Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Maizy's Beautiful Hypnobabies Birth Story

Excellent Birth Story, Origianal from moms blog

We used Hypnobabies for our birthing. They use some different terminology then you are used to. I also talk about the self hypnosis that I used. If anything doesn't make sense or you would like more of an explanation of what I'm talking about, feel free to ask. I'd love to share more info with anyone! At about 3 AM Tuesday June 19th I woke up to go to the bathroom. I noticed I was having some pressure waves (contractions) and that they were stronger and coming fairly frequently. I slept in between them for about an hour, then I started timing them. They were every 3-5 min apart and lasting about a minute. I was trying to do my finger drop technique (entering self hypnosis) at the same time trying to time my pressure waves. It wasn't working so great, I was too distracted. At 4:30 I got on my exercise ball, tried to relax and tell my cervix, open open open. I was finding it hard to relax and finally at 5:30 I decided I needed to listen to my Deepening CD.

I went downstairs and put it in and slept for about half an hour. At 6:30 our neighbor brought a wide awake Croix back home (he had been at their house from the night before when I wasn't positive if my water had broken and we went to the hospital). I ate some breakfast and went back to bed to see if I could sleep some more. After listening to my deepening DC I found it much easier to stay in my hypnosis. I stayed relaxed and comfortable through pressure waves even when interacting with Croix and eating breakfast. Even though I'd been having regular, strong pressure waves for 3 hours I was hesitant to declare it time to go to the hospital, after we had been sent home less then 12 hours ago. Once upstairs I couldn't sleep and my pressure waves were getting stronger, longer, and closer together (although I did not actually time them, I found that to be too distracting.) A little after 7 I hollered to Brent to get Croix ready we were going back to the hospital. He asked if my water had broken and I told him, no but I'm calling it, this is the real deal, time to go.

On the way there we text our Doula, Tricia, and the birth photographer. Tricia met us at the hospital shortly after we got out of triage and to our room. The birth photographer was unable to make it. So disappointing. So the photos we do have are not so great quality, but I'm still thankful to have them. (So please excuse blurriness, graininess, darkness, etc) We dropped Croix back off at our neighbors and headed to the hospital at 7:30. On the drive I put my head phones and listened to one of the Hypnobabies tracks. This really helped me to stay relaxed on the drive. When we got there I walked up the registration and said "hi! we're here to have a baby!" She asked if we were there for a scheduled induction or C-section. I didn't realize at the time why she had asked that but thinking about it now I'm sure it's because I didn't look like the average woman "in labor". I was calm, smiling and most important, not in pain. She then asked if I was having contractions and I told her yes, every few minutes, with a smile. Since we had just been there the night before going through registration was much quicker then the last time. I found it easy to stay relaxed as a pressure wave would come I'd put my light switch in the off position, breath, back to center and continue what I was doing. In triage they checked me, I was at 5.5 cm! I was excited. We were getting closer to meeting our baby!

After 20 minutes on the NST they took us to our room where they had the tub all ready for me. A little after we got to our room Maria the midwife came and checked in on us and asked how we were doing and asked if we needed anything. I told her everything was great! She told us if we needed anything just to let the nurse know and she'd be right there. We met our nurse Angie, she was great. She said to me, "I've never done a Hypnobabies birth before so I'm sorry if I say the wrong thing". I said to her, I've never done a Hypnobabies birth either, we'll do great together! The tub was awesome! So comfortable and relaxing. I was able to enjoy my birthing time with out any IV's and only intermittent monitoring. To do the monitoring the nurse would just bring a dopler over and listen to Maizy's heart beat before, through and after a pressure wave. I was able to stay in the tub for that which was great! She did that about every 30 minutes. The nurse had to put on these hilarious gloves that went clear up to her armpit every time she monitored me. For some reason it reminded me of a Veterinarian delivering a horse, or elephant or cow or some huge animal! Hilarious right? That was not the only thing we laughed about. We were talking and joking and enjoying our selves the whole time. When a pressure wave would come, I'd just turn off my light switch, focus and then go back to the conversation. There were a couple times when someone was talking to me when a pressure wave would come and I tried to talk to them rather then turning off my light switch. Those couple times I felt my body start to tense up and as soon as I turned my light switch off, I'd relax and be much more comfortable. It was amazing to me! I also used my peace cue and that was very effective and helpful in staying calm and relaxed. During Pressure Waves After At 11:10 Maria came in to talk to us. Her and Dr. Kells had a C-section to do at another hospital at 12:00. She wanted to check me and see how things were progressing before she left. I got out of the tub and was excitedly anticipating hearing I was at a 9 or something like that. She says, well you're at about a 6 so I think we'll be ok if I head over. I was so disappointed. I'd barely made any progress. I decided as wonderful as the tub felt it was time to try and get things moving. But not until after some lunch!

