Isaiah's Birth Story... Part One

Things keep interrupting my progress, so I thought I would post in sections as I complete them.

I didn’t cry until two days after the birth.  I’m not sure why because every time I watched other women’s births, I cried.  I balled at my sister’s birth.  And every birth I watched after that incited tears.  Maybe after the birth, I was in shock.  Maybe I was too exhausted.

But two days later I cried.  While I looked at Isaiah sleeping, while I nursed.  I just kept thinking how thankful I was that everything happened the way it did.  And especially how thankful I was that Marcus was as wonderful as he was. 

I wanted to write this sooner afterwards so I wouldn’t forget any details.  Obviously that didn’t happen, and I’m sad about it. 

Nevertheless...

Isaiah’s Birth Story

Tuesday morning at about 4:30am I started to feel my first contractions.  I could tell they more than Braxton Hicks because I had to breathe through them to manage the pain.  I began timing them with this wonderful iPhone app called Labor Mate.  I tested a few others days before, and this was by far my favorite.  The contractions were consistently 9 minutes apart.  Marcus wanted to go fishing that day, but I suggested that maybe he shouldn’t go because we might be having a baby that day.  We giggled in excitement.  He agreed to stay, but I decided against letting him in case it was false labor.  It was a good decision.

I heeded what I knew my midwife’s advice would be, & I tried to sleep.  It didn’t work.  I got up instead & began preparing things.  I took a shower, ate breakfast, dried and straightened my hair, put on makeup, and put on my chosen labor outfit, a black bathing suit & a black coverup from Victoria’s Secret worn as a dress. 

At about 9, there was a knock on the door.  The maintenance man I called over a week ago was ready to put up some mirrors for me.  Thank goodness he came before I gave birth.  It was definitely a sign that I was ready to go into labor, because I previously claimed that I couldn't have a baby without it being done.  But the contractions stopped when he came.  I wasn't surprised.  I read about some births where women completely reversed their progress (from like 8 to 3 centimeters) when someone unfamililar entered the room.  They started again while he was there, but they were spaced out more.  30 minutes then 15 minutes then 10 minutes apart, random & not getting closer together. 

My little sis, Mom, and I began cooking.  Cappuccino Cheesecake, Brownies, Corn Dip, Salsa, Veggies & Fruit were on the menu for the birth.  When a contraction came, I left the kitchen, started the timer on my iPhone, & bounced on the ball.  That very quickly became & remained my preferred position in which to labor.  Contractions never stopped, but they remained randomly spaced.

Marcus called me & text me throughout the day to check on me.  He returned in the afternoon & left again for work.  I was sad that he had to go, but I knew I could just summon him if I progressed significantly.

My big sister was still in Florida.  The past several weeks, we were all worried about what we would do if she was still there when it was baby time.  What could she do?  She talked about catching a flight back, but now that seemed like an unrealistic option.  I didn’t want to worry her, so I waited until 4 to tell her what was happening.  They decided they would start driving back then.  I was torn between wanting it to happen soon to be done with the pain & wanting it to be delayed so she could make it. 

I sent Sarah a text at 4 as well.  She told me what I thought she would, that the contractions were too far apart to be considered anything but pre-labor or prodromal labor.  She told me to take a bath.  But I didn’t really feel like it.  Later that evening Sarah told me to drink a glass of wine or take Benadryl to ensure that I would get some rest.  There was no point in wasting my energy on false labor. 

I wanted to wait until Marcus got home to go to sleep.  He arrived at 2am.  I went for the glass of wine only to discover that the unopened bottle we were saving was bad.  And we had no Benadryl.  Without these helpers, I knew I couldn’t go to sleep.  So we watched the last three episodes of Grey’s Anatomy.  Wow, what a fabulous season finale! 

I  eventually had to start sitting up tall during contractions.  Lying down or leaning back didn’t allow me to contain them or breathe into them as well as I needed.  I held on to Marcus, and at times he was amused & shocked at how hard I squeezed.  It was nice spending a little time alone before everything really began.  

