asteroid B612

All the gory details. Read on at your own risk. ;-)

So it's hard to say when labor really started. Weeks of regular contractions that began around 34 weeks didn't help matters. Then in the last two weeks I hardly had any contractions--just a few random Braxton-Hicks here and there, which did not help my morale. But we don't need to dwell on my personal roller coaster of the end of the pregnancy. I'm just glad that part is over with.

The due date I figured was Sunday, May 25, which, incidentally, was the day he was born. heh, heh. I felt a little vindicated. On Saturday morning I lost my plug and began spotting. I don't think I could've been more cheerful than I was all day. I knew the end was in sight. I knew it could be a few more days but probably not much longer.

In the afternoon, I took a nap, because that is what one does when one resembles a whale, and just in case.. Around 4.30 I started to get very light contractions, that gradually seemed to fall into some regularity, but they were very light and short. In the evening we went over to my ILs for supper, and I'm feeling downright jolly. The contractions were get a tad stronger, and around 5.30 I was timing them at about 5-10 mins apart, though still pretty light and short. By 7 things were still pretty consistent and progressing a bit, so I thought it would be a good idea if Ellis spent the night with Grammy and Poppy, so while Chris was giving him a bath, I called the Birth Center to see what they thought.

My contractions were about 5 mins apart and getting a bit stronger, but still very manageable. Since I was Group B Strep positive, the midwife wanted me to come in right away so I could get a dose of the antibiotic. I was a little worried about leaving Ellis because he'd been in kind of a funky mood all week, so I got down next to him and explained that mommy and daddy were leaving and he was staying to sleep with Grammy (which he's done before, so wasn't a huge deal). He just looked at me and said "bye! bye!" and gave me a friendly shove, like, well, go on already! Ok. Ellis was cool.

We stopped by our house on the way to get our stuff and C made a pot of coffee. The contractions were getting a bit more uncomfy sitting in the car. We arrived at the Birth Center around 8/8.30. Some of my hindwaters had leaked on the way, but thankfully, I didn't have full water breakage. The midwife checked me and I was 3cm and 75% effaced, so I felt like we could settle in for the long haul. They gave a round of antibiotics by IV, which took about 20 mins, and then unhooked me leaving the heparin lock in my arm to hook up later if need be. Then I could move around freely.

By then it was dusk and it was a beautiful spring evening, so I just went outside and walked. And walked and walked. They have a nice little garden in the back, which was a pleasant, and we were the only family there, so I just took laps in the parking lot enjoying the refreshing night air touched with a scent of something nice and flowering. My parents came around 9.30/10; I had asked my mom to come. My sister was around, too. So I walked, sipped on my water bottle, chatted between contractions with my family, paused to work through contractions and give my pelvis a little rocking action, and then I would come in, go to the bathroom, the midwife would take a listen to the baby's heartbeat and take my temp, and then I'd go back outside. It was a very, very nice way to spend the first part of labor.

Around 10.30 I began to feel myself turning the corner a little bit. Contractions required more focus and were lasting longer. Around 11 I was ready for the jacuzzi. Once I got in there things really sped up. It was wonderful when I first got in, I could just let my body relax and I found the jet streams really soothing. As a result, I felt like what there was left to dilate went pretty quickly and contractions got really intense really fast, and I found myself vocalizing as a way to work through them, just some kind of release really helped.

Unfortunately, at the birth center, they don't do water births...something about regulations requiring a tub with open sides that they just weren't able to fit in with their floor plan. So when I started feeling like I had pressure to push (at about 11.30/45), I had to get out, which I was actually okay with. It was really intense even though I was in the water and I felt like I needed more support anyway. On the way to the bed I had a couple more contractions. When the midwife checked me I was 9 cm.

Then I hit that nether region of transition, which I don't really remember too much of. It was very, very intense. I don't really remember making a decision to push. All of a sudden my body was pushing. It was kind of crazy at first, but I found my groove to work with the contractions and the midwife was coaching me. I could feel his head gradually crowning. And then she said, "Ok, get the baby out in this next contraction." So I pushed like crazy and yelled like crazy, and out he came. They put him on my chest and he cried lustily.

But then they told me that he had a really long cord, and it was wrapped around his neck twice and around his feet. His heart rate had dropped just as he was descending, so she had had me push him out fast rather than in a controlled, supported way. So I ended up tearing my perineum and clitoral artery, which meant the next several minutes were devoted to the very unpleasant task of getting stitches. I was really bummed about the stitches, but really happy that Marlowe was okay. He was born at 12.12 am on Sunday morning, about four hours after we got to the birth center.

Marlowe stayed on my chest for a long time. He latched on after about fifteen minutes and sucked for almost an hour. When he seemed content, they went ahead and measured and weighed him. I was shocked that he was only 6'14"! I expected him to be a lot bigger. I love my tiny peanut baby, though, so I'm pleasantly surprised.

After everything got situated and quieted down, and my parents left to spend the night at our apartment, I took a quick shower, and then Chris and I snuggled to sleep with our little baby. I actually didn't sleep for very long, though. Hormones, adrenalin, staring at the baby.

Ellis came in the morning with a big balloon for the new baby. He loved the baby instantly and has been hugging and kissing him and signing "I love you" ever since. I had matching shirts for the boys and we went home around noon.

I've been convalescing at home ever since. My mom and sister have been here taking care of me and Ellis has spent a few nights with Grammy. Recovery is going well, but the stitches make it harder. (grr) I'm really tired, though. I haven't been sleeping well.

Marlowe has been nursing well. He has a good latch with minimal coaching. Yay! It took Ellis a good month to get a good latch. It's nice to have experience on my side this time. Marlowe has dark hair and brown eyes. Yesterday the nurse came out from the birth center for one last checkup. He passed his hearing screen; we definitely notice him startling more than Ellis ever did. Chris already has nicknamed him "Peanut".

Having a baby at a freestanding birth center with a midwife was infinitely better than my hospital experience!! Night and day. I had also contemplated doing a home birth, but in the end, I was happy with the birth center. I liked not having to think about gathering supplies together, but I missed building a relationship with one midwife. There were seven at this birth center, and I just got whoever was on call. She was great and I had a really good experience. Most of all, though, I really liked the freedom I had. It was nice to manage my own labor and be in a comfortable environment.