ging-ging
11-28-2002, 05:22 AM
Active labor began as I was leaving the grocery store with mom, Grace, and the Thanksgiving turkey, among other things Contractions began at 3:45 or so, 3 minutes apart and peaking after about 35-45 seconds. I got in the door to the house and called my midwife, and she came over about 45 minutes later. She checked me, water still intact, and dilated to 6 cm or so. I labored on my hands and knees for a while, tucking my tush and tightening my abs as I did pelvic rocks and cat stretches.. arching my back felt really good as I tightened my tush and abs, not sure why. Needed something to relieve the tailbone pressure! Then I got on the birthing ball awhile where Sonya applied counterpressure to my knees, pushing toward my back, and my mom applied heat from a rice sock. Then I got brave and stood through a few, hanging onto the fridge a while (was bigger than me and could support my weight. I was rocking and swaying my hips and moaning through contractions. Rob, Audrey, Sonya, and my mom finished setting up and filling the birth tub in my kitchen, and I decided to get in. (Audrey is my midwife, Sonya is her friend and the childbirth assistant/doula). Audrey said later that she thinks I went from 6 to 10 in the two contractions that I stood for and the first contraction I had in the tub. But she never checked me again.
I hadn't been in more than about 5 minutes when I started feeling the urge to push, but I tried to hold out for a while... not stopping what my body was doing, but also not helping the pushing. I spent so much effort pushing Grace out that I wanted my body to be pushing before I began exerting the effort to help. . I was on my hands and knees for a while, then I got on my bottom in the tub, and sorta lifted my hips up and swayed as I moaned. My body started pushing during every contraction, and I just went with it, hanging back sometimes, pushing sometimes. She was out in about 8 pushes, totalling 20 minutes.
Her name is Lillian Hazel, and she was born after 3 hours and 50 minutes of active labor. She weighs 9 lbs 4 oz and is 21 3/4 inches long. Two pounds heavier and 2 inches longer than Grace was. I have the same small tear as last time, 2 stitches worth, even though her head was 14 1/4 inches around!!
It was fantastic, quick, intense, and hard work!! She's a little lamb though, so sweet, very quiet, and sleepy, and has already latched on and gotten some good colostrum! She seems to know exactly how to nurse, and is rarely frustrated, if she's not sure she wants to nurse, she will just mouth and lick my nipple.
Thanks for your positive thoughts and support and prayers!
Jeni, Rob, Grace, and Lily!
I hadn't been in more than about 5 minutes when I started feeling the urge to push, but I tried to hold out for a while... not stopping what my body was doing, but also not helping the pushing. I spent so much effort pushing Grace out that I wanted my body to be pushing before I began exerting the effort to help. . I was on my hands and knees for a while, then I got on my bottom in the tub, and sorta lifted my hips up and swayed as I moaned. My body started pushing during every contraction, and I just went with it, hanging back sometimes, pushing sometimes. She was out in about 8 pushes, totalling 20 minutes.
Her name is Lillian Hazel, and she was born after 3 hours and 50 minutes of active labor. She weighs 9 lbs 4 oz and is 21 3/4 inches long. Two pounds heavier and 2 inches longer than Grace was. I have the same small tear as last time, 2 stitches worth, even though her head was 14 1/4 inches around!!
It was fantastic, quick, intense, and hard work!! She's a little lamb though, so sweet, very quiet, and sleepy, and has already latched on and gotten some good colostrum! She seems to know exactly how to nurse, and is rarely frustrated, if she's not sure she wants to nurse, she will just mouth and lick my nipple.
Thanks for your positive thoughts and support and prayers!
Jeni, Rob, Grace, and Lily!