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Joyous Birth Members - Laurie Meives' Birth Story
Well, this is Jacen's 4th day here and I am enjoying every minute of it. This
birth took more out of me than my others and I needed to stay in bed for 2
days. Yesterday I got up some and then had to get back down. So that is why
I waited till today to post. I don't remember what I have already posted so I
will start from the beginning.
On Saturday May 30 I started with cramping and back and leg aching which is
usually my indication that Labor will be kicking in in 24 hours or so. Well
it didn't. These symptoms came and went for the next few days. The pains
were very real but then would go away after 6 hours or so. On Monday night my
daughter woke up very sick and I was sure this was the night for labor as I
was really feeling the cramps. I prayed and prayed and talked to this baby to
wait, Please Wait! The symptoms stopped again. Then I went through agony the
next few days, wanting labor to kick in impatiently and not wanting to be in
labor with a sick little girl. Well as the universe would have it, all went
exactly as it should. The rest of the week went the same way, on and off
again. The following Monday, after a very uncomfortable weekend I decided to
get the castor oil and wait one more night. I was dilating slowly and felt
like early labor and real ready. My husband had been off work for a week
already and I was beginning to worry that he would not be home at all after
the birth to help and enjoy.
The castor oil never got used. Monday night June 8, we all went to bed and
slept all night. My daughter was finally better enough to sleep and I didn't
even get up to pee. 7:00 am I woke up with cramps and contractions, back ache
and all the same symptoms as before, but I felt this might really be it. I
had the oil standing by just in case. We decided to wait an hour to see what
would progress. The pains were 10 to 15 minutes apart. They were really
pinching. My other labors started with water breaking and then strong
contractions, with the pains coming later, so this was very different for me.
I had the pains but kept waiting for water and strong contractions. By 10:00
am they were very real and 5 minutes apart but not very long. During this
time I posted a couple of times and stayed lying on my bed on my side relaxing
and concentrating and breathing. I was quite uncomfortable but really
excited. Although I still felt like it might stop because of all the earlier
teasing that week. My husband was busying himself getting the house ready for
the birth and taking care of my 3 year old daughter Julianne. My son, Tyler,
went out to play with his friends and decided that he didn't want to wait
around this time ( he was with me for the whole labor of my daughter) but
would check in on me periodically. I spent the morning alone in my room which
felt right for me. At noon I was having a hard time with the pain so my
husband filled up the pool. He put it in the living room where I could see
out to my lake and garden and be with the family. Once I got in that water I
did not want to get out!!! It was great. Julianne played in there with me
for an hour and a half. The contractions were now lasting 90 seconds or so
and still 5 minutes apart. She was so cute trying to play with toys but not
cause too much comotion for me. It was great having her there with me because
it distracted me in between contractions. The pains were getting really awful
but no pain in between them so I had a nice break. At 2:00 pm I was starting
to need my husband to hold onto during contractions and I was beginning to get
weepy. This felt to me like things were progressing and I finally felt like I
was for sure going to have a baby today! My neighbor came and got Julianne
because I wasn't sure how she would handle my vocals. I get pretty loud
during hard labor. She brought Julianne in and out to check on me when she
wanted to, it was really convenient. At this point I was starting to get out
of it so I don't remember much of what was happening around me. There was
another small contraction in between the long ones at this point so I didn't
have as much time to relax. We called the midwife and let her know that
things were getting going. The next three hours were filled with alot of
moaning, crying, hugging and laughing. It really hurt!! But I felt great in
between the pains. Unlike the back labor of my other two labors where there
were no breaks. My husband stayed on the outside of the tub and I leaned over
the edge to hold him and rub my face in his chest. I mostly stayed squatting
this way or on all fours rocking, swaying and thrusting my pelvis. The water
was great for this. I could move around freely during contractions without
too much trouble. On dry land I find it miserable to move during a
contraction. The floating mobility of the water was quite a help. I am not
one of you who have pain free labors. I find it to be excrutiating. So any
relief is welcome. I also prayed alot and moved inward when I felt like I
couldn't handle it anymore. At 3:30 pm I began to get really scared and had
feelings that I couldn't do this anymore, so I watched the clock with the idea
that this baby will be here my 7:00 pm. My shortest labor being 12 hours.
Then I would ask God to make me strong. Then I would cry more to my husband.
