Serious Team Work...Sweet Baby Boy

Angi’s Birth Story

It all began when my water broke at 9:00p.m., the Sunday before Labor Day. I had assumed my entire pregnancy my baby would come on Sept. 4th, Labor Day. Anyway, we rushed home and began preparing-bleaching the bathroom, washing the sheets, inflating the birth pool, asking soup and cooking a birthday cake. This “preparation” lasted about an hour and a half. We had managed to complete all of our “early labor activities” and still had hours to go in early labor. Upon reflection I should have gone to bed, or at least tried to rest but I had hoped things wouldn’t last too long.

I had called Amber at 9:00p.m. and she told me to stay positive and call back when my contractions started. About one hour later I called when my contractions were about 5 minutes apart lasting about 30 seconds. She said to call back when they were 1 minute long. Amber and Salli showed up around 3a.m. Things were progressing smoothly and when my contractions were about a minute apart they filled the birthing pool and I got in. Once in the poll, my contractions lessened and we all waited patiently. After 5 hours in the pool and not much progression, Amber suggested I get out so she could check me. I did and we soon discovered that cervix was beginning to swell. Amber said I would have to try and go to sleep, allow my cervix to stop swelling, and then I could finish dilating. So everyone present, Amber, Salli, a good friend Jessica, and my husband Doug began massaging me so I could relax and fall asleep. We alternated 30 minutes on each side and luckily I was able to sleep between contractions.

After 2 hours of resting, Amber checked me again. My cervix had gone down and I had dilated to 9.5. I had a cervical lip that the baby’s head would have to come over. This was the first time I started pushing. After one or two good contractions, my contractions slowed down and only came every 5 minutes or so. We tried getting in the shower and nipple stimulation to continue dilation, however I stayed at 9.5 cms. for another 7 hours!

At this point we began taking herbal supplements to increase contractions. Nothing seemed to be working. I tried every position I had read about-walking around, squatting, and rocking on my hands and knees. I began to get frustrated because every time I felt like I could push, after 2 or 3 good contractions, everything would slow down and I wouldn’t have a contraction for 5 minutes or so.

This entire time the baby was doing fine. The heartbeat was stable, no signs of distress. However, after 18 hours in the birth canal, Amber began to worry the head was molding and the potential for infection was increasing because my water had been broken for so long. As a last resort, I took some castor oil in hopes of kick-starting my contractions. For the next 1.5 hours I sat on the toilet dry heaving while the rest of the group prepared for a transport to the hospital. Bags were packed, list of do’s and don’ts were written, and heart were hurting due to the thought of having to go to the hospital.

While sitting in the bathroom, I had to come to a place where my full faith was in god and I had to accept whatever happened as long as a healthy baby was delivered.

Before getting dressed and going to the car Amber decided to check me one last time. While she was checking me, I had a strong contraction and decided to push. She felt the baby’s head behind the pubic bone and told me to feel. When I felt the baby’s head only half a finger from being out, I decided I was going to push that baby out, contractions or no contractions. Amber got on the bed and looked me in the eyes and said, “We’re going to the hospital pushing. You’ve got to find something within yourself you’ve never known. Go deep within and push this baby out.”

With my husband pushing my shoulders up, Salli pulling back one leg, Jessica pulling back the other leg and Amber pulling apart my pubic bone, we all began pushing. Everyone was counting and I kept pushing. After about 1 hour our tough little baby boy was born. He was healthy and safe. His breathing was a little sporadic due to the fluid in his lungs. He was passed to Daddy and he laid baby Jack on his lap and gently rubbed his back and everything that was blocking his breathing began running out his nose and mouth. Soon his breathing stabilized and all of us were relieved. I am thankful to everyone there for their patience and determination. It took us all to get our sweet baby here.

Although my labor was long, I wouldn’t change it for anything. It brought me to a place of complete surrender and trust. Even though I had a major tear, the quick recovery has been incredible. I learned that a woman’s body is truly amazing. It is designed to withstand more than a woman can even imagine.