Alex's Birth story

I have been meaning to write this post for a while now but it keeps being put on the back burner.  Being a Mom of 5 has been difficult to say the least.  I'm not sure how people do it.  I'm going with the "fake it till you make it" method.  That and I always give myself 2 months to get things under control. That means I've still got 6 weeks left.

Alex is an easy baby as far as newborns go.  He eats plenty and sleeps well and likes to snuggle but will sleep in his own bed.  He's already gained a pound putting him at 9lbs 4oz now.  His siblings love him and like to squeeze him.

So, the story:

Due to the fact that I was pretty miserable this pregnancy, I was sure I'd be a little early relative to my due date.  That and the fact that I was actually dilating which has never happened before.  The furthest I have ever dilated before actual labor has been 1.5 cm and with Alex I was already a 4 before I started having contractions.  This was actually a relief because 4 is the magic number for being admitted to the hospital.  I was not under the added pressure of having to labor at home until I thought I was at a 4 and then go in.  Another birth like Dalton's was not my plan.

My dad got sick a week and a half before my due date (aug 23rd) and ended up being hospitalized for strep in his leg which made it so my Mom couldn't necessarily drop everything and come help me, especially coming from southern california.  Lots of my neighbors offered to help but it can be pretty inconvenient for someone to just take on 4 extra kids for 12 hours or so.  So I offered up many prayers that this baby would come on a good day for everyone so I wouldn't have to get stressed about it.  When my due date came (I've never gotten to my due date with my other kids) I couldn't cave and go for an induction because I had been praying that he would come on a good day and taking matters into my own hands would be pretty faithless.

I had a Dr.'s appointment on Friday, my due date, and she said she'd induce me whenever I wanted but would have to use pitocin because he hadn't dropped yet.  I put my faith to the test and decided to wait after some wavering.   :)  My mom had come by now and was hanging out at the house just waiting for our baby to arrive.  Five hours after my appointment (4pm) I started having regular contractions that were really easy.  These lasted until around 11pm when we decided to go to the hospital and hang out in the parking lot.  The contractions were really easy to get through.  My doctor gave me great advice: you should already be at the hospital if you can't talk through your contractions.  This saved me I'm pretty sure.  We walked through the parking lot a few times and decided to go watch a movie in the waiting room of the hospital.  I could still walk and talk through my contractions.

A nurse came down to take us to labor and delivery even though we hadn't asked and so we just decided to go ahead and go with her.  Upstairs I asked for a nurse that was good with the hypnobirthing method; aka. leave me alone.  They were good with that.  I chose to go to a smaller and closer hospital this time in hopes of having a more natural birth.  This also meant they might not have a doctor at the hospital.

So when they checked me in at 12am, I was still at a 4 which I found pretty surprising.  So, to be admitted, I had to show progress and make it to 5cm in the next hour.  Adam and I walked the halls.  So grateful I brought my own dress to wear (a little DI special) which covered my bum.  I made it to a 5 by about 1am but the dr on call still wasn't sure I was progressing fast enough and told me to keep walking and see if I made it to a 6 in the next hour.  Then I'd be formally admitted or something.

A said a few more prayers that this labor would be fast because I was getting pretty tired of walking at this point.  I decided to take a shower in hopes that he would drop and help me dilate.  So much for asking for the room with the jacuzzi tub.  Still had to stand.  The contractions started getting harder and I couldn't talk through them.  At around 1:50 I went back into the room and asked Adam to call the nurse because I was pretty sure I was at a 6 by then.  I was really worried there wouldn't be a doctor there to deliver our baby since he'd have to drive in from home.

The nurse comes in and asks me to get on the bed so she can check me.  I'm about to but then I feel a really hard contraction and I kneel on the chair next to me.  After it I'm about to get on the bed and another one comes with almost no break in between.  I get back on the chair to handle it.  It was really strong and I started to bite my hand.  Adam said this is when he knew they were getting harder.  I felt like I was about to explode and my body started pushing.  The nurse tells me not to push until she checks me which I thought was pretty ridiculous.  I got on the bed and pushed and my water broke and he was born about 30 seconds later (although I'd pretty much lost all sense of time so I'm not totally sure).  It turned out that the doctor had come in for someone in the emergency room and was at the labor and delivery counter when Alex started coming.  Very glad.  Everyone did end up being in the room by the time he was born.  None of the baby stuff was out so they were rushing around getting ready for him.  I was busy focusing on not hyperventilating and getting him out as fast as possible.  Gratefully, I didn't tear.

Alex Mark Whittle was born at 1:58.  And, I think he looks a little like me which is a first.  I think all of our kids look like Adam.  They handed him to me but my arms were kind of numb from hyperventilating so here I am trying to hold on to him.  I still haven't really seen his face.

The nurses were really impressed and said I should teach a class on hypnobirthing.  Ha.  That's a no.  I am really lucky to have really fast labors near the end.  I did read the hypnobabies book and listen to the relaxation techniques.  The affirmation that really helped me was "I turn my birthing over to my body and my baby".  Other than that, I just focused on relaxing through a contraction instead of tensing up.  The ring of fire part was fine but would have been harder had it lasted longer.

This has been my fastest recovery in a lot of ways.  I could walk right after (a little wobbly but still up).  My pelvis is still out of place but that's nothing new.  So, there's another plug for hypnobirthing.

A muscle spasm smile :)