kahlua716
3 Girls for Me!
Member since 8/07 12475 total posts
Name:
Keri
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My Belated VBAC Success Story- Hannah Noel 12/3/12
I discussed my desire to have a vaginal birth with my doctor throughout my whole pregnancy and he was on board as long as I went into labor on my own by my due date and I didn’t have any complications. About a week before my due date, I was getting nervous. There was no progress yet and I was feeling defeated. He still didn’t schedule the section, saying anything could change within the week. He told me to come back in a week (2 days before my due date).
That Friday I was supposed to go to a dinner celebration for a friend who was going out as chief of the FD. I had been shopping all day and was feeling exhausted, my back hurt and my stomach was bothering me so I sent DH without me and stayed home with DD. Around 10pm that night I began feeling waves of pressure and pain in my lower back and rectum (sorry, TMI). I was texting with my sister and my gf asking them if it could be labor pains. Neither had a clue  . I tried going to the bathroom a few times with no luck. Around midnight I was finally able to go and then went to bed.
At 2am I woke up with more intense pain and pressure and tried, unsuccessfully to go to the bathroom again. I finally fell back asleep an hour later only to wake up at 4am again. I started timing the “waves” and they were 3 minutes apart and lasting about a minute. I figured I actually was in labor, but I didn’t want to rush to the hospital.
I waited until about 8am to call the doc and he told me to go over to the hospital. I showered and then we brought DD to my parents’ house and headed over to Good Sam. I was there by 9:45am. They checked me and I was only 1cm dilated, but the admitted me anyway.
My doctor showed up a little while later and told me he needed to go into the city and wouldn’t be back until 5pm. He kinda hinted that it would be easier if I just let him do a section before he left. He said things like (paraphrasing) “It’s going to be a long day. It won’t go quickly. I can’t do any interventions. I won’t be here if you change your mind…etc etc.” It annoyed me lol. I told him as long as there were other docs around I’d be fine. They offered me an epi right away but I declined.
I labored all day without an epi and it wasn’t too bad until about 7:30pm. At that point, I still didn’t want one, but I was exhausted and the nurse was scolding me for bearing down (the only thing that seemed to relieve the pressure in my back) and DH was sick of hearing me groan in pain every few minutes- so he took the bull by the horns and went to find someone. I had to wait for the anesthesiologist to come out of surgery so they checked me in the meantime. I figured if I was close- I would just stick it out (my insurance doesn’t cover much of the epi so I was also trying to avoid another $2000 bill :eyeroll:) The nurse checked me and I was only 2.5cm. I began to cry hysterically. I was soo disappointed! Since labor started at around 10pm the night before, I expected to be a lot further along. Regardless, it was what it was. I finally got the epi around 8:30pm (and cried through the whole thing lol). The doctor came back at that point and broke my water and started pitosin. A little while later they told me that my waters had merconium (sp?) in it and they were going to put a monitor on my cervix and flush my uterus with saline to clean it out. I fell asleep for about an hour and when I woke up I asked if they had put the monitor in and she said the doctor decided not to because the baby’s vitals were fine. I was thinking I must’ve really zonked out if I didn’t feel them inserting something into me!
At around 10:30 the epi started to wear off. I was feeling so much pressure and the pain was starting to get unbearable again. I asked if they could top it off and they decided to check me first. Finally, I was at 7.5-8 cm!! I was elated! They didn’t give me and more meds and started to prep the room for delivery- even though the doctor said it could still be hours (he had said I may be there all night waiting to dilate). DH decided at this point he needed to run home (only 2 miles away) to get the DVD player since the WIFI at Good Sam sucks. He was gone for about 15 minutes when the doctor came in to check me himself. I was a little over 9cm at that point, but the baby was still high. He told me to sit up for awhile and to start mentally preparing to push in about half an hour or so. I called DH in a panic to tell him to get back. Luckily he was already in the parking lot. He called my mom on his way up and told her half an hour. As soon as they sat me up I started vomiting. I guess the heaving (I know, gross TMI-sorry) kind of moved DD along the birth canal because I suddenly felt as if I were sitting on her head. I wanted to push so badly. I was panicking and asking where the doctor went. They leaned me back and he came rushing in. At that moment, I was sooo scared! I was thinking “Nevermind! I want a c-section!” They told me to push, and I did, with everything I had. DH asked how long it takes and the nurse answered anywhere from 30minutes to 2 hours or more. There was no way I was doing this for 2 hours! The next push I gave it all I had again. The doc commented to the resident about how strong I was- they could already see her head! One last push and out she came! The doc and resident literally had to catch her because she came out so fast!
I was elated, ecstatic, thrilled, proud, amazed, shocked and I don’t know what else all at once. It was the most amazing thing I have ever experienced! Delivering the placenta was a breeze- but being stitched up SUCKED! No one ever warns you about that part. After the 2nd push the doctor made a small cut and I also had 3 tears internally. He was coaching the resident while she did the stitching. It took every ounce of willpower to not kick her in the face  . It was painful and irritating! They aspirated my new baby girl because she swallowed a ton of fluid and merconium and then I was able to hold her. She, of course, was beautiful with a little bit of dark hair (my 1st DD was blonde) and no cone head!! (LOL- the doc said I pushed her out too fast for her to have been able to develop a cone head in the birth canal).
I was finally able to have a drink after they stitched me and I’ll tell you- I’ve never tasted anything more refreshing than that little cup of fruit punch they gave me!
Unfortunately, DD had to go to the NICU 2 days after she was born because of rapid respiration. They eventually figured out it was due to an infection which she most likely got from them aspirating her too roughly and because she swallowed the merconium. She was there for a week for a course of antibiotics and it was hard- but seeing all the other poor, tiny premature babies made me feel very lucky she just needed some antibiotics!
To anyone who is on the fence about a VBAC- DO IT!!! Giving birth was the single most amazing thing I’ve ever done. I can’t wait to do it again (if I can get DH on board for a 3rd!) Please feel free to FM me with any questions!
Hannah Noel 7lbs 6oz 21"
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moonmist09
Thank you, St. Gerard!
Member since 2/11 5043 total posts
Name:
Antonella
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Re: My Belated VBAC Success Story- Hannah Noel 12/3/12
Congratulations, she is beautiful, especially that second picture! 
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