Labor/birth experience (Extremely long! Sorry I’m a writer! Lol)

So from the beginning of my pregnancy, I’ve looked at everyone’s birth stories and tried to imagine what mine would look like. I’m a first time mom, so I had no clue how things were going to play out. My doctor told me early on that he wouldn’t let me get to past 38 weeks due to high blood pressure. So it was likely I would have to be induced. I was wanting a natural, low intervention birth, so this wasn’t good news to me. We had hired a doula to help with the labor/birthing process, and I was prepared to have as low intervention birth as possible. My induction date was Jan. 24, but I had my membranes swept on Jan. 19 as sort of a way to get things going. I was already dilated to 1 1/2 and effaced 70-80%, so my doctor agreed to do it. The next day, Jan. 20, I was away from home and I had to stand up for the entire day. When I got home, I started having what felt like period cramps, mainly in my lower back. I got on my yoga ball and started to roll around and see if I could make myself feel better

No real contractions that I could time, so I didn’t think anything of it. I took a shower and got back on the ball. I was in a towel and started to see if I could hand express some colostrum. A few drops came out, so I went and got my breast pump. Not even 10 minutes of me pumping on one side, I felt this huge pop, almost like a gas bubble. I had the urge to rush to the bathroom and liquid started pouring out of me. I had no control over it. I called my husband in the bathroom and calmly told him I thought my water had broken. I texted my mom and my doula, and we began to make plans. Every time I thought I was done with the water, another huge gush would come out. So it finally subsided to a trickle, and I got dressed. We packed up things and headed to the hospital. My doula wanted me to call her when I got to 5 cm. The nurses checked me when we got there to make sure it was in fact my water that had broken. At this point, the fluid was pooling on the pad on the bed, so it was very apparent! I was 3 cm dilated, and was feeling the contractions, just in my lower back. (I never felt a true contraction that wrapped around to the front, mine were all from back labor!) The nurses took forever getting me checked in and into the room. I just wanted to be on my birthing ball, but they asked me at least a hundred questions as I was dealing with contractions. Finally, they had me hooked up and I was able to move around a bit. I labored with support from my husband for 2 hours and finally decided to call my doula because I needed some pain coping skills. She arrived and things got serious. I was doing really good, laboring on my own, but after 4-5 hours of back labor, my back wasn’t having it. I had an injury to my back in high school that never fully healed properly, so my back began to spasm on one side between contractions. My doula was able to help me make the decision to get an epidural because I was suffering. No relief and no rest. Best decision ever! I was 7 cm when I got the epidural, and was able to rest through transition. After eating a popsicle and visiting with family, it came time to push! Everything was going great, but one hour of pushing turned into 4 hours. Little man had his head turned, so it was hitting my pelvic bone. He would come down with each push, but go back up into the birth canal. It didn’t help that my contractions to push were irregular and 5-6 minutes a part. They gave me some pitocin and I kept pushing. My doula positioned me and the nurse was helping me know where to push. my doula gave me a scarf to pull on during the pushes. I was so tired, and was seriously at the end of what I could do. The doctor was close to calling it since he was still so far up. Finally, in the last three pushes, he turned his head and came out! I didn’t feel any pain, just terrible pressure. I had a second degree tear, but I’m healing! The relief of having him out was the greatest feeling I’ve felt! Levi Fletcher Priest made his appearance on Jan. 21 at 2:54 pm. He was 7 lbs. 9oz and absolutely healthy! Born at 37w6d!