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Comparison of 2 births, Alexandra and Allen

Alexandra was my 4th baby, born 2 years after my 3rd (who died from surgical complications-born without an esophagous). Needless to say, I was nervous about this baby being healthy and normal, but my doctor kept reassuring me that she was fine. I had strong Braxton-Hicks contractions my whole pregnancy, which amazed me, so different from my other 3 pregnancies! Alexandra's due date came and went and I finally had strong contractions that felt like they were doing something, but they were completely irregular. I just sat around the house all day contracting on and off at irregular intervals while my husband entertained our first 2 kids, fed them, put them to nap, etc. Great guy! Finally, after dinner, I was all sweaty and stiff from sitting around all day so I went to take a shower. Felt wonderful! The baby dropped into position and I started timing the contractions. 3 minutes apart! I got out of the shower, informed my husband we needed to go to the hospital. He grabbed the kids, we got into the car and off we went to my mother-in-law's house (she was going to watch the kids, and lived on the way to the hospital). I had such strong contractions I thought maybe I would have the baby in the car, but we got to the hospital without incident. The nurse called my doctor's stand-in (mine was on vacation), and made me lie down in bed. The contractions slowed down to a crawl. I started thinking it was false labor. The nurse assured me it was labor, and then proceeded to ask me a whole list of questions, one of which was, How much do you weigh? I'm like, who cares? I'm having this baby soon, and I'll be weighing less then! Well, she wouldn't get off it, so she wheeled in a scale, and made me get up and stand on it. I was ready to shoot her, but I let her get my weight. A huge contraction hit and I went into a semi-squat instinctively and my water broke all over the place and I guess I was pushing or maybe just letting gravity do it's job. The nurse freaked and made me get back on the bed and then Alexandra birthed herself! One long push and she just slid out, it was totally amazing to me. Perfectly healthy, 8lbs 1/2 oz. (11/11/89)!! Birth the way it should be. The stand-in doctor showed up 15 minutes later with nothing to do. I stilled got billed.

On the contrary, my 6th baby was another story. Allen was lying in perfect position my entire pregnancy, head down, face back. Until I was talked into inducing him by my doctor and husband (who had just started vacation time the day before). My due date had come and gone, and I was very tired and vulnerable and I agreed to the pitocin. My doctor didn't even show up at the hospital when I checked in, so the nurses got it all set up and off I went on my artificial labor. A few hours later, the nurse came in and turned off the pit, so I thought I was laboring on my own then, but the contractions stopped. An hour later, she came back in and turned it back on and turned it up. (I found out later, my doctor had instructed them to turn it off so he could go to lunch. I give birth rather quickly, and he didn't want to miss his meal.) Off we went again. This time it was harder to manage, and I couldn't get up and move around, it was just not a good experience. Finally, after what seemed days (it was only a few hours) my doctor walked in and checked me and decided to break my water to speed things up. So, he did and it did. Next thing I know I'm wanting to push, and the nurses are saying, don't push yet! Then my doctor walked in and said, why aren't you pushing? I was ready to slug someone, but I opted for pushing. Then they get all concerned about the monitor (baby's heartbeat), and nothing is happening with the pushing. Which is weird for me- usually 2 pushes and the child is out. So then the nurse says, I think the baby's sideways! Then the doctor palpatates my belly and realizes that she's right. Then he asks her which way the baby's back is! He's the doctor, and he's asking the nurse her opinion. I knew this wasn't going well. The next thing I know, he's putting an internal monitor on my baby's scalp. Again I was ready to slug someone- him! Then he reaches into me and grabs my baby's head and turns his head, hoping to turn the body, too. Well, he did turn the baby, but the wrong way. All of a sudden I'm having bad back pain, and no one was listening to me. Things were out of control. My poor husband was just standing there trying to help me stay calm, and all I wanted to do was kill my doctor. I started pushing again when they gave me the green light, and the bed was wrong, so I ended up pushing the control buttons myself to get the bed into an upright position inbetween contractions. What a circus! Then my little Allen was born (7lbs 14oz) He cried immediately, and didn't stop. He had cuts all over his head from my doctor's fingers (from turning him) and also from the internal monitor. I had torn somewhat, but my doctor said I didn't need stitches. Allen continued to cry, and didn't stop for about a year (no exageration). I finally took him to a chiropractor when he was a little over a year old and was told that his birth definately had screwed up his neck. He had 2 segments severely rotated. After the first adjustment, Allen slept 3 hours in a row! And then all night for the first time in his life! He has had to have chiropractic care for the last 2 years now (Allen is now 3 1/2 yrs.old) I found out later that there are ways to turn a baby without twisting their heads practically off. If we have another baby, I will go to a midwife for sure.