Israel's Birth Story

Before we jump into the birth story, let's first talk about going "overdue". My due date was May 1st and I knew I would most likely go past that, I just really thought I would have him by the 5th or 6th. When I passed that and the days kept passing and passing with my still being pregnant I started getting really discouraged. I sometimes worried I would not go into labor and end up being induced anyways. Leland gave me a blessing that helped me cope emotionally. He told me to be patient and that the baby was staying inside longer because it was "needed", along with a lot of other great advice and words of comfort. Luckily Israel was a big mover so I always knew he was fine in there, and everything was always good at my appointments. 

My last pregnancy picture at 41 weeks

At my 41 week appointment I was still only dilated to a one, but baby's head was really low. Everything looked good and my midwife told me she thought he would come really soon. A few times in the days leading up to his birth I would have mild contractions for a few hours, but nothing would ever come of it, I would just be disappointed. So I just ignored them as much as  I could. I never really tried anything to make him come out because I knew from experience it wouldn't work until he and my body were ready. But after my appointment Tuesday, a couple days passed and still nothing happened. I started to feel like both he and my body were probably ready, my body just needed an extra little nudge to keep labor going.

So on Thursday I called my midwife and she suggested she do a membrane stretch and sweep to see if that would start my labor. I agreed and I packed up the girls that afternoon and drove the 45 minutes out to the birth center. The midwife checked my cervix, I was at a 2 and she was able to stretch it to 3cm. She also gave me some (awful tasting) herbs to take to help things along. I took one dose of those, then left with the girls. We went to Wheeler Farm to walk around and wait for Leland to get off work. The girls loved playing there and while we were there my contractions were a steady 6-10 minutes apart and lasting 45 seconds each. I was happy with that and hopeful that this might finally be it. 

After Leland got off he met up with us and we stopped by McDonald's for dinner. we decided to just go through the drive through because my contractions were now more like 4-6 minutes apart. They started to be a little more painful on the way home, mostly because of my position I'm sure. There was lot of traffic and we debated just turning around and heading back to the birth center. I talked with my midwife and she reassured me I probably had time so we went home to drop off the girls and gather the rest of our things for the birth.

My sister, Kylee came over to watch the girls. We helped get them settled then we went back to the birth center. I knew it might be too early, but Adele's labor had gone pretty quickly, so I wanted to get there with extra time just in case. Plus I knew it would be miserable to have hard contractions in the car. Also a small part of me was worried that this would all fizzle out if we stayed home and I would be pregnant another day/forever  ha. 

The contractions were 4 minutes apart and 1 minute long in the car, and starting to be more intense but I could still easily talk through them, so I knew we had a ways to go. When we got to the birth center at 8pm and the midwife checked me and I was still 3cm but more effaced. She did another stretch and sweep and gave more herbs to help labor along. Leland and I walked around the parking lot, and kept taking the herbs every 15 minutes, and just kind of relaxed. I felt a little silly that things weren't picking up, but the midwife reassured me that it was fine and that we could stay or go, whatever we wanted. Contractions were now 2 minutes apart but still pretty painless. I felt like things were happening that night so we decided to stay. They started an IV for antibiotics because I was GBS positive. Shortly after that the contractions got more intense and I had to breath through them. Probably about 10pm I was working pretty well through contractions but I decided to get in the tub.

I never had really wanted or imagined I would have a water birth, but I had read and heard so many birth stories where the water was like magic and really dulled the pain. At first the water did help a lot, but after a little while I started to get uncomfortable. It was hard to keep my IV (hep lock) out of the water and to try to keep my hair dry. Before I got out I asked to be checked and I was only 6cm. I had thought I was at least an 8 by then so I was super disappointed.

After that I started to lose my stamina a bit. Contractions were getting harder and I knew I still had a long way to go. For the rest of my labor I tried lots of different positions. I would lay on my side on the bed for a few contractions, then try the shower with Leland spraying water on my back and belly, then try leaning over the "swing" and I kept trying the tub too but every position felt pretty painful. I was trying to run away from the pain and I wasn't as relaxed as I would have liked to be. Laboring at night was hard too because Leland and I were both so tired. I would even fall asleep between contractions. The time between contractions was basically pain free this time so that was nice. Contractions were also spaced 4 or 5 minutes apart at times. I was able to drink water and gatorade during labor but I felt too nauseas to try and eat anything. I was also burping like crazy. By that point I had pretty much no inhibitions but Leland thought it was pretty funny and the midwife told us it was normal.

