So, I have decided to finally write out Simon's birth story. Most mothers tell me it is cathartic, and good to have documented. Me, I just thought it would be a great first post. So here you go friends...all the
gory glorious details for you.
I shall begin by telling you that my little chicken nugget was almost two weeks late the day he made his appearance. He had been a procrastinator in the womb (late to turn head down, engage, arrive..) and so most people were certain I was carrying a child already displaying symptoms of being a musician. He was perfectly healthy, and perfectly content staying right where he was. Of course, mama was not having it.
I walked, drank tea, and even took a one mile hike into a cave at 40wks (I know, I am crazy) to get the little booger out, but to no avail. So on a Thursday my midwife and I took the plunge and had a procedure done in her office to help naturally stimulate labor. I will spare you the details, just know it was NOT comfortable. With the threat of an induction looming, she also gave me a cocktail mix to aide in the induction process. It consisted of castor oil, almond butter and champagne. Eeewwww....uhh I mean Mmmmm....That night, I took the cocktail before bed, Jeff and I said a prayer and went to sleep hoping for the best.
At around 3am Friday, my contractions started. I told Jeff I was going into the guest room to labor a bit and for him to keep sleeping. I needed him at his best. I laid in the bed and fell asleep for a bit when at 5am, something happened. I literally heard and felt a pop, which caused me to immediately run to the restroom where my water broke. At this point, I knew it was game on. I woke Jeff, told him it was "time" and immediately got to making our bed (number one on my labor list) and preparing the bathroom for labor central. I lit a candle, started a bath, turned on some music and waited. Jeff called our families and our doula, and we began to wait.
I knew going into this that there was no question that Simon was going to be delivered in an unmedicated all natural birth. So I made sure to maintain my focus, and not let the pain of the contractions consume me. Much to my surprise, they weren't that terrible. About three hours later, our doula arrived and began helping us traverse the uncharted waters of knowing when to stay and when it would be time to head to the hospital. At 10am, I made the longest drive of my life to the hospital, certain I would get there and have him out in no time. But of course, that wasn't the case.
From the intensity of my contractions and how far apart they were, the midwife and my doula were certain I was ready to go as soon as I got to the hospital. When we arrived, they brought me into the labor room with the tub *angels singing* and checked me. I was at a 4.... A FOUR. I was offered to go home, but chose to stay and labor there. Six hours passed and still no progress. Simon was now facing backwards causing me extreme pain, back labor and even vomiting. My cervix was beginning to swell, and my contractions were coming in sets of three with no break in between. But stubborn me, I pushed through believing it would all be over soon.
At around 7pm when the shift change occurred the new midwife entered with some troubling news. I had only increased a centimeter and my cervix was completely swollen. She told me if I didn't get an epidural so my body could relax and my cervix heal, I would end up with a c-section. Still so stubborn and determined to birth naturally, I made Jeff make the decision. He told them to go ahead and do the procedure, at which I immediately broke into tears of defeat. I was 16hrs in, exhausted and now feeling a like a loser.
The epidural was given and I was told to get some sleep as I'd be checked again around midnight. Midnight came and my cervix has gone back to normal, Simon was facing the right way, and I was at a six. Hooray, right? WRONG. The epidural had now made my body so relaxed that my contractions slowed down to almost nothing. And on top of that, the side effects from the medication had made my entire left side completely numb and given me terrible uncontrollable tremors. This of course all the more confirmed why I loathe and detest medication in childbirth.
At about 7am when the new shift change happened AGAIN, I was put on pitocin to jump start my contractions. Medication fail. Again. The pitocin was not working and now I had to have an internal fetal monitor, and an increase in pitocin every thirty minutes plus my cervix was beginning to swell again. We were 28hrs in at this point, and the threat of a c-section was growing more and more. Praise God though that through it all, Simon was doing excellent and showing no signs of stress.
Around 11am my midwife came in and gave me the final verdict. She told me not to be upset, that this was a very abnormal labor, and that I was almost fully dialated. However, I had been in labor so long that if I was not ready to push in an hour, they would have no choice but to give me a c-section. So, Jeff, my doula, my midwife and I all gathered around my bed, laid hands on me, and asked God for a miracle. After what was the longest hour of the whole process, the moment had arrived. My midwife came in, checked me, and with a smile told me that it was time for me to push. SWEET GLORY!
After a little over an hour of pushing, Simon Thomas Owen graced this world with his presence. He was perfect. In that moment, the last 36hrs faded into oblivion and all I could think was how blessed I was to have this treasure in my arms.
Some might say that my birth story was traumatic, awful, what have you. But to me, it was just the means to the end of getting my son. Was I happy I had so much medical intervention? Not at all. Would I get drugs with the next baby? Never. Would I do it all over again if I had to? In a heartbeat.
God tells us that His ways are higher than ours. I may never know this side of heaven why God chose to have things go the way they did and that's ok. For me, I am just so grateful he gave me my son.
