My Labor Story (All the gory details)

My water broke at 2:50 am on Saturday morning. I woke up as I felt fluid coming out.
"I think my water broke," I said to Brad, which immediately woke him up.
I rushed to the bathroom and sure enough, there was a huge downpour. I was POSITIVE my water had broken. I started to get super excited, because that meant my baby was DEFINITELY going to be here in the next 24 hours. Since I had never gone into labor naturally, one of my biggest fears was that I would go into labor, and then it would stop and the hospital would send me home. But I knew the doctors would not let me leave since my membranes had released.

"Lie back down," Brad advised, "I'll get everything ready."

But as soon as I did, the fluid started to gush, so I sat up instead, hoping the baby's head would block the way- it was a little disconcerting how much fluid I was losing.

I called my good friend Molly and she came right over to be there when our children woke up. She was my first angel to help me!

We were out the door and checked into the hospital by 3:25 am. I was having mild contractions and I should have felt tired, but the adrenalin was rushing through my veins. I couldn't believe I was going to have that baby! And four days early!! My first baby had been induced eight days late and my second I chose to be induced five days early, since I have a family history of late babies.

But this time I wanted to have an unmedicated birth and so I was trying to wait it out and let it come naturally. I didn't want to be induced with pitocin since it can make labor much more intense. I had been tempted many times to just get the baby induced a week early since my doctors had told me I had a high enough Bishop's score, but when I was prayerful about it, I felt that I needed to be patient and let the baby come when he should. I felt like this was a tender mercy from my Heavenly Father. I also was studying Hypnobirthing as a means to have a smooth labor without pain medication, but I often felt that the number one thing I needed to do was trust in my Heavenly Father and focus on spiritual preparation.

When I went into labor and delivery, the nurse who checked me in asked me why I was there and when I told her my water broke, she said "That's the same story I've been hearing all night!" There wasn't a storm (which would account for a drop in barometric pressure), so the nurse wondered if there was a full moon. The nurses hooked me up to the contraction monitor and another monitor that keeps track of the baby's heart rate and we settled in. I quickly drank a Danimals yogurt just in case they wouldn't let me eat anything. The nurse did a pelvic exam and I was 3.5 cm dilated, 80% effaced and the baby was at a -1 station- all pretty much the same as my last doctor's appointment two days prior. We chatted for awhile, but then both felt very overwhelmed with fatigue. Normally, we get to bed quite early since Brad has work early, but we had been up late playing games with my brother Ian and his wife, Serena and had so much fun, that we hadn't gotten to bed until midnight. So, we were both feeling the lack of sleep. I closed my eyes but could not sleep, but it still felt good to just rest. The time seemed to fly by much quicker than I expected.
For some reason, I had it in my mind that my labor would be seven hours long. So as the time got closer, and my contractions were not steadily increasing, I got a bit worried. I had them check me at 7 am, and I showed a little progress. I was now a good 4 cm, 90% effaced and the baby was engaged (0 station). But I was hoping for more! Only two and a half more hours to meet my deadline!

We called my parents at eight thirty and they were thrilled and I was thrilled that both of them would be coming up! We finished our conversation quickly so they could start packing and drive up! At nine am, I had them check me again, I was disappointed everything was the same- no progress whatsoever. My contractions were now erratic- at least on the contraction monitor and the nurse asked if I wanted to start pitocin, which I defintely did NOT want to. Brad and I played a game to pass the time, all the while I tried to relax and just let the baby come on his timetable. I was so sore from sitting in bed, but everytime I got up, so much fluid rushed out, so walking around wasn't much of an option, especially since I didn't want to be off the baby monitor for long- with Noah, after my water had been broken, his heart rate dropped because the cord was compressed and I had to have more fluids put inside me. So, I didn't dare stay off the monitors for more than a few minutes.

By about eleven, I was checked again- still no progress. At this point, the nurse was pushing me to start pitocin, but I declined again. I wasn't sure what they were so worried about- I thought I had a full twenty-four hours to have the baby and it hadn't even been twelve!

Then they sent the doctor in and he recommended strongly that I start pitocin- he said that my risk for uterine infection or the baby getting an infection increases significantly after twelve hours of the water breaking and we were coming up to that point. I was so disappointed- but I didn't want to risk that, so I gave the go-ahead, warning them that I wanted the smallest dose possible.

The nurse came in to hook me up at noon and was reassuring me that my body would take to the small amount and I would do just fine.
"How soon will we know if it's working?" I asked.
"We should know in three to four minutes," she responded.

