Birth Story

I love me a good birth story, so I thought I'd write about Finley's birth for you! Is it your best day or what?

As an introduction, Benson came to us through a C-section. It was not expected, not wanted, but really needed in the end. We prayed and really felt good about it. I originally went in to be induced with him, but after several large contractions his heart rate went too low and the doctor had to get called in specially from his golf game. We know that because he was still in his golf clothes when he walked in to give us our options. That being said, this time I was anxious this whole pregnancy to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after C-section). I talked with my doctor about it at every appointment and she constantly reassured me that I was a good candidate for it (ps...I went with a practice with 5 different female doctors. It was nice to have a woman, but didn't really make that big of a difference for me. I honestly wish I could have tried a midwife, but I was too nervous being a VBAC. I just wanted the baby and I to be safe. Maybe in the future) Anywho, the appointments were wonderful, everything was great. I was told that they don't induce VBACs unless I showed some sign of progress (my cervix had to get into a certain position, I had to be a certain amount effaced, a little bit dilated, and my cervix had to be almost fully ripened on it's own) before they would induce me. Did you know they don't typically induce VBACs without these signs first? I didn't, and it made me nervous because if I went over (which I had with Benson) and I wasn't showing any progress they automatically had to give me a C-section. Something I was avoiding at all costs. I got pretty desperate at the end and tried just about everything to get the baby out on his own, but he was stubborn. At the last appointment I almost cried when she told me I made enough progress to get induced instead of waiting for the c section so we scheduled the induction for the 21st. I was terribly nervous that everything was going to go wrong again, especially because I was convinced that I had to have the c section with Benson because of my epidural. I had low blood pressure already and it affected me funny the first time. Which was why I was going to try to go natural. Ha. Mike's mom arrived the night before, and that night I got a blessing that everything was going to go great. I felt peaceful. We got to the hospital and hour late, but come on, she scheduled us for 6:30 AM and I knew they wouldn't deny me if I arrived late so we took our time. When I got there they did the normal prep work and then hooked me up straight away to the medicine. Contractions weren't bad for a while, but then they came and broke my water (which, by the way, was PAINFUL. Mainly because she had to stretch me out to a 3 manually before she could break my water. Ouch. Wouldn't recommend that everyday) Contractions got really painful after this and combined with the medicine, it was just getting worse and worse. I tried listening to that stinkin Hypnobabies at this point but I just couldn't stand her telling me that I was having a pain free calm birth and that I was feeling absolutely no pain when I most certainly was in a lot of pain. Plus, she was way too calm and all I wanted to do was punch her in the face...so we turned off the hypnobabies CD. I would totally recommend that course for the first part of labor, just not when it gets hard. Anybody who tells you childbirth doesn't hurt at least a little bit is lying. There is some degree of pain involved. But I digress. At this point I was really wanting the epidural so we called in the nurse and then it was just a waiting game for that wonderful wonderful anesthesiologist to come in. Those guys are miracle workers, heroes of our day. Meanwhile, I had told my poor husband before we walked into the hospital that under no circumstances should he let me get the epidural. But, the moment I said I wanted one he was calling the nurse for me telling her to get in there. Atta boy, Mike. I'm glad he did. The epidural was instantly relieving and awesome, so we played some games, watched some movies and took a nap while we waited for Finn to make his arrival. We had a great time, we felt like we hired a babysitter for a date or something. I don't remember how long later but the nurse came back in to check me and said I was at a nine and to wait to push because she was going to get a doctor. At this point the baby was already crowning and about ready to come out. My poor doctor was running around like mad trying to deliver three babies at once (It was literally like Father of the Bride part II, when the doctors were running around to the different rooms) This next part is my favorite part of the story. Pushing was easy and fast, about fifteen minutes. I never got this experience with Benson so I was LOVING it. What an awesome and spiritual experience (it sounds weird, but it truly was) to see one of your kids being born. To be the first person in the world to hold him and talk to him. To hear his first cry. It was a deeply personal and amazing experience and that's about the only way I can describe it without lessening it. I will always have that ingrained into my memory. That's about it at that point. I will write about the hospital later but thought I would give you some quick details. I know I wanted natural labor, but I am so grateful that the epidural worked and everyone was healthy. I'm grateful for an awesome nurse who talked me into the epidural and said my experience was just a freak accident, and that would almost never happen again with the second one. Anyways, I will write more later but that's how it all went down. We love our new little family of four!