The Birth!

This is our birth story. I may have forgotten some things, or got some minor details wrong, but this is how we experienced the birth of our baby. My (Cathy's) text is in green, my Doula's text is in purple and my husband's text is in orange. I know that everyone in that room, including the midwife, doula, nurse and photographer would have more to add from their point of view.

Week 41+4

Gone into the birthing unit for an induction twice,  been sent home twice for the lack of "man power" at the birthing unit. The unit is on diversion. That's fine with me,  I don't want to be induced, God knows. But I'm still a bit confused... they must not be too worried about me being "over due".

My prayer has been,  if God allows it,  I'll be induced, if He doesn't, then I won't. Otherwise it won't happen, and I've spilled my heart to Him. He is the captain of my ship, it's up to him. I don't know what to do. I feel like I'm "doomed if I do and doomed if I don't" with all the info out there. This is a hard decision for me, so I give it up to Him. We'll let God decide. We'll just "go with the flow" and he can steer this ship as He wishes.

Second night in for scheduled induction. I'm being monitored, the baby is being monitored. Sheet shows a few contractions but they do not phase me, I've had them for weeks. Simon and I pray that these contractions would turn into the real thing,  but in my heart,  I have no hope since I've had so much false labour. Again there is no room, I'm confused... I had peace with this. GOD knows, he is in control. Okay off to home we go,  at night,  again. I am 41+5 now.

As we're walking out of the hospital, they catch us and tell us that there is room after all.  I'm really confused now... I had peace to be induced and relief to not be induced and now again, confusion to be induced. This is getting tiring. 

At this point, I was wondering, how they would manage to fit a birth in? It's not like taking a number for the doctor at a walk in clinic. My feelings were a little shaken, as in some way, I was hoping to go home to allow Cathy more time to go into natural labour. However, I gained some peace at the comment from the Community Birth Program midwife "no matter what, you will have a new baby tonight!"

As we wait for the house keeping to prep our birthing rooms, we pray. ..."Lord show your power, You know our heart, show us you have the final say in all of this. Start Cathy's labour naturally"... 

I remember in the waiting area praying a lot! There was a lot going on around us, and it was hard not to listen in to everything outside our own curtain. All the time we prayed and hoped that the contractions that Cathy was having would be 'real'.

The moment we walk into the room (12p.m), my contractions start. The oxytocin drip is there waiting for me but I want to wait and see where these contractions take me. I ask the nurse to hold off the drip and to speak to the midwife. The midwife comes in and after I tell her what's going on, she doubts my contractions will pick up or turn into the real deal..  I'm not so sure. Why so oxytocin "trigger happy"??  Why don't they want to see if I can proceed without it? 

It was such a strange feeling to see, as Cathy was hooked up to the monitor in the room, that there were indeed regular contractions coming. I'm a big monitor and analysis kind of guy, so I enjoyed doing the stats of how often and how strong etc.

I got the text from Cathy that she was going in for monitoring and then being sent home again. A few hours later I got another text saying that she was being induced.  I waited a bit and then went in to join them.  I arrived and Cathy was in the room being monitored. They had already started an IV but since she was contracting they decided to hold off on the oxi until later.  

This was an exciting birth for me, my first "repeat" client. I was very much anticipating being Cathy and Simon's Doula again for the birth of their fourth child.  After chatting for a bit with the nurse and midwife we decided to go for a walk to get things moving.  I encouraged Cathy to do lunges and deep squats to get the contractions moving and more intense. She did try a few but decided that walking was what she was able to do.  Simon was timing the contractions and all the while asking Cathy what each contractions intensity was to add it to the contraction ap on his phone. 

I insist to wait. They can't force me. My contractions keep picking up, and I have 3 to 5 in 10 minutes. I get up on to my feet and walk the halls with hubby and doula,  making jokes,  doubting my contractions, being a doubting Thomas and praying. Why do I doubt. I Always doubt. 

It seems that 'walking the halls' has become a normal part of our birth story. It was a good time to see the contractions develop. Again, I had my app out and timing everything. Cathy was still very unsure whether the contractions were real, and she didn't seem to feel much of a change in each contraction. However, it was very clear to me and the Doula that over the time we spent in the halls, Cathy was less talkative and more concentrated with each subsequent contraction. These were certainly the real ones!

My doula has written out prayer cards, the prayers are beautiful. Dwelling on scripture,  focusing on Him. During each contraction, we praise His name and bless the birth and baby. We pray for strength, stronger contractions, a quick delivery, perseverance etc.

