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Lucas' Birth

My birth story begins, as all do, with my pregnancy. My husband, Luke, and I were married in April '96 and wanted to have children right away. We found out 7/17 (the day after my birthday!) that I was pregnant. I started Centrum vitamins that day, and we started eating more healthy than is usual. I started reading every book possible, and decided that we would use the Bradley Method of birth. (It was very difficult to find an instructor - Bradley method is NOT very popular in Western New York). My husband is a chiropractor, so we avoid medications when we can, and set out for as natural birth as possible. My OB/GYN offers the services of two midwives in his practice, so I started seeing one of them (Kelly). After I started the regular prenatal vitamins, I realized that vitamins made me sick (it wasn't morning sickness after all), so I stopped taking them and felt much better - I just made sure to eat really well!

The only "test" that I had done was one Sonogram at 20 weeks and the Glucose test at 25 weeks. All was well - I felt wonderful, I wasn't really showing, and I was in perfect health. I walked or swam every day, and made sure to eat plenty of protein. As the time drew near (about 36 weeks), Kelly was getting as excited as we were! Around 38 weeks, however - my blood pressure jumped astronomically (from 90/60 to about 120/85), so I started seeing Kelly once a week and Katharyn, the second midwife, later in the week for monitoring. They put me off of work (I was hoping to work up until the very last day to avoid going crazy with boredom) and I hit the couch on my left side, drinking a TON of water, and relishing the two 1/2 hour walks I was allowed to take. I was miserable.

On 3/13 (I was due on 3/17 - St. Patrick's Day) I started having contractions as I was out walking around 3:00 pm. They worked their way down to 5 minutes apart and about 1 minute long, but I was still very much in control and mostly comfortable. I called Luke to give him a progress report and tell him that I'd call him if I needed him to come home. They slowed down a little bit after my walk, so I went out for another walk about an hour later. Again, they progressed. Luke came home from work around 7:00 and we decided to go out for a Fish Fry and then go to a mall to continue walking (it was very cold and snowy outside). We browsed for about two hours. No more progress. Still 1 minute long and 5 minutes apart. We went home as the mall closed, but the contractions were getting more and more intense once we got home. I actually had to start relaxing to deal with them. About 3:00 am, I fell asleep (Luke had been asleep for hours) and I woke up the next morning without a single contraction. Talk about disappointed.

Saturday, Sunday, Monday - they were all more or less repeats of Friday, some days the contractions were longer, more frequent, or stronger, but they always started in the early afternoon, and ended late late evening. And I woke up without a single contraction again. I must have walked 30 miles that weekend trying to speed up labor and keep it going. We were keeping it a "secret" that I was having contractions, but I was still getting the "Are you in labor yet?" phone calls. I took the ringers off of the phones and screened my calls, but I was sinking into an ever so deep depression as the days went on and still no baby. Tuesday's visit didn't help much - my blood pressure was still up and even the midwives were getting anxious about inducing. We kept holding them off because nothing had really changed. They gave me an "ultimatum" of one week past due because of my high blood pressure. I didn't have any other symptoms of pre-eclampsia or toxemia, so they were satisfied at least with that.

Friday's visit was a different story - I spilled 2+ protein in my urine (That should be an athletic event for a 9 months' pregnant woman to have to pee in that little Dixie cup!) and Kelly said - "This is it, I can't let you go any longer. You're not healthy anymore. I want you to go to the hospital this evening, we'll set you up with the Cervadil insert, and induce you in the morning." As she explained the Cervadil implant, she mentioned that it might put me into labor without the Pitocin in the morning, because my Bishop's score was high, but it was a long shot. ( I was 2+ cm, 70% effaced, and "soft"). I started panicking, knowing that induced labors were harder and therefore reducing my chance of a drug-free delivery by A LOT. Fortunately Luke was there to support me emotionally. He stalled, telling Kelly we would meet Katharyn (the midwife on call) at the hospital at 4:30 (it was only 1:00) because he had patients. He and I were both hoping against hope that that would be enough time for my contractions to kick in for real.

