Momma Amy: August 2009

Well, Tuesday afternoon, August 4th, I had a midwife appt. She checked me and I was a good 2, almost 3 cm, but not effaced at all. (I remember the first half of my labors seemed to be mostly effacing and not so much dilation.) So, I asked her what I could do to encourage things along. She said that good, brisk walking was the best to get baby's head down there to put pressure on the cervix. That evening we took a walk and I did a couple lengths of brisk walking. Well, as briskly as a 9 month pregnant woman can! ;) I figured we would try and take some walks that week and maybe by the weekend or next week things would kick in.

At 1:15 am I got up to use the bathroom, I remember because I was sure it was like 4am, but the clock said otherwise. I went back to sleep and at 1:45am all the sudden I felt this gush. I thought, "Oh my gosh, did I just wet the bed?!" I got up and ran to the bathroom realizing that this had to be my water breaking because I had absolutely NO control over it. So, I called out to Daniel, "Babe, I don't want to freak you out, but I think my water just broke." You see, my water has never broken on it's own. I've always had to have it broken and usually in the midst of labor to speed things along. He got up and asked about my contractions. Well, they were very sporadic and not very hard or long. I called my midwife and told her what happened. (Interesting side note: With every labor it's been 2am when I've called her to let her know this was it.) She said to try to get some sleep and call her when active labor kicked in. Ok.

I go to bed and try to sleep. Not many contractions, but my mind was going a mile a minute. Finally about 4:30 I fell asleep. The next morning Daniel called his folks to let them know what had happened and tell them he wouldn't be coming into work. Also, to arrange for his mom to have the kids. I called Kathy (midwife) with an update and she said to get walking to kick things in gear. So, we decided to head down to the business, drop off the kids, and walk around Wichita where we would be close to the Birth Inn. (A house the midwife has set up for home births. Like a birthing center idea.)

Here we go!

We drop the kids off early afternoon and then Daniel and I walk all around Wichita. Whenever I was walking I would have contractions, but they still weren't very long or strong. Brenda (midwife's assistant) kept track of baby's heartrate to make sure there wasn't any infection and there was no checking of dilation until she was sure I was in active labor. That also helps prevent infection since my water had already broken.

Taking a little rest while walking around the mall.

Things were chugging along, but no real hard, regular contractions yet. Baby was still doing good, so we headed to the Birth Inn to settle in and keep walking. I remember around midnight thinking, "I could keep walking and try to get things going or I could try and get some rest before all the hard work comes." I decided to try for some rest. I got 15-30 minute stretches throughout the night, just waking up to time my contractions. They were about every 15 minutes or so. By 6:30 am I had to start focusing a little more with them. I called my midwife to update and she was happy. Things were progressing albeit SLOW. :) Then we went walking again!

Walking around the neighborhood.

Baby's heartrate was still doing well. As I kept walking my contractions finally get to being about 5-7 min. apart and there are some stronger ones thrown in. Kathy arrives at noon and checks me for the first time. We know things are happening now! I am at 5-6 cm and 90% effaced. I was hoping more like 8 or 9 cm, but whatever! I keep walking and things continue to pick up. She offers to give me some "labor candy" to speed things up at 1:00 and I decide to wait a little bit to see if things will just go on their own. I thought if things aren't flying by 2:00, I'll take some then.

Are we done yet?? (I did tell Daniel after Lydia was born that I did not want to go walking anytime soon!)

In the mean time, I might end up delivering with another mom here at the Birth Inn. There was a mom who thought she was in labor and when she goes, it's fast! So, we went in the room with the tub, because I was planning on a water birth, (So much better than non-water birth, in my opinion!!) and the other mom arrived to be checked and assessed. It ends up nothing was happening so she went back home. She delivered a week or so later, I believe.

Laboring in the tub.

Focusing during a contraction.

It's over. *smile*

"Ok, I'm ready to be done."

So, once she was sent home it's a little after 2 and I'm relaxing too much in this water. Let's try that labor candy. I'm just SO ready to be done by this point. It's been a long 2 days and I'm tired! At 2:20 I take some and usually it will kick in after about 30 minutes. Well, contractions kept coming of course and Kathy checked me again about 30 minutes later. Almost to complete now. She told me, "Bear down some with the next contraction, you'll be complete and baby will come flying out like a bullet." Sounds like a plan to me! 2 contractions and 2 pushes later, Lydia Faith was here at 3:02pm!!! A short 42 minutes after taking the "labor candy." Poor thing had some facial bruising and redness in her eyes from being pushed out so fast, but Mommy was so eager to meet her!