Sorry this is long! I wanted to include lots of details for my fellow Bradley class attendees.
I had a funny feeling on Tuesday, Oct. 11 that our little baby might be born soon. Even though they didn't hurt, my little practice contractions were getting stronger and coming more frequently. After we got home from work, I asked Kyle to (finally, I know) install our car seat. We also decided to pick up our changing table all the way in Maple Grove (the only place that had it in stock).
I woke up around 3:30 a.m. on Oct. 12 after having crampy contractions on and off. I told Kyle about them and he started getting nervous (was I really in labor?). At 5:30 a.m. I knew something was different about these contractions, so we got up and had some breakfast (if this was really labor, I'd need some strength for the day ahead). I also noticed that I was starting to lose my mucous plug. Still not totally convinced that I was in labor, I called my sister Heidi. Corey answered and said, "Heidi's asleep." I heard Heidi in the background (with her groggy voice) saying "give me that phone!" She obviously knew that an early morning call probably wasn't just about girl talk.
After giving Heidi her "heads up" Kyle and I went back to bed. I was sleeping with my tummy to Kyle's back. At 5:50 a.m., we both felt a "pop," and my belly shook. Kyle said, "what was that?!" I knew that my water had broken (and my contractions started ramping up), so we immediately sprung to action. I called the midwives, and Kyle looked around for all of the things we'd gathered for the hospital. The midwife on the phone told me not to rush (no sign of meconium in the water) but to make our way to the hospital after packing up and getting ready.
I called Heidi and we all got ready to leave for the hospital. Kyle and I arrived at 8:10, and Heidi was already in our room. It felt like the nurses already knew me because Heidi had been chatting with them since she got there. The midwife stopped in and said she wanted to confirm that my water had broken and make sure the fluid didn't contain any meconium. I lay in the bed to let the fluid collect so that she could see it when it came out. They also checked my blood pressure (a little high) and monitored the baby for a while (doing great!). Staying on my side wasn't too uncomfortable (though not ideal) at this point because I was still in early labor (Kyle and Heidi did a great job rubbing my neck and back during the contractions). My contractions came every five or so minutes.
When everything looked good (except my elevated blood pressure), the midwife offered to check my cervix. I declined, not wanting to introduce any bacteria and not wanting to find out that I wasn't very far in labor (my contractions definitely hurt, but I could still talk through them and even joke between contractions). The midwife said that it was just fine to wait and encouraged me to move around or sit on a birthing ball. She also ordered a tray of food and juice for me so that I could keep up my strength.
After eating, I sat on the birthing ball. Kyle needed some food around noon, and I requested some magazines to pass the time between contractions. By the time he got back (and he wasn't gone long), I had been walking around to get things going and was no longer in the mood for magazines. My contractions were stronger, longer, and came about every 3 minutes. I could no longer talk through them. I walked around between contractions and "slow danced" with Heidi or Kyle during contractions. My nurse would stop in periodically to check my blood pressure (still high unless I was on my side) and the baby's heart rate (still great).
I got in the tub and found that running hot water over my belly helped immensely during contractions (with colder water on my belly between contractions). Heidi and Kyle took turns running the shower head and temperature controls. The nurse checked my blood pressure and the baby's heart rate in the tub. My pressure was much better and the baby was still doing great.
Not wanting things to space out too much in the relaxing atmosphere of the tub, Heidi suggested that I get out and return to the birthing ball. This was extremely hard. The tub was working for me and I was hesitant to shake things up (or make my contractions stronger). But I agreed to get out, knowing I had to keep things moving.
At 3:15, I asked to be checked. The midwife said that I was at 4 centimeters and 95 percent effaced. The baby's head was at zero station. The midwife encouraged me by saying that the first four centimeters take the longest to reach. And, at 95 percent effaced, the rest of labor should go quickly.
After a bit on the birthing ball, I asked to go back in the tub. The contractions were really heating up and I was having a very hard time relaxing (and my blood pressure was rising as a result). I could feel the baby pushing on the top of my uterus with his legs and bearing down in my pelvis with its head.
Concerned about my blood pressure, the midwife ordered lab work. By the time the technician arrived at 4:15, I was in the tub. Kyle told the technician that I would not be getting out to have my blood drawn. She improvised and brought her supplies into the bathroom (Kyle held the blood tubes while simultaneously running the shower head and the temperature controls!).
After the blood draw, Heidi took over the showerhead. I looked at her helplessly and said, "I'm not sure about this anymore." She asked what I wasn't sure about. I said, "What if I'm not very far and I just can't do this anymore. If my blood pressure is high, will they tell me to take some pain medicine?" (this, I said with a hint of hope in my voice). She said, "that's not going to happen because your almost there." She reminded me about the point in labor when you begin to doubt yourself (transition!). I worried that I wasn't really there, but she was confident.
When I said I had to go to go to the bathroom around 5:15, Heidi told Kyle to call the nurse. Heidi told the nurse that I was feeling pressure and that it wouldn't be long before I'd be pushing. I got out of the tub and returned to the birthing ball. When I said "I can't not push!," the midwife helped me up and checked my cervix (one of only two checks during my labor). I was complete at 5:30! We all cried and I felt a burst of new energy! The nurses and midwife were setting things up for the birth and I rested while waiting for the next contraction.
I pushed on my side for an hour and 10 minutes. Heidi and Kyle held my legs and coached me through it. Kyle's enthusiasm got me through the pushing. The guy who couldn't stand to watch birth videos during our class was amazed to watch our baby being born. He would say things like, "Oh my God, this is so amazing. You're doing it! I see the head. I see our baby's head!" Heidi shared more specific information about how much of the head was showing so that I would know I was making good progress.
At 6:40 p.m. Rowan Kyle was born. Kyle announced that he was a boy. I cried with joy as they placed him on my chest and said, "This is my baby! This is our baby, Kyle! This is our baby. He's really here!" I looked at little Rowan and said, "We did it!" He had worked just as hard as, if not harder than, I had.
I held him in my arms with his little hospital hat and blanket as the midwife waited for the placenta and then assessed me. I had just a small midline tear that needed two stitches. Kyle and I bonded with Rowan for about an hour and a half before he was weighed and checked out. A lactation specialist helped me with his first nursing. Rowan weighed in at 6 pounds, 12.6 ounces (Kyle had guest 6 pounds, 13 ounces!) and measured 20.25 inches long. We were instantly in love!
My family (who had heard the pushing/birth from the hallway) and Kyle's family (who arrived just after the birth) let us bond with Rowan and recover a bit before coming in for their first visit around 9:30 p.m. Wow, was this boy loved! There were pictures flashing everywhere as he bounced from person to person (and content and alert all the while).
I never believed people when they said that you forget the pain of labor after you see your baby's face, but now I do. It was all so worth it when I saw Rowan's little eyes look up into mine and felt his little body so close to mine. It was the hardest and most amazing experience of my life, and I have a beautiful baby boy to show for it!
Rowan was a pretty tired guy during his first full day at the hospital (10-13-05). We had lots of cuddling time, and Kyle and Rowan even took in a baseball game (Angie just wasn't as interested:).
