***Reminder: Labor Day Linky going up on September 6. Be ready to link up your labor and delivery stories!***
August 8, 2005, 3:30 in the morning. (“Due” August 13.) I was up, again. My bladder was full, again. I rolled over to get out of bed, again, and feel a little twinge down low. When I stood, my water broke.
Statistics are that a pregnant mama’s water will break at the onset of labor 8-10% of the time. That already happened to us once, so we should be exempt for another 9 pregnancies or so, right? Wrong!
Since I’d “been there, done that” and knew well enough that I’d need my energy later, I went back to bed… after whispering/giggling to my husband “Don’t panic, but my water just broke. Now go back to sleep.”
In the morning (no contractions) my husband took our 2yo to my sister-in-law while I did some laundry and started packing for the hospital. When he returned we walked. And walked. And walked. No contractions. Sound familiar?! I called my Bradley Instructor for some natural “get labor going” reminders, and finally called my doctor’s office around 1:00 in the afternoon. They thought we’d better head on in to the birth care center, so we did, arriving around 2:30… about 11 hours after my water broke.
I was set up with my saline lock, called to check in on our daughter, and then the most wonderful thing happened. The intern was supposed to check to see if I was dilated, but she looked at us and said “I’m not going to check you, because you’ve stated in your birth plan that you want the exams to be minimal. If I do it, it has to be followed by another check. We’ll wait until the on-call doctor can do it.” Yay!
They did eventually check me, but I was “so posterior that we can’t tell if anything is happening.” At that point, pitocin was mentioned. We opted out and said we’d like to try a few other things first. By this time it was about 3:30.
I hopped in the whirlpool, sitting sideways and cross-legged, with a jet right on my lower back and a jet right on my belly. Don’t know if it was coincidence or if the whirlpool did its magic, but that’s when my contractions got good and going. I stayed in the tub for a long while (probably about an hour), leaning over to rest my head and arms on a pillow on the side of the tub. My nurse came in with the remote fetal heart checker and blood pressure cuff every so often. They never asked me to get out, and were very non-invasive while making sure baby and I were safe.
Once they started, the contractions got strong rather quickly… in my back!!!! Ugh, back labor is not fun! I was hurting by about 6:00. Out of the tub, I tried walking, different positions on the bed, and rolling on the birthing ball. My husband worked on my back and hips when he could, but as the contractions got more intense he could only rub between them. I got to the point that I didn’t want anything touching me anywhere during contractions.
Sometime between 6:00 and 8:00 I said it. “I don’t know if I can do this anymore.” My husband gently encouraged me and said we’d get through the next contraction, and then the next… I felt sick to my stomach, I started feeling weak and shaky… and then all of a sudden my body was pushing! It felt completely “out of nowhere” to me at the time, but in retrospect I had most certainly been facing transition and just didn’t know it. I never went through the transition phase with our first birth.
Our nurse, who had been quietly monitoring the situation, quickly called my doctor and some “back up” and told them the baby’s close. By the time my doctor got there the room was full of nurses, interns and whoever else. (There apparently is something novel and fascinating about natural birth, because with three births we were always asked “Do you mind if so and so watches?”) I clearly remember the nurse saying “Should we check to make sure she’s at a 10?” and my doctor replying something about “That won’t be necessary. She’s pushing.” Love that man!
Even though my body was trying to push all on its own, I had to change positions several times. I learned from my first birth to listen to suggestions! I’d roll to one side, then the other. Hands and knees, backwards incline, front incline. Eventually our baby turned enough (that’s what was causing the back labor) to be ready to come out. (Thank goodness I didn’t have an epidural or I wouldn’t have been able to get him to turn!)
At 9:10 our baby arrived, and was placed directly on my chest. I had to ask twice “Is it a boy? A boy?!” to confirm what I thought I’d seen. 
We were congratulated, and a couple observers even told us that it was beautiful to watch us work together and have our baby naturally. Again I was told to focus on the baby while being stitched up. I’m kind of wimpy about that part of things!
As with our firstborn, our little guy never left our room. Everything that needed done could be done in the room, and when possible, while he was laying on me. He was so alert and nursed right away, and we snuggled all night long in my bed. Bliss!
The next day, when the nurses changed shifts, the one who checked us in the day before admitted her surprise that we’d had him that evening. Nothing was happening a mere 6 hours before he was born! She was certain that I’d be up all night and have to have pitocin.
Two babies, two very different labors (that started out absolutely the same). In the first I was sleeping between contractions, never felt like pushing, and pushed nearly 4 hours. With the second I endured back labor, went through an intense transition, and pushed him out in a fraction of the time.
Were your labors as different as night and day? “They” say it gets easier every time. Did that hold true for you?
Amy, I enjoyed reading this…thanks for sharing.
I always love reading birth stories. All three of mine were short, 7 hours, 3 hours and 3 hours. I had back labor with my third and it was awful! Ben didn’t turn until I was pushing him out, and that was when I finally understood why my back hurt so badly!