We went to his office, at another Fish Fry (it was still a Friday in Lent, so fish is the order of the day) because I didn't want an empty stomach. We went to the hospital, and they were so busy they didn't even have someplace for us to sit, so we sat at the Nurses' station in the recovery room until 5:30. Then we went to a "Labor Room" (stark hospital room) to be monitored for 20 minutes (I hadn't planned on a monitor AT ALL, but they needed to before the Cervadil was put in), poked and prodded. Twenty minutes turned into almost an hour before Katharyn showed up - I was a little peeved at her being late, but I wasn't really in any hurry. So, she came, inserted the Cervadil (not a very comfortable procedure with a "ripe" cervix), and I settled in to wait the two hours before I could get up again. The deal was: I had to have it in two hours before I could get up and walk, etc. It would stay in 6 hours, or until I was in active labor, at which point they would take it out and take me off of the monitor. If I hadn't had the baby by morning (which very few people gave me favorable odds at), they would start the Pitocin drip at 7:00 am.

After about 1/2 hour, I started having mild back labor - contractions were about 5 minutes apart and 1 minute long. I was doing my Bradley relaxation, and Luke was there to help me. Then the contractions progressed to be really sharp pain in my cervix - almost like someone was poking it with a really sharp pointer over and over again. Then I had to pee. My first experience with a bedpan - not too bad, not great, but a relief. At the two hour mark, Luke and I went for a walk, but by now the contractions were nearly unbearable - my back hurt like someone was hitting me with a bat, and the sharp cervical pains were getting worse and worse. I was wishing the Cervadil implant out with every contraction. They were about 1 minute long, 3 or 4 at a time, and only about 30 seconds between each set of 3 or 4. It got to the point where I was laying on my side, gripping the bars and just moaning in pain. It was about 11:00 pm, and all I could think of was "this could last eight more hours - I'm never going to make it." No breathing technique or relaxation technique was working, I had no time to rest and regain myself. I was getting very discouraged because I knew that it could all be caused by the Cervadil and go through 12 hours of it and still not be any closer to delivering.

I finally said to my husband that I wanted the Cervadil OUT!! No ifs, ands, or buts - they were going to take the Cervadil out, because I was in labor and they said that it could be taken out if I was in labor. My husband relayed this to the nurse, who then said "Honey, you're not in labor. It's just the Cervadil causing contractions, they're not REAL labor." So, of course I said - "But if FEELS like labor to me" (meanwhile I'm thinking - "If this isn't REAL labor, I'm afraid of what REAL labor is!") So, the nurse said "Dear (patronizing, of course), you've never been in labor, so how can you tell?" That really pissed me off. Next set of contractions, I told my husband they damn well better take the Cervadil out, or I was going to rip it out, check myself out, and go home. He tried reassuring me, saying I was making progress, but I snapped back at him that "I'm not in REAL labor, so how can you tell me I'm making progress? I'M NOT!" I had reached my limit. I was despondent, exhausted, in IMMENSE pain (my contractions weren't a muscle tightening feeling or twinging or anything like everyone had described them to me - the were severe, slicing pain in my cervix, and that's all.

Well, in the process of me insisting to get the Cervadil out, my husband stalled talking to the nurse (to buy more time), the nurse stalled in talking to the midwife, and I was getting royally pissed off because I knew that was what they were doing. Meanwhile, the pain was getting even WORSE - to the point that my husband had to pin down my arms because I kept trying to take off the monitor (which hurt like hell and made them worse) and/or rip the shoestring from the Cervadil out. (In hindsight, I figure they probably make the string too short for you to grab it from outside - just to prevent that sort of thing from happening.)

I finally asked for Nubain. It was about 12:00 am, I couldn't take it any longer, and I knew I had done the best that I could. I couldn't even bear each new set of contractions, sets of three and no rest in between. The nurse gave me the shot of Nubain (she said since it wasn't going through an IV - it was local, had even less chance of reaching the baby and would be worn off in about three hours). Immediately I started "floating" - I could doze in between contractions, it slowed them down (for me, that was good - I was only having them one about every five minutes then), and I could handle them when they did come. I don't regret the decision in the least.