So, even though I really didn't want the pitocin, my other labors had gone quickly, so I figured this one would too. (Noah was 6.5 hours and Amalie was 4.5 hours)

But by twelve-thirty, I wasn't having ANY contractions, so they turned it up to 8mL/hour. And THAT got things started. Soon, I was having contractions every two minutes that were quite intense. I had studied Hypnobirthing, but didn't feel like listening to the cd's- instead I listened to a beautiful Primary lullabies cd- it was so spiritual and beautiful and I'm glad I did, it helped tremendously. There were some beautiful songs about the Savior and I felt His love for me and that He knew what I was going through. It was an awesome experience to realize that the Atonement could help with this huge life changing experience. Brad did what he could to make me comfortable- massaging my feet and scalp, he was an absolute angel sent from heaven.

A little after two, I asked them to check me again, I was sure I was making progress, the contractions were so intense. I could tell right away from the nurse's expression that I hadn't made any progress. This was when discouragement set in. I wasn't sure how I was going to handle an unmedicated labor if it was going to last this long! The whole reason I had planned on going "natural" was because Amalie's labor had been so short and the contractions had not been too bad, I had only gotten an epidural because the Nurse's told me there was an hour wait and if I waited too long, I wouldn't get one- so when I got to the point that I thought in an hour the pain would be unbearable, I ordered an epidural and in came the anesthesiologist fifteen minutes later- and I was 8 cm dilated - and Amalie came out 80 minutes later.

But this labor was so much longer! The Nurse came back in about twenty minutes later and strongly suggested that they increase the pitocin. I was really upset by this point, because I knew I could not handle more pitocin. I was already struggling. I asked if they could help me - give me advice on positions to try if maybe the baby was in the wrong position, but they were basically not helpful on that point and said there was nothing we could do if the baby was in the wrong position (which was confusing to me since I have seen so many labor stories where the nurses help the Mom change positions and it really helps) We talked for awhile, and Brad could tell I was really frustrated, so he asked the Nurses to give us a few minutes to talk about it. I was beyond discouraged at this point and so confused as to why my labor was not progressing.

"I think something's wrong!" I said, "And more pitocin is not going to help."

Brad felt I should take their advice and then told me that he knew I could get through the pain. Even though I didn't agree with him, his faith in me meant so much and gave me some needed encouragement. At 2:55 we asked the Nurse to come back in, I still had not made a decision, but I expressed to her that I felt something was wrong, since my body had responded so well to pitocin with my two previous labors. I felt that maybe the baby was in a bad position and wanted to know what I could try. She wasn't as helpful as I wanted her to be, and there were about four nurses in my room all pressuring me to up the pitocin, but my unsettled heart would not give in. She finally conceded that the doctor would be back in half an hour and I could talk with him about it then. I agreed and then asked if someone would help me to the bathroom before they left. A different nurse stayed behind to help me with my IV's and poles and monitors. I had to pee so bad- I hadn't gone for THREE hours and I was dying. The other nurse warned, "If you feel like you have a bowel movement, don't go, because we don't want you having the baby on the toilet."

Her comment really irked me, since I was only four cm dilated, there was no way a baby could come out!
The nurse left the bathroom and Brad was still with me, I got on the toilet and nothing will come out- which was the first warning.

But it felt good to be out of that horrible bed that has made my bum all numb, and it feels good to just sit on the toilet. Then an intense contraction comes and right behind it a huge wave of pressure all through my back and bottom. Brad is trying to get me back to the bed, but I refuse to go. I do NOT want to get back into that horrible bed. All the while, I just feel like getting in a squatting position, feeling that it will relieve some pressure. The pressure is mounting and I have no relief whatsoever. Then another really huge contraction comes as we are walking out of the bathroom, I lean against the bed moaning and crying as Brad holds me from behind. I don't know how I can get through this awfulness. I want relief so badly but there is none.

"Can you check me from this position?" I gasp out to the nurse, who is still in the room.

"No, you have to get in the bed," she says. Somehow, Brad helps me onto the bed, and the nurse checks me. She doesn't say anything, but instead runs out of the room. I take this to be a good sign. Three nurses rush back into the room and tell me it's time to have this baby! The doctor is there in moments, my feet are being put in stirrups and all my dicouragement and frustration melt away. The baby will be here soon and I can do this!

I asked for a mirror to help with pushing - I NEVER felt the urge to push, only to squat down or something, so I asked the doctor to tell me what to do. He had me take a deep breath and push for a count of ten, and I did this three times throughout each contraction. It felt good to push through a contraction. After about two or three contractions, the baby's head didn't seem to be moving out like I wanted- I expected him to slip right out since he is my third, so I decided to give it everything I had, no matter the consequences down there. It was like my body was screaming "Get it out! Get it out!" Two contractions later and his head was out. The doctor was wonderful at encouraging me, he would say "Now, you're going to feel a burning, but don't stop, just push right through it." So I did. And there was his head- I thought the hard part was over. But no, then his shoulders started to come out and that was when I screamed "Get him out! Get him out!"

They laid him on my tummy and it was such a relief! He was finally here! It was amazing what a wonderfully spiritual experience it was as I prayed through labor for help and felt that my prayers were answered ten fold.