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Community Birth Story: Clara

By Two Rivers Childbirth
March 26, 2015
Birth Stories Project

As told by Mary:

I conceived Clara between a LEEP procedure to remove pre-cancerous cells, and the follow up from the procedure. I had been told to not get pregnant for 3 months so my cervix could heal properly. God had other plans! The Monday before Mother’s Day 2014, is when I took a home test. I hadn’t felt ill or anything, just had a feeling to take a test. Lo and behold, positive. I took another one when I got home from work to be sure. It was positive again. A wave of emotions came over me. I walked down the stairs to tell my husband but I just couldn’t find the words. When he asked why I was being so weird, I threw the test at him. So romantic.

We went to the midwife to confirm the pregnancy 6 weeks later. It felt like forever. Hearing her little heart beat for the first time was the most magical experience of my life. Pregnancy was wonderful and terrifying. I had morning sickness, a car accident at 30 weeks, was high risk for miscarriage because of my LEEP, insane heartburn, and hospitalized with chest pains at 38 weeks. I was so anxious something was going to go wrong and overly cautious about everything I did. However, the LEEP was a blessing in disguise. Because I needed my cervix checked more regularly than a “normal” pregnancy, I had many more sonograms than a “normal” woman would. I got to see her grow and develop on the black and white screen every few weeks. It was amazing.

My Friday due date came and went. The most eventful thing that happened that day was a pedicure. My midwife had swept my membranes the day before and beside a little cramping, nothing. I was planning to work up until baby decided to come and was working 10 hour days at 40 weeks. My blood pressure had risen (I had normal BP throughout pregnancy), and my midwife said my body was telling me to slow down and I needed to stop working. We set a plan to induce at 41 weeks and 3 days. I was bummed, I really didn’t want to be induced medically. I had planned a natural birth; and while I know things always don’t go to plan, I was disappointed in my body. This is my first pregnancy so I didn’t know what my body would do. The next week I spent nesting thinking, today could be the day! The Thursday after my due date (40 + 6), I went for another appointment. She swept my membranes again and I expressed my desire to not be induced. She suggested to drink some red raspberry leaf tea. I had two cups that evening.

Kissed my husband goodnight that night and went to bed. I had cramping since I left the midwife’s office but I didn’t think much of it because I had false labor the weekend before. I didn’t sleep well as the cramping got stronger and more consistent. My husband woke at 4:30am to go to work. He kissed me goodbye and left by 5am. I didn’t mention the cramps because I didn’t want him to stay home for a false alarm. I stayed in bed, and by 6am, decided they were strong and consistent enough that I should start timing them. I timed for an hour and called my midwife at 7am. She suggested to keep timing (they weren’t close enough yet) and through our conversation she realized I was home alone. She said it sounds like labor and I shouldn’t be alone. I called my husband to come back home (he works an hour and a half away) and called my mom to come up. We live almost an hour from close family and friends. While we know our neighbors a little, I didn’t feel comfortable asking any of them to come over. Usually, we just pass a friendly wave, nothing more. I knew if I had an emergency they would help but I decided to labor alone until my mom and husband came. Laboring alone was wonderful and scary. Our dog lay with me on the bed and stayed calm (which is surprising, he is usually a spaz). We have a yoga ball, so I changed positions on that and the bed every 30 minutes or so. I had my phone and kept relaxation music and YouTube birthing videos running as I took each wave of contraction with breathing I learned from a doula. I focused totally on the labor remembering that each contraction brought me closer to finally meeting my baby. My mom arrived to the house around 9:00 am and my husband around 9:30 am. I was proud of myself for laboring alone and was ready to meet this baby. I had trouble timing my contractions alone as they got stronger because I had to focus on riding the pain out instead of the distracting timer on my phone. I had given up timing them until my mom arrived. She helped me time them and we called my midwife as they were about 3-4 minutes apart. She said to head to the hospital.

