After only an hour or so, they moved me into a labor room. I was surprised considering when they moved me I was only 3 cm dilated. The plan was to get me hooked up to some wireless monitors and send me on a walk to get the labor progressing faster. Once I was hooked up they noticed some variables (fluctuations in the heart rate outside of the normal parameters) so they wanted me to stay in the room hooked up to an IV. I was pretty unhappy about them giving me an IV line and refused it at first. The nurse got a little snippy about my refusal but I held my ground and requested to talk with the midwife so that she could explain the reasoning. I was drinking ALOT of water and it seemed ridiculous especially since those things really bother me. I always feel a lot of pain despite the fact I am reassured over and over again that I won't feel anything but the initial pinch. Excuse my implied French but BS. The midwife explained that while the variables weren't extremely worrisome there were enough that they wanted me prepped for any situation. She did offer to delay placing it and then discuss it again if I would prefer. I did prefer so that is what we did. I think I earned about another hour of needle free time. We did come back to it and I ended up accepting its placement. I had them do it in the back of my hand instead of the crook of my arm as I was often folding my arms and leaning over the bed so I didn't want it in the way. Well that backfired when I needed to be on all fours and my hand was bent right where the IV was so it interfered there too. I have since heard of a woman having it placed in her foot so it wouldn't interfere... not sure that would have worked for me though since I was going to labor in water.
Back to the topic at hand... I asked for a rocking chair since Emily had told me she really enjoyed having that during labor and that is primarily what I used once they brought it in. I put a small electric heating pad at the small of my back and sat in the rocking chair. When a contraction hit I would rock faster and Evan would often remind me to relax. We had heard of a method to make sure I was relaxed I had to make my arm limp and he would shake or pat it to check. Evan had read parts of The Birth Partner, Third Edition: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Doulas, and All Other Labor Companions by Penny Simkin and it was a very valuable tip he used to help me. In addition, the weekend before I went into labor a woman on my Natural Un-Medicated Childbirth board had posted about a friend of hers who had recommended making a motorboat sound during contractions. Both the friend and the original person had said it helped immensely so I had put it at the back of my mind as something I could use...and I did! It did help, both by giving me something to concentrate on and it helped relax my jaw which helps relax your pelvis (they mirror each other).
When I reached 5 cm everyone in the room was very happy! Labor was progressing nicely and I still hadn't asked for pain meds... yippee for me! At about 6 cm I asked them if they could get started with the laboring tub business. I'm glad I asked then because I think I was at 8 cm when I ended up getting in! It took them awhile both because it was a huge tub and because they had to go get it fill the tub with air then fill it with water. Shortly before it was filled I went to the bathroom thinking I needed to go (I'd been thinking that for hours it just never happened) and when I got up from the toilet I had a gush of fluid...My WATER! It had finally broken! I started feeling more pressure and told them outside of the bathroom that I though my water had broke. At that point in time I actually felt an urge to push but I didn't want them not allowing me into the water so I kept that info to myself : / Part of me even thought I could start pushing while in the water and have the waterbirth I so wanted. Not the smartest idea in hindsight but it did cross my mind. As I left the bathroom I had more fluid gush out and this time the nurse was able to get a good look at it and she felt like it looked okay (no or very little meconium) but she confirmed it was amniotic fluid. I was helped into the water which was slightly cold for my taste so they threw warm towels over my shoulders. My desire to push was getting much stronger at this point and I felt kind set adrift in the tub since I couldn't put one of my hands in the water (the one with the IV) to steady myself. I was still keeping the pushing desire to myself but I wasn't pushing yet since I knew it was unlikely I was fully dilated. Well about that time my wireless monitors came loose and the nurse was trying to get them back in place under the water... It was hard work and every time she thought she had it they would come loose again. My urge to push got stronger....the pressure was building... and the nurse asked me to get out of the tub. As I was getting out about four people rushed into my room to help, they ushered me onto the bed...
Stay tuned for Part III
Back to the topic at hand... I asked for a rocking chair since Emily had told me she really enjoyed having that during labor and that is primarily what I used once they brought it in. I put a small electric heating pad at the small of my back and sat in the rocking chair. When a contraction hit I would rock faster and Evan would often remind me to relax. We had heard of a method to make sure I was relaxed I had to make my arm limp and he would shake or pat it to check. Evan had read parts of The Birth Partner, Third Edition: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Doulas, and All Other Labor Companions by Penny Simkin and it was a very valuable tip he used to help me. In addition, the weekend before I went into labor a woman on my Natural Un-Medicated Childbirth board had posted about a friend of hers who had recommended making a motorboat sound during contractions. Both the friend and the original person had said it helped immensely so I had put it at the back of my mind as something I could use...and I did! It did help, both by giving me something to concentrate on and it helped relax my jaw which helps relax your pelvis (they mirror each other).
When I reached 5 cm everyone in the room was very happy! Labor was progressing nicely and I still hadn't asked for pain meds... yippee for me! At about 6 cm I asked them if they could get started with the laboring tub business. I'm glad I asked then because I think I was at 8 cm when I ended up getting in! It took them awhile both because it was a huge tub and because they had to go get it fill the tub with air then fill it with water. Shortly before it was filled I went to the bathroom thinking I needed to go (I'd been thinking that for hours it just never happened) and when I got up from the toilet I had a gush of fluid...My WATER! It had finally broken! I started feeling more pressure and told them outside of the bathroom that I though my water had broke. At that point in time I actually felt an urge to push but I didn't want them not allowing me into the water so I kept that info to myself : / Part of me even thought I could start pushing while in the water and have the waterbirth I so wanted. Not the smartest idea in hindsight but it did cross my mind. As I left the bathroom I had more fluid gush out and this time the nurse was able to get a good look at it and she felt like it looked okay (no or very little meconium) but she confirmed it was amniotic fluid. I was helped into the water which was slightly cold for my taste so they threw warm towels over my shoulders. My desire to push was getting much stronger at this point and I felt kind set adrift in the tub since I couldn't put one of my hands in the water (the one with the IV) to steady myself. I was still keeping the pushing desire to myself but I wasn't pushing yet since I knew it was unlikely I was fully dilated. Well about that time my wireless monitors came loose and the nurse was trying to get them back in place under the water... It was hard work and every time she thought she had it they would come loose again. My urge to push got stronger....the pressure was building... and the nurse asked me to get out of the tub. As I was getting out about four people rushed into my room to help, they ushered me onto the bed...
Stay tuned for Part III
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