The Nitty Gritty on the birth

Warning: This entry contains a birthing novel. Sad, but true. Definitely NOT recommended for sharing with husbands or queasy first-time expectant mothers.

Okay, so now let’s get down to business. Why, why, why in the world would I choose a natural birth, and why in the world would I say that giving birth to a breech baby this way was an exhilarating experience? Good question—(one I’ve been asked several times since).

By way of background you really ought to know something about me. I don’t have a good pain threshold. Never have, and I’m afraid I’ve realized that is even truer as I see the inherited one my kids have from me. Every little owie is met with tears on their part, which I recognize from my genes unfortunately. As a result, when I first gave birth to Bitty 4 ½ years ago, I didn’t even question the idea of an epidural. Why would I?

To make a long story short, I could have died during Bitty’s. Because of my scoliosis, where an epidural is placed happens to fall right where I have curvature of the spine (I have a fairly pronounced S-curve), as well radial twisting. Essentially this resulted in what became an inadvertent over-the-top spinal, with 10+ hours of me not being able to breathe normally. Scary stuff—scary and difficult, especially when I had to push him out for 3.5 hours posterior, and the doctor had to resort to forceps to avoid a C-section. Not fun, not fun, especially when it spiraled into a whole host of other postpartum complications that I won’t go into now. (Sorry if I’ve already freaked out someone up to this point).

When it came to delivering the Sass, I felt dualistic feelings about facing another delivery. Because of my history, I was terrified about another epidural, yet I also felt incredibly ambivalent about the possibility of pushing out another baby for 3+ hours. Though I believed in the possibility of being able to handle a typical natural birth, I seriously questioned my ability to so with pushing as long as I had previously. I feared that it would result in an inevitable C-section if I attempted it. Fortunately, I also did my homework as far as anesthesia staffs are concerned, and got a fantastic anesthesiologist up at LDS who could not have been more experienced, thoughtful, empathetic, or attentive. Not surprisingly, I experienced some severe PTSD when he inserted this epidural, but he was incredibly kind and helpful in talking me through it. He repeatedly checked on me throughout that day. (After the baby was delivered, he admitted that it was probably one of the most challenging epidurals he had ever had to place in the history of his 30+ year career b/c of the nature of the spinal curvature and its location). Thankfully, things went much better with Sassy’s birth, especially since I had a nurse that was able to get her turned the right direction.

After the PTSD and forewarning regarding my spine with Sassy’s birth, I seriously considered trying natural birth this time around, but faced the same questions as before. Will I be able to do it if the baby is posterior? Would I have a better chance of her turning anterior with a midwife? Aren’t I kind of a wimp?

After praying and thinking much about it, I proceeded in the direction of natural birth, found a CNM, and took a hypnobirthing class. This was a great move. I was amazed to learn about the power of hypnosis to manage pain, as it has the capacity to help your body release its own natural endorphins. Between trying to regularly practice my hypnosis (which was incredibly helpful with my back pain and dealing with the stress of the pregnancy), and reading a myriad of books that a friend provided as great resources for natural birthing, I gradually became more comfortable with my ability to face an unmedicated birth, and actually looked forward to the experience as a sort of rite of passage—the great equalizer of all women on this earth. And I have to admit, I especially hoped it would provide the speedier recovery I would so need this time around.

In light of my extra amniotic fluid and the risk with Coco’s bowel, my perinatologists didn’t want to allow me to go much past 39 weeks, and as a result we scheduled an induction for the last possible day—Nov. 23rd. Because I so did not want to face a natural birth with more difficult contractions than necessary (i.e. pitocin-induced), the week before the 23rd I did EVERYTHING I could think of in order to bring on the pregnancy naturally. I walked every day, bounced on an exercise ball, jumped on a trampoline, walked up and down stairs for hours, danced like crazy, sat through two very painful sessions of acupuncture, tried acupressure points, drank black cohosh tea—you name it, I tried it. When I went in on the 19th I was dilated to a 2+, 75% effaced, and was at a -1. So, I had my CNM strip my membranes in hopes . . .

