Bennett's Birth Story

I feel like I should get this written down before Baby Dos makes his or her grand entrance and I start getting labor story details mixed up. Some of this I wrote a few weeks after B was born but I'm adding in a few things I don't want to forget. I'm mainly documenting this for my own memory's sake. Feel free to read and relive the exciting day (or three) with me.

It is a bit long. Consider yourself warned.



Jeff and I read books, took classes, planned, practiced and prepared for the much anticipated delivery day. I decided early on in my pregnancy that I wanted to attempt an unmedicated delivery. I did not want labor to be medically induced and I hoped to have the freedom to move around and labor in the ways that felt most comfortable and natural to me. I was happy that my fabulous OBGYN Dr. H was extremely supportive of this plan and was encouraging that it would be possible, although he did warn that it is called “labor” a reason…it is extremely painful.

Our due date was March 10 and for insurance reasons we were just hoping and praying to make it past February 28. As soon as March rolled around I was ready to have my baby! But apparently, my baby was not ready to come. We waited. And waited. I rearranged the stuffed animals in the nursery, checked and rechecked my hospital bag and perfected my “labor play list” on iTunes. A week overdue I stood as a bridesmaid at my best friend’s wedding and performed in a choreographed dance at her reception. I walked a lot and ate a lot of spicy food. Still no baby.

One week overdue and dancing the night away at Laura's wedding.

My doctor understood that I didn’t want to be induced, but he also didn’t want me to go too far overdue. He said, “nothing good happens after two weeks” past the due date. Monday morning the 19th Jeff and I went to the hospital to try prostaglandin. Prostaglandin is a gel they put onto the cervix to try to soften it up and “get things moving” so to say. I was hoping it would get my cervix to cooperate.

I came in nine days overdue and dilated only 1/2 cm. My doctor applied the gel and Jeff and I spent a couple of hours walking around the hospital with intermittent stops to check my contractions and fetal heart tones. After a couple of hours I was having a few contractions, but nothing painful and there was no change in dilation so I was sent home with the hope that labor would begin sometime soon.

Trying to get labor going by walking the halls at Baylor.

We stopped for lunch at Mariano’s, a Mexican food restaurant, hoping that maybe some spicy greasiness would get those contractions ramped up a bit. Jeff returned to work and I went home and took a nap.

About 4:00 that afternoon I started having mildly painful contractions coming at fairly regular intervals. By that night they were intense enough that I was not able to sleep. While Jeff dozed I surfed the net and timed my contractions. By 4 am they were consistently lasting one minute each and coming about 5 minutes apart. I was SURE we would be headed to the hospital before noon to have a baby! I woke Jeff up at 6 am (it is now Tuesday) and we called the doctor who told us we should probably wait until the contractions were a little more intense before we headed in which was fine with me - I wanted to labor at home as long as possible. We ran some errands and excitedly talked about the day ahead of us.

We completed our errands and I rested on the couch for a while. Contractions slowed down a little throughout the late morning sometimes coming as far as 10 minutes apart. All Tuesday we did a LOT of walking...around the neighborhood and to Central Market and back to buy some candy (pink and blue sour belts). My contractions wavered between 5 and 7 minutes apart all day.

Concerned about another sleepless night we called the doctor and went in for a late afternoon exam. I was deflated to learn that my 24 hours of contractions had not resulted in any dilation AT ALL! Still only 1/2 cm, but 60% effaced. Dr. H gave me some meds to help me sleep.

Jeff and I walked around and around the mall that evening, having to stop every few minutes for me to sit or squat or lean over a rail and breathe through a contraction. I know I looked silly, and some people gave me some odd looks but it didn't matter to me - I wanted my baby already!

The meds did little to help me sleep. What rest I did get was between contractions so I woke up every four minutes or so. The contractions were very intense but still not closer than 5 minutes apart. The Ambian made me loopy to the point that I was seeing glittery shapes hanging in the air and I was frustrated because I thought I somehow had to figure out how to match the shapes and fit them together.

Jeff woke up with me at every contraction. He would squeeze my hand and give me encouragement. He didn’t know what was going on in my mind but I must have been talking some nonsense because he started reminding me that my only job was to “just make it through this contraction. Don’t worry about anything else.” It was not a very restful night for either of us.

Wednesday morning I called the doctor and went in for another exam. At about 11 am we were told the glorious news - 4 cm dilated! Going to L&D! We called our families who had been on edge since Monday morning and celebrated. Today would be baby day!

One last belly shot.

My goal was an unmedicated labor so I requested to not be hooked up to an IV. A sweet nurse filled out a form that was about a zillion questions long and then attempted to put an IV port (not really sure what it is called but it is basically the needle with a cap on it, not attached to a line) in my arm so they could give me fluids or meds at a moments notice if needed. I was trying to chat with her and be friendly but I think I made her anxious. She busted my vein and had to get another nurse to come in and insert the needle.

They broke my water and WOW - did that speed up the contractions. Within an hour they were coming hard and fast - less than two minutes apart with many of them "coupling" one big contraction that didn't let up all the way before another began.

