 inches long.
The Labor Story
He was 9 days past his due date, so I carried him just over 41 weeks. A little over a week prior one of the midwives said we would induce Monday the 19th ... So mom booked her ticket and got in the Thursday before and dad came Friday. We all spent the weekend together and had a BLAST! There was one moment when we were all in the car and were laughing uncontrollably for at least 10 minutes. I was thinking I haven't laughed like that in ages. It's an indelible memory :)
That Friday I had another appointment with a different midwife (there are 5 in the practice) and told her I really didn't want to be induced Monday as I was originally told they would let me go 42 weeks if everything was looking normal. We agreed to push the induction date to the following Friday (she stripped my membranes for the 2nd time--owww!--this is one method to try to kickstart labor). She was convinced I'd have him over the weekend. So we started doing whatever it took to induce labor without having to have it done medically :) We tried nearly all of the old wives' tales (and recommendations from other parents) except castor oil and raspberry leaf tea. I ate TWO pineapples from Costco over 2 days, we ate spicy Thai food, went for a long walk every day, crawled up stairs on all fours, pressed on accupressure points, ate pepperoni pizza; the list goes on...but what seems to have worked for me (or maybe it was a cumulative effect) was spicy salsa from Acapulco Fresh. Wes made me keep eating it and eating it and afterwards I definitely felt different. After lunch, we walked around Redmond Town Center and while in REI this lady came up to me and said, You look ready! This was around 2 or 3 in the afternoon, Sunday the 18th. As we made our way home it was about 4:30 and sure enough, I was ready.
My contractions started at Fred Meyer and were about 20 mins apart. They felt like menstrual cramps until I went to bed around 11, and as things progressed through the night, they became increasingly (and increasingly) stronger. I'd get up out of bed to go in the bathroom and lean over the sink (I puked once) to sway my hips to cope with each contraction, but this seemed to progress the labor a little too quickly (contractions went from 15 to 12 to 10 to 5 minutes apart within a few hours). Wes called the midwife who said I need to try to get some sleep so I started coping in bed and sleeping between contractions and they slowed back down to about 10 mins apart. I couldn't believe it was possible to sleep between contractions! But I was so exhausted from them, passing out for those 5-10 minutes helped. Wes got up with me and was timing it. It continued like this throughout the night. Wes called the midwife 3 times through the night and she kept telling us to wait a bit longer (until contractions are 3-4 minutes apart, then it was until they were 2-3 mins apart).
We drove to the hospital at 7 am when they were about 4 mins apart, despite what the midwife said; it just felt like it was time to go. My eyes were closed during the 2o-minute drive, so I must have had 5 contractions on the way there. When we got there I was at 5 cm. They took me to my room where they had drawn a jetted bath for me. It looked so inviting, so I went right on in and stayed put for the next SIX hours until he was born. Mom/dad/Ange hung out in my room while Wes stayed with me the entire time in the bathroom. He was a great coach; he held my hand and told me I was doing a good job. I couldn't do much talking! My nurse, Tracy, was incredible. I couldn't have asked for a better nurse; I felt so lucky to have her. She was very calm and there whenever I needed her. She came in for 10 mins every half hour to check on the baby with the fetal monitor, so she gave me extra reassurance when she was in there. The midwife on call (Sachiko) came in maybe once an hour? She never had much to say other than things were normal and progressing well. I guess that's all I could ask for! She was attending to my next door neighbor who was apparently having a rough time. To keep my energy up, I sipped cranapple juice throughout the labor and never had a desire for solid foods. I was mostly laying down in the tub, but Sachiko said to keep labor progressing I needed to change positions from time to time, which was killer!, especially when I was out of the tub (to go to the bathroom). It was so much more painful out of the water; the water was so soothing. Another way I dealt with the pain was picturing me, Wes and Cooper on this beach we visited a few years ago in Australia. Whenever the pain got unbearable I went back to this beach and kept thinking that I was so close to meeting my son, I could get through this!
That Friday I had another appointment with a different midwife (there are 5 in the practice) and told her I really didn't want to be induced Monday as I was originally told they would let me go 42 weeks if everything was looking normal. We agreed to push the induction date to the following Friday (she stripped my membranes for the 2nd time--owww!--this is one method to try to kickstart labor). She was convinced I'd have him over the weekend. So we started doing whatever it took to induce labor without having to have it done medically :) We tried nearly all of the old wives' tales (and recommendations from other parents) except castor oil and raspberry leaf tea. I ate TWO pineapples from Costco over 2 days, we ate spicy Thai food, went for a long walk every day, crawled up stairs on all fours, pressed on accupressure points, ate pepperoni pizza; the list goes on...but what seems to have worked for me (or maybe it was a cumulative effect) was spicy salsa from Acapulco Fresh. Wes made me keep eating it and eating it and afterwards I definitely felt different. After lunch, we walked around Redmond Town Center and while in REI this lady came up to me and said, You look ready! This was around 2 or 3 in the afternoon, Sunday the 18th. As we made our way home it was about 4:30 and sure enough, I was ready.