At 11:25 we ate some lunch. Then we went on a walk at 11:45. While we were walking during pressure waves I would lean on Brent and Tricia used a wrap around my belly and lifted. After about 4 pressure waves doing this my water broke, at 12 pm. I had lots of extra amniotic fluid and it was a huge gush, in the middle of the hall way. Not so envious of who ever has to clean that up! Funny how I had been so concerned about a prolapsing cord, or arm but in the moment it didn't even cross my mind. I could feel something was a little different with that pressure wave and it felt kind of nice when my water broke. Instantly I could tell things were different and we quickly headed back to our room. At 12:10 we got back to the room and I asked the nurse to check me, I was at an 8. Brent helping me stay relaxed while the nurse checked me. They called Maria. I heard the nurse say, "my patient is getting pretty active." I decided 2cm could take a while so I got back in the tub. I thought we had plenty of time for Maria to get there Brent using the relax cue Reading me some scripts. It seemed to me that almost instantly I felt like I needed to push! Which I thought I couldn't be to a 10 yet, so I better not, I (my body) couldn't be ready to push yet! But with the next pressure wave there was no way I could not push!

At 12:25 I got out of the tub and squatted and pushed for one pressure wave. The nurses wanted me to get on the bed, so I didn't give birth on the floor. I got on all fours to push on the bed. I remember hearing a nurse say something about getting any OB in there. They told me Ramona was coming and I smiled! Ramona is the midwife at the practice I like the most, the one I had wanted to be with me when I gave birth. I asked how far away she was and they told me she was just leaving the office, I thought I'm going to get Ramona she's only 10 min away!! I pushed with the next pressure wave and at that point I thought oh this hurts. I kind of whimpered "it hurts it hurts". Brent helping me while I pushed. Next pressure wave it burned and I said that. The nurse said yes she's doing a good job of stretching you out. I asked if she (Maizy) was there? She said yes you can feel her head. So at 12:32 I reached down and felt my baby crowing. (I think it's funny at that moment I wanted to shout, "how's my perineum?" I didn't :) I was shocked, I had pushed for an hour and a half with Croix. Here I was just a couple pushes in and she was already crowning. I also remembered with Croix his head would come out a little with a push and then go back in and that happened for such a long time. I wanted to make sure that didn't happen so with the next pressure wave I really bore down, and out came her head. The nurse said one more push for her shoulders. One more push and at 12:35 she was born. Brent was going to catch, and went down to do so when her head came out, but it all happened so fast he didn't get a chance to. The nurses kind of caught her, more they helped her land on the bed. The midwife, or any other doctor never made it. It was just me, Brent, Tricia, and the nurses. It was perfect.

At 12:45 Maria got there. She checked and said there was no tearing, just some minor abrasions. I was so happy to hear that! I was worried with how fast it had gone I would have torn. I was very glad my perineum was fine:) We waited to cut the cord until it stopped pulsing. Maizy came out perfect with a good cry. She scored a 9/9 on the Apgar. At 12:55 the placenta was delivered and it felt good to deliver the placenta, a little relief. And at 1:00 Maizy started nursing for the first time. We waited an hour or so to weigh her, just took some time to bond. She weighed in at 5 pounds 14 ounces, 19 inches long 12cm head. After a while another nurse came in and said what a great job I did. She said, I hear you even went pee by yourself. My slightly baffled response was "Yeah I'm such a big girl" When I got home and was using my water bottle after using the restroom I remembered having a hard time peeing after Croix, most likely from the catheter, and having to use water to help me start peeing. That helped me understand her comment. I heard from several nurses, what an amazing job I did. It really felt great to hear that from women who see births daily.

