Wednesday July 9th I woke up at about 6:45 am
with contractions that were about 6-7 minutes apart lasting about 30-40
seconds. They felt about the same as a Braxton hicks but a little more intense.
I had been having Braxton hicks pretty often the last few weeks so I wasn’t too
concerned, the only reason I thought anything about it was because they woke me
out of my sleep, I had never had contractions that were strong enough to do
that. I sat on the edge of my bed on my birth ball listening to my
hypnobirthing childbirth affirmation track and breathed through them no
problem. Cj woke up at about 8:00 and asked me what I was doing, I told him I
had been having contractions and timing them and they were about 6 minutes
apart. He immediately got so excited and said this is probably it, I told him
how common it is to have “warm up” labor before the real thing and this was
probably nothing so he should still go to work, so he did. At about 9:30 I took
the dogs on a walk that lasted about an hour and by the time I was finished
contractions were about 5 minutes apart, lasting 40 seconds but they still
weren’t very intense. I thought there was NO way I was in labor because they
were so mild but on the other hand they were so consistent and not stopping. Cj
came home on his lunch break at about 1:00 pm and things were still the same,
he thought I should call my midwife and see what she thought. I called and
since she was in the office she said just come in and get checked and we can
see if you have progressed at all. I had my 39 week appointment the day before
and was 3cm dilated and 75% effaced, when I went in to get checked I was at a
4.5cm and 90% effaced. I WAS IN LABOR. I still didn’t believe it and was
convinced my contractions were just going to stop anytime. She told me to try
and stay active and stay close since I had labored so easily to this point she
didn’t want things to progress too quickly and us not necessarily know. Cj was
freaking out at this point, he wanted to go home get our bags and go to the
hospital. I did not, I wanted to labor at home as long as I could and I
definitely didn’t feel ready to go to the hospital but wanted him to be
comfortable with what was going on also. By the time we headed back home,
finished packing our bags and headed back the hospital way it was almost 5:00
pm. I literally felt my body shut down on the way to the hospital, I was so
nervous and knew we were going too early and I know this was the reason my
labor stalled. We decided to go try and get something to eat and then
go to Liberty Park to walk around. By the time we ate and went walking at the
park it was almost 7:00 pm. We continued to walk for 2 hours, which ended up
being 6 miles and by that point we were all over it. Contractions still
continued to be the same consistency and intensity, I knew it wasn’t time to go
the hospital yet, I knew they were going to tell me I was the same and
that we would end up at home. Cj and my birth photographer who was with us just
in case this was the real thing, told me just to go it was on the way home and
at least we knew what progress, if any, I had made. We live in Riverton and
were delivering at St. Marks so on the way home I decided we could just stop
and they could check me, but wasn’t hopeful. When we got there they
checked me and I was THE SAME. I knew it, and at this point I was discouraged
and annoyed, not with my body just that I KNEW and hadn’t trusted my instincts
enough to just say no and go home. My midwife called me and told me she thought
I just needed to try and eat something and sleep, even for just an hour, she
thought that my body would relax enough and kick back into labor. Cj and I
stopped at the store on the way home and got a few last minute things, went
home attempted to eat a pb&j and then we went to sleep. We fell asleep at
about 11:30pm and at 2:45 am I woke up with some pretty intense contractions,
this was a whole new ball game than the contractions I had been having. I knew
this was it, and all my body needed was some rest. I woke Cj up and asked him
to draw me a hot bath, I labored at home in the bath listening to hypnobirthing
tracks and breathing through my contractions. Cj was making sure I had a cold rag and was
drinking water and stayed in the bathroom with me the whole time timing my
contractions. When they reached about 2 ½ minutes apart lasting about 50-60
seconds I felt it was time to go to the hospital. More than anything I felt I
needed my midwife and her support, contractions were getting intense and I
needed her. We got to the hospital at about 6:00 am and my midwife was there
within 20 minutes for labor support, she checked me and I was at a 6. It was
progress at least, not as much as I would have thought but progress never the
less. I was hooked up to the monitor for about a half hour and leaned over the
bed as Cj did counter pressure on my lower back. After that I got into the
Jacuzzi tub which felt AMAZING. I loved being in the water at this point in my
labor. The tub was big and jetted and it felt amazing to just be able to relax.
