Natural Birth Story

 Maximilano Norton Figueroa, born August 17, 2011, 7lbs 2oz

on monday, august 16, two days past my due date, i had my first post due date doctor appt. my doctor likes to do non-stress tests post dates to make sure the baby is doing okay as the placenta ages. my test showed very slight decelerations, which could mean the placenta is getting old and the baby is stressed. i had to go to the hospital for further monitoring. after a few hours in the hospital, my doctor said i was free to go but the possibility of induction seemed to be looming over my head. my cervix was not even prime for induction, so much so that my doctor was asking if anything had ever been done to it to possibly create scar tissue (it hadn’t).

i went home that day feeling depressed, defeated, and totally let down by my body. induction was something i did not want to go through. i took a nice long bath and came to terms with the fact that if my baby was getting stressed now, things weren’t going to be better as my placenta ages. i decided that if things were borderline on my appt on wednesday, i should just go with the induction. i wanted what was best for my baby. i was sad and had a bout of the weepies, but accepted my situation.

that night, i went to bed only to be awoken around three a.m. with mild, real contractions! i did not want to get too excited in case it was false labor so i laid in bed and timed them for a bit. they were eight to ten minutes apart. i shook frank and told him that maybe i was in labor! he got up and headed to work to tie up some loose ends before he was MIA for a few days. i got up and decided to clean my house. i started cleaning my house pausing to breathe through my contractions. throughout the day they varied from five to ten minutes apart and the pain was manageable.

in the late morning, i lost my mucus plug. even though i was having contractions, i did not really believe i was in labor until that happened. i was so excited but continued to scrub my house. i was waiting to go to the hospital until i felt like the pain was too unbearable. i had read many birth stories and it seems like when that happens, that means they are usually dilated to two centimeters. haha.

i literally scrubbed my house and around seven or so, i had a bloody show that just kept bleeding. i got scared because my brain is too knowledgeable about labor and delivery emergencies. i told frank we should probably go to the hospital. we showed up to the hospital, i checked in, and got hooked up to the monitor. the nurse checked me and, of course, i was at one and a half to two centimeters dilated. my waters were still intact and the blood was actually just from my cervix thinning out and dilating. i was relieved and frank said, “let’s go back home.” the nurse said for a first baby, usually you can expected to dilate a half centimeter an hour. calculated in my head, that was about eighteen more hours listening to my baby’s heart rate on the monitor, being in an anxiety riddled state that the hospital, specifically, the labor and delivery floor, gives me. i had only been there in emergencies with babies and did not think i could relax there. the nurse called my doctor.

my doctor called and we spoke about the plan. at this point, the contractions weren’t too bad. in fact, i was hand mopping my floors prior to coming to the hospital. i only showed up because the blood freaked me out. he said it was ok for me to go home and i was so relieved.

 cleaning my house during labor.

i got home and frank wanted me to lie down and try and sleep. we laid down and my contractions got more intense. i just breathed through them. as they increased in intensity, i became antsy. i would move around from being on all fours, sitting on the toilet, leaning against the wall, and lying in bed wrapped in my blankie. at one point, i told frank, i needed to go to the hospital. it was too much. he told me to hold off till one a.m. because by then, i will probably be dilated to five or something. eventually, i decided to get into the shower. i got my bath pillow, plugged the tub, turned on the shower, and laid down in the tub. there, i closed my eyes and just let them come while the hot water hit my belly. i was not a quiet laborer. i was definitely a moaner. frank even closed the windows as to not wake the neighbors. at some point, while lying in the tub, i felt an urge to either poop or push. i got out of the tub and woke up frank (he had fallen asleep since i was chillin in the tub). i told him i either had to push or poop but it was a vague feeling, nothing too crazy. he got up and started to get things ready. at this point, if i was wasn’t dilated very far, i was getting the epidural.

i remember lying in the bed and not having any contractions for a bit. i closed my eyes and fell asleep for a few minutes before the next contraction woke me up. at this point it was only three hours since i had been at the hospital and i figured i was probably at like five or so. i was proud of myself for hanging out at home as long as i did.

when we got to the hospital, i got my room and they started checking me in. they asked me about a birth plan, which i had decided to not make as to have too high expectations. if things needed to change for the safety of my baby, i did not want to be disappointed in myself. my only plan was to get my baby out safely. i took off my clothes in front of the nurse and sat on the toilet. i told her i feel like pushing or i have to poop. frank had stepped out for a minute to move the car that was illegally parked. the nurse continued to check me in and the minute i sat on the bed, it happened, my baby was coming. i felt my body expelling my baby without my cooperation. i screamed louder than i ever thought i could scream. the nurse quickly checked me and called a code blue (or whatever the code is for imminent delivery). she got on the intercom and said, “she’s at 10cm, +1 station, get the doctor!” i had dilated to ten centimeters in three hours!! and where in the world was my husband!!

frank finally showed up and we were both shocked to find out our baby was coming now! i kept having those insane contractions where my body was literally pushing the baby out of my body and i kept screaming loudly through each one. it was like i was being ripped into two. i was able to apologize for my loudness because i literally could not control the screaming. it was weird how during each contraction, it seemed as though i was possessed and once they were done, i could have knitted a scarf i was so calm. finally my doctor arrived and two controlled pushes later, at 1:29 a.m. my warm baby boy was born and it was amazing. since i labored mostly at home, he was also born in his bag of waters! it is considered very good luck in some cultures.

my baby was put directly underneath my belly band onto my skin. he was so warm and crying. he was blonde and beautiful. i did it and i did it medication free. it was so empowering and i was so proud of myself. i was also glad i did not deliver at home when felt the first urge to push.

everyday since then has been amazing. i feel a love i have never felt. i need my baby close to me. my body misses and aches for him. breastfeeding has allowed me to keep him close to me and have him need me as much as i need him. now, i understand mothers. also, i have already decided i want more. after my delivery, i cried because it was all over. i cried because i missed my contractions and my labor. it makes me sad everyday that passes because it becomes a more distant memory and my baby gets bigger. i try to soak in every day and minute i spend with my son. being a mother is the most amazing thing and i can’t even remember who i was before him. honestly, i don’t even care.

xoxo,
missi
www.messymissi.blogspot.com

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