I wanted to shower and my husband had to pack his bag. The shower felt so wonderful with the contractions. I was in a little of a daze but I just had to blow dry my bangs. Both my mom and my husband said I was nuts. Whatever, we all have our thing right? My water broke as I was getting dressed out of the shower. No gush that you see in the movies, just all the sudden I was leaking everywhere. We got to the hospital and checked in around 11am. I could not relax at the hospital. While everyone was great, it just wasn’t home. All the noise, people coming in and out of the room, machines, were all very distracting. I couldn’t focus and the pain was rising. I couldn’t figure out my breathing. I decided to ask for an epidural. My midwife encouraged me to labor longer without it until I was 3cm dilated. She kept up the encouragement, soothing and calming me. She was so wonderful. My mom and husband stayed in the room and continued to help me through my labor too. I continued to remind myself that every contraction brought me closer to Clara and my body knew what to do. At 1:00 pm they said I was ready for the epidural. The epidural didn’t take until 2:30pm. We had to wait for the doctor, then had trouble getting it done because I had such good posture, she couldn’t find the right spot in my spine. Also, it was so hard to sit curled over while the contractions came. It felt like the whole thing took all day. Once the epidural took, I laid down and was finally able to relax. Music continued to play and I was able to close my eyes. My epidural was one where you can control the medicine, so I was able to still feel the contractions, which is what I wanted. I continued to dilate quickly now that I was able to relax.

Soon, I felt the need to push. My mom gave me oxygen, while my husband and the nurse helped to hold my legs. Clara had dropped and was ready. I pushed for 45 minutes, it felt like it was only 10 or 15 minutes. My midwife offered me a mirror but I denied it. I regret that now. But, I did feel Clara’s head as she started to come through. 2 hard pushes and she was out at 4:30pm! I never felt so powerful or full of love in my life. My midwife gave her to me immediately. She was perfect. I couldn’t believe I just pushed this little human out of me. She looked up at me with her beautiful eyes and it was love. She did pass meconium on me but I didn’t even care. We did skin to skin for a bit and let the cord pulse. Once it was done, my mom cut the cord. They took her and cleaned her and me. She was 8lbs 13oz and 20 inches of perfection. My husband held her as they continued to clean me up after I passed the placenta. I only tore a 2 degree. I was amazed how quickly she came and how my body knew exactly what to do. I later found out the cord was around her neck once and her body once. Thankfully, my skilled midwife knew exactly what to do and it was a non-issue. Clara’s APGAR scores were 8 then 9. I also had a tear in the upper part of my placenta, which if she hadn’t come out when she did would have meant more problems and probably medical intervention. I was again amazed how beautifully and non-dramatic everything went. My husband said it was so much calmer than he expected (you know all that screaming you hear on TV). She latched right on to feed and nursing has gone wonderfully for us. We spent the next hour alone with her as a family to bond. She is now 6 weeks old and we are so enchanted with her. My birth was powerful, awesome and beautiful.

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Click HERE to learn more about the Community Birth Stories Project or to submit your own birth story.

Community Birth Story: Alexander Miles

By Two Rivers Childbirth
May 4, 2014
Birth Stories Project

As told by Carin:

My labor with my first son, Jasper, was less than ideal. I had an induction (unnecessarily) for possible growth restriction at 39 weeks. My OB ignored my entire birth plan, and I ended up with an epidural and epsiotomy, when I had hoped for a natural birth. So this time I got pregnant, I was determined to do it the way I wanted.

My pregnancy went very well and easy. I met with midwives instead of OBs. I hired a doula, Bergen, in February, which I had wanted with Jasper, but Guy refused. This time he realized how helpful one would be and agreed. I really liked her after our first meeting and was sure she would help me achieve my natural birth.

I continued working up until a few days before I went into labor. At around 36 weeks, I was having contractions if I walked too much. So monday, I called out of work and stayed home to relax. I still had a few minor ones, but nothing serious.

On Tuesday, I lost my mucus plug. I text Bergen and she said that meant we were having a baby sometime but who knew when. Guy and I decided to go for a walk downtown. We walked a few miles, with contractions getting worse and more painful. The last mile back to the car was the worst. I kept telling my husband to just go get the car and come back for me. Once we got back home, the contractions more or less, stopped again. They went back to minor, sporadic occurrences.

I went to my chiropractor appointment that afternoon. I told her that I wouldn’t be back for awhile. For some reason, I knew I was going to go into labor that day. I just knew it. After my appointment, I took a small nap and made dinner. My husband kept telling me that I needed to relax and I wasn’t in labor. So we went to our birth class that evening. I had several contractions each hour during class. Our instructor and my friend, Lindsey was very excited. She thought I was in labor and was so excited about it. She kept saying I was going to have a baby. Finally someone who agreed with me. Bergen had brought her birth bag to class, just in case, but as I clearly was not in full labor yet, we all went to our homes. She told me to relax and that we were going to have a baby some day soon. Apparently she and my husband thought it may be another week or two of this “prodromal” labor.

