Lily’s birth was amazing! I was dilated to a 4 for at least a month before my birthing time began with a lot of irregular, but strong practice waves, so I was very ready. I had been planning on having this baby on the 26th. I was pretty relaxed all Christmas day, but come evening I really started nesting and getting my home in an acceptable condition. I got showered and did my hair, just in case. I think subconsciously I sensed it coming.
I got a good strong wave at 10:30 Christmas night and they kept coming, but they weren’t regular and some seemed to never end. It was weird. I thought, there is no way this is real. But my doula came anyway about 11:30 or something and she was totally patient and supportive. Matt was great, too. The minute he saw me get down on the floor at 10:30 he was right by my side. That’s when I really began to focus on my hypnosis. Then I went in to the bedroom and got my birthing day cd going in head phones and sat on my birthing ball leaning on the bed. This was my favorite position.
I was worried about being too tired since I hadn’t really napped that day and we were getting into night time. I think it was about 1 when I decided to try resting in bed. The deal was I would either get some sleep or if that wasn’t working I’d do what I needed to to get things really going. I couldn’t sleep. So I hopped in the shower to regroup and Matt got in with me because I didn’t want to be alone. We tried some nipple stimulation and it seemed to help and I was able to lean on him during my birthing waves. It was a really special bonding time for us and probably one of my favorite parts of my birthing time—just to be all alone with him, trusting my body to do it’s wonderful magic. We didn’t need anyone but each other in that moment. It was really neat.
Then I got back on my trusted birth ball. ( I had done a lot of my finger drop practice like this so it was very familiar and comfortable for me.) At about 2:30 I decided I needed to go to the hospital because I didn’t want to be in the car when things were even more intense. So we left at about 3. Turns out the car was the most relaxing place for me during the entire birthing time. I was really able to focus on my hypnosis (which worked quite well and kept me very calm).
We got to the hospital about 3:30. They almost didn’t even admit me to the Labor and Delivery unit because the monitor wasn’t showing any contractions. Weird. Plus I was so calm. I just listened to my birthing day cd with headphones and totally ignored everyone. Matt answered all the questions. The nurse was totally annoyed, but I didn’t care, I was having my baby and she was just getting in my way. J Anyway, they almost didn’t admit me, but the midwife on call (I saw 6 midwives who rotated being on call) took me anyway.
I thought I had to stay on the bed for the initial monitoring and it was torture to sit reclined in the bed—I just couldn’t focus very well and it was so uncomfortable. Finally, I’m like, can I get off this bed? The midwife was like, sure. So I get on the birth ball again leaning against the bed. Minutes later my water broke and there was blood. I go in to use the bathroom and there was tons of blood in the toilet. Not exactly normal. So they watched things closely.
I sat on the toilet a while and leaned on Matt during waves, still listening to my cd. Then my doula asked if I wanted to get in the tub. It sounded like heaven. I just ripped off my clothes and head phones and climbed in. It felt so good. The water in the tub was so relaxing. Until I hit transformation. My comment at this point was, I can’t get comfortable. No screaming just uncomfortable. I was getting really unsettled and couldn’t find a comfortable position.
Soon after, I said, I think I’m pushing. Then the next wave I said, I’m pushing!! It was like I couldn’t help it and really I wasn’t consciously pushing. My body was doing all the work. My doula said I had to get out of the tub, because when she checked me she could feel the head. I think I just knew, cause I got right out and over to the bed. My doula said she was amazed at how fast I got out of the tub. I never did get my headphones back on. It was all too fast. But I had imagined this part, visualizing my body just opening with ease, totally relaxed.
Pushing was amazing. I laid on my side. It just seemed like the thing to do. My body did all the work and it was only 5 minutes of pushing. It didn’t hurt, I just felt stretching and then I never even tore! Even though Lily was 1 pound bigger than Dianna and I did tear with Dianna. So cool. I never could bring myself to do perineal massage either, so I felt very good about this. I did the aaaahhh breathing and imagined opening and that’s all I needed.
Lily Anne was born at 5:35, about 2 hours from the time we got to the hospital. They placed her right on my tummy. I was in heaven. Lily didn’t breath immediately, which isn’t normally a big deal with the cord still attached, but since there was so much blood when she came out, I think they were a little concerned and she wasn’t pinking up, so they took her for just a minute to get her some oxygen and stuff, then brought her right back to me. Yay!
I was able to stay with Lily at all times. They let me keep her until it was time to go to the nursery for a bath and then I went with her and Matt, and she stayed in my room the rest of the time we were there. I went with her the one time she needed to go to the nursery to have her hearing tested. So perfect!
When we got to the room after her bath they were a little concerned about the amount of bleeding plus my heart rate was fast and my blood pressure was low. They said they may need to check into it more if it didn’t change when they checked me next. For the next hour or so I sat and used hypnosis telling myself that my bleeding was minimal and my blood pressure normal. When they checked me next they were no longer concerned. I really believe that my body just did what I told it to.
I feel so good after having Lily naturally, too. The recovery has been way better than it was after Dianna (epidural, then pitocin and a1st degree tear). I wouldn’t say the birth was painless, but it was fast, easy and very manageable. And I can’t stop daydreaming about it. I felt so calm and confident. It was such a positive experience. I am so excited to do it again. But I would love a home birth, I think. The transition from home to the hospital was the worst part of.
Another amazing thing about having Lily naturally is the intense attachment I have to her. It’s just different than last time. And she’s very attached too. When we are asleep in bed sometimes I scoot away to giver her more room, and the next thing I know she’s smack next to me all cuddled up again. I love it!
Anyway, I have to say, natural is the way to go and Hypnobabies is the best way to have an amazing birth experience!
Sarah