Around 1am (?) the midwife checked my cervix and I was 8cm. I was again disappointed because I really wanted to be pushing and done already. I asked Leland for a blessing and he gave a short blessing telling me I would be pushing soon and to listen to my body and take things slowly. The blessing gave me some needed strength and I hoped that "soon" meant really soon. 

After that I started doing very small pushes with each contraction. My midwife said it was fine and it would help me push away that last bit of cervix. I kept asking if she would break my water to speed things up, and Leland reminded me that I didn't want that, so she wouldn't do it ha. During the whole labor they would intermittently montior baby's heart rate and it was always good. I was very glad for that as it was a big obstacle during both the girl's births.

After another hour or so the midwife checked me and offered to push the rest of the cervix away. I agreed, as this is what happened at the end of Adele's labor too, and maybe that will always just be a thing for me during labor. Anyways it was super painful and I'm not sure she even did it all the way before I told her it hurt too much.

But she told me I could start pushing if I wanted. I started pushing in the shower on a birth stool, but I felt like the pushing was doing nothing and getting me no where. She checked me again and my water broke. (It was clear from any meconium which is always a concern with overdue babies.) She told me I was fully dilated but his head was still behind the cervix . I wouldn't even push the whole contraction because I was so tired. Everyone kept reassuring me and encouraging me. Finally something shifted and I could feel him move down a lot. I jumped up and I felt like his head was right there. I quickly waddled to the bed and I got up on hands and knees. With the next contraction I pushed a little and his head started crowning. I waited I tried to just breathe until the next one. The next contraction came and I had to just push through the pain as I felt the ring of fire and his head came out. Even though I had been pushing about 45 minutes I couldn't believe his head came out so fast. With one more push his body came out and the next thing I knew he was below me on the bed and crying. He was born at 2:56am, almost exactly 12 hours after my midwife did the membrane strip. I was so happy that he was finally born and I felt all the adrenaline and hormones fill me up and replace all the pain of birthing him.

I quickly said I wanted to hold him and they helped me lay on my back. He had a very short cord so he could only lay on my lower belly. I didn't mind though since this was the first time I had ever been able to hold one of my babies immediately after birth. He looked great and was breathing and crying right away. After about 5 minutes my placenta had already detached so they had Leland cut the cord and moved Israel to my chest. I easily delivered the placenta then they just let us relax as I held Israel skin to skin for an hour. The midwives made us a big breakfast, though I was too nauseous and shaky to eat much of it. Then Leland held Israel while I showered and the midwife gave me a stitch. I only had a small 1st degree tear. They did Israel's newborn exam. We found out he weighed 8lbs 13oz and was 20.75 inches long. He seemed so tiny to me I couldn't believe he was our biggest baby yet.

After that the midwives left us to sleep (Leland was out immediately 😂). I was mostly too wound up to sleep so I just nursed Israel and drifted out a little. About 7am we woke up and packed our things. Tbe midwife gave us a few instructions and then we headed home. The girls were so excited to meet him but I'll save that for another post.

I am very happy that his birth went so smoothly. I know if I had been with a hospital I would have felt pressured to induce as soon as I passed my due date. I probably also would have given in to an epidural and other interventions had we been in a hospital..

I have felt a little disappointment that his birth wasn't relaxing or peaceful like I was hoping for. I was very loud while coping through contractions and pretty whiney in between haha. (My voice was sore the next day from all the moaning and yelling 😂).  I also feel like his pregnancy was so emotional and spiritual, coming right after my miscarriage, and I hoped his birth would be the same, but Ive come to terms with it. His birth may not have been the most spiritual experience of my life but it was definitely a spirit-strengthening experience.

Even though my birth didn't go exactly as I pictured it, I am still so happy I got another unmedicated VBAC. I am happy with our birth center experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I feel overwhelmed with love for our little Israel. We are so grateful for his special little spirit joining our family and so happy he is finally earth-side with us.