Maizy was doing great and I was feeling fantastic so the next morning I asked if we could be discharged. Twenty Four hours after she was born and our little family was headed home. I was confidant that Hypnobabies would work and I would have the birthing experience I wanted but I am still amazed at just how easy it really was. It was quick and comfortable. The only time I felt any real pain was when I was pushing her out. And even then I was not screaming out in pain, or crying, or vomiting, just quietly said it hurts. I felt/feel so much better afterwards this time then I did after Croix. I was immediately able to get up and walk around and I felt great! My body is/was not as tired. I am already (3 days post baby) not even taking Ibuprofen because I don't need it. When my milk came in I didn't get engorged (that can be caused by the excess fluids in your body from IV fluids during birthing time). A natural birth, a Hypnobabies birth was one of the best most beautiful experience of my life. It was perfection!

Friday, June 15, 2012

"I am planning on having an epidural. How would a doula benefit me?" Your doula's role is to assist you during birth, to comfort and support you. Giving birth to your baby is so much more than a medical procedure. It is an emotional, spiritual and physical journey. Having a doula with you can help smooth the crucial transition from pregnancy into parenthood. Both parents will benefit from the nurturing care a doula provides. Epidurals do not always take all the pain away. There are many reasons why an expectation of a "painless childbirth" may be an unrealisitc goal. You may still require the use of other forms of comfort measures during early labor and beyond. Although epidurals due reduce pain 90% of the time, few epidurals limit all pain. Here are some barriers that may hinder your desired "painless childbirth". Your labor may progress too quickly for you to receive an epidural. A pre-existing medical condition, low blood pressure, low hemoglobin levels, previous spinal injuries, or prior bad reactions to anesthesia may disallow epidural usage. Epidurals do not provide complete relief for back labor but will confine the mother to the bed and prevent her from doing many of the positions that relieve the pain of back labor. Often you must wait for the anesthesiologist to become available. You may need to wait while you receive 1-2 liters of I.V. fluid before the process of the epidural may begin. The procedure itself can take up to 30 minutes to perform, Once you have been given the epidural you may not have complete pain relief for another 20-30 minutes until the medication takes effect. Once you are close to complete dilation, the epidural may need to wear off to encourage pushing You may experience breakthrough pain Epidurals increase the likelihood of other painful interventions: IVs, urinary catheters, continuous fetal monitoring either externally or internally, frequent blood pressure monitoring, maternal fever requiring use of antibiotics & tests on baby (complete blood count, spinal taps), pitocin, forceps, vacuum extractors, episiotomy, and cesarean section. Sometimes the epidural gives only patchy pain relief, or doesn't give pain relief at all. Some women experience epidural induced pains after the birth: epidural/spinal headaches, postpartum backaches. Laboring is hard, so support is always welcome. portraitgallery/IMG_4601a.jpg If you experience any of the above situations, or if you prefer to avoid using the epidural until you are 5-6cm to reduce your chances of needing a cesarean, your doula will be invaluable in helping you use relaxation techniques, suggesting position changes, and using non-medical comfort measures. Over 70% of the time epidurals come with mild side effects. Although not considered medically serious, these side effects can be very unpleasant. All over the body itching, nauseas, shaking (“epidural shakes”) and confused nerves may send feelings of intense heat to the lower extremities. Many women find the deadened nerve sensation in their entire lower body to be very distracting and disconcerting (similar to having your lower jaw numbed when having a filling at the dentist). The loss of feeling and control in the legs can be distressing for some mothers. The doula will stay by your side, helping you cope with the side effects you have and giving you information about your options and choices. This link will take you to a news cast story concerning the servies doulas provide to clients. http://www.wlos.com/newsroom/health_alert/vid_82.shtml