WARNING: TOO MUCH INFORMATION IS CONTAINED IN THIS POST. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT MY LABOR EXPERIENCE THEN PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CLICK ON ONE OF THE BLOGS TO THE RIGHT OF THE SCREEN AND READ SOMETHING LESS PERSONAL.
Since many of you know about how my first labor went, you also know that this time around we signed up for a baby that wasn't posterior. We did NOT want a repeat of last time. Let's begin the story, shall we?
It was a cold night in Colorado and many people were nestling themselves into bed, preparing for the snow to come the following day. But not Niffer... Niffer was preparing for the arrival of a different kind of package...
Ok, in all seriousness, our labor officially started at 10:00 on Thursday night, after a day filled with my normal surges of what I was calling "baby punching cervix" pains. But by 10:00 we knew this was going to happen so we called our doula. I'm not really sure what time she came over but I do know that having her there was such a huge help. I have no idea how people manage to go through labor without a doula!
It didn't take long for me to notice differences between this labor and my first.
Difference 1: Intense - can't talk or move - contractions came much much quicker.
Difference 2: During my first I felt most of my contractions in my lower back, aka "back labor," because Ellie was posterior. This time, you'll never guess... Let's call it "butt labor." You heard me. The sides of my butt hurt so much more intensely than anywhere else. My butt, people. Really, does that have much to do with giving birth? Apparently it does when a birth progresses quickly (which is a fact that I discovered later).
We ended up laboring at home until about 1:15 and, like I said, it was obvious that things were moving quicker than they did with Ellie. By the time we left the house, I think the contractions were only a few minutes apart.
I had 10 contractions on the way to the hospital - a 30 minute ride. Michael treated stop lights as stop signs, or more like "stop suggestions" so we apologize for anyone who didn't see us coming in advance but it was early in the morning so I don't think we caused any damage. There was something about a screaming Niffer saying "I think I have to push" that made Michael's foot heavier than he's used to.
Little did I know, that what I was calling "needing to push" was NOTHING. NOTHING - I tell you! Nothing compared to what came later.
We arrived at the hospital at 1:45 and my water broke in the elevator. They rushed us into the delivery room and checked me. 6 cm.
EXCUSE ME??? 6 CM??? That's it? Oh my God! Pick any other number! I was stuck at 6 cm for over 10 hours with Ellie! You might as well just have told me I'm in for another 24 hours? You could have picked ANY other number besides 6! I can't do this.
Luckily for me, I was convincing enough and five or ten minutes later they checked again and I was at 8 cm. That's better, woman! Apparently things were moving along quickly. I don't think anyone even questioned the possibility of an epidural (anyone other than me I guess).
Difference #3: I NEED TO PUSH, DAMIT!!
Soon I really discovered the meaning of "needing to push". I had no idea that such a sensation could be so strong and that it could be so difficult to NOT push. It was strange because I don't think I'd say the contractions "hurt" by this time. They were certainly unpleasant with the need to push, but I don't think "hurt" is the right word. I never thought it would be impossible to stop my body from doing something like pushing. There were times when it just wouldn't listen to me and I felt completely out of control.
Difference #4: No medication!
Things progressed so quickly that there was no time to get an epidural. We checked into the hospital at 1:45 AM and Addie was born at 2:47 AM. Even if I had gotten an epidural, it probably would not have taken effect before the baby was born. In regards to a natural birth, another thing that I never knew was what I later learned to be the "ring of fire." Apparently as the baby's head is coming out, there is this intense stinging sensation, very similar to the feeling of peeing with a urinary tract infection. It hurt to push but only through the stinging. Not pleasant, but I suppose very few people would guess that it would be. =)
Addie was born only 5 hours after labor started. I didn't have any medication and I didn't even tear. The most bizarre thing about the whole experience was that less than 24 hours after having given birth, I felt totally fine! I was up and about with no pain at all. The only sign of the fact that I recently gave birth was the contractions of my uterus going back to a normal size whenever I would breastfeed. Other than that, I never would have guessed that I had been in labor recently. Is that not bizarre or what? Don't get me wrong, I wasn't complaining, but you'd think my body would be sore from having been through labor less than 24 hours before!
So, there you have it... more information about my second birth than many of you wanted to know, but then again, I warned you ahead of time.
8 comments:
Congratulations on having such a better birthing experience this time around! I keep hearing from people that if you end up being able to do it naturally, the recovery period is so much shorter. It's nearly impossible to tell a birthing story without sharing "TMI", but I know I like to hear about other people's experiences. Nick ran a couple lights getting me to the hospital in the middle of the night, too. :)
Wow! I've been scared to think about this moment, but comforted by your post.
Now after having done it with medication and without, what would you reccomend to others? And if the baby were posterior again?
I'm so happy to hear how quickly you were able to get up and around!
Thanks for sharing!
I'm glad to hear it went so well!
My wife had all four of ours naturally. Against my objections. I, of course, was of the opinion that when there's pain, there's pain medication. Those sort of things can be fixed. She would have none of it.
But my wife, during labor and birth had an odd habit of going from a complete screaming banshee, to completely calm and normal as soon as the baby was born. I'm not kidding in a matter of minutes she would go from someone I simply didn't recognize, and transfer completely back into my wife after the baby was out.
During the birth of #3 (I think) I had given her a couple of fingers to squeeze. Which she did quite effectively. After the baby was born, I was rubbing them because they hurt a little. My wife noticed this and asked me what was wrong. When I told her she got a puzzled look on her face and asked why I didn't say something.
I looked at her, and said, "Honey. What was I going to say while you were (literally) screaming? 'Ow, that hurts my fingers!'? Seriously? I have better survival instincts than that."
My point of this story is only to show how, after all 4 natural child births, the recovery was very, very rapid. And so dramatic, that not even she remembered how it had been only a few minutes prior.
Andy and I were talking about our trip to the hospital last Monday morning and apparantely I either blacked out or blocked it out because I don't remember it. I guess he ran several lights and managed to get us to the hospital in 10 minutes
MJH - Your story about your fingers made me laugh. My first labor I bit Michael a couple times but don't remember it. He had to show me my teeth marks to remind me. The second labor, I was pulling on his shirt so hard that it was choking him. His shirt is now really stretched out.
Michlee - You had the babies???? How are they?
Yes they were born last Monday (12th), my water actually ruptured at home at 12:45am and they arrived at 3:48 & 3:49am via C-section. They are doing really well.
(I seriously need to figure out why my name is spelt wrong on this thing)
omg! I've been behind in my google reader and have been wanting to come read all about it. Congratulations!! I can't believe how easy this birth seemed. I know another couple who gave birth last month and had a similar experience, I wonder if it's often easier with the second baby? And if so, I wonder why.
I love it that you gave details. If I ever go through this, it's useful to know.
Congratulations again!!
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