***If you’re new here, you might want to catch up on the Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me? series.***
***Reminder: On Labor Day next week, I’ll be hosting a Labor/Delivery Stories Linky. Please join us! I can’t wait to read all of your stories!***
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Since we’d already defied statistics and my water broke at the onset of labor with our first two births, I guess I kind of figured that was my lot in life. My water breaks, labor starts hours later (on its own!), and we move forward. At least I’d know I was in labor, right?
Wrong.
Every labor is different.
Hindsight with our third baby gave many indications of impending birth. She was born on a Sunday. Earlier that week, on Thursday, we went swimming with some family and I remember mentioning to my sister and sister-in-law that I had some spotting and had been passing mucous for a day or two. The day after swimming we all took our kids to my parents’ place for “Grandkids Weekend.” (The best weekend all summer!) 
My mission during Grandkids Weekend was to catch up on some scrapbooking while watching movies, and that’s exactly what I did… when I wasn’t focused on the mucous, and the minor cramping, and the occasional contractions, and the many other early labor indicators!
On Saturday night when we called to check in on the kid chaos, I told my mom that she might just plan on keeping my kiddos an extra day or two. “I think this is it.”
We went ahead and packed our bags, went for a walk, cleaned up the house, went for another walk, put away the scrapbooking, walked some more… I’m all about walking and rolling on my birth ball during labor! Our biggest “is this it?” concern was that since our last birth, we had moved to Tiny Town. Not a problem, except now we were an hour and a half drive from the birth center! I am all about laboring at home for as long as possible, but I really wasn’t wanting to have the baby in the car or anything.
After a hot bath we went to bed late Saturday night. I was able to get a little sleep, but the contractions were definitely there by about 5:00 in the morning on Sunday. They were different, though. Not like my previous labors. Milder. Seemingly benign. Not intense at all.
While we weren’t too sure if the contractions were doing much since I was able to walk and talk and go about my business, we did decide early that morning to make our way to the city. I called my aunt to see if we could camp out at her house until things got good and going. After a hearty breakfast (laboring mamas need their energy!) we hit the road, aaaannnnddd that’s when they kicked in with regularity. Straight to the birth care center we went, arriving around 10:30 in the morning.
I don’t know if it was because I was able to walk and talk when we got there and they doubted my progress, or if it was because they checked my chart and saw that this was our third natural delivery or that they were just really, really busy that day, but we were pretty much left to fend for ourselves. That sounds bad, but on the contrary, we were thrilled!
“We’re dealing with an emergency c-section. Do you mind waiting in the lobby for a while?” Not at all.
“We can get you checked into your room now, but then we have to go tend to such and such. Are you okay?” Yep. No problem.
11:00. 12:00. 1:00. We pretty much did our thing. I changed into my gown, they checked my vitals, we delivered our birth plan, and I hopped into the whirlpool. At about 2:00 I wanted to walk (imagine that!), so we did.
“You still doing okay?” Uh-huh. “You need anything?” Nope. “We have a bit of a situation to attend to.” Alrighty. They were in and out of the room, and I still had not even had a cervical check or been poked for the saline lock! (For the uninitiated, those are two of the first things they do in a hospital birth.) Guess I looked like it would “be awhile.”
2:00 We’re walking the halls. 2:15 We’re walking the halls a bit slower, pausing and relaxing between contractions that were still nothing compared to what I had experienced in my previous labors. 2:30 We’re walking, but I told my husband that we better stay closer to our room. 2:45 I feel pressure and need to use the bathroom. He gets me in there, and as I’m doing my business the pressure is overwhelming and my body is pushing! Surprise!… I thought I might have a few hours…
“You better get me to the bed. I’m pushing,” I told him. Fortunately a nurse was in the room at the time, so she quick got on the phone to call in the cavalry. During my next contraction (on my bed) I involuntarily pushed and my water broke. “Oh! My water broke! OH — Baby’s right there!” I felt the ring of fire and knew that all hands better be on deck pronto. I haven’t mentioned the ring of fire before, but I imagine all my natural birthing friends are both grinning and grimacing right now.