Back into the room and time for a check. Wonder how much work the contractions have done? The answer, 3cm. So there has been some good movement, but there is still a long way to go. We decided to stay in the room, as the contractions were now getting stronger.

After a few hours of labouring, I need a break. I sit down and contractions begin to slow down... Gotta keep on my feet..  So tiring...  I wish I could labour sleeping,  I'm so sleepy. Everytime I stand up,  I feel nauseous. I vomit a lot,  sit down, get back up,  vomit,  sit,  stand,  vomit...  Goes on a and on. My friend who takes photographs steps in at times, massaging my back,  feels perfect. Her touch is magical. 

We did walk for quite a while and then decided to take a break and went back to the room.  Cathy mentioned at different times her last birth. She was saying how this birth is so much different than Lucy's birth. Cathy began to sit on the rocking chair, giving her legs a break.  The midwife approached Cathy as management of her birth and offered her oxi.  Cathy said no, but in the midwifes perspective she has to do active management of the case.  She has to be aware of what is happening with the mom, as well as the baby.  The baby's heart beat was in completely normal range so when Cathy refused the oxi the midwife went with her wishes. 

One of the most awkward parts of any birth! The time as 'father to be' where you feel a bit like a spare part. She's up, she's down, she's standing, she's laying. She needs holding, she needs a drink. All whilst going through some solid amount of pain. Really, what I should be saying is "sorry". For a while I'd been wondering if we were going to avoid the vomiting this time round... nope! and when it arrived it arrived with a vengeance.

I chew ice,  I have a fan on my face,  an ice pack on my chest. I wish I could swim in ice... My doula and husband prays for me and this baby and squeezes my hips during my contractions as I hang in Simon's arms. He LITERALLY carries my weight. I'm relaxed. He is strong.

I'm feeling sleepy,  the contractions just keep on going,  I'm riding them out. The staff doesn't know every time I have a contraction,  because I'm relaxing the best I can, and I am not announcing them every time. They assume I'm not
having many. Frustrating. 

Only 4cm! And Cathy seems like she is getting tired. It feels like we've been counting contractions for hours. It's surprising how fast time goes when it's the early hours of the morning. They don't seem to think that she is having enough contractions to do anything, but my counting says she is. They decide to put her on a drip so she can get some saline solution, as she is tired after many hours of contractions and vomiting. Back on the monitors, as they think they might start Oxy soon. Cathy works hard to detach from the pain, but needs to be on the bed now.

 Cathy continued to labour, she was silent for most of her contractions well all except the few before the baby was born.  She was in her "zone" which is great. As a Doula we just "hold the space" for clients like Cathy.  Allow them to find their grove and follow their bodies instincts.  Simon moved aobut the labour room, getting some rest on a couch nearby and being with Cathy also.

Every two hours they want to put me on oxytocin, I decline,  I don't understand, can't they see I'm having contractions and it hasn't even been a long labour.  They're telling me that I'm becoming too tired,  and I'm not dilating fast enough... (Been "stuck at 4-5cm for a few hours.) that I need it. Of course I'm tired,  I'm labouring in the middle of the night. Looking back,  all my births were" stuck" at 3to 5cm for a while become dilating 10cm with in a few minutes soon after. And I do know that I got into that "sleepy mode" before they injected me with Gravol :)

The midwife suggests that they break my water, it can speed up labour, I accepted.  I wish I hadn't approved in hind sight but oh well, - First there was a little trickle until I sat on a rocking chair,  then suddenly a gush. It caught me by surprise and I wonder why? 

The midwife trying to manage the situation then offered Cathy to break her water.  Sometimes what happens is the bag of waters acts as a balloon. It cushions the babies head and doesn't apply complete pressure on the cervix.  The midwife was hoping that the waters being released would provide the final push to get this baby out.

I can't speak much,  just going with the flow, entering a sort of state,  where I'm falling a sleep but still contracting... Which they think aren't good enough. Nurse gives me gravol , kicks in instantly, I stop vomiting but my contractions go on super mode. 

During the labour Cathy started vomitting and couldn't seem to catch a break.  I asked the midwife if it would be ok to give Cathy some gravol in hopes of providing some relief.  The nurse drew some up and it did just what it was suppose to, Cathy stopped vomitting.

My contractions are seriously becoming more intense at this moment, I'm unbecoming quite vocal (I have been quiet until now) during them,  it's becoming really really intense, as they prep the oxytocin  again for me.. I think I was squeezing my doulas and husbands hand in turns, I really had a hard time opening my eyes... I couldn't see. I felt like I was fighting the staff off at the same time I was riding the contractions. Yes I was tired.