My contractions started at Fred Meyer and were about 20 mins apart. They felt like menstrual cramps until I went to bed around 11, and as things progressed through the night, they became increasingly (and increasingly) stronger. I'd get up out of bed to go in the bathroom and lean over the sink (I puked once) to sway my hips to cope with each contraction, but this seemed to progress the labor a little too quickly (contractions went from 15 to 12 to 10 to 5 minutes apart within a few hours). Wes called the midwife who said I need to try to get some sleep so I started coping in bed and sleeping between contractions and they slowed back down to about 10 mins apart. I couldn't believe it was possible to sleep between contractions! But I was so exhausted from them, passing out for those 5-10 minutes helped. Wes got up with me and was timing it. It continued like this throughout the night. Wes called the midwife 3 times through the night and she kept telling us to wait a bit longer (until contractions are 3-4 minutes apart, then it was until they were 2-3 mins apart).
We drove to the hospital at 7 am when they were about 4 mins apart, despite what the midwife said; it just felt like it was time to go. My eyes were closed during the 2o-minute drive, so I must have had 5 contractions on the way there. When we got there I was at 5 cm. They took me to my room where they had drawn a jetted bath for me. It looked so inviting, so I went right on in and stayed put for the next SIX hours until he was born. Mom/dad/Ange hung out in my room while Wes stayed with me the entire time in the bathroom. He was a great coach; he held my hand and told me I was doing a good job. I couldn't do much talking! My nurse, Tracy, was incredible. I couldn't have asked for a better nurse; I felt so lucky to have her. She was very calm and there whenever I needed her. She came in for 10 mins every half hour to check on the baby with the fetal monitor, so she gave me extra reassurance when she was in there. The midwife on call (Sachiko) came in maybe once an hour? She never had much to say other than things were normal and progressing well. I guess that's all I could ask for! She was attending to my next door neighbor who was apparently having a rough time. To keep my energy up, I sipped cranapple juice throughout the labor and never had a desire for solid foods. I was mostly laying down in the tub, but Sachiko said to keep labor progressing I needed to change positions from time to time, which was killer!, especially when I was out of the tub (to go to the bathroom). It was so much more painful out of the water; the water was so soothing. Another way I dealt with the pain was picturing me, Wes and Cooper on this beach we visited a few years ago in Australia. Whenever the pain got unbearable I went back to this beach and kept thinking that I was so close to meeting my son, I could get through this!
I really had no concept of time, but I imagine it was the last few hours that I noticed a change in the pain and I assume that was Cooper dropping further down my pelvis so I asked the nurse to check my cervix. I was 9.5 cm. (The last time the midwife came in she estimated I was 8 or 9 cm). When I felt like pushing they got me out of the tub and into my room. I chose to deliver standing up, facing the bed, resting my hands on the edge of the bed (when my mom heard this she thought I was pretty radical!). I couldn't imagine pushing for hours, so I just went for it and 13 minutes later, there he was! I moaned and I groaned, deep, guttoral sounds that I've never made before. My sister later told me she could hear me down the hall. I probably pushed 4 times. I thought I was done with the 3rd push (his head was out) but I had to push the rest of his body out, too! Wes was crying as the midwife immediately passed him to me--such a beautiful moment! They told me he was born in the "caul" (amniotic sac) which is extremely rare, so he's a very special boy :) It was painful but not intolerable without drugs. If they had let me stay in the tub I probably would have; I totally see why women have water births!
I held him for a long while until they had to clean him, weigh him, etc. Then Cooper was right back in my arms! Wes cut the cord (which was a lot skinnier than I imagined it would be). I stared and stared at him with disbelief that he was finally here and that he is mine and Wes's! But I could believe it because he has my eyes! I'm so glad it was such a wonderful experience...I feel very fortunate it went as smooth as it did.
I held him for a long while until they had to clean him, weigh him, etc. Then Cooper was right back in my arms! Wes cut the cord (which was a lot skinnier than I imagined it would be). I stared and stared at him with disbelief that he was finally here and that he is mine and Wes's! But I could believe it because he has my eyes! I'm so glad it was such a wonderful experience...I feel very fortunate it went as smooth as it did.
2 comments:
Hey, great recap! I'm expecting my baby girl any week now; this positive story really helps as we are planning on going natural at the hospital too.
All the best,
Kristin
thanks for reading my birth story! i'm excited for you and wish you all the best! i love reflecting on my son's "birth" day...it's hard to believe it was already 6 months ago. he is such a joy--you're going to be in awe of how amazing it really is to be a mom :)
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