Caitlin's Birth Story

Caitlin’s Birth Story

Disclaimer: This is a birth story. While not graphic, if labor and delivery details bother you, then it’s probably best to skip this.

Preface:
I’m someone who plans ahead and likes to do my research before I start a project. Getting pregnant was no different. I started reading pregnancy books about a year before we wanted to start our family. I also asked other recently pregnant friends to share their birth experiences with me. Some were pleasant and others weren’t; all of them had epidurals. As I absorbed all this information, I made the decision early on to not rely on an epidural for pain medication for several reasons. For me, I didn’t want to rely solely on it and have it not work, which was something that happened to a couple of my friends. I also didn’t want to be tethered to an IV because of it and be stuck in the bed. Most of all, I wanted to avoid having to deliver on my back; I knew that in that position, it was more likely that I would tear. Instead, I sought an alternative to the epidural and came across the method of Hypnobirthing. Once I was pregnant, I discovered a local doula’s class and signed up.

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My labor with Caitlin was a long and steady one. It started Wednesday night at around 10:30 with mild and sporadic contractions. Not knowing how long labor would be, my husband and I decided to take it easy and go to bed, to get as much rest as we could. The next day (Thursday) I continued to have contractions. Trying to keep my strength up, I ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch. That afternoon we started to time the contractions as they were starting to become stronger and more regular. Once they were about 5 minutes apart, we decided to go up to the hospital. This was at about 3 p.m. Chalk this one up to us being eager to be parents: we arrived too early, as I was only 2-3 centimeters dilated. It was the first time that I had allowed anyone to check my cervix during my pregnancy, so although the nurse said I could have been that dilated for days or weeks prior, I knew it was progress to me. Going back home sounded like the best thing to do, so we went back to the comfort of our home so I could labor further. Still trying to be mindful of needing my strength, we went through the Wendy’s drive-thru to grab some food. I ordered a burger and a baked potato, but by the time we got home, only the baked potato seemed appetizing, so that was my dinner.

Thursday evening, about 24 hours after I felt my first contractions, they started to become stronger. I didn’t know how much progress I had made, but I thought that we should go back up to the hospital, so we did. A different nurse checked me and I was just 4 centimeters dilated. Because she had read my birth plan and knew that I wanted to birth naturally, she offered that we could stay there for a couple of hours and get rechecked to see if I made any progress on my own. Two hours later, I was still at 4 centimeters, so we went back home to try to get some more rest. It was now 2:30 a.m. early Friday morning.

I’m not sure how much sleep I got, if any, but it did feel good to be able to lie in our own bed. Very early in the morning, still having the contractions, I shifted onto my hands and knees to try to labor more comfortably and “pop!” My water broke! It was around 4 a.m. Without a doubt, it was time to go back up to the hospital! Once we arrived, they checked me again and I was 5 centimeters dilated. Now that I was in active labor, I was admitted. They inserted a Hep lock and continued to monitor me and the baby. I was so exhausted because I hadn’t eaten much or gotten much sleep the day before, so I requested something to help me cope. I was given 3 doses of Nubain throughout the day. Then because I was on a “clear broth” diet since I was admitted, I asked for a one-time dose of IV fluids later that evening. My body continued to make steady progress Friday; I dilated to 6 centimeters, then 8, and at 1 a.m. Saturday morning I was 9.5 centimeters dilated.

At this point, I knew I had come so far and my baby was so close, but I felt I had hit a wall. Not feeling ready to push, my body slowed down and at one point my contractions had slowed to being 15 minutes apart. When I told the doctor how I was feeling, he suggested giving me some Pitocin to help get me over the wall. That wasn’t what I wanted, so I decided I had to push! Once I had made up my mind, it didn’t take very long for progress to pick back up. The doctor then suggested using the squat bar to help me push. I said OK and once I pulled myself up into the squatting position, I could tell my baby was really close. I could sense the excitement in my husband’s voice and that was all the motivation I needed to get beyond the wall. I knew our baby would be here soon! I focused on listening to my body as I pushed my baby out and Caitlin was born at 7:52 a.m., weighing 6 lbs., 15 oz. and 19 inches long. Once she was out, I laid back in the bed and they put her on top of me, skin-to-skin. She let out a gentle squeaky cry, so they stimulated her a bit and then she let out another, but then that was it. This quiet, beautiful girl of ours was finally here! I was able to nurse her right away and we continued to bond as a family of 3 afterward. It was incredible to be able to have that special time with her.

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Epilogue:
My birth experience was amazing. It is no exaggeration that as soon as Caitlin was born, my first thought was, “I want to do that again!” The rush of happy hormones that comes with a natural birth is truly unmatched. I have to give HUGE CREDIT to my amazing husband, who was right by my side every minute. He was incredibly supportive as a labor coach and a fantastic advocate for my birth plan as a doctor-husband. (We were incredibly blessed that he was able to take time off of work to be with me during my entire labor. Had his attendance been in question, I would have seriously considered hiring a doula.)  I’m so thankful and happy that I was able to trust my body because of Hypnobirthing, instead of having to rely on an epidural. The deep breathing, relaxation, and visualization techniques that I learned and practiced during my pregnancy helped me get through my labor (all 27 hours of it, from when my water broke till Caitlin’s birth!). I was also able to heal quickly, as I only had a minor first degree tear that didn’t require any stitches. If anyone is interested in having a natural birth, I highly recommend taking a Hypnobirthing course! (I also have another tip for a smooth delivery, but it’s more personal in nature, so it’s best to contact me privately if you’re interested.)