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VBAC
Week by Week

Brayson Christopher

December 29, 1995.

I was in labor all night on the 28th of December, but didn't tell my husband because the doctor had said only a two days before that I was not dilated at all so I figured it would be a long labor. My first two deliveries were fast, 10 hours and 2 hours. Both were daughters, one is now four and my other daughter was born in Nov of 1994 with severe heart defects and passed away in Dec 1994. I was very nervous about this delivery since I had lost my daughter only a year ago. I thought it would happen again with this baby.

Anyway, about 3 a.m. I woke my husband up with a nudge and said "I hope you aren't very tired!" The contractions were coming every 2 to 3 minutes, very strong, but I knew I had plenty of time since I wasn't dilated at all 2 days ago. My dad picked up my daughter at 5 a.m. and my husband Chris and I headed to the hospital. When I got there I was 4 cm dilated and the contractions were hard. I was hooked up to the heartbeat monitor and the contraction monitor. Very cozy. The nurse noticed that my baby's heartbeat kept dropping very low every time I had a contraction. The doctor came in to look at the monitors and check me.

At 6:15 a.m., I was already 7 cm! I asked for the epidural and was told no, because it would just probably cause the baby's heartbeat to lower more. About 6:45 the doctor told me that this baby would be born within 20 minutes no matter what. Chris called my parents to bring my daughter so she could see the baby when they brought him out of my room. I was 9 cm dilated by that time so the doctor got me to push a few times. Baby's heart rate went lower. I was told emergency cesarean....... I was not too happy about that,both of my daughters were vaginal deliveries so the thought of a cesarean was pretty scary.

I got to the operating room and was put to sleep. That was an experience in itself. I thought I was dying, my throat just closed up right before I went to dream land. Normal I suppose.

I woke up at about 9:30 a.m. to discover I had a beautiful baby boy. Brayson Christopher Clark. He was born at 7:04 a.m.(doctor was right about him being born in 20 minutes no matter what) weighing 9 pounds even and 21 inches long. The doctor said Brayson had been in fetal distress and the cord was wrapped around his neck. He also told me it looked like I had gestational diabetes. It was an eventful delivery, but I am happy with the outcome--my son! I hope my next birth will be VBAC.

Brandi Clark
proud mom of:

Briclyn Christina 8-28-91; Chrislyn Rae 11-29-94(died 12-22-94); Brayson Christopher 12-29-95