After the shows, we were both exhausted.  Since I didn’t love having contractions lying down, I decided to try and sleep in the living room.  Marcus very sweetly slept nearby on another couch.  He mumbled as he was falling asleep that I could hold onto him during contractions if I needed to. 

I tried to lie down on the couch to rest, but with every contraction, I had to sit up to get through them.  Thank goodness the contractions didn’t come on really strongly at first like I’ve read happens occasionally because I needed this practice breathing.  I listened to my birth playlist with my headphones.  Damien Rice, Feist, Ingrid Michaelson, Jose Gonzalez.  Soft, slow, depressing & beautiful. 

My big sis, her husband and their son arrived at about 5am.  I let them sleep in my room since my mom & little sis were in their room and Marcus and I were in the living room.  Contractions by now were varying from 5-7 minutes apart with an occasional 10-15 minutes. 

My nephew woke up shortly after they arrived, so we put him in the guest bedroom with my mom & little sis, so his mom & dad could get more rest.  They watched cartoons to entertain him.  I wished I could hold him, he was so cute!  But I kept having to go sit on the ball.  I put it next to the end of the couch and tried to lean my head on the pillows in between them to sleep.  I was so tired. 

At 8:02am I text Sarah that I had been having contractions consistently throughout the night, they were now 4.5-5 minutes apart and 1-1.5 minutes long.  I decided to listen to her this time and get in the bath.  I moved little sis & Mom to the living room and my brother-in-law to the other bedroom, so my bedroom would be clear. 

Getting in the bath slowed the contractions down to 6 minutes apart.  I hated being in there.  It was isolated and lonely.  There was nothing to hold onto.  I felt the opposite of grounded.  It didn’t help the pain.  And I was worrying the whole time about my phone getting wet.  I got out after about 4-5 contractions.  As soon as I did, they returned to about 5 minutes apart. 

I resumed laboring on the ball in my bedroom, leaning over the bed for support & rest.  Sarah called & asked me several questions about the contractions.  I then remembered to tell her that about 1 hour earlier, I saw some bloody show when using the restroom & then every time after that.  I’m glad that at the time I forgot exactly what that meant - it meant that I was dilating.  Had I known that, I probably would have gotten overly excited about my progress.  She asked where I felt the contractions, front, back, or bottom.  The answer was the front & back.  I talked through a contraction with her.  She couldn’t tell from my voice whether I was in active labor yet.  She told me to send someone to buy Benadryl, so I could try & sleep a little.  My older sister did, and I took two.

It made me drowsy, but I couldn’t sleep.  I wanted Marcus to hold me.  So I woke him up and asked him to come in the bedroom.  I said something about him sleeping forever, and he pointed out that it was only 9am.  I tried lying on my side again and had him to lay behind me & put pressure somewhere.  I didn’t know where; I told him to just do something.  He did his best, and it was nice to have him near me, but it wasn’t helping with the pain. 

A client of mine called & left a message wanting to use our services that morning.  Ha.  I had Marcus call her back to let her know we were in labor & wouldn’t be able to come. 

After a few hours of trying to sleep, Sarah called again, and I told her that I wasn’t able to sleep, and I was now having to make noise to get through the contractions.  From class, I remember that this meant that I was progressing into the transition period of labor.  She told me to take another bath & then walk around.

I dreaded getting in the bath, but I did it.  My sister sat outside my bathroom leaned against the love seat timing my contractions for me.  They slowed a little when I got it but returned to 3-4 minutes apart.  This time I didn’t want to bother with the music.  The silence was peaceful, but the water was still unpleasant, and I only lasted about 4 or 5 contractions.  

Sarah called again, and my sister talked to her.  I don’t remember what was said except for at the end, Sarah asked if I was ready for her to come.  I was still nervous about whether or not I was far enough along, but I replied, “I guess.”  She said she would be on the way. 

to be continued...

(preview of what happens at the end of the story)