From: ooblick@intercon.com (Mikki Barry)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: birth announcement (easy birth stories)
Date: 31 Aug 92 15:17:41 GMT
Reply-To: ooblick@intercon.com (Mikki Barry)
Organization: InterCon Systems Corporation, Herndon, VA

Well, since you wanted easy birth stories (although I probably wouldn't have 
exactly called it "easy" at the time :-))...

I found out I was pregnant when I was only two weeks along.  The first 
indication I had that the OB/GYN group that had been so nice and helpful 
before I got pregnant would do a Mr. Hyde routine was when they told me I 
couldn't possibly know when I conceived and insisted on setting the date for 
me.  It got progressively worse from there.  I had a doctor was totally 
peeved that I DARED to ask questions, and when I asked about episiotomies, 
etc., he said "I don't care if you're afraid, I'm going to do what's best for 
the baby".  I fired him on the spot and signed on with the Maternity Center 
in Bethesda, MD, a nurse midwifery practice.  

What a difference!  These women were WONDERFUL throughout a very difficult 
pregnancy.  When I say difficult, I mean more annoying than dangerous.  I was 
still low risk even though I had esophogitis every night that kept me awake, 
gained 70 lbs, had massive headaches, was on bed rest the last few weeks, 
went two weeks over, etc. etc.  Throughout all that time, the midwives were 
there being supportive and helpful.  

So, I was ready to be one of the 10% who is transferred out to the hospital 
for interventions.  I thought that I'd never be able to handle this labor 
thing.  I was getting nastier and grumpier each day that the pregnancy went 
over.  Everyone around me tried their best to not cross my path.  

Anyway, I remembered that my mother had told me that spicy food started her 
on the road to labor, so I asked a friend to bring over spicy chinese food.  
He obliged.  One sip of Hot and Sour Soup, and I stood up from the chair, 
threw the towel I'd had behind my back onto the floor, stood over it, and 
broke my water!  I called the midwife on duty and let her know.  She told me 
no baths and no intercourse (as if a whale like me would even THINK of that 
at that time...).  She told me that if I didn't go into labor by morning, to 
come in and they would help things out.  She said "ve have our vays...".  She 
also advised me to take a hot shower, take a nap, and load up on 
carbohydrates, all of which I did except for the nap.  I was too excited to 
sleep. She also told me that once the contractions were about 3 minutes 
apart, to call back. 

By the end of the movie I was watching, contractions started.  But they 
STARTED at 2 minutes apart and lasted for 90 seconds!  They weren't at the 
point of really being terribly painful yet, but they certainly were there.  
So I called in again.  Mary advised me to stay at home until the contractions 
were too uncomfortable to handle, then call her back and we'd meet at the 
birth center.  Less than an hour later, I called again and told her I had to 
come in NOW.  She talked to me through a few contractions and agreed that I 
should come in then.  She spoke to my husband and admonished him not to speed 
or he'd be in big trouble!  

It was a VERY slow ride.  By now the contractions hurt.  We arrived before 
Mary did, which was ok because it was drizzling at the time, and I was 
overheating.  I stood outside the car, breathing through contractions and 
getting a nice cool shower.  Mary arrived soon after and we picked out a room 
and she did an exam.  I was at 5cm.

Now from here things are a bit of a blur.  But I remember that the pain was 
overwhelming!  I kept trying to run away from it, waddling all over the 
birthing center, usually winding up in the bathroom yelling and screaming and 
pounding on the floor about how I wanted an epidural NOW and take me to the 
hospital.  This from a needle phobic/hospital phobic person.  So, my husband 
got tired of this real fast and got into my face and told me in no uncertain 
terms what an idiot I was being and we were NOT going to the hospital so 
THERE!  Mary had been hanging back during this time thinking she would have 
to take this looney to the hospital.  She took my husband aside and asked if 
I really wanted to go to the hopsital.  My husband told her that was just the 
pain talking, and not me, and we should try to ride it out there.  Mary 
agreed and suggested I try sitting on the couch in the family room.  

Somehow, the couch was magic!  Between that and my husband and Mary's 
support, we rode through many of the nastiest contractions. I went into a 
trance through contractions, and at one point asked Mary what she was doing 
when she came over with the fetoscope to listen to the baby.  She told me she 
was listening for the baby's heartbeat.  I said "listening for what"?  Mary 
looked at my husband and said with a smile "I think she's gone".  I was, too.  
I had forgotten I was having a baby.   Then I got the "magic 
weapon"....WELCH'S GRAPE POPSICLES!  Welch's got me through transition!  Then 
the contractions started VERY hard again and I started to loose it.  Mary 
checked and told me I was 9.75 cm, and would I like her to stretch the cervix 
so I could push.  I said yes, and although it hurt like hell, I was ready to 
push.  Birth position was sitting up in bed, holding both knees up and 
pushing only for about a minute at a time.  Mary massaged the perineum, and 
pushed down the pelvic floor muscles, making things ready for the baby's 
head.  1/2 an hour later, Morgan's head emerged.  The cord was around her 
neck though, and Mary and the birth assistant started yelling at me to push 
REAL HARD RIGHT NOW!  Next contraction, Morgan slid into the world.  9 lbs 8 
oz, apgars of 9's, no tearing, no episiotomy.  Total labor 5 hours.
Newsgroups: misc.kids