Four days of labor...

Baby was due on August 17th. And, on Sunday, August 18th, I started early labor. Sunday and Monday I struggled to rest and occupy myself, bounced on the ball, watched Netflix, etc... Monday night contractions were strong. I called the midwife center and they recommended Benadryl so that I could try to sleep.

I slept a few fitful hours - interrupted by contractions - and then around 2:30am my husband insisted that I needed to time the contractions. I did, and they were fitting into the 4-1-1 rule, so we called the midwife again and N had us come in. But, I was only 2 cm so they sent us home to rest some more.

I had an appointment Tuesday afternoon at 4pm anyway, so, after not getting anymore sleep and being uncomfortable and bouncing on a ball, we went for that appointment. I was 4 cm dilated and that midwife, E, one of my two favorites at the center, admitted us.

They gave me medicine (started with an N) which allowed my body to relax, and I slept for an hour or so, during which time my sister-in-law (doula) arrived. Then labor really ramped up. We waltzed (literally, we danced) and walked, and then I got in the bathtub (with jets) and refused to leave. My contractions were 90 seconds on, 90 seconds off for several hours. When midwife #3, K, checked, I was only 6 cm.

Two hours later, I was still only 6/7 cm. The attending midwife (now the third one seen during labor) suggested more of the medicine and trying to rest, and seeing where we were in the morning.

However, this time, the medicine did not work well for me... it made me drowsy, but did not take the edge off of the contractions. The result was that every minute and a half I began to shiver and cry out in pain. No sleep...

At 7am on Wednesday morning, when the fourth midwife, J, appeared, I was relieved. It was the other of my two favorite midwives at the center. She suggested that, as I had been in labor for several days, was exhausted, and, hadn’t progressed since 2:30 the night before (I was still 6/7 cm), that we transfer to the hospital.

I had planned to have an all natural birth. But I was relieved when she suggested the transfer and epidural. That way I could rest, then she would break my waters and then baby could come. I was sad, but relieved. So into an ambulance I went... They were nice enough, but talked some smack about the midwives which made me annoyed.

I told J about that when we met back up at the hospital. It took forever (seriously, like 2 hours) before they put my info in the system and I could actually receive any medicine. But that epidural allowed me to sleep and boy was that nice...

After I woke up, J broke my water. Things moved quickly and soon it was time to push. Conversations between contractions about how my midwife looked like the Little Mermaid (she was rocking red dreadlocks), and 45 minutes of pushing later, Miguel was born on Wednesday August 21, 2019 at 6:08pm. He weighed 7lbs 12 oz and was 21 inches long.

I did have 2nd degree tearing...

It was long, but he was as absolutely worth every minute.