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My long labor & natural birth plan turned medicated

Keri • Sat, Sep 24

My water broke at 8am on Friday, September 2nd. I had a doc appt that morning, she confirmed my water had broken, I was 3cm 90% effaced. She then asked me if I wanted to be induced (🙄 that was me lol) I told her I was planning a natural birth so she said to go home & labor up until 12 hrs then we needed to go in at that point.

Well, at home labor wasn't bad. We were using the Bradley Method for labor. I was walking, cleaning, took a rest. Contractions were very irregular by 8p I called & the on call ob & I came to an agreement that by 12am I should go in no matter what. So I did with them being 7 min & lasting 45-60sec. We got there & she really encouraged pitocin & I said no. Baby wasn't in distress & I still could manage just fine. They admitted us to the anti-partum room where I labored undisturbed until 4am when my husband noticed contractions were coming 3-4 min for 60-90 sec. I was checked & 5cm 100%. So we went down to the ABC (alt birthing center) room. The nurse suggested to me to go on my hands & knees bc my labor was all in the back. When I did that I felt baby turn & whaled. Before then I was calm up & never yelled. Well after that my contractions were so bad that my husband was pushing on my pelvis so hard he was shaking. My contractions were still irregular going between 2-7 min. They lasted up to 90 sec & I never had a break in between because I had to recover from the contraction.

At 8am the new on call ob came in to check me & I was only at 7cm & I wanted to push. My mental state was terrible at that point & I was asking why the baby hated me that she wasn't coming out. I asked if she had a vendetta against me. At this point it's 24 hrs & they strongly suggested pitocin I kept refusing it. I was so determined to get baby out naturally. But it seemed after I felt her move my contractions were so bad I was yelling during them.

By 10:30 am they were getting concerned about infection so they talked to me & we ultimately agreed to pitocin but no epi. It took me about 30 min to agree to it and I still was thinking walking down there was going to get my labor going. Once we got into the new room I decided on an epidural because I knew I wouldn't be able to take the contractions on the pitocin. After that I felt good. Took a nap & pushed for 5 hours. I was in labor for a total of 37 hours with 27 being unmedicated.

It turns out she was coming out side ways & pushing against my pelvic bone. My ob told me that if I hadn't been so physically strong that I would never have been able to get her out vaginaly. I told her "I fitness" haha.

I felt & still feel very upset I wasn't able to have a totally natural birth. It upset me so much because I took great care of myself during pregnancy. I was working out the week I went into labor. I talk it over with my husband all the time & helps me cope with my decisions. I even told him I wanted to try it again with her lol. But I know that things could have gotten worse if I had progressed without the pitocin & I never wanted a section. We're happy & heathy though. That's what counts.

Here is Avery Rose born 9/3/16 born at 39w4d. 7lb 20 in & a healthy strong little girl.