Joshua's birth story
Hi ladies, Well it's been a bit over 6 weeks post partum but I finally got around to writing the birth story. As you can see it was far from a wonderful experience (imo), but I still think UP/UC is the way to go. here it is: Joshua's Birth Story This birth was well due. I'm pretty sure I was already 43 weeks along at least. I was having medium contractions and painful braxtons for quite a while but they didn't develop to a full blown labor. Labor started (though at the time I didn't know that, and thought it's just more of the same painful but not that horrible contractions I've been having) on Friday at ca. 17:00 PM. The contractions (painful, might I add) this time persisted and drew close to each other as time went by. When 04:00 AM came by I was even at 2 minutes apart. Hubby came to check on me every so often (he was "sleeping" in the guest room along with our 16 months old baby at the time, and obviously heard me vocalizing). But alas my misery didn't yield a baby and as the sun rose; my contractions were getting further and further apart. I couldn't tell you half of my frustration I was feeling at the time. I knew I was still in active labor however, and my gut told me last night's grief was actually the baby turning to a friendlier position, as he was probably breech or worse: diagonal. I tolerated the contractions that came sporadically throughout the day. At about 09:00 AM I lost my plug, which was good news for me that the baby will come out soon. I was hoping that it would be like my first birth, when 2 hours after losing the plug I was in active labor. Along with that hope I hit the shower. Hubby told me to let him know when I want him to fill up the birth pool. I wanted to wait as much as possible as I remembered reading that getting into the birth pool too soon may slow down labor. At around noon I was hungry but knowing the baby should come soon I wanted to keep it light so I had a banana and a few dark chocolate covered raisins. I think it was about 02:00 PM that I couldn?t take the painful contractions anymore and asked hubby to fill up the pool. When I got in it was a great relief. I managed the contractions better in the lovely warm water especially when hubby was using the hose against my back. But alas I had to come out of the pool since we needed to sterilize the water with some bleach and then add some piping hot water to get it to evaporate. I was able to wait for about 20 minutes and then I told hubby, bleach or not I?m getting back in! He asked to at least get back out if I?m starting to feel dizzy or sick. I agreed. I was laboring pretty much on my own when I was in the pool, having hubby keep coming with more boiling water to pour in. As the contraction kept getting nastier and nastier (pain wise), I couldn?t keep it down anymore (which is what I?ve been trying to do for the sake of my 16 months old baby boy. That naturally was scaring him and though hubby and I told him I'm fine, he was still uneasy. My lil darling even came into the room between contractions to try and comfort me, giving me small Eskimo kisses! At a certain point I started to feel a little sick so I got out of the pool. The intensity of the contractions outside was horrible! Hubby gave me a towel for me to bite so I won?t be so loud (neighbors issue, it was midday after all). During that time I think he also made our boy some lunch/dinner. I?m not sure about the time though as it all seems like a very long and painful time for me. I don?t remember why, but I chose to go to our bedroom for the last stage. This was just awful: every time I was screaming in agony, my son was freaking out and started crying. Plus I needed hubby by me now to rub my forehead w/cold cloths and gently massage my perineum w/cold cloths as well as support it. I didn?t want him to leave me even for a second! The poor man was really working hard between trying to satisfy my needs as well as trying to calm our son (who was in his high chair having dinner at that time) down. I remember telling hubby that I can't take this anymore, and that I think I'm going to have a heart attack as my heart was pounding soooooo hard and it was difficult fir me to breath. He told me I'm not having a heart attack (which, the way he said it annoyed me, I admit, as I felt he was belittling how horrible I was feeling), and it will all be over once I give birth to the baby. He asked if I was pushing. I was like, no, I'm waiting for the involuntary pushing to come (again I was basing that on my first birth experience). But I decided to start pushing and see how it felt. It was painful but felt right. I remember telling him that this really hurts! He said, I know (all the while as I mentioned earlier was cleaning/massaging me and supporting my perineum. I was using the damp towel previously used to bite to wipe my forehead to the best of my ability while being on all 4. After about 6 strong voluntary pushes I was feeling the head. I had the sense that the baby must come out NOW so I gave an intense push while instructing hubby to catch the 'cause he's coming out. He did, while still holding our 16 months son in his other hand. Joshua was born into his dady?s loving arm at 06:10 PM on a Saturday, 4/18/06. This was by far a very difficult, painful and taxing experience. After thoughts: 1- I should have better taken care of myself prenatal wise. My lil babe was born very skinny and it took around the clock bf to get some meat on his bones. Then again it is very difficult to take good care of yourself when you have a baby whose like the Energizer Bunny to take care of. 2- When I was having the what I consider now a lil panic attack, I should have taken some Rescue Remedy to get me back to focus and chill. 3- If I'll have another child I'll be sure to make arrangements so the kids will have someone to watch them and AWAY from me. This not only freaked my son (the screaming, not the giving birth itself) but was a very distracting factor for me.