Fifteen minutes of pushing, and our sweet girl came sliding out shortly after 3:00, just as my doctor walked into the room. “You want to catch?” the nurse asked. “Looks like you’re doing fine,” he said casually while observing close by.
Wowza! That was fast (for me)! Right then and there I knew something I’d only heard before: You want to labor without your water breaking if at all possible. The contractions are so much easier to bear!
As she laid on my chest, nursing away, everyone else went away! They had yet another emergency to tend to, we were doing fine, so they left. It was blissfully quiet for nearly an hour, but by then we were kind of getting antsy wanting to call people with our news. Oh, and I kind of thought it would be nice to get myself and my baby girl cleaned up a little. We ended up making our “it’s a girl!” calls without any other information, because it took forever for anyone to come back in to weigh and measure her.
Once they finally came back, they checked her over, wrapped her up again, and handed her back to me (after I quick used the restroom) with an “I’m sorry, but we’re really busy. Are you okay there for a while?” I guess so…
That was all fine and dandy until we had unexpected company show up and baby and I still hadn’t been cleaned up! Eeek! After they left (without seeing the bloody baby or the bloody mommy) a nurse came rushing in, apologizing profusely. And… we got cleaned up. Good thing, because soon after, the big sibs arrived.
And now, we’re a family of five!
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Back to the ring of fire. Tell me you know what I’m talking about! I tore with each of my deliveries. Was I feeling the fire as I tore, or does everyone feel it when the baby crowns? Ye-Ouch!
Did your water break at the onset of labor? How did you know “this is it!”
I had an epidural so I didn’t feel my tears. I did have 3rd degree tears. I think fourth degree is the worst. After your description of the ring of fire, I’m glad I didn’t feel it.
Girl, I tore ridiculously bad with Ridley. It took the doctor an hour to get me stitched up. Even though I got an epidural after 40 hrs of labor, I could still feel my contractions and when to push. And I still felt the burning when Ridley crowned and/or when I tore. Ye-Ouch…is right!
Absolutely know what you’re talking about!! Ugh! Everyone must feel it when the baby crowns, because I didn’t tear (at least not enough to have to have stitches). I’m not looking forward to feeling that again in a few months! lol
PS- my water didn’t break until I was pushing. Hoping that how my second delivery goes!
Ahhh… the ring of fire! WOW! I’ll never forget that. Ouch! I remember my midwife saying, stop pushing, don’t push… hold on… hold on… while I endured the ring of fire… she did something “magical” with oils (I won’t go into details, but THANK YOU CHERI) to help me not to tear and finally after what seemed like hours told me to push again! PHEW!
With my daughter I was indused so no warning that it was happening really. With our 2nd my water broke at home, 5 weeks early. I remember running through the house trying to grab what I needed all the while hoping and praying that the contractions didn’t set in (I vividly remember the contractions after my water broke with my daughter!) I made it to the hospital with out any pain! Easy delivery (minus that darn ring of fire) and there he was my little boy, tiny but healthy!
Gosh, I hope I can sleep now after thinking about the ring of fire!!
PS. I had Stage 4 tears with my daughter (9lbs 6oz) and none with my 5 lb son, and my prev. doctor told me that I HAD to get a C-section if I had more kids. I switched Dr’s and delivered my boy with no tears!
I get your “Ring of Fire”. I’ve felt that with each of my 3 babies. I tore with each one, too, but I think it must be from the pressure. I happened to notice that you have the same situation as me: girl, boy, girl. Love it! Congratulations on your new arrival!!
Jen
Congratulations!
I had no idea that contractions were easier to manage if your water hadn’t broken- first I’ve heard of that! I love learning new things! My water broke before I felt any contractions. Ah… the “ring of fire”… I remember my prepared childbirth instructor talking about it. But the name doesn’t make as much sense until you’ve been there and, well, then it all becomes perfectly clear.
Reading this story with my 17mo on my lap. You are such a shining example of ‘natural delivery’. When we scrolled down to your family picture she said ‘Hi!’ and gave ‘baby’ a kiss. Time for a sibling maybe?