It felt really good to cry, I guess for me it is a release then I can take a
deep breath and get back to it. My husband was really great, he was right
there with me and I felt so close to him. After the midwifes got there I
wouldn't let him leave me for a second, I knew that they would take care of
anything else. At 4:30 pm I felt nausious and weak so I was encouraged that
It may be soon. That last half hour was odd. The contractions were
unbearably painful, I was outrageously loud with low loud groany yelling type
moans. And every once in a while I felt a small pushing sensation. With my
other labors transition was like a whirlwind of constant contracions and then
an uncontrollable involuntary pushing, one, two three and the baby would be
out. This was very different. The contractions were a distance apart, I had
alot of time to relax and I felt like I would throw up and pass out, but I was
very peaceful. Then another one would come and I would make some weird primal
low noise and I felt the baby maybe moving down, a little at time. But I did
not ever feel that overwhelming uncontrollable urge to push. After some time
of soft pushing along with moaning and not pushing my midwife reached in and
checked me. She said that I was dilated enough and very soft and she thought
it would open right up, that I could push if I felt I wanted to. I really
didn't because I was waiting for my body to just do it like in the past. But
I asked her if it would go quicker. She smiled and said of course. I wanted
that. So with the next unbearably painful contraction I pushed and it felt
sooo good. I did this a few times with several minutes between contractions.
Alot of peaceful moments just waiting but also time to feel a little scared.
With each push it seemed he was moving further down and with each time the
pain in my back and legs and hips and tummy got worse. I turned around in a
squatting position with my husband supporting me from behind and pushed real
hard with my hand in my vagina because I wanted to feel the baby coming out.
Then I'm not sure why but I felt scared and ended up laying out onto my back
still supported by my husband from behind. I felt that I needed leverage to
push and I was alone in the water so I held behind me onto my husband and
really pushed. My midwife strongly encouraged me to bring my hands down to
feel my baby but I couldn't for some reason. I was in great pain and just
wanted to focus on pushing. Then out came his head and a different strength
came over me I reached down and felt his fuzzy head between my legs and wanted
to just stay like that except the pain in my pelvic area and legs was
excruciating. She encouraged me to push with the contraction but I could not
even feel that there was a contraction. At some point I threw my head back
onto my husbands shoulder and he held me up and I started pushing the rest of
him out but it was really hard to do. He didn't just come right out like my
other two. This was my first birth without an episiotomy. It hurt sooo bad
and took so much strength. His shoulder started to come out and she
encourtaged me to push real hard next time. I kept said " I can't! I'm too
weak! I want to wait!" She said "no Laurie you can do it he's here and he's
ready" So I yelled him out and ohhh did it feel good!! But ohhh did my body
hurt!!!
She brought my hands down to him as he was coming out, I think she
helped so that I could take him from my own body. And I lifted him up onto my
chest. They put warm towels on him immediately. I was holding him and my
husband had his hands around him too from behind me. I could not believe that
he was actually here. It felt so amazing! It turned out that my Julianne was
there for the birth with my neighbor holding her and comforting her. And
Tyler also was there watching the birth. Julianne's first reaction was "
Jacen, Jacen I want to hold him" and Tyler ran right out to tell the
neighborhood and buy balloons to put on the mailbox. Then Julianne got real
upset because the pool that I had promised would be hers after the birth had
blood in it. She said "mommy you ruined my pool" It was pretty funny. She
also got upset because for some reason she thought that someone was going to
take him away. We reassured her and then she was fine.
I gave Jacen to my husband so that I could get out of the water and he and
Julianne held and enjoyed him for 15 minutes while I got a couple of stitches.
She rubbed the him and looked at him. When they gave him back to me he was
looking all around the room. He was so peaceful and calm, he only cried for a
second when he first came out. I held him laughing and crying at how amazing
he was and he smiled. I couldn't believe that it was a real smile, just 20
minutes old but everytime I laughed he smiled. He started sucking his hand
right away so I put him to my breast and I couldn't believe it, he turned his
head and latched right on. There he stayed for 20 minutes then 20 on the
other side. When the midwife took him to examine him and weigh him he just
layed there sprawled out on my bed enjoying the attention and watching
everyone who walked by. 8 lbs 10 oz and 22 1/2 inches long. Everything else
was also perfect. They rinsed his head in my bathroom sink and he loved it.
It was almost as if he were laughing. He nursed all that night and often the
next day and then all that night again. I was real worried that I would be so
sore but let him anyway. I can't believe that it took 48 hours for my milk to
come in with all that sucking. With my others my milk came in the next day
and they weren't even hungry. I didn't get too sore and now he is full and
content. He still nurses alot. Every hour usually. Today he is one week old
and sometimes goes 2-3 hours. I am very tired! It has taken me several days
just to finish this.
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