We got home at 9:30ish that night and I went up to bed, while Guy got on the computer. I was too awake. I still felt like that was the day labor would start, but it was getting late. Jasper woke up and wanted to nurse. So I brought him into our bed to nurse, while playing on my phone. He fell back asleep quickly. All of a sudden I felt my water break. I text Guy and told him to come upstairs. I text Bergen. Guy didn’t respond, so I called him. He answered, saying he would be upstairs for Jasper in a minute, thinking Jasper had just woken up. So I told him my water broke. He was surprised. I told him to call his mom and tell her, in case we needed her soon. Bergen asked about my contractions, which didn’t change. And said to call her when they did. I felt relieved. I had known I was going to go into labor that day, and I was right. I was giddy and awake. But contractions never came, at least not noticeably. I put a towel on the couch and slept in the livingroom.

The next morning, I woke up about 6am. We ate breakfast and went to the grocery store. I hadn’t even gotten a single labor snack that I planned. We got some trail mix to snack on during labor and some things for dinner. Contractions came, but were minor and random. We got home and Guy put together our dinner in the crock pot. Then we called Bergen and I told her I wanted her here, since none of us knew how this labor would go. She got here at 9 and we went to the park again. Walking when leaking water is not a fun experience. At first, I had wanted to stay near the near and not walk too far. But, my contractions were still minor so we decided to walk downtown. We stopped and got some pastries and walked back to the car. Labor was still eluding me.

My contractions were a bit stronger by the time we got to the car, but still minor. We got back to the house and ate, while Bergen had her son dropped off for a bit to nurse. We then decided to do laps around the neighborhood. We also began timing. They were around 6 minutes apart and still getting more intense during walking. We walked around for an hour or two. Contractions were more intense but still not active labor and slowed when I stopped walking.

Around 7, I called my midwife and told her I was in labor. We had to go in for me to receive antibiotics, since I hadn’t been tested for group b strep yet. We got to the hospital around 8. We were taken back to triage and I was checked. I was scared of having no progress in the past 24 hours. I shouldn’t have let the nurse tell me how dilated I was. I was only 2.5 centimeters. I felt very discouraged and tired. I knew if I didn’t kick start labor soon, they would want to intervene. But I wanted a nap so badly.

They started our first monitoring and antibiotics around 9:15. After they were finished, we went for a walk. All of a sudden, things changed. I had to go to the restroom and my contractions were different. I had to stop walking to breathe through them. I was cold. I didn’t realize it but I was finally in active labor.

Around 10:30ish, we had to go back to the room for more monitoring. I stayed on the birth ball, doing wind motions during contractions. I was finally progressing! We finished monitoring around 11. During my contractions, I began to kneel over the birth ball to get through them. I was in the corner, in the dark and in my own little world. My husband went to get a sandwich and my midwife, April, came to check on me and said I was definitely progressing and she would come back later. I started getting very nauseous. I remember telling Bergen that it felt a bit better when I pushed, which scared me. I didn’t think I could be that close to birth already.

My husband came back and I had to go to the bathroom. A contraction hit and I jumped up from the toliet. I held onto my husband and began vomiting. I went back to my corner, while my husband went to tell them I had puked. He came back and immediately left again to tell them I felt like pushing. He came back to me pushing uncontrollably and ran to tell them. I didn’t see anyone come into my room, but I remember them turning the lights on.

I had contractions very close together, pushing each time. April told me I needed to wait to push until they checked me, which wasn’t going to happen. I couldn’t stop. She checked me and I was a 10. Then April asked if I wanted to get on the bed and I said no. So she started pushing things under me, ready to deliver on the floor. They had to call a neonatalogist, since he was preterm. I just remember everyone kept saying “second baby” over and over. I reached down and felt his head, and said that he was coming. I didn’t really feel the “ring of fire” that I had heard about. I had felt a very mild stinging during pushing but it went away before he crowned. I pushed a few more times and felt his head pop out. Another push or two, and his body came out. They counted 30 seconds before clamping his cord and letting my husband cut it.