My doctor did a first degree episiotomy with both my kids, because I looked like I would tear. But with no epidural, I definitely felt the ring of fire before being cut. Youch.
Ring of Fire! Yep, definitely! I have to say that description of it made me snicker, because it describes it so perfectly. I’ve had 3 deliveries without an epidural. I had 1-2 degree tearing with my first and very slight 1st degree tearing along the scar with my 2nd and 3rd. So I can’t tell you for sure if it’s from the crowning or the tearing, but since I had it with all three, I would guess it’s the crowning.
I have to agree with laboring as long as possible with the water intact. My one and only totally natural labor (I got an epidural in the last 15 minutes with my third) my contractions never got very intense at all. My water broke before contractions with 2 of mine and those contractions were intense to say the least. I don’t remember my water EVER breaking with my 4th. My husband doesn’t either. It must have broken when we pushed is all we can figure.
(p.s. Looking at your sweet family pic reminds of one from when my mom first brought me home… my sister looks SO excited and my brother just kind of “eh”. After all, my sis “won”- I was a girl.
)
I just had my first baby a week ago. My water broke and I was put on pitocin to get contractions going and then an incredibly quick switch to pushing. For me the ‘ring of fire’ you mention was totally bearable compared to the forced contractions. In fact, I don’t even remember the ‘ring of fire’. I remember the 30 minutes of stitching afterward though…I just really wanted to change position and hold my baby.
I didn’t know contractions would be easier to bear, and here’s to hoping for a second labor with waters intact!
What a sweet family photo! I hope you know that now we are going to be expecting a birth story after you have your fourth since you did one for the other three
Can’t leave him/her out!
I’ll second the “try to labor w/ water in tact” statement! I was 9 cm w/ my third and thought it couldn’t be much more than 7 because, even the transition contractions were milder!
Wow! You look amazing for just giving birth. I wish I looked that good in my pictures
. I labored for about twelve hours at home before going to the hospital and the contractions were pretty intense. About five minutes before my water broke I started to feel the urge to push. So I got out of bed and told mu husband we need to get to the hospital and then, “splash!” my water broke. We got to the hospital at midnight and I was only 4 cm but by 2:00 I was 9 cm! At 3:00 I started to push. I felt the ring of fire because all my epidural did was numb my left leg. At 7:30 I was still pushing and I heard the doctor whisper c-section to one of the nurses. That was the motivation I needed! At 7:42 our daughter was born!
For me the ring of fire didn’t have anything to do with tearing. I didn’t experience it with my first labor, but had a first degree tear. I experienced the ring of fire THREE times with my second labor, but didn’t tear.
I wish someone had told me that contractions are instantly 10x more intense once your water breaks. I was having a lovely little labor with my second until we decided to break my water to get things moving more quickly. I’d go for a calmer, longer labor any day.
I am cringing at the remembrance of the the ring of fire. I had a natural birth and my water broke before the onset of contractions. I’m with you on the walking and the birth ball! I would never have made it naturally if I had to stay in the bed. I was doing okay, but when my little boy started crowning, I had to suppress the screams. I hadn’t heard about labor being a little less intense before your water breaks. I’ll hope for that with the next one.
I didn’t tear at all with my last two and I completely know the ring of fire. It doens’t matter if you tear, all that stretching burns!
I completley agree about water breaking later making for easier contractions. My water broke minutes before I pushed Ben out and the last few minutes were the worst contractions. I think my water not breaking earlier is what helped me get through without an epidural. That and the three hour labor and delivery.
My water broke before contractions with both my girls, so I have nothing to compare it to. Had back labor with both, and that was awful. After my second, my back was bruised because my mom and husband were rubbing so hard. Whew. As for the ring of fire, I had very slight tearing, but boy it burned! And with my second, it felt like I was on fire.
I definitely felt the ring of fire, but I tore as well, so I can’t tell you which it is.
As well, my water broke before I had any contractions, so I’m hoping after hearing your story that my next one I get to labour a bit before it breaks. I had back labour with my daughter as she was posterior (and had to be delivered posterior, stinker) so it might not have helped with her even if my waters had stayed intact.