Birth: Putting Things Into Perspective

You Need to Expect the Unexpected

by Shelly

My daughter's birth was a hospital/pitocin/epidural affair. The hospital part was planned. The rest was not. While not dead set on a natural delivery (I'm no hero) I wanted to try to make it without medication as long as possible. I didn't want an induction. Probably mostly because I wasn't uncomfortable. I was a week overdue, but didn't have that "get this over with" feeling. I didn't have any health issues, and bean seemed fine. I did have a partial previa, which I had known about since roughly week 20 or so. For this reason, I had regular ultrasounds, had seen the "high risk" doc, and I knew that a C section could be a possibility. Fortunately, by my due date, it looked like the placenta was just far enough away from the cervix for me to attempt a vaginal delivery. I was scheduled for a non stress test the morning after my water broke. It was greenish black, which meant bean was swimming in meconium. We went straight to the hospital, and I was put on pitocin to speed things up. I would have protested, but because of the meconium and the risk of bean aspirating it, it seemed best.

Well, pitocin sucks. It was not on my "birth plan" at all. In addition to this, I had a tube shoved up there to help circulate water so that it didn't get too low. I was scared to death of getting an epidural, but I did get one. I just could not take the contractions after about 6 hours or so. It pretty much only worked on side, and hurt like a mofo going in. My right lower half was completely numb and dead to the world. The left was perfectly functional and I could feel just about everything. It may have taken the edge off somewhat, but I could still feel it. 12 hours after leaving for the hospital, bean was born. The actual delivery was not at all what I expected. It was actually the least scary and painful part. And it was exhilarating and wonderful. For about 10 minutes.

After the birth, I started to hemorrhage. I don't remember what all happened, what meds I was given, or anything much at all really. I know that my placenta ruptured. I don't know if it had anything at all to do with the previa. I don't know if it could have been prevented. I honestly think it was a random thing. That's what I'm going with, anyway. I sure don't want to think about repeating it if we have any more children.

All in all, things may not have gone exactly as I "planned", but I was able to allow bean to come in her own time (sort of), and I did get to deliver her vaginally. And if it had not been for the loss of blood and being pretty much robbed of those first couple of days with bean (not to mention that it took MONTHS to start to feel human and get my energy back) I would say that I had very few complaints about her birth. I would choose a hospital birth again, I would choose pitocin again (if it was in the best interest of the baby, but not for convenience or scheduling reasons) and I would not feel bad about choosing an epidural again. In the end, I had to abandon my plans and expectations and make the best decisions I could at the time. And I have a happy, healthy, curious 14 month old to show for it.

Here is a previously posted birth story, with a few more details ~ The Screaming Tomato: Birth Story

**Please let me know if you would like to share your birth experience and be apart of my blog series, "Birth: Putting Things Into Perspective" Feel free to contact me via email at 3menandalady06@gmail.com. This will not only give someone the opportunity to have a voice, but to educate someone on their options as a woman and mother.**