Birth Story
About a month later I’m finally getting to type our birth story. The entire pregnancy I insisted this baby would come when I wanted. She was to come on the 10th to allow Eric and I some time together but optimal time with the baby. I insisted this would occur, tongue in cheek, to everyone including my OB. Lo and behold, Helena came right when I wanted!
Eric came home on leave and arrived late morning of the 9th. We had a family get together that evening to welcome him home and the entire time I was having back pains. I think I was making some of my family nervous but Eric’s father returned to KY with the instruction to “call as soon as you start.” That evening I struggled to find a comfortable way to sleep. I slept on either side of my back, either side of the back, on the sofa etc etc. Eric and I were both up around 4am and I chose to get into the shower. I was starting to wonder if this was more than just back pains but back labor. I was occasionally on my hands and knees in the shower, dealing with the pain. I started to alert Eric that I didn’t think this was just back pain. I deliberated and moved in different positions until I decided to call the hospital. They instructed to come in and we ended up arriving at the hospital at 7am. I was 5cm dialated and had to call Eric’s father to come back to Indianapolis (they had arrived back in KY around 2am).
I had intended to have a drug-free birth so we set up a birthing tub in our [beautiful] labor room. I chose to use the shower to deal with the pain but had to eventually get out about 45min-hour later for monitoring. The monitoring was incredibly difficult because they could not get reads when I was on my side and so I had to lie on my back (which was incredibly painful with back labor). I got into the water tub and my contractions were intensifying. Very little time between contractions. At this time Eric, my mother and sis in law were in the room. At one point I heard a nurse say “Oh, I know her! We went to high school together!” Hearing that while naked in a tub, facing contractions, isn’t necessarily ideal but it ended up being Tara, a really nice girl from high school. After about an hour in the tub the nurses couldn’t get the water monitor to work so I had to get out and monitor on my back again. This time I could hardly stand with the contractions and was probably beginning transition. After monitoring me, lying on my back, my OB came in to give a cervical check. When I was told I was only at 6-7cm I was incredibly discouraged and scared that I’d be unable to do that for that many hours longer. So I apologized to Eric and gave in for the epidural. Unfortunately the anesthesiologist was backed up.
Around 2pm I received a fentanyl drip. The edge was killed but it was still a very uncomfortable and painful experience. After finally receiving the epidural (all I could fixate on was my anesthesiologist’s earrings. This is notable because I’ve seen her a few times since then and recognize her solely due to those earrings. Even a surprise interaction at the mall). After having some visitors the nurses checked me and found that the head was in position. I pushed once and her head was visible. They quickly got the OB and right before I had my last couple pushes I asked if Eric was able to catch the baby. He quickly got dressed in the appropriate robe and I pushed my final push (number four, maybe) and he caught her. She had a little merconium so she couldn’t be put immediately on my chest. But Eric was right up next to her to keep her company and maintain contact.
Eric was a wonderful partner in the experience. Asking a lot of questions, which in turn meant I learned a lot. I’m not sure if the back labor made the epidural more appealing/ “necessary” but I do feel a little frustrated. But now we have Helena, no matter how she came out, and she’s wonderful. And due to her prompt arrival, she had the full 2 weeks to spend with her daddy.
