My Birthing Story: Part 2 Active Labor, Birth, and the Best Nurses Ever!

Now in the hospital, it was clear that active labor was in full swing. Wondering how we got here read Part 1!

What is active labor? Well, it’s essentially when your cervix is 6 cm dilated. This is when your contractions are longer and stronger. Before going into labor, I use to always ask how will I know it’s labor and not just Braxton hicks or false labor? Well, let me tell you, you WILL know if you are in labor, there is no mistaking it for something else.

Looking at my laboring wish list I wanted to try to labor without medication as long as possible BUT as soon as I was admitted, I asked for the juice (epidural)! I couldn’t take it anymore; you non-medicated moms are warriors in ways I couldn’t be!

Whether you decide to go medicated or unmedicated, is such a personal decision. I had been laboring in my lower back for almost 6 hours now and back labor is a different beast. You know when you’re having back labor as it spasms and tenses up solely in your lower back and even sometimes down to your legs.

I couldn’t talk, I couldn’t move, I was not myself at all. I remember the doctor and our wonderful nurse were talking to me and explaining what needed to happen to get the epidural while we waited for the anesthesiologist, do I remember listening to them at all? NOPE. I was just breathing through each contraction as they came and went with a vengeance. I was in so much pain I ended up throwing up, thankfully my husband remembered where the hospital stashed the puke bags from our tour!

My anesthesiologist was an angel! While hunched over, sweating profusely (because labor raises your body temp like you’re in a sauna) he placed that needle so well that I not only felt instant relief but was also able to still have all my mobility. The nurses and doctor were all impressed with how I was able to rotate without help and adjust my body as needed.

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QUICK PAUSE

Those getting an epidural know that almost all hospitals will not let you get out of bed and walk around or labor in any water due to all the wiring you will be stuck with. I REALLY wanted to labor in the hospital's huge jacuzzi tubs but since I got the epidural, I was not able to do so. Second, you will have a catheter since you can’t get up to use the bathroom, let alone feel when you have to go.

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I digress, after getting an epidural I was cool as a cucumber; chatting with the nurses and family, laughing, and even was able to make better decisions for my care with a clear head. Then I got hungry… for those that don’t know, if you birth in a hospital they don’t typically let you eat. I did break the rules though since I hadn’t eaten in a full day and threw up anything I munched on.

Relaxed and reading the admittance paperwork

When I say I ate, I had ginger ale and ice cream so not the most nutritious food but I needed a boost since I was so tired. By this time, it was closer to midnight and I was comfortable enough to sleep, with my stepmom and husband there and settled it was time for this mama to sleep finally!

smiling and ready to take a well deserved nap

Throughout the night the nurse kept coming in to have me turn over. This is because with an epidural it is important to keep your body moving so blood flows through your entire body. I also got these stylist compression boots put on to keep blood flowing in my numb legs.

On of the many positions, sporting my stylish compression boots

By 7 a.m. I had gotten another nurse who would end up being present for the birth of our peanut. I had been in several different positions but, alas my water still had not broken and I was only 8 cm. By this time, I had a choice to either have them break my water or wait to see if peanut would come down enough to break the water. I decided to have them break my water, which legit feels like you just instantly pee yourself (such a weird feeling). If I had waited labor could have gone on for another day. We didn’t have the patience to wait any longer for peanut and I was just honestly ready to get it over with.

After breaking my water things really intensified. I felt an overwhelming urge to push but not being at 10 cm just yet there was a risk of tearing my cervix and possibly hemorrhaging. The next 3 hours of telling myself to “relax and not push”, I whispered it repeatedly, trying not to push. It feels like you have to poop quite honestly, so much so that your body tries to do it without you even actively pushing.

Regardless I knew we were getting close and this is when things started to hit me. I was going to meet my baby today. My life was going to change. I was going to be a mom. The tears started and I was preparing for the hardest, yet most exciting chapter of my life so far.

As my nurse set up my room for peanuts' arrival, I took one final nap for over an hour. It felt as though it was my body's way of saying we were resting to get ready for the final mile. Sure enough, when I woke up from my nap, the nurse checked me and I was 10 cm which meant time to push!

I will avoid getting into the graphic details of birth since there are enough traumatizing videos online that share those visuals. What I will share is that per my laboring wish list, I did not want to push on my back the whole time. I wanted to squat, be on my hands and knees, and on my side. My lovely nurse kept me moving throughout each set of 3 pushes. As I felt the contraction, I took a cleansing breath in and out before going for the big push.

I got so sweaty that while on my hands and knees pushing, I practically threw my laboring gown off and kept pushing completely naked and that felt so much better as my body cooled down. After pushing for an hour and a half at 11 a.m. on June 5 (my due date) peanut was placed into my arms!