Hi ladies, Well it's been a bit over 6 weeks post partum but I finally got around to writing the birth story. As you can see it was far from a wonderful experience (imo), but I still think UP/UC is the way to go. here it is: Joshua's Birth Story This birth was well due. I'm pretty sure I was already 43 weeks along at least. I was having medium contractions and painful braxtons for quite a while but they didn't develop to a full blown labor. Labor started (though at the time I didn't know that, and thought it's just more of the same painful but not that horrible contractions I've been having) on Friday at ca. 17:00 PM. The contractions (painful, might I add) this time persisted and drew close to each other as time went by. When 04:00 AM came by I was even at 2 minutes apart. Hubby came to check on me every so often (he was "sleeping" in the guest room along with our 16 months old baby at the time, and obviously heard me vocalizing). But alas my misery didn't yield a baby and as the sun rose; my contractions were getting further and further apart. I couldn't tell you half of my frustration I was feeling at the time. I knew I was still in active labor however, and my gut told me last night's grief was actually the baby turning to a friendlier position, as he was probably breech or worse: diagonal. I tolerated the contractions that came sporadically throughout the day. At about 09:00 AM I lost my plug, which was good news for me that the baby will come out soon. I was hoping that it would be like my first birth, when 2 hours after losing the plug I was in active labor. Along with that hope I hit the shower. Hubby told me to let him know when I want him to fill up the birth pool. I wanted to wait as much as possible as I remembered reading that getting into the birth pool too soon may slow down labor. At around noon I was hungry but knowing the baby should come soon I wanted to keep it light so I had a banana and a few dark chocolate covered raisins. I think it was about 02:00 PM that I couldn?t take the painful contractions anymore and asked hubby to fill up the pool. When I got in it was a great relief. I managed the contractions better in the lovely warm water especially when hubby was using the hose against my back. But alas I had to come out of the pool since we needed to sterilize the water with some bleach and then add some piping hot water to get it to evaporate. I was able to wait for about 20 minutes and then I told hubby, bleach or not I?m getting back in! He asked to at least get back out if I?m starting to feel dizzy or sick. I agreed. I was laboring pretty much on my own when I was in the pool, having hubby keep coming with more boiling water to pour in. As the contraction kept getting nastier and nastier (pain wise), I couldn?t keep it down anymore (which is what I?ve been trying to do for the sake of my 16 months old baby boy. That naturally was scaring him and though hubby and I told him I'm fine, he was still uneasy. My lil darling even came into the room between contractions to try and comfort me, giving me small Eskimo kisses! At a certain point I started to feel a little sick so I got out of the pool. The intensity of the contractions outside was horrible! Hubby gave me a towel for me to bite so I won?t be so loud (neighbors issue, it was midday after all). During that time I think he also made our boy some lunch/dinner. I?m not sure about the time though as it all seems like a very long and painful time for me. I don?t remember why, but I chose to go to our bedroom for the last stage. This was just awful: every time I was screaming in agony, my son was freaking out and started crying. Plus I needed hubby by me now to rub my forehead w/cold cloths and gently massage my perineum w/cold cloths as well as support it. I didn?t want him to leave me even for a second! The poor man was really working hard between trying to satisfy my needs as well as trying to calm our son (who was in his high chair having dinner at that time) down. I remember telling hubby that I can't take this anymore, and that I think I'm going to have a heart attack as my heart was pounding soooooo hard and it was difficult fir me to breath. He told me I'm not having a heart attack (which, the way he said it annoyed me, I admit, as I felt he was belittling how horrible I was feeling), and it will all be over once I give birth to the baby. He asked if I was pushing. I was like, no, I'm waiting for the involuntary pushing to come (again I was basing that on my first birth experience). But I decided to start pushing and see how it felt. It was painful but felt right. I remember telling him that this really hurts! He said, I know (all the while as I mentioned earlier was cleaning/massaging me and supporting my perineum. I was using the damp towel previously used to bite to wipe my forehead to the best of my ability while being on all 4. After about 6 strong voluntary pushes I was feeling the head. I had the sense that the baby must come out NOW so I gave an intense push while instructing hubby to catch the 'cause he's coming out. He did, while still holding our 16 months son in his other hand. Joshua was born into his dady?s loving arm at 06:10 PM on a Saturday, 4/18/06. This was by far a very difficult, painful and taxing experience. After thoughts: 1- I should have better taken care of myself prenatal wise. My lil babe was born very skinny and it took around the clock bf to get some meat on his bones. Then again it is very difficult to take good care of yourself when you have a baby whose like the Energizer Bunny to take care of. 2- When I was having the what I consider now a lil panic attack, I should have taken some Rescue Remedy to get me back to focus and chill. 3- If I'll have another child I'll be sure to make arrangements so the kids will have someone to watch them and AWAY from me. This not only freaked my son (the screaming, not the giving birth itself) but was a very distracting factor for me.
