Martin and I were expecting our first child due July 28th, 2019. That day came and went, and we found ourselves at an overdue appointment with our OBGYN Dr. Chapman 40w+5 on Friday, August 2nd at 8:30 am. We had to do an ultrasound to make sure there was enough amniotic fluid for me to go another week. I was given til August 9th to deliver or I would be induced, and I really wanted to go natural so I did not want an induction. At the appointment the fluid looked good, I was still at 1 cm dilated (I had been 1 cm for a few weeks now), and I was given my second membrane sweep to try and kick-start labor. My first membrane sweep was done at my previous appointment 39w+5 (Friday, July 26th) and while it did give me some contractions, they went away by the next day. Martin and I then went home. My contractions started around 11 am. They were mild and felt like strong Braxton Hicks contractions which I had been getting regularly for about 12 weeks. I started timing them and they were 10-15 minutes apart. We went through our day normally and decided to go to a car show at Frostop in Metairie around 6 p.m. While at the car show, I was having to pause walking during the contractions because they were too painful. At home we went to bed around 10:30 p.m. I woke up a little before 1 a.m. with contractions that were too painful to sleep through. I started timing them and they were consistently 3-5 minutes apart lasting for 45-55 seconds each. In the Lamaze classes Martin and I had taken we were taught that these were active labor contractions based on frequency and duration but that meant I would be dilated 5-7 cm. I labored at home til around 6:40 a.m. when I had called the hospital and they told me to come in. Martin drove me to the hospital and at 9:30 a.m. They sent me home because I wasn’t dilating from 1 cm. I was a basket case because I wasn’t “supposed” to have contractions this painful or frequent until I was further in labor. Martin was able to pick me up some and we decided to go walk around the mall and hospital because my contractions were increasing in pain and were now 3-4 minutes apart lasting a minute each. We live 45 minutes from the hospital and thought it couldn’t be much longer until I dilated more. At around 3:30 p.m. we went back to the assessment center and was sent home again because I was still at 1 cm. They told us that I was past the point of when they normally admitted a laboring woman based on the contractions being recorded but they have strict regulations and cannot admit me unless I am dilated at least 4 cm or my water had broken. Frustrated and in pain, I felt very broken and defeated. My contractions were now 3 minutes apart lasting about a minute. It was humiliating being sent home twice especially when I was in so much pain. We went back home, and Martin got some sleep. I labored til 9 p.m. and decided to go back to the hospital. I had made up my mind that if I was still at 1 cm I would electively induce because I just couldn’t go home again. When we got there for the third time, I was in too much pain to walk to the assessment center, so Martin went and got a wheelchair for me. They admitted me at 3 cm with a bulging water bag (thank God). Getting my IV took 6 tries because they blew 5 of my veins. At 12 a.m. on August 4th I asked for Stadol to help with the pain. It knocked me out in between contractions and wore off by 2:30 a.m. Martin was able to get some sleep for those 2 hours which was nice. At 4:30 a.m. I wanted the epidural, but Martin was able to talk me into getting just Stadol again. It didn’t do anything this time. I tried to get in the tub and labor around 6:30 a.m. but it made my contractions worse. At 8 am I was at 5 cm and was begging for the epidural. I don’t remember too much at this point. Martin said I was pulling my hair out and biting holes in my lips. I got the epidural at 8:30 am and woke up at 9:15 am. In less than an hour I was 7 cm dilated. At 10 a.m. they broke my water. Dr. LaFranca said it was the strongest water bag she had ever seen, and she didn’t think it would have broken on its own. At 11:15 a.m. Martin’s parents walked into our room while my ass was hanging out the hospital gown and I had the peanut ball between my legs. Needless to say I wasn’t happy. We had told all family that we did NOT want anyone there until we called and asked them to come. We still don’t know how they got our room number because we requested with the hospital that no one be given our information. I sent them out and texted my family that they could come since his family was already here. At 12 a.m. the nurse checked me, and I was 9 cm dilated. She called Dr. LaFranca and did a “practice push” with me. She told the doctor that she better get here quick because the baby was coming. They started prepping me and then we started pushing for real. On the second contraction they told me to stop pushing. I had torn my labia in four different places. Dr. LaFrance then gave me an episiotomy to help direct the tearing elsewhere. I tore 5 different places with one 3rd degree tear. After a total of 5 minutes pushing, I delivered my baby weighing 6lb5oz and 20 ¼ inches in length at 12:23 p.m. Martin was supposed to announce the gender, but I saw before he could. It was a boy! I couldn’t believe I had a son. We tried to do skin to skin but his breathing was too fast. He was taken to the nursery to make sure he was okay. They had to give me Pitocin because my uterus was too worn out to contract to stop my bleeding, and I was at risk for hemorrhaging. I didn’t get to see him again until almost 5 p.m. when our family brought me in a wheelchair down to the nursery. They had an awesome nurse that let me hold him for a few minutes before I had to go back to my room. The pediatrician decided he was able to come to our room and not the NICU at around 7 p.m. <3 We were able to go home August 6th. Attached is my birth plan for the delivery. Its kind of humorous now considering nothing went according to the plan.

Birth Plan

For Brycee and Martin

Our hope is for an intervention free, minimally assisted birth for our baby, and the following are our hopes/preferences with the understanding that plans can change due to unforeseen circumstances. However, explanation to and consent from the father (Martin) and the mother (Brycee) must always be sought, provided, and received to deter from the following:

❖ Quiet room, Dim lighting, & personal music.

❖ Explain all procedures to myself and birth team.

❖ Free movement- walking, squatting, exercise/peanut ball, water laboring.

❖ Please do NOT offer epidural or pain medicine- if any is needed it will be requested.

❖ No vacuum or forceps.

❖ No episiotomy- natural tearing preferred.

❖ Delayed cord clamping: until cord is no longer pulsing.

❖ No Pitocin or medicines to deliver placenta unless medical emergency.

❖ Immediate skin to skin after birth.

❖ All exams done for our child done in the room.

❖ Our baby will not leave the room unless emergency. In such case, Martin should always be present. (exceptions include circumcision)

We are team green, so if somehow you know the gender please don’t ruin the surprise.

If our baby is a boy, his name will be Martin Edward III.

If our baby is a girl, her name will be Eloise Marie.