Once again Cathy was asked if she would be ok if the oxi was started.  She was extremely exhausted by this point from my perspective.  Repeatedly saying why is this taking so long? I don't remember Lucy taking this long.  I approached Cathy and asked her if she would be alright with the oxi, without guaranteeing 100% I was pretty confident that the baby would be here quickly should she have been given the oxi.

I wish my husband would've been beside me more,  but the room was so crowded and he was asked to step aside several times. I missed him, I needed him. He didn't want to interfere with anything,  I feel bad for him. 

So, the green light was given for Oxy, and I see them setting everything up. I try to spend some time with Cathy. I'm super tired, but how can I really complain. However, I was rather oblivious to what was going on around me. I thought they had administered the Oxy. Cathy needed to turn, and suddenly her contractions come on like crazy. I said 'that worked fast', as she starts saying that the baby is coming. The people around me say 'what worked fast?'. They hadn't even given the Oxy, as there wasn't the time. Well, the last bit has gone like a rocket... again! 

I turn sides and I feel immense pressure, the baby is coming out..  I'm really moaning at this moment, the staff rushes in. Is the baby coming?! They ask..

.. Yyyeeaaah!! The turn me onto my back,  sitting up,  and all I can feel is immense pressure and pain, and I can't stay very calm at this point anymore!! Ha ha! All I'm thinking right now, is this baby needs to come out asap!

Cathy was then resting on the bed and it seemed as if the contractions came on very strong.  Her once silent coping was quickly taken over by a very vocal Cathy.  She yelled very loudly, so loudly that the midwife came rushing from the nurses station. (Another Doula noticed the midwife and also heard Cathy yelling and told me this at a later date.)  Things happen very rapidly at that point.  

"Ok, Simon. Let's put your gloves on" comes the words from the Midwife. I gladly start, but then she say's "if there's time". The baby was on exit, route 1! Well, I got in position, and then thought, now what? It was like the midwifes were saying, "go on then, deliver it". People might say I looked like a dear in the headlights, but its not like I deliver a baby every other week. I did what I could, which wasn't much incidentally, but I manged to hold the head and then semi lift the baby up to Cathy. And of course, on lifting one leg, was able to announce that we indeed had another girl!

The midwife came in and immediately grabbed a pair of gloves.  Cathy had both of her hands behind her gripping the back of the bed with all her strength. The plan with this birth was for Simon to deliver the baby as the previous births he had missed because he was up by the side of Cathy and she had put him in a headlock as the baby delivered.  So this time he was at the action spot awaiting the delivery of their newest arrival.  

As the baby decended Cathy continued to call out. With Lucy's birth she was born without the aid of Cathy pushing. She slid out as the body naturally pushed her out with each contraction.   This baby needed some help from Cathy. She had to use the force of the contraction as well as her own might to get this baby out.  

Simon also got to help deliver the baby.  I love being able to see Dad's do that, it's not everyday you get to deliver your own child.  

The baby was put on Cathy's chest and we asked Simon what they had, he announced a girl, Cathy we have another girl.  

 

Third girl in a row! Amazing! Praise God, she was finally here!!! 

 

May we announce, Baby Faye Elisabeth Ruth Born November 12th weighing 10lb 13oz and 56.5cm tall!

My Birth Plan looked something like this (not in order)

[ ] I would like the height and weight of the baby measured
[ ] Baby's eye gel ok
[ ] Shot on my thigh ok
[ ] Vitamin k shot is ok
[ ] Keep placenta in a cooler/fridge for picking up - I'm having it encapsulated
[ ] Wait until cord stops pulsing before clamping /cutting
[ ] No pulling on the umbilical cord unless heavy bleeding
[ ] No separation for the first hour unless ABSOLUTELY necessary
[ ] Instant skin to skin contact
[ ] I want my husband to deliver the baby and lift him/her onto my chest
[ ] No rupturing of the membranes
[ ] Respect our faith: songs,  prayer and Bible reading
[ ] No pain medications
[ ] Joc Widjaya as my doula
[ ] Plenty of ice,  fan,  cool cloths

Looking for a doula in the Vancouver area? I highly recommend Joc Widjaya at MotherNurtureDoula

So that was our birth story. We may have missed some details, since we're living in a "fog" as we speak... a bit sleep deprived, you know. Baby brain, you know? But there you have it. How blessed are we!!!