Contractions were easy to manage at this point in the tub, my midwife and Cj
sat on the edge and had hands on me through every contraction helping me relax
and stay focused. It was at this point in my labor I no longer wanted to listen
to my hypnobirthing tracks and I just wanted to follow my instincts. I
definitely know hypnobirthing helped me immensely in early labor and even the
months leading up to labor helping me become prepared and relaxed. I listened
to my body and the way it told me to sit, lay, move and especially how to
breathe. Breathing really is the most important part of coping with
contractions in my opinion; it was something I could focus on and stay relaxed.
Also making noise was incredibly helpful, I wasn’t loud but would breathe in
and “ooooohhhh” my breath out with a low hum. There was so much energy in my
body it needed some way to escape and low humming noises was what I needed to
do that. Time was a blur to me and before I knew it is was already 8:00 am I
wanted my midwife to check me and I was at a 7. She said I could stay in the
tub another hour but after that needed to get out and change position, my body
was just so relaxed I think I was progressing slowly, not to anyone else but to
me it seemed slow. At 9:00 I got out of the tub and things really got intense,
I labored on my hands and knees for a while but what felt best was to face Cj
and put my hands over his shoulders as he supported all my weight and my
midwife did the double hip squeeze. At
10:00 I got checked and was only at an 8, I was starting to become exhausted
since I had pretty much been up since 6:45 Wednesday morning. My waters were
still intact midwife could tell there was quite a bit of fluid between his head
and my cervix and if she broke my waters that it would put direct pressure on
my cervix and things would go much faster. I was all about it; I had been in
labor 26 hours at this point and was exhausted I was pretty much falling asleep
between every contraction. It took her
forever to break my waters; the sac was so strong and healthy. Once it was
broken things progressed extremely fast and contractions were about every 1
minute and lasting 1 ½ minutes and were INTENSE. I told them I didn’t think I
could do it any longer, I was so tired and contractions were hard. It was right
then that my body had the urge to push, with that first push of my body I also
had the urge to puke and right as my nurse was bringing me a bag I puked all
over her, like projectile orange popsicle puke. I felt so bad but I am sure
that is nothing compared to some of the things they see. My midwife wanted to
check and make sure I was complete before I started pushing because it had only
been about 45 minutes since my waters broke, I was complete and started pushing
as my body told me to. I was on the bed using a squat bar while pushing but it
was too physically demanding, I was too tired to sit and hold myself up so I laid
on the bed semi reclined in a side lying position. 25 minutes of pushing with
no tearing and our beautiful baby boy made his entrance into the world. Hutch
Ward Nordin was born on July 10th at 11:07 am weighing 7 pounds 14 oz.,
19.5 inches long. He had a head full of dark curly hair and was absolute
perfection. We spent the next hour snuggling skin to skin and nursing. I had a beautiful unmedicated birth, with just
my midwife and Cj there with me. The room was always dark and quiet and
everyone was respectful of our decision to have a peaceful natural birth. When
I think back on this day I can’t help but get a little teary eyed, it was the
most amazing life changing and empowering experience. I have a whole new
respect for my body and what it is capable of. My body carried life for 39
weeks 2 days, labored and birthed him perfectly and now feeds and nourishes
him. Pretty amazing if you ask me. Cj was amazing as always during my labor and
was with me through every contraction helping anyway he could. I never knew I
could love him as much as I do until I saw him become a father. The love he has
for Hutch is amazing and I love watching them together, he is the best daddy we
could ask for.
I am so thankful we hired
a birth photographer and have these pictures forever to look back on and
remember this day in our lives. I cherish them so much, and If you need an
amazing photographer call Alicia Arlene Photography. ;) These are also in an album on my Facebook if you want to take a closer look!