Three hours! Can’t even imagine that. Our third was faster than the first two… wonder what the fourth will bring?!
Yay! I was looking forward to Baby #2′s story!
My labors were definitely different… with my #2 being so early, I actually didn’t feel any contractions (nor did the monitor pick them up) and then was suddenly fully dilated. My first baby was face up (or “sunny side up” as my mom likes to say 
) and “they” say that made it harder for me. But I have no basis for comparison! I adored everything about giving birth.
I’ve only experienced labor once, but based on that experience I sure do hope things get easier!
A few days after labor I didn’t think I could ever do it again, but about a week of having my daughter made me realize I’d love to do it all over again if He allows it.
That’s the whole “you forget about the pain” thing. It’s true. You do! (Until you go through it again…)
Were my labors different? OH yeah! Firstborn- induction, 6 hours, hospital birth, Nubain, pushed about 45 mins. Fetal ejection reflex. Posterior back labor. 6 lbs, 10 oz.
Secondborn: 26 hours, homebirth, most of the time was pushing, NO fetal ejection reflex (like I expected). Perfectly anterior, but still MAJOR back lab or. Probably due to her b eing 9lb 12 oz.
Two BEAUTIFUL daughters!
Fetal ejection reflex — that’s a new one for me. Don’t know what that means…
From here: http://www.collegeofmidwives.org/prac_issues01/MFer_01a.htm
“The idea of a Maternal-FER implies an innate physiological mechanism similar to a slow motion sneeze, as if a reverse form of peristalsis was triggered. The cervix seems to melt away far faster and easier than expected (for example, a primipara >> 5cm to birth in 43 minutes!) and the reflexive nature of this mechanism efficiently overcomes the usual soft tissue resistance. The advantage of this momentum is the efficiency of abdominal muscles pressing the baby down and out without being impeded or countervailed by a great deal of muscle & soft-tissue resistance. Body structures (cervix and pelvic floor) that normally hold the baby in suddenly relax and open up, the fetus does a free-fall thru the birth canal, the pelvic floor melts way and in the blinking of an eye, the baby comes out crying lustily.”
That’s pretty much how it went for me the first time: 6cm – 9cm in an hour, and my body just PUSHED. I didn’t have anything to do with it, and I couldn’t have stopped it even if I wanted to. The Dr. almost didn’t make it.
Night and day labors!
Son: After an E-version at the hospital they broke my water to induce labor. I was instantly in back labor for 7 hours (nubain only), then pushed without any pain for 1 1/2 hours to birth a posterior 7.5 pounder with his hand on his cheek. I needed 1 stitch.
Daughter: At 10 days overdue I pumped and walked myself into labor at the birth center. After 5 hours of relaxed, easy labor in the whirlpool, the midwife broke my water. My body started pushing against my cervix at only 6cm. After pushing with no further progress for 4 hours, I was suddenly completely dialated. One more push, 3 distinct “ring of fire” experiences, and the midwife literally pulling her out, I delivered a 9 pounder whose shoulders never turned, without any medication and no stitches. Oh yeah, her hand was on her head, too. That part was the same!
Neither were “easy,” but I’m looking forward to next time!
What is with your babies and their hands on their face?! Too cute! (but painful, I’m sure!)
Two babies that are so different from pregnancy on. My sons are 15 months apart age 18 months and 3 months so baby #1 was fresh in my mind when baby #2 came.
Baby #1 came at 38 weeks. Homebirth no meds. No false labor. Whole labor 10 hours/ 6 intense. There was no time to think about being in labor. All went so quickly. Was in transition for 3 hours (but did not bother me). It took me forever to learn how to push. It took me two hours to figure out how to push and then 1 hour of pushing. Birthed on a birthing stool and had a 4th degree tear (listen when you are told to stop pushing!). Five hours post-postpartum we were at the doctor’s office getting me stitched up. Baby boy healthy 8 pounds 11 oz and 21 inches.
Baby #2 came at 42 weeks. Homebirth no meds. Two false labors. Walking around 4 cm dilated and 80% effaced. I had my membranes stripped the night before I went into labor. Whole labor was 20 hours/ 4 hours intense. This time my husband and I had time to think and realize we had a baby coming. Longer labor but a thousand times more peaceful. Was in transition for only 10 minutes ( painful) before pushing. Pushing was very easy. Pushed 1 hour 20 minutes. Birthed on hands and knees. Learned my lesson and eased the baby out!
Our second son a healthy 9 pounds 11 oz, 22 inches did create a small 2nd degree tear that required no stitches.
Oh, it’s SO HARD to stop or even “push lightly.” That overwhelming urge… the overwhelming pain… but I know what you’re saying and I am definitely praying for more control (and fewer stitches!) this time around!
Though I had a child through C-section, the experience was still quite surreal to say the least. I was shaking and shivering one moment and the next, I saw my child, but was really not “there”.
Every experience is unique and having 3 boys, I understand as unique as the birth was, so is each child in his own way.