Positive Hospital Birth with Unsupportive OB
It’s almost been a year since I had my wonderful son and I’m due in the fall with my second, figured it was time to share my story! It’s a long one, but so was my labor so please excuse me 😂
Pre Labor
I knew I wanted to go unmedicated before I got pregnant. I wanted to avoid a c-section and the potential risk of interventions (however minor) to my unborn kid. If you haven’t read Natural Hospital Birth by Cynthia Gabriel, I highly highly recommend it. I knew which OB I wanted and was fortunate I got in with her. She was supportive of unmedicated births and low interventions.
She was comfortable with me going to 41 weeks, and then to 42 weeks with additional monitoring. My kiddo came at 41+1. We did two membrane sweeps. Of course I went into labor the weekend she was out of town and the OB I didn’t want was on call! I didn’t want her as my friend had delivered with her and complained she had horrible bedside manner.
Early/Active Labor
Contractions started late Friday night. I tried to sleep and got a couple hours in, by early Saturday afternoon I felt I was uncomfortable enough to want to go to the hospital (which is 40 minutes away). We get there and I’m 100% effaced, 1cm dilated. Not enough to be admitted but they decide to do an ultrasound since I was overdue. My fluids were barely low enough to warrant an induction.
OB gets there and immediately wants to start a Pitocin drip. I tell her I really want to go unmedicated and would prefer not to go on Pitocin. She proceeds to tell me most women that come in wanting to go unmedicated don’t follow through because they don’t prep enough. I ask if I can start with a Foley ballon instead (something I had read in this group that week!!). She agrees and goes to insert it, asks if I’d be okay with my water being broken in the future to speed up labor, to which I consent.
Not five minutes later, she goes “OH, you’re 4cm, too dilated for the Foley anyways.” And proceeds to take it out when I feel a gush and “Whoops, I accidentally broke your water.” I’m slightly suspicious she did it on purpose, especially after having asked a short period of time beforehand!? Anyways, she agrees to let me labor naturally.
Hubby and I watch some tv, bounce on the yoga ball, sit in the whirlpool tub. I had AWFUL back labor which I was afraid of having. I was dilating so slow, it was a little disappointing every time they came to check. At one point, I was soaked in sweat so hubby called the nurses to check on me. Turns out I was running a fever and was given IV antibiotics for chorioamnionitis.
Transition
Then I finally hit it - transition. I don’t remember the exact pain of it, I just remember turning to my husband and telling him I didn’t want to give birth anymore. Bless his heart, he tells me, “well… I’m sorry…. it’s a little too late for that.” At this point I asked for a shot of Nubain as they didn’t offer laughing gas. To my dismay, I could still feel the contractions, I was now in pain and loopy. Hubby and I laugh about this now, he remembers my disappointment. But it got me through transition.
Pushing
I finally hit 10cm and thought I could finally push this kid out of me. No one told me sometimes there’s a gap between hitting 10cm and baby being low enough to push. So I spent a couple hours pushing for no reason. If you don’t feel a violent need to push, ladies, try to relax and enjoy the little break. It was now around 6am on Sunday. I was exhausted and nodding off when I suddenly felt like I HAD to push. Probably TMI but it felt like diarrhea. There’s no holding it in. However, the OB on call had gone home since I was progressing so slow so there was no one to deliver my son. The nurse tried to tell me to breathe through the contractions and I straight up told her “NO” and “I CAN’T.” She panic called the doctor because I was crowning, thank goodness the OB had gotten curious about me and driven to the hospital when she did. Not ten minutes after she walked in the door, my son was out. I’ll never forget the instant relief. One second I was feeling the ring of fire and then plop, he was out once his head was free. I sat up to look at him and remember thinking “yuck, what a mess” on the doctor’s gown. It looked like she had been splattered by a car driving through a mud puddle. My son did poop during labor/delivery so not entirely sure of it was mine or his ha!
Postbirth
I’m so grateful we were already at the hospital because he had swallowed some meconium and needed help breathing. He also got a round of IV antibiotics, but we avoided the NICU. I had some minor tearing with minimal stitches needed. I did consent to pitocin to deliver the placenta, but it was pretty anticlimactic. I don’t even remember feeling contractions or it coming out.
I showered within two hours of giving birth - it was glorious. I loved being mobile right away and the pain and discomfort of late pregnancy/labor disappearing as soon as baby is out. My crotch and tailbone were sore, but no more heartburn and I could BREATH! Also, I didn’t think the uterus massages were as bad as some people said they were.
If you’ve made it this far… I hope this encourages and empowers you to advocate for yourself. If I hadn’t know I could “refuse” the pitocin, I probably would’ve ended up with an epidural. Know your bodies and be educated on your options! I hope you have easy labors and enjoy all the newborn snuggles. Labor is so short in the grand scheme of things and it gets you to your baby! We can do this!!