From: kab@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (kenneth.a.becker)
Subject: Birth Announcement & Story
Organization: AT&T
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 02:49:47 GMT
Keywords: Successful VBAC, Midwives, Induced Labor

Announcing
		Elizabeth Jeanne
		Born: 11/21/92
		8 lbs. 10 oz.
		21" 
		Successful VBAC!!

Labor Story as follows:

	At 41 weeks gestation, we and the midwives agreed that it was time
to encourage the baby to make her grand appearance, due to several factors:
my high blood pressure, that I was trying for a VBAC, and the estimated size
of the baby (an ultrasound at 36 weeks estimated the size to be 8 lbs.- don't
believe those ultrasounds!).  So, the midwives gave me a list of herbs to 
use to try and bring on labor.  One was used to "ripen" my cervix, and others
were used to start contractions, and to encourage existing contractions.
From Tuesday through Friday, I tried everything to go into labor. I could
get contractions started, but after about 6 hours they would stop.  Finally, 
on Friday night, the midwives called and asked if I wanted to be induced the 
next day.  I was very leery of being induced, since I had been induced with 
my first child and ended up with a C-section.  But it came down to either 
being induced on Saturday or Monday (Monday being 42 weeks gestation).  We 
finally decided on Saturday because I was not getting any rest with all the 
contractions that I was having and figured that by Monday I'd be exhausted.  
So we went to bed early - they wanted us at the hospital at 6 AM!! At 12:20, 
my first born woke me up, and then contractions started up again.  We got 
excited, but not overly so since this was what had been happening all week.  
We were hoping that it would develop into real labor - and the contractions 
continued up until 6 AM when they stopped. 
	So we went to the hospital and at 9 the pitocin drip was started. I 
was 4 centimeters dilated. By 10:30, I was in active labor. Of course, when
you are induced you get the standard contraction monitor and fetal heart rate
monitor.  In our birth plan we had stated that I would prefer to be as mobile
during labor as possible, including being allowed to stand and squat. After 
about 30 minutes of intense labor I asked to be allowed to do so. For me
the pain was much more manageable when I was standing then when I was lying
on my side.  The midwife agreed to my standing and squatting, stating that
gravity often helps the labor progress more quickly.  My midwife was 
wonderful!  She squatted down and held a continuous squat position in order
to monitor the baby's heart rate while I was squatting during the contractions  
(try finding a doctor who would allow all this!).  My water broke and I was
fully dilated.  I was so surprised how quickly time went and especially when
the midwife said that I could start pushing any time I wanted.  After about
15 minutes positioning in a squatting position, the midwife suggested that
I get in bed and push from a semi-reclined position, which produced better
results.  I was transferred from the labor room to a delivery room (necessary
because of the meconium in the amniotic fluid). My midwife and husband were
very supportive during all of this - saying, "Look at all that hair".  The 
midwife suggested I reach down and feel the baby's head.  (It did not feel 
like a head!!) Finally Elizabeth popped out.  I did have an episiotomy 
(primarily because the midwife was expecting a 10 lb. baby), and some tearing.
	My husband and I are extremely pleased with the care they we received
from the midwives, and we highly recommend the use of a midwife.  These 
midwives are extremely proud of their VBAC rate and if a woman ends up with
a C-Section through them, it was because it was necessary.  We went to the
midwives originally because the Ob from our first child stated that I should
be induced a week early if I wanted a VBAC. We didn't like the sounds of
that and decided to find a midwife.  The midwives are great because they 
made sure my cervix was ready before I was induced, and they were
there throughout the entire labor.  My labor experience was very good
(if you can call any labor good) because of the midwife.  I'm sure that
if I had had an Ob, the labor would have been much longer, and may have
ended in a C-Section.  We highly recommend the midwives at The Birth
Center at Beth Israel Hospital in Newark!! 
Newsgroups: misc.kids