Samantha’s Birth

             I was determined that the term once a C-section always a C-section was not going to apply to me.  I found out I was pregnant with Samantha when Jessica was only 9 months old.  God has a funny way of showing you that it’s his plan we follow. Anyway I knew that having a C-section meant weeks of recovery, and that I would have a 17 month old running around.  I believed in my body and knew that it was built to give birth. 

             I visited with Beth Bary at Woman Care located near Clark Memorial Hospital, and was amazed at the time that she took to sit down and talk with me about my previous cesarean, and my options for a vaginal birth.  I knew that she believed in me and my body to birth this baby!

             Samantha’s birth started with a small trickle of water around 7pm.  I became a little nervous, because I knew that it made for an easier labor if your membranes stayed in tack.  By 8:30 pm I was still having no contractions.  I got my older daughter Jessica down for the evening, and called my doula Nicole.  She was GREAT!  She reassured me that everything was probably alright, and encouraged me to give the contractions some time to start.  I decided to lay down awhile, to conserve energy.  After only a few minutes in bed I felt a POP!!  My water bag had fully ruptured, but there was not a lot of leaking fluid.  I again called Nicole.  I was a little panicked.  My water had broken, there were no contractions, and I was a VBAC.  I felt like going to the hospital at this point, would greatly increase my chance for C-section #2.  I decided to try some relaxation at home.  Nicole & I talked about taking my temperature every half hour or so to make sure I wasn’t running a fever.  Hands and knees worked best for me!  By 10pm I was having some contractions, but nothing too regular yet.  I focused inwardly and encouraged my contractions.  Once contractions started they picked up in intensity and got closer together quickly!!  I noticed that I was very shaky and had some chills.  I asked John to call Nicole at around 11:45.  I wanted to go to the hospital.  Nicole tried to talk to me, but I had to stop several times, because I was having contractions.  By the time Nicole & I got off the phone my contractions were 2-3 minutes apart. 

             At 12:30 I arrived at the hospital, and Nicole was there waiting.  I was rather calm, but had to stop a few times on the way up to have a contraction.  Practicing relaxation really paid off, I don’t think that the triage nurses thought that I was really in labor, because I was being so calm.  When they checked me in triage I was 7cm and 100% effaced. 

             I had a nurse that was not so nice.   She wanted to force me to lay on my back to monitor me, I refused.  She kept me in Triage for what seemed like forever!  I kept asking John to call Beth my midwife, I wanted to talk to her.  Around 1:30 I had a major contraction, and vocalized very loudly.  A kind nurse came & gave us a room.  I still had some altercations with my nurse though.  At around 1:40 God sent me an angel.  A nurse named Maria walked into our room, and said, “Hi my name is Maria, and I had a home birth, I am going to be your nurse!”  We were all relieved .  I labored on at around 2:00am I wanted to sit on the toilet.  That wasn’t comfortable, by 2:15 I tried hands and knees.  I was having a hard time getting comfortable.  At 2:36 My Midwife Beth came in, she checked me, and I was 10cm and 0 to +1.  Pushing was hard for me, because I had a long phase where I didn’t really have an urge to push.  By 3:30 I had really started pushing, and the baby moved to a +2 station.  Still though between every contraction the babies head would slip back up.  I had some serious doubts, and this was my emotional transition.  I think this is because this is were I got hung up with my first birth.   I asked for everything.  Forceps, Vacuum, Episiotomy.  Thank God that I had a supportive midwife, husband, and Doula.  They all continued to reassure me. At one point Beth even told me, “YES, you ARE GOING to push this baby out!”   At 4:34 Samantha Rose was born.  A totally natural birth.  PERFECT and HEALTHY!!  6lb 10 oz.  20 in long.  It was a truly MIRACULOUS and JOYOUS experience!!

 

 

To Be Continued>>>>>>

This was Samantha’s Placenta!

Experience a Natural Childbirth!!

Be confident in this, I have begun a good work in you and I will complete it! Philippians 1:6

This is not the official site of the Bradley Method®.  The views expressed here are my own.  I am a Certified Bradley Method® instructor.  For the official Bradley website visit http://www.bradleybirth.com/ndweb.asp?ID=C534