Saturday, February 11, 2012

Daniel's Birth Story

Daniel’s Birth

Daniel was my 2nd child, born 19 months after my first son, Diego. A little background on my first birth. My first birth was pretty traumatizing with a 4th degree tear, my newborn in shock and me hemorrhaging. I spent 5 days in the hospital with blood transfusion, surgery, and IV’s. I had him naturally with no pain medication. It was a short 4 hour labor, which was fast for a first timer. He was 4 days late and he came in weighing 9lbs 9oz. He is such a wonderful boy.
I found out I was pregnant when my oldest was 11 ½ months. I wanted another natural, med-free birth but after my first, and the year of recover down there, I was pretty scared. I was worried I would tear open again, that it would hurt to sit down for months and frankly, it looked like a grenade went off down there and left a lot of scarred tissue that still hurt 12 months postpartum. I switched to OBG-YN Associates before I found out I was pregnant because I heard Cindy Seagel was a lactation consultant and I was having a hard time with nursing my 5 month old. She was awesome and really helped me out. So after I found out I was pregnant, I stayed with them. I loved the midwives. Chloe took care of me most of the time and so I was really hoping she would be a my birth. They helped me through my fears of a repeat 4th degree and I was able to overcome the fears and struggles.
The pregnancy was going good until I tested positive for GD (gestational diabetes). I would not be allowed to use the ABC room at the hospital and was told I would have to be monitored, which I did not want. I was also scared of having another large baby.
I started cramping a few days before my due date and I just shrugged it off as nothing and laid down for a small nap. I woke up and thought I peed my pants so I went to the bathroom and realized I was leaking amniotic fluid. After 20 minutes of leaking, it finally burst. I called my midwife and she told me I could go ahead and head to the hospital so I could use the tub to try and relaze and soften the perineum tissue. My best friend Elizabeth, my Duala Kelly, my husband Carlos and I all headed to the hospital. I was having small contractions and by time we got there, they were pretty much still off and on. I was checked in and my midwife, Maureen, checked me and I was 5 centimeters. She hooked me to the monitors and my contractions had stopped. She went to talk to the Dr. about rather or not I could stay without being in labor and since my first was born in 4 hours, who knew how fast this one might be. I sat up in the bed and right away, I started having contractions. Once Maureen came back in, I told her so she went about getting me ready for a room.
I started having pretty regular contractions but they didn’t hurt to much so we settled in the room to rest and wait. My 2nd midwife, Joann, came in to take over for Maureen. She was wonderful and really was so much fun. We had a lot of laughs and my whole birth group was wonderful. I relaxed in the Jacuzzi for a while and then the contractions really set in. We went back to my room after a bit and I started having a lot of pain. I don’t really think it was that long but it felt like forever. I was hanging over the back of the bed trying to get comfortable and moaning while swinging my hips back and forth. All I could think of was I looked like a hippo walking, swinging my backside back and forth while making cow sounds. The picture in my head of that hippo really helped me focus on the amusement part and how stupid I must look. My midwife checked me again and I was only 6 cm dilated. I was pretty discouraged that I barely got anywhere but the friends really helped me focus. It was a very short time till I was 8 and begging to push. Everything in me wanted to push but I was scared of tearing. My midwife was trying to keep me from pushing since I was only 8 cm, but I couldn’t stop the urge. My body took over and was pushing involuntarily. I went from 8 to 10 in a few minutes and my son was born after only a few pushes. Unlike my first son, my 2nd was placed right on my stomach and the cord allowed to finish pulsating. After my husband cut the cord and I held my son for a bit, the nurses weighed him and he was only 7lbs 8oz. Mind you, that was 2lbs smaller then my first son.
I tore a little so I did have a few stitches but nothing like the first birth. I finally got the birth I wanted. I healed so much faster and everything went better. Joann was such a wonderful support and really helped me stick with my natural, med-free birth. The birth was 8 hours from the water breaking till he was born but the contractions were only 5 hours. The birth was longer then the first but I healed faster and was not so drugged up that I couldn’t seem to focus like my first. I love my boys and the joy they brought to my life. I love that I was empowered to have both of them naturally with no pain meds and I was blessed to have such wonderful people supporting me through it all.

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