On Aug 12, I had an unmedicated VBA2C!! I feel so blessed, because everything I have been focused on aligned so perfect. My doula suggested I start envisioning the birth I want, down to the details and holy cow - coincidence or divine intervention I don't know, but I started having contractions Weds night after sex, which faded away Thursday. I woke up Friday to mild period cramping and losing my mucus plug.
Things picked up so fast, I was a little scared because I didn't feel ready. By 11am contractions were more intense and about 5 mins apart lasting a min. I called my husband home, and we had planned to labor at a park close to the hospital to avoid going too soon.
On the way there, plans changed because they were now 3 mins apart lasting a min and very intense. I needed to completely zone with my headphones on to get through them.
I had gestational diabetes, and I was GBS positive which threw a curveball on my plans, but I never once let those things deter me from my trust in my body and baby. We showed up to the hospital and landed in my least favorite place-triage! Bright lights, wires, ivs, stupid questions and consent forms. And cervical checks, I was 4cm! I hated being on my back!
Thankfully I had so much support, my husband, my mom and doula were all allowed with me. My doula constantly applying counter-pressure on my hips, my headphones with worship music, and rocking my hips got me through this. Then they told me they had no rooms and triage might be my birthing room 😫
This was a challenge to my mindset but it never broke me (like it did with my second).
Then another miracle, we got a room and it had a shower! Hot water sprayed on me was a Godsend. It was absolutely amazing to be able to say "no wheelchair please, I'll walk." I've only ever been transported by gurney in labor.
I labored there for hours, mostly standing up and swaying. I wanted to lay down so bad but not even sitting was comfortable. I soon found hands and knees worked too and that was a relief.
Another check at 7pm and I was 6cm! In the past I would have been devastated all those hours for 2cm. But I knew - my body is doing it, I needed to trust it! This could happen in an hour! I told myself. I pressed on and about 8:30 I began feeling the urge to push! I got checked again (absolute misery on my back again 🤣) and I was 9 cm with an anterior cervical lip! Everyone told me not to push and it was SOO hard! (Is this what people mean when they say they don't want guided pushing??) It felt like forever and so many checks before the lip went away, thanks to an amazing nurse to helped push it during a contraction. Finally!! I began pushing and it was amazing. The part I was so scared of was actually the easiest part for me. I felt minimal burning, I just knew my baby was so close and it was happening!
She arrived at 9:30pm, at 8 lbs 14oz, 20 in long!
Shiloh Rae 💕
Story shared by Hope Sheehan
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