Pipers Birth Story

My January Due Date Club is being deleted on MDC, so I'm moving some posts over here so they won't be lost forever. A bit late, but here is Pipers birth story!

Piper Anastasia was born January 12th at 10:37pm, weighing 9 lbs 1.8 oz and 20 and
3/4 inches long. *To the left is my last profile picture. It was taken while I was in labor and trying to get things moving faster. We went for a walk in Portland at the Eastern Promenade because it was a gorgeous day outside. Its one of my favorite memories about that laboring Piper.

The doctor stripped my membranes at my 9:15am appointment, I was 4 cm's. They hooked me up to the NST machine and saw contractions were 4 minutes apart. Then the whole building lost power on what was an oddly warm gorgeous 50 degree weather day (for January in Maine) They sent me to the hospital to be admitted. Chris had to drive 45 minutes home to drop off my dd with my SIL and then drive back. I wasn't prepared to wave goodbye to my toddler. I hadn't even told her today was the day, so I was very teary as they drove away.

After we got there, the hospital told me they were having a really busy day and that if I wasn't in active labor they couldn't keep me. They suggested I go home. My OB didn't want me going home since its so far away, and with my history of fast labors she didn't want to risk it. So she told us to walk around and meet her at the office later. So we walked. And walked. And walked some more! I have blisters on my feet from walking so much. 3 hours later we met her back at the office. I was still having surges, but they were not painful at all. She checked me and I was 6 cm's dialated now. She sent me back to the hospital and called over there to tell them they were not allowed to send me home because I was indeed in labor.

By the time we got to the hospital it was about 7:30pm. I hung around for about an hour doing the monitoring and whatnot. My doctor came in and broke my water around then because she was positive it wouldn't take long after that. Around 9pm the surges were getting pretty strong in my back. Babe was still posterier and I was feeling it! I sat on the birthing ball for a bit, but found that it didn't distract me enough. Instead I walked the hallways a few times. I opted to


try some Nubain to see if it would take the edge off. It didn't really do much except make me a little dizzy, but at least it didn't have the same after effect that Stadol had in the past. (emotional instability) Still, as far as taking away any pain.. nada.

I decided to try the jacuzzi. Lovely big jacuzzi. Except I couldn't tolerate the jets. They bordered right on super annoying to me, so I turned them off and just labored in the water for about an hour. I remember the nurse coming in and watching me quietly. Dh was sitting next to the tub quietly as well. I was tuning everyone out and focusing on this glowing circle in the water. It was probably a light fixture reflecting on the surface... but it looked exactly like the fullmoon glowing. The tub was green, so when I got into the zone.. it looked like I was looking out on a lake at night. I consontrated on that moon and used it to ride each surge. It was around then that I noticed I was a bit shakey. The nurse asked, "Whats different Ana? Something changed."

I asked to get out of the tub, and when another surge hit.. I found myself hanging onto my husband and pushing. I finally made it back to my room, quickly before another one came. The nurse watched one more contraction and paged the doctor to come in. She was there in a flash. She checked me and said, "Hmm... only at 7cm's.. still quite a bit to go. Head is still not engaged" I started to whine a bit and said, "I can't do this." (thinking to myself.. this is


usually how it feels at the end! What do you mean I have a ways to go!!?) I pushed during the next surge uncontrollably. The doctor looked when I did that and said, "Oh but you ARE doing it!" and then whispered to the nurse, "She's pushing the baby down now." She got on her gloves and said, "I only put this stuff on when its almost over." Aparently my cervix looked to be 7cm's... but when I pushed it was a full 10 cm's and the babys head crowned. Two more pushes and she was out!

I was able to push the way I wanted to. Oddly, I found myself sitting on the bed, lying back... but tilted to one side. One leg flopped open and the other straight. I was gripping one side of the bedrail with both hands and bearing down that way. I didn't arch my back this time, and my tailbone didn't crack either!! The doctor was really good about keeping her hands down there and helping to guide the head so I wouldn't tear too much. I did tear along the same scar


tissue from the other two, but not nearly as much and not into my urethra this time! They did offer hands and knees, but for some reason this time that way didn't appeal to me. They let me labor how I needed too and it was perfect. They asked me to stop pushing and told me when to push slowly.. and I listened and pushed controlled this time. It was wonderful!

From 7cm's to the birth of Piper... less than 2 minutes. This labor was even shorter than my last one. Much more prodromal labor, and a few more pushes... but I tore much less. Only a few stiches, but my "down below" area feels pretty good! My abdominal muscles however... whew! Pushing that baby down and out in less than 2 minutes took every muscle I had I think!

She was also my biggest baby yet! Gorgeous DARK??? hair! Tons of it! Mellow disposition so far, awesome nurser!

My dd's have not met her yet... I'll let you know how that goes!