Birth Story of the Week- Leanna + Corwin

This week Leanna shares her story of a beautiful hospital birth. 

I love this birth story not just because I was there but because it's a great reminder that while internal checks to assess dilation are an important tool used to measure the progress of labour it's not the only thing we should be paying attention to! Thank you for your submission and for choosing me to be your doula!!

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13 days past my estimated due date, I was induced in the morning via cervidil inserted into my cervix. It was super uncomfortable and they told me I could have cramping and would have to come back the next morning for another dose if I didn't go into labour. I hoped so hard that I would go into labour before having to return for that second dose! I spent the morning reading birth affirmations like "my body knows how to do this" and "my baby will come at exactly the right time". 

That afternoon I started feeling cramps but unlike contractions they were steady with no breaks. I figured nothing was happening. By that evening though, I couldn't sit or stand comfortably. I was crying because I felt intense pressure on my bladder like I had to pee so badly, but couldn't. I spent a lot of time on the toilet upset that I couldn't relieve the pressure.

Later that evening, my husband George and I lay down in bed which was sort of the most comfortable position I could find and were watching Parks and Rec on his phone (because I couldn't sit up in the living room to watch tv). At a particularly funny part, I laughed and suddenly felt this bubble (which I assumed was gas) make a sort of popping sound like a balloon, and then water poured out between my legs! My water had broken naturally, thankfully, which meant I didn't have to have my membranes ruptured at the hospital. George called Falon, our doula, while I tried to clean up.

When Falon arrived I was still crying, the cramping was intense and I still felt the need to go to the bathroom but couldn't. I threw up a couple times which I knew was a sign that labour could be starting! I stayed home as long as I could, which was my plan, but George convinced me to head to the hospital around 11pm in case things were progressing. I feared being a first time mama who arrived at the hospital only to be sent back home.

The drive was only about 5 minutes but felt so hard because I couldn't sit or walk comfortably. I tried hard once we arrived not to make noise during the cramping because there were people around and I felt so self conscious. It felt like hours by the time Falon wheeled me in the wheelchair up to the maternity ward on the second floor.

When we arrived, the triage room was empty so I started making loud and low sounds again during contractions. A nurse came to do an internal check to see how dilated I was. Her hands were in there for what felt like forever and I remember crying out: "please stop please stop!" When she did, she announced that my cervix was so "high" she couldn't reach it and therefore I wasn't dilated at all. What did that mean? I demanded. That I should go home and come back later. I panicked because the trip there had been so difficult I couldn't imagine doing it again. Also-- not dilated at all?? So this mad pain was just a precursor to actual labour?! The nurse offered me a shot of morphine for the pain before I left, but I wanted an unmedicated birth if possible so I turned her down.

We were standing there and George announced that if they didn't admit me, we'd go scream in the hallway until they let me in. Minutes later the nurses offered us use of a delivery room- they said I could use the tub and shower and call them back in if I felt like I wanted them to check my dilation progress later on. 

Falon and George tried helping me with the tub which I thought would be relaxing, but it was impossible to sit. Frustrated, I asked them to leave the bathroom and spent time on the toilet again.

Later, Falon and George suggested I use the shower and remain standing. They turned it on hot and I immediately felt relief. The contractions were slightly more manageable when I ran hot water over my back and belly. We had a bench in the shower too and I started sitting during contractions because my legs were giving out. The rest of the time I stood, swaying, holding the shower bar for dear life, and crying out things like: "I hate it! Why?? This is so hard! Why is this so hard?!" (Mostly because I thought I still wasn't in actual labour). Eventually I started crying out "I'm okay, it's okay" over and over in an attempt to convince myself. I couldn't tell how long I was in there, George said later it was around 3 hours.

George and Falon kept checking on me and brought water and offered encouraging words. I mostly kept asking them to leave the bathroom because I was yelling so much I wanted to be in private. I found making low primal sounds to be the most effective and what came naturally (to my surprise). I had made up a labour playlist on my phone but when the time came I didn't want any music at all.

The contractions got more intense and closer together. George came in and asked if we could call the nurses back because it seemed like I was progressing. I finally agreed, but in my head I told myself "if they say I haven't dilated, I will ask for a c-section". That was an incredible thing to think, seeing as a C-section was actually my greatest fear.

Somehow I got into the bed on my back, though it was an extremely uncomfortable position. A different nurse came and George and Falon explained what had happened. The nurse said she would do an internal check and I braced myself. She said she couldn't feel my cervix so I started crying. Then I heard Falon say: "Leanna!" to get my attention, and I listened to the nurse again and she was saying she couldn't feel the cervix because it was completely dilated!! I was ready to have the baby right now! And then I heard another nurse say: "and she won't even have to push barely at all!" NO PUSHING?! I got a second wind and felt invincible. They also offered me nitrous oxide to help me through the last contractions and it calmed me right down. George held my hand and I squeezed his tightly.

As soon as the doctor arrived (it was my OB on call!) they helped me set up for pushing. "Just a few minutes of pushing!" They said. And the nurses coached me how to breathe. Pushing felt amazing. Everyone was saying I was doing a great job and staying so calm. All I knew was it was just a few moments until meeting my baby!

I think I pushed 3 or 4 times over 15 minutes. The last push they said to give it all I had, so I did. And there was my baby!! No one announced the gender, they just lay baby on my belly and I could see the hair on top of baby's head. George took a look and said proudly: "I guess I get to name him after all!"and that's how I knew I had a son. 

Afterwards I was given more nitrous oxide during the placenta delivery and stitches,but having my baby on my chest gave me endorphins so I barely noticed anything. In the end I had to have two pitocin injections and an IV to help my uterus contract down. Other than that, I didn't take any pain medication during the birth. 

Overall I was thrilled with how my birth unfolded. It was primal and powerful. My favourite part was the pushing and feeling my baby arriving.

I'm so excited to be sharing Birth Story of the Week as a regular feature! 
This project is about bringing our stories together and providing a wonderful resource for new and expecting families in our community. All births are wonderful and should be celebrated, no matter what type of birth (home, hospital, midwife/ OB, doula supported or not) if you would like to share your birth story please email it to info@nestedbirth.com a photo or two would also be great.

Stories will be featured on my social media platforms and blog. My hope is that we can educate families on the options available in our community, provide healing and empowerment through sharing and of course CONNECTION.