Sure enough, on the drive home that evening I felt some regular tightening, which unfortunately subsided by the time I went to bed. These picked up again when I awoke on the 20th. Could this be it? It didn’t hurt like I’d thought they would and was only on the lower half of my abdomen, but did they did seem to come and go regularly. I sent Sterling to work on the premise that I would let him know if things continued or not. He needed to get some things done that morning, so we hoped this would afford him the time he needed. After that I took a concoction with castor oil, hoping . . . By the time I took the kids to Chinese at about 11:00 a.m., the tightening periods were about 9-10 minutes apart, and seemed to be slowing down. I was NOT going to allow this to happen, so I left the kids there with their tutor and went for a walk with my IPOD.

This was fabulous! While in neighborhoods, I waddled in a consistent curb walk, and as soon as I got out of eyesight I wandered into a large field in the middle of several subdivisions. It was filled with golden overgrown grass and the sun was shining. There in the middle of the field I cranked up my Latin music and danced with happy abandon. I could envision the baby descending with my hip action, and I smiled and laughed during the cha-cha, samba, and bizarre personal version of Samoan dancing that would really embarrass me in public. At one point a huge deer stared at me dancing, not knowing what in the world to think of my exuberance. Only when I started to jump towards him did he finally bound out of sight. It was a happy moment as I thought of how excited I was to finally experience this birth and meet my baby.

To make a long story short, we made it to the hospital that day around 3 p.m., were admitted, and got right down to business. My nurse secured a room with a tub, got me a birthing ball, and went over the birth plan with us. The staff there really was fantastic, and I was thrilled I didn’t have to have an IV. I laid down to do some hypnosis and start banking endorphins. Pearly-Q and I then went for a walk around the hospital. At some point in the midst of laboring on the ball, and everything else my CNM showed up checked my cervix. I was dilated to a 6, and was 100% effaced. At that point b/c of all of my fluid, we decided that it would best if she did a careful break of my water to allow things to ease out. (This was at about 7 p.m.) As all this happened, my CNM felt the baby’s head and could feel all of her hair there. She was clearly head-down, as she had been during my ultrasound the day before.

With my water broken, the contractions quickly sped up and became more intense. With my nurse’s encouragement, I decided it was finally time to get into the tub. At that point, I noticed a couple drips of meconium, but nothing to be alarmed about. I was happy to immerse in hot water. During this time I definitely felt contractions, but the water made it so much more doable—more like tough menstrual cramps, really. Pearly-Q was there through this whole time, and rubbed my back as I laid on my side, and then in a hands and knees position to try to ensure the baby eased into an anterior position. After being in the tub for about a ½ hour, I started to sense an encroaching urge to push. It was strange, though, because it felt more like something was only partially pushing down on my perineum, not a full head, really. When I got out to use the toilet, I noticed there was a lot of meconium coming out of me, and I immediately recognized this could be problematic. When we got the word about it the CNM, she immediately sent for NICU staff to be on hand to make sure the baby didn’t suck any of it in.

When I got out of the tub and onto the bed I tried to do more hypnosis, but it was becoming increasingly difficult with the surges severely intensifying. In the midst of all this I requested my CNM check me, as I could feel pressure down below. At that point I was almost at a 9, and she encouraged me to push against her in order to help things move to a 10. As I did so, I tried to stay on my left side as that’s what felt most comfortable, and that’s how I preferred to push the baby out. However, she insisted I move to my back with my hips up a bit. I protested to this, as it made things much more painful, and I couldn’t understand why she didn’t heed what I said about all of this. From this point, things got really crazy, really quickly. .

Before I knew it, and in the midst of blinding pain that I struggled to breathe (or rather, whimper) through, there were people pushing my body into a hips-up position, and they were telling me to hold my own knees. I told them strongly that I could not do this, as I could barely focus on my breathing, and I didn’t know what else was going on. I didn’t want to labor in that position as I was afraid it would result in a greater chance of tearing. For whatever reason, no one was hearing what I was saying, and any previous focus I had before seemed obliterated by all the commotion that ensued. I remember only bits and pieces of this whole time, as the pain was incredibly intense, but I do recall an OB getting into Pearly-Q’s face and asking him what birth this was for us, and what size our babies had previously been. When she asked this, I remember wondering how big could this baby’s noggin really be? Then I looked to my right, and someone was sticking my hand with a needle--something I’d explicitly not wanted.