He was then taken to the neonatalogist and checked over for a little while. I got onto the bed for April to check me for tears. I only had two minor lacerations, much better than an epsiotomy! When I finally got to hold him, I was so overcome with happiness. He was tiny and perfect. He latched on easily.

This birth was everything I had wanted. It was completely natural, from start to finish, save for the antibiotics. My baby got to pick his own birthday, two minutes before midnight! I had an amazingly supportive birth team. Between them and my birth class teachings, I was able to control the pain and remain calm. I loved this birth and hope all to come go as well.

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Click HERE to learn more about the Community Birth Stories Project or to submit your own birth story.

Community Birth Story: Loki Helen

By Two Rivers Childbirth
February 18, 2014
Birth Stories Project

Hatching (Homebirth Cesarean) of Loki Helen, remembered by Megan and written 21 months later:

As told by Megan:

I went into labor on Monday morning, March 28, 2011. I had been having Braxton Hicks for most of the second half of pregnancy, but there was something different about these contractions. I noticed them as soon as I woke up and carried around a piece of paper recording the time each contraction started (I didn’t pay any attention to how long each one was). They were 7 to 10 minutes apart pretty much the entire day. I went for a couple of walks to see if they would stop or slow down, but they stayed fairly steady. I tried to relax as much as a first time mom could (sleep was totally out of the question!). I called Dan at work at some point in the afternoon to tell him something was happening but he did not need to come home. We had plans to go to dinner with Dan’s parents and went back and forth about going or not. We decided to go for it and have a meal that left no dirty dishes in our sink. By the time we got home, the contractions were 4 minutes apart.

Dan called my mom to come over (she said she would after watching Bones…he he he). We called our midwife, Nannette, to let her know what had been happening for the last 12+ hours. She said to try to get some rest, maybe try getting in the pool, and to call her again when/if things get more exciting. At some point my mom (with her pup and kitty, Chessie & Finn) arrived. The fishy pool was filled with water and I got in it. It was wonderful! I stayed in that fishy pool all night long. All of our furry children knew something was happening but didn’t really know what. The dogs (Simon, Nubbs, Oz) were very loving to me and just wanted to make sure I was okay. The cats (Giles, Sid, Lesser Evil, Captain Hammer, Evan Taubenfeld, Dr. Horrible) really only wanted warm bodies on which to sleep.

In the morning, Dan and Nannette talked again and decided it was time for the birth team to come on over. We called my friend, Kim. She was going to come over after work (in Baltimore) and was planning on seeing her new niece or nephew. My contractions were pretty much still at 4 minutes apart. Grace (birth assistant and doula) was the first to arrive. She helped me get out of the water and was calming and amazing from the start. Shanna (midwife in training) and Nannette arrived soon after.

So much of the next many hours is a blur, but this is what I can remember… Hip sqeezing was my new best friend. My water breaking around 9:30 am while I was leaning on Nannette in my kitchen. Hearing that there was meconium in the fluid. The only food I wanted to eat was Greek yogurt with honey. Never wanting to have Gatorade again. Trying every position possible. Getting in the pool. Getting out of pool. Getting in the shower. The birth ball in the pool with me. Shanna pouring warm water over my back. Dan behind me in the pool. The concerned look on my mother’s face. Kisses from Oz. Evan Taubenfeld biting the hose to the pool. Evan Taubenfeld biting my toes during contractions. Getting on the toilet. Leaking out amniotic fluid with every contraction.

Around dinner time, I started pushing. Kim arrived bringing snacks and other supplies. She took over picture taking duties and any other little thing (like rubbing Dan’s shoulders while he was rubbing mine). At some point, a cervical check was done, not that I remember what we learned from it. We weren’t sure at one point if my urethra was being pinched and I wasn’t able to pee, so a catheter was put in to drain my bladder, but no pee was to be found. I had started to retain every drop of fluid I drank.