At about 2:00, I could feel it starting to wear off. I was thinking "I wonder how long it will be before they'll let me have another shot"? It was then that I felt my water break. YEEE-HAAAA!! I had literally been praying for my water to break. It was this sea-motion feeling inside me, and then this light pop and oozing, sort of like pouring oil into your car. I announced "I think my water broke." (like I had some doubt). The nurse said "Well, let me check - are you sure it's not urine?" I was a little sick of this nurse patronizing me - but elated because I had PROVEN that I was right and was really in labor. REAL labor! Of course, after she declared "Yep, your water broke!", the next words out of my mouth were "Okay - take out the Cervadil." You know what she said? "Well, we'll wait a bit longer to see what Katharyn has to say." I just said to her "Look, it says right in her orders to remove it if I'm in labor - my water hasn't broken for any other reason than labor, so TAKE IT OUT!" And she did. I was about 3 or 4 cm. Katharyn showed up not too long after that.

From about 15 minutes afterward, my contractions changed. They were actually a few more in a sequence, with only a few extra seconds in between sets, but that sharp, stabbing pain was replaced by just really intense hardening - like a really bad muscle cramp. I still couldn't relax the Bradley way, or do any kind of regulated breathing (I think I was too far gone by that time to pick up all calm and collected). I just laid there and moaned, knowing I could have hours and hours more of it. I was doing better, though because I really WAS making progress, I really WAS in labor. For some reason, knowing that for certain made the contractions more bearable mentally. Around 3:00, they decided it was time to move into the Birthing Room. The nurse decided that I should walk the 50 feet to the Birthing Room, but I wasn't too cooperative. Every time I moved, stood up, or flinched even, it would set off another wave of contractions and they would last even longer. But, somehow I made it.

The birthing room was more of the same. I was nearly hyperventilating while moaning, but for some odd reason, the moaning made me feel better. They kept telling me to try to slow down my breathing, etc. I get the impression that they felt I wasn't handling the contractions as well as I should have been for that stage. I knew that I was beyond the stage they thought I was at, but I didn't say anything. Not for desire of keeping a secret, but because I was so focused inward and wrapped up in dealing as best I could with the pain (I was chanting in my head "Help me God (breathe in), Help me God (breathe out), Help me God (breathe in), Help me God (breathe out)...) that I was unable to speak. I suddenly felt the urge to PUSH. Actually, it wasn't really an urge - it was more like a convulsion took over me and it was so strong I almost threw up. I knew I was in TRANSITION, and I reveled in that fact! The uncontrollable convulsions were so strong, that if I "beared down" a little bit, it felt good. If I tried to push harder, I really thought I was going to throw up (I'll do just about anything to NOT throw up - I hate it). Meanwhile, the midwife and nurse catch on that I'm pushing, and yell at me. It's not time yet, they say - you're not dilated enough, they say. It finally dawns on me that *I* know I'm in transition, but they don't have a clue because I haven't said anything. So I finally say "I feel like I'm going to throw up", knowing the significance of it. Immediately, the nurse and midwife say in unison "8 centimeters!" and tell me that I can push if I want to. Gee, thanks.

After the first set of pushing contractions (about 4 am), Katharyn suggests I get up and go to the bathroom. Again, I suspect she believes I'm not doing very well with the contractions. So, I slide down off of the bed and I feel the baby DROP! And I mean, DROP. But for some reason, all I said was "I felt the baby move." Katharyn reassures me that this is normal - meanwhile I feel like I've got a bowling ball between my legs. We take the 15 foot trip to the bathroom - me , Luke, Katharyn, and two nurses (in a VERY small bathroom), and I manage to go. I have two more contractions back to back - I'm semi-squatting, my butt hovering over the toilet, and I'm hanging off of my husband, letting him hold me up. The convulsing of the "pushing" urge was really starting to scare me - I thought I was going to blow out every muscle in my back end, it was so overpowering and strong. Being there, though - I was fairly comfortable. Katharyn then says to me "Why don't we go back to the bed?" I replied "Can't we stay here? I'm comfortable." To which, she said "Honey, I'm not going to deliver this baby head first into the toilet!" I couldn't believe that I was THAT CLOSE! My husband said to me "Didn't you hear me say that your baby has hair?". Actually, I was so focused that I hadn't heard a THING anyone had said to me since we moved into the birthing room.