“What are you doing?” I asked in the midst of the crazy pain.

“I’m giving you an IV,” the nurse replied.

Though up to that point, I had definitely screamed (during which my girlfriend assisting me ordered me to “pull it together”), this time I let out a huge scream of pain—one which Pearly-Q insists the entire labor and delivery floor must have heard. I told them that something when I pushed simply didn’t feel right. It wasn’t until this point that someone said, “You’re having a breech baby!” This threw me for sure, and I had a moment of panic at the thought, wondering if they were going to pull me into a C-section or not. At this point, there were roughly twelve different faces above me—I looked at Pearly-Q, and he seemed as uncertain as I was. I also remember glancing at my girlfriend, and when she, along with the rest of the staff told me to push, I trusted what they had to say and did what I could in the midst of those insane circumstances.

“Push, Curly, push!” (although I have to admit they did use my real name).

Easier said than done—I could barely concentrate on any breathing in the midst of the mayhem
and the sheer volume of everyone’s yelling. In addition, beyond the pain of each intense contraction, pushing without their aid hurt even more. All I remember is thinking that there was no other way but through this, and I gave what I had. Thankfully, even with what I was able to give to all of those faces looking down at me, things did move quickly and within a few minutes I pushed out the baby’s bottom and legs---this felt gigantic—so much so, that by the time I got to her head, it felt like a relief in comparison.

I remember hearing them saying, “You did it!” at which point I glanced down and saw them hold up my blue little baby as the NICU staff rushed her over to a table. Apparently, at this point one of the nurses (the same one who got in my girlfriend’s face and ordered her to yell at me to push) threw up her hands and yelled, “Mothers rock!” I remember hearing my friend say to me,

“You did it, Curly! Oh my gosh, you just delivered a breech baby!”

I remember just feeling emotionally stunned/shell-shocked, as I was trying to process all that had just happened within a matter of minutes. It was hardly the delivery I had envisioned, but I was done with the pain, and the baby was here. . . Little had I known until that point that Coco had been in distress, which is why they made the decision to get her out quickly with a vaginal birth. (Apparently they would not have had me try this if she had been my first baby). When she first came out she received an Apgar score of 4, then later 6, then later 10. The cord had been wrapped around her neck on the descent.

Later when I found out I had barely torn and would not need stitches, it was the first time in my life (particularly when I understood the risks to the baby) that I was grateful, wholeheartedly grateful that I had given birth to Bitty posterior. He had literally paved the way for his little sister.

Soon, Pearly-Q was able to bring the baby over to me. She was so cute and alert, and in my mind did not look as I had fully expected based on her previous ultrasounds. Rather, she looked more like a mixture of all three of her older siblings. She was so alert and sweet as she looked up at me in wondering silence. I, along with everyone else, was still coming down off the adrenaline rush of everything that had just taken place, but I was trying to absorb this moment as well.
Since that time, I have been so grateful that I did a natural birth. Besides enjoying the most fantastic recovery, one which allowed me to get up bathe the baby just a couple of hours later, I have also felt invigorated by the experience. Rather than facing a debilitating fear of spinal anesthesia and all its risks for me, I instead feel like I conquered something incredible. Not only did I give birth naturally, but I pushed her out bum-first, for pete’s sakes. I did it! Sure, it hurt like nobody’s business there in those last 15 minutes, but I feel like I managed the pain incredibly well up to that point, and I survived difficult circumstances only to have an immediate recovery afterwards. I faced something I didn’t think I could do, and went even beyond those expectations. I never have to worry again about the unknown in childbirth, as I feel I have now traversed that path. Beyond that, I feel like it has resolved so many of the feelings I had about my first birth experience, especially in light of the fact that it actually aided in the safe delivery of Coco.

So, there is Coco’s birth. . . Phew! Lots to say, but now it is recorded. And, if you’re still reading up to this point, I know you are a woman who has already given birth. Nuff’ said, right?


Breathing through a contraction:

Pearly-Q offers his loving assistance. What a great husband.

My wonderful girlfriend who came to help:

Sweet success: