My Birth Story

It wasn’t just the birth of my baby, but the birth of the new me, as a mother. #birthstory #midwives #doula #laboranddelivery #support #birthingcenter

It all started the night of April 11th, of 2019. I was 39 weeks and 3 days pregnant, with my first biological baby. “This was it,” the words I thought to myself as I started having bothersome contractions. They never really formed a pattern and weren’t too painful, so I figured I’d go to bed. Which is exactly what I was told to do, by my midwives and doula. I had a hard time sleeping due to the continual contractions all night. However, I continued on my day, as best I could. I got the kids up for school, made their lunch, and sent them on their way. I was unsure if I needed my Doula’s help, as my contractions worsened. Yes, they may have been stronger, but they weren't forming a pattern, so that is what had planted doubt in my mind. The contraction’s ranged from about four minutes to fifteen minutes apart. I timed my contractions for about an hour, and called my doula to come. Looking back, I know now that it was too early, when I had her come help me. Although, what’s done is done. We learn from our past, but we are unable to change it. Anyways, I labored for approximately three to seven hours before heading on over to the birthing center, to find out that I’m only dilated two centimeters. Even though I wasn’t too dilated, they still let me stay and labor to see if I’d progress. I did live almost an hour away, so I didn’t really want to get sent home. At this moment in time, the contractions are so strong and intense, my mind starts filling with doubt. Thinking to myself “I don’t know if I can do this,” ”if I’m only 2cm, how much worse is it going to get,” “maybe everyone was right, I will need an epidural,” etc. As time goes on, my midwives and doula are having me do all these awful positions to get baby to move in a better position. If we get baby to move, labor can progress. Then it happens, I become that expectant mom, no one wants to be. I get the news that I’m not progressing and I should go home, to try to get some sleep. As I’m sobbing, my doula tells me that this is a normal thing, called prodromal labor. Basically meaning it feels like labor, but your cervix is not dilating. She told this is labor and it’s not going to feel any different when your body starts dilating. Without those words of encouragement, I know I would’ve given up. My midwives recommended I see a chiropractor the next day, to see if getting adjusted will either progress labor or stop it. Alas, we all go home to return to our beds and try to sleep. The next morning comes and I was not able to sleep well, labor has not calmed down at all. I’m in so much pain. I’m trying to call all these chiropractors, but majority of them were closed, due to it being a Saturday. Thankfully, my doula found this super nice chiropractor that worked on me for about an hour and a half. She even stayed after hours to do so. It didn’t even take two hours later for labor to kick start. My husband calls my Doula and I’m getting her help again. This feels like the real deal, but there’s still the worry of I don’t want to get sent home, that won’t stop lingering in my head. Later, she recommends we head to the birthing center. I follow her advice, hoping I don’t get sent home again. I get there and I’m only 3cm. They let me stay and labor again. I labored for what felt like forever and ever. I finally reached 7cm and that is when my water broke. The contractions never really got worse than the prodromal labor, until my water broke. The water breaking caused my contractions to be stronger, harder, and closer together. By this point I had labored so long, I was so tired and didn't want to do it anymore. My cervix was swelling which was causing me not to finish dilating. My midwife took action and stretching my cervix, for what was an agonizing amount of time. I can not say I liked her too much then, but I am so grateful now. Finally the moment I’ve been waiting for I’m at 10cm, but what do I do? I fall asleep. Only God knows how long it was, but it was just long enough for me to have that energy to get back up and start pushing. I’m finally here! It took an hour and a half of pushing, but that final push came and, she was out. Every perfect inch of the beautiful human being I created for over nine months. I finally met my daughter. I realized then in that moment, I proved all those people wrong. All the people who said I’d need an epidural. I proved it to myself that I could have my all natural birth. I am stronger than I thought I was. Every woman is strong no matter what their birth story is, but this is something I wanted for me. At 3:23am on April 14th, of 2019, the person I knew before had changed. I am now a mother. Each birth story is beautiful. This is mine and I wouldn’t change anything about it. ~Renata Hale~ Doula at Born to Birth Services