I got sick a few times in the middle of a big contraction (I guess from the pain?) which just added to the fun. I was given some anti-nausea medicine which helped.

I attempted to visit with family in the waiting room and my mom took this picture as Lisa was timing one of my contractions.

During this time an awkward medical resident came in to "ask me a few questions." He stood there with a clipboard and nervously went through the entire list of questions I'd gone through earlier with the nurse. And he didn't write a thing down.

As I'm pausing every few seconds (it feels like) to concentrate through a painful contraction Awkard Resident proceeds to ask me why I don't just get an epidural. I don't really remember what my answer was...but I do hope he doesn't continue to ask for such explanations from women in the throws of labor. I really just wanted him to shut up.

All of the staff (other than Awkard Resident) were very encouraging and supportive of me and my labor goals. I wanted the freedom to move and I wasn't attached to any monitors so a nurse came in every half hour or so to measure contractions and listen to the baby's heart. The nurses were sweet to sit on the floor or bend over me at odd angles in order to get the monitors on my belly no matter how I was choosing to endure the contractions (sitting, standing, kneeling, whatever).

I had grand ideas of walking the halls and moving from labor ball to shower to bed, etc. but it was soon apparent that I barely had time to catch my breath between contractions, much less move around very much. I spent most of the time laboring on my hands and knees next to the bed with Jeff putting pressure on my lower back. Sometimes I would squat or lean into Jeff and hang my arms around his neck. Jeff was absolutely amazing as a support person from start to finish. It was getting very, VERY tough, but I felt like we were doing well. I was confident I could make it through.

After about four and a half hours of this my doctor came in and watched me labor through a few contractions. He said, "I think you may be getting close to transition". Yea! What glorious news! Then he examined me. I had only dilated .5 cm to 4.5! I was devastated. Jeff and I were both on the verge of tears.

Looking back I realize that in that moment my spirit was absolutely crushed. After two days of contractions and two sleepless nights I was exhausted and my disappointment at not progressing further after working so hard clouded any sight of the end ever arriving.

I asked for the IV of fluids so I could get an epi if things didn't progress soon. The next hour of labor was the worst. I was so discouraged that it was almost imposible to focus and relax. After an hour there was still no change so the anesthesiologist came in to offer some relief.

I cried. Then I slept for the first time in two days.

Smiling after my epi. Do I look a bit tired to anyone else? Nap time!

A few hours later I was 10 cm and ready to push. I asked for the epi to be turned down so I could know when to push and have more control. Baby was still in no hurry and had trouble coming around under the pubic bone.

I think if they had told me how long it was going to take when I started pushing I would have said there was no way I could do it. But I am nothing if not optimistic and I truly thought each time that I pushed might be "it". My sweet new nurse (shift change happened while I was sleeping) would count and nod her head enthusiastically with each push as though I was right on the edge of delivering. She must have gotten quite tired of that game, but she didn't let on...just kept right on encouraging me that I was "doing great!"

Everyone kept commenting on how the baby was doing tolerating labor wonderfully. Apparently his heart rate was staying calm and steady. He was just chillin' in there...in no apparent rush to be born.

Dr. H came in two or three times. He would talk me through some pushes, maybe suggest a slight change of position and then leave again. Awkward Resident came with him and at one point asked me why I got an epidural. Then he had the guts to tell me "none of the women in China get epidurals unless they are having a c-section." I wanted to slug him. The doctor and nurses all started talking at once, quickly trying to rescue the uncomfortable moment.

I wonder where Awkard Resident is today. Hopefully not working L&D.

When Dr. H finally came in and put on the full scrubs get-up I knew we were truly almost there. My ipod was playing some of my favorite happy music and we were about to have a baby!

I pushed for two hours and finally that little blond head was delivered (I never in my life thought I would have a blond baby)! The cord was wrapped around his neck twice, which looked horrifying, but apparently is not too big of a deal. One more little push and it was finally announced "It's a BOY!!". They put him on my chest and I cried and hugged him and immediately forgot about the preceding 54 hours. He was hollering his head off and absolutely perfect! Apgars were 9/9.

It's a boy!

The new family.

At 22 inches the doctor said he was the longest baby he'd delivered in a long time. He nursed like a champ right away and soon after he was cleaned up the room was filled with precious family and friends (14 of them) who had waited patiently all night for little Bennett to show up. It was quite a party.

We passed him around as cameras flashed and everyone oohed and ahhed like he was the first baby ever to be born. Eventually friends and family trickled out and it was 2am before we got to our post-partum room. I could barely keep my eyes open but the nurse wanted to go through a list of instructions, questions and stuff that I hardly remember. When they finally left me alone I closed my eyes and dozed off to sweet newborn squeeks and sighs. It was fabulous.

By the way, I plan to attempt natural labor again. Next time though, I want to wait to go into labor on my own. As much relief as the epi gave me I hated not being able to feel my legs or move around on my own and having to be hooked up to so much stuff. My doctor was very encouraging that I would be more successful next time as he said he can't imagine it being so long and difficult again. I'll keep my fingers crossed!