Birth Story- A Young Mama

Welcome to another birth story Wednesday. I love how this young mama has a great birth in the hospital. It shows that being assertive, knowledgeable and knowing what you want makes a huge difference in how well the birth goes-

Enjoy!

Here is my birth story.

at the time I was seventeen and his father was 18.

On June 4th, 2010 I woke up at 6:50 AM to my water breaking, not just a little but GUSHING. I ran up the stairs to tell my mom, call my boyfriend(Marty) and make breakfast, so here I am, hoping around in a towel diaper crossing my legs, trying to cook eggs.

Marty arrived at about 7:20 wide eyes and bushy tailed. He was freaking out.

My mom was just happy she got off work. Anyway, my mom left to go do something, not sure what, and I labored at home with Marty for a few hours.

I rocked on my birth ball, stayed hydrated, and was all around pretty excited.
The contractions got more intense and silly me, I called my doula around noon.

She arrived around one, and so did my best friend (Joan). Joan & Marty left to get party hats and snacks, and I labored away with my doula & mom. The contractions were very consistent at 3 mins apart and one minute long. It was getting pretty painful, I couldn't find a way to sit, so I went outside. I sat on my deck in the sunlight and let my water poor all over the deck steps. I was alone outside just meditating, trying to relax, and I fell asleep, so my mom and doula propped me up with a pillow (I was sitting on the steps leaning against the rail). Then at around 3:30 It got pretty bad, so I decided to go to a park and walk. (my doula who is BFing, had to go home and nurse too) so Marty, mom, Joan and I went for a nice long walk, (one mile long actually) down a trail.

It was starting to really progress (or so I thought) so we headed to the hospital. On arrival I was in and out of meditation (labor land) and holy **** contractions. I got checked and was at 5cm (they didn't tell tho, I asked not to know) But my labor stalled, and for the next few hours I labor on the birth ball, In the shower, doing pelvic rocks (He was posterior) and having HORRIBLE back labor. But Marty stayed at my side every minute of it, and my doula coached me and massaged me, and I tried to progress. at 7pm, it was 12 hours since my water broke and they wanted to start the pitocin, I refused, and we asked for a few more hours, My midwife obliged.

I labored and labored, and labored some more, while Marty & Joan fed me Wendy's between contractions, and my mom fed me skittles.

I was so exhausted by the end I would fall asleep between contractions.
at around midnight, I was finally at 7cm. (once again they didn't tell me).
But they were really wanting to push the pitocin, so I got my butt up. Marty, doula, mom & I walked the Labor & delivery unit in hopes of it picking up speed.

By this point I was so exhausted I could barely talk, So my mom actually FORCED my boyfriend to do the nipple stimulation for the next few hours.
(Dr's didn't know, they would have been pissed because "it endangers the baby" from the contractions getting stronger...well OK what would pitocin have done?)

Anyway...
Contractions picked up bad, I was actually smacking his hand away during contractions because I really was getting to want to give up. Then I started shaking, I was freezing cold, and sweating and I started feeling like I was being split in two...I told Marty I cant do this!! and he encouraged me that I could (he started crying tho at this point seeing me in so much pain)
and my doula started getting me to say "yesss" to the contractions and things just started going!

They check me at about 4 and I was at 9cm.
So we lowered the bed, and I took hold on Marty's shoulder. I squatted and began pushing.

My little man was born completely natural, without IV, pitocin, epidural, or any kind of pain meds, at 5:06am June 5th. & I caught him with my midwife's consent.
It was beautiful! The cord was so tight around his neck, my midwife was surprised his heart rate stayed the same. (I think if I had gotten pitocin he wouldn't been able to handle the contractions, so I saved myself a c section! and the epi would have stalled my labor horribly)

But at the end of it, it was so worth it.
He was born, surrounded by love & I was surrounded by support.

He was 8lbs 2oz and 20.5 inches long.

As it turns out, my son was born the day of my high school graduation.