It was getting later and later and later. We were in our bedroom. My mom was (somehow) kind of sleeping on the bed. Dan was on the edge to help hold me. I was squatting on the floor with a stool to rest on between contractions. I remember the discomfort in my legs and feet due to the water retention. There was a hand mirror on the floor under me so my birth team could see what was happening. Nannette could feel my child’s head, but that head was not moving down at all. I had a cervical lip that had to be helped a bit at times by Nannette. Every trick that any of these 3 remarkable women could think of to get this kid to move, but nothing was working. We had to make a decision about transferring to a hospital. I was exhausted to the point of sleeping through massive contractions I should be pushing with. The baby’s vitals and mine were fine, but if there were no changes by midnight (it was probably around 10 or 10:30 at this point) we were going to transfer to Meritus in Hagerstown. I knew that we would not need to transfer so I never packed a bag. I told my mom and Kim pack something to bring with us, just in case we had to go (I learned much later that Dan packed while I was getting dressed to leave).

At 12:30 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2011, the call was made to the hospital that we would be arriving. Shanna help me put some sort of clothing on. I remember being on the couch and hating wearing anything. We had to figure out how to get to the hospital that was about 50 minutes away. There were 3 closer ones, but there was no emergency and Nannette had a good relationship with the midwives on call at Meritus. It was decided that Kim would drive us in her car. Nannette sat up front and Dan stayed in the back with me. Kim’s car has 2 doors so that made getting in and out super fun for me. She had to take lots of stuff out to fit our stuff and Nannette’s gear. Shanna and Grace stayed behind to help clean up a bit with my mom. As much as I wanted and needed my mom to be with me, she had to stay at my house to take care of the herd of critters in our house.

We were hoping so much that the car ride would help this baby be born. We were fine with the side of the road (well, maybe Kim wasn’t so keen on that). It was not meant to be. I pushed with every contraction- there was no way I could not push.

We ended up getting to the hospital around 2 am. Dan checked me in while Nannette stayed with me. I was taken to a larger L&D room and was helped into a lovely hospital gown. I had to have nurses push my hips still. Nannette did the whole history transfer at some point. I was put in a bed, on my back (the first time that I had been in real, true pain) and monitors were attached to check my stubborn child. They seemed quite amazed that everything checked out fine.

Not long after we got in the room, Dan’s parents opened the door. With snacks. Uninvited. In the middle of us making one of the most important choices ever. They were told to not be there (I suppose they went to the waiting room).

They brought in the OB/GYN on call (Dr. Man Surgeon Guy) and he made me lay flat on my back and told me to push to see what I had left. Not much and not nearly enough for him. We were told that a cesarean was pretty much my only option. I asked for a little bit of time. I discussed what options I really had with Nannette. We both knew that if I had to transfer that surgery was most likely going to occur. The decision had been made. Lots of paperwork was brought in for me to sign. About what I did and did not want (like vitamin K shot and eye goo). Dan was given his instructions.

I was rolled into the super bright and freezing cold operating room just before 3 am. The anesthesiologist sat me up to give me my spinal. I had to make sure he waited until after a contraction (still pushing with every one). For the first time in what seemed like a very long time, I was not overwhelmed but totally numb. I was laid down and the curtain to prevent me from seeing anything was put up.

Dan was allowed in. The surgeon came in. Dan asked if he could take pictures and was told that he could. It began. I was cut open along my lower abdomen. The surgeon put his hands in to pull out my baby and she/he was stuck! My child had wedged itself and the doctor had to yank and grunted while he did it. I could see my whole body being tugged. It was such an incredibly odd thing to see. The head was slightly squished from being stuck.

My baby eventually came out. My baby was a little girl! And she came out pooping. Everywhere. She cried and then stopped. She aspirated meconium. They whisked her away to resuscitate her. I had no idea what was happening. Informing the mom was not on the to do list. She was eventually bundled up and brought over for the standard immobile-mom kiss on the forehead. She was then taken away to the Special Care Nursery. Dan was to stay with her and so he followed our new daughter. Nannette was waiting for us when I finally got out of recovery a few hours later.

Loki Helen Goerner was hatched on March 30, 2011 at 3:13 am. She was 9 pounds 3 ounces and 20.5 inches long. She stayed in the Special Care Nursery for 7 long days. I was able to hold her for the first time when she was about 7 hours old. She nursed like a champ when tubes in her mouth were finally removed and every time after.

I wish her birth could have been different, but this was how she needed to come into the world. My labor was amazing. Shanna and Grace (who was pregnant) and Nannette (who was also pregnant) are to thank for that. I will treasure what they helped me to experience forever.

(Read Loki’s little sister’s HBAC birth story here)

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Click HERE to learn more about the Community Birth Stories Project or to submit your own birth story.