So, we started back to the bed, and half way there I had another contraction. This time, I heard Katharyn say "Get me some mats and pillows - this baby's coming NOW!" So, everyone scrambled while I just stood there pushing and pushing - not really worrying if someone was going to catch the baby. Fortunately, the contraction passed with no baby. We walked back to the bed, but I couldn't climb up with the baby's head RIGHT THERE. My husband picked me up by a leg and my torso, and hoisted me up and on my side. Again, the pushing contractions were getting more and more intense - I could feel the burning start, and I was getting tired. At this point, Katharyn (who's really petite) is on her hands and knees ON the foot of the Birthing table, using her rib cage to hold back one of my legs - I though "Wow, she's really in her element here!".

I was sort of pacing my pushing, not pushing TOO hard so that I could tolerate it, but I was getting discouraged because it wasn't moving fast enough for me (little did I realize that I had only been pushing for 15 minutes!) and knew that I could be pushing for another few hours. It was getting tough! The nurse (I liked her a lot better now in the birthing room - she was doing a fantastic job.) asked if I would like a mirror to see, and I said yes. I hadn't originally thought I would watch, but I wanted to know first hand what the progress was. They brought the mirror, and I could see about three inch diameter of the head! That's when Luke says "I'm not feeling so well". I was shocked because I didn't think he was queasy about those things. As it turned out, he wasn't - he just hadn't eaten in 12 hours and had been LITERALLY holding me up for the past two of them. The nurses rushed to get him some juice, and he was fine. Back to the pushing.

Finally, I could see and feel my skin start to stretch. It was getting fairly painful, the stretching, but I didn't want to push too hard because I didn't want to rip. The nurse started cheering me on - push THROUGH the pain - you're almost there, and it really worked. If I pushed harder, I was so busy pushing that I really couldn't feel a whole lot of the stretching. Still, I was watching with every oomph to hopefully see the head out. Katharyn was busy pushing upwards on the perineum (which wasn't all that comfortable) and telling me when to push. Finally, after I thought I could stand no more of the ripping and pushing, the head popped out! One more push and out came the body! (4:47 a.m.) But I couldn't see WHAT it was! Katharyn had him in a football hold, suctioning him, so I had to ASK what it was! (I thought standard practice was this big announcement "It's a BOY" or "It's a GIRL"!) The nursery nurses tried to take him to clean him off and wrap him up, but Katharyn just handed him to me - he felt so wonderful against my skin! That tiny little soft body! Luke cut the cord and I just stared at my boy, amazed! (And glad it was over. Technically, I was only in labor for 2 1/2 hours, but I like to include the other 5 hours - it sure felt like labor to me!) He was SO alert - he just sat there, looking at me and Luke. He had a full head of dark hair and dark blue eyes. He was awake and just watched us for about six hours.

I felt like a million dollars. I wasn't sore, groggy, or otherwise. (I had two small stitches - no tearing really!). I was HUNGRY! I still consider my delivery "natural", although I know some would dispute it. I don't regret the Nubain at all - it was just what I needed to get me through. If I hadn't had that, I truly believe that I would have needed an epidural by the time the delivery came around. It enabled me to not have more severe drugs later by allowing me to "catch my breath" and relax. I felt so good after the delivery, I went home 30 hours later because I wanted some sleep! I would recommend rooming in, or "non-separation" to anyone - you get to know your baby better, and it really helps with breast-feeding. I'm really loving being a mom - and my husband says the he has a new respect for me after seeing me deliver Lucas. One last bit of advice to anyone who is pregnant with their first baby - trust your instincts and your body. You really are the best judge of what's going on, and if you only take the time to listen to what your body is saying, you will know what to do when you are in labor! Don't let anyone try to tell you you aren't feeling what you are feeling!

By the way - sorry this is so long! I really like to talk! Also, I made a friend while reading her story here, and she was a great help throughout my pregnancy.

Kristen Przybyla (Lucas' mom)