Birth Story by Nikole Bethea - December 10, 2024
I got my VBAC on 12/10/24 at 41 weeks 3 days!
I went to a doctor appointment on 12/9 and had an ultrasound to check fluid levels and everything looked great. They also checked my blood pressure and wanted me to go to the hospital because it was quite high. I still think my sky-high anxiety at the time had a lot to do with it as I had been refusing BPs and felt very pressured for induction already, BUT I also understood the risk with hypertension is serious and wanted to make sure baby and I were safe. Most of the issue I had with the doctor was her delivery of the situation and telling me what I “had” to do. They said I need to go to the hospital right away and I could have a stroke/seizure/etc and me and my baby are at risk. They took a urine sample but didn’t even tell me the results, I don’t think they honestly had time to test it before they talked to me. I had no symptoms of high BP at all and I found out later at the hospital there was no protein in my urine.
The doctor wanted to do a cervical check and sweep right when I got there (before the BP) and I said I wasn’t sure yet if I wanted that because I’ve refused it so far and don’t want to break my water unnecessarily. They were adamant about it but when my BP came back they didn’t even think we needed to check anymore let alone sweep because I “just need to go to the hospital”. I insisted on it then because I’d rather do a sweep first before the hospital so they checked me and I was at 1cm but not open enough to sweep I guess.
The doctor told me to go to the hospital and they could either do a foley bulb with low dose Pitocin or just do a CS - which she suggested I opt for the CS “because it could be a long labor”. I told her, like I’ve said this whole time, I’m not going to just have a CS without trying to labor. She also made sure I knew she was going to call the hospital to let them know I was coming and told me not to eat anything so that I’d be ready for surgery 😑
So we drove home 30 minutes and it was about a 30-45 min to the hospital. We took my BP at home when we got there and it was down to about 120s/90s. We decided to get things around to go to the hospital but also try to be relaxed not super stressed while monitoring BP.
We got to the hospital about 5:15pm and my BP was about 140/90. The doctors there were much less fear-inducing and didn’t even suggest BP medicine, let alone a CS. I was regularly contracting already and agreed to get the foley bulb to help dilate. Foley was placed about 7pm and I was 1.5cm, 40% effaced, soft, and -3 station. I got into good positions, hydrated, and pumped to stimulate labor but no IV fluids or meds. At 8:54pm I got my bloody show/lost my mucous plug. At 12:30am my foley bulb came out when I slightly pulled on it! At 1:30am the doctor rechecked me and I was 4cm and 60% effaced with baby’s head engaged! My BP went down to 120s/90 and back up to 140/90 with painful contractions but they still were not concerned.
I didn’t get a lot of sleep but kept changing positions and rotating with rest. At 6am when they checked me I was at 5cm 60% and -3. At 10:44 I was at 5cm 60% -2 with my bag of waters “taut”. They’d been suggesting to break my water to progress further but I agreed and had them broken at about 4:30pm. There were signs of meconium but again doctors were not concerned since baby was doing fine. The pain amped up QUICK from maybe a 3 or 4 to at least a 7. I continued doing the position changes and opted to get in the shower at this point. I wanted to use nitrous oxide but was told I could only use this for 3 hours so I didn’t want to start it too early. After literally a couple minutes in the shower I felt the pushing urge and soooo much pain, easily a 9/10. I got out and asked to be checked again. They did and I was at 7cm but not all the way effaced yet. It was at this point I started to be unable to control the pushing sensation but I was told to stop pushing or it would cause my cervix to swell (and in my mind at least, that = CS.)
I asked quickly to use the nitrous to hopefully get that sensation to stop and was able to start using it pretty quickly. Nitrous is marvelous imo 😂 it felt very floaty, although still very painful and I still could not control the sensation to push no matter how hard I tried. I made the decision then to ask for an epidural, hoping again it would make that urge stop so I wouldn’t cause swelling and an eventual CS. I wanted to see if I could have a baby without one since I hadn’t before, but my desire to avoid surgery was more important. The anesthesiologist came in and started to place the epidural as soon as they put an IV in, but I kept telling them to hurry because I didn’t want it to be too late to get one! I kept telling the doctors I had the urge to push and they kept telling me not to (which happened with my first son, BTW, and always made me mad because I couldn’t control that urge!) but they said I didn’t need to be re-checked or anything. Well, as they were still trying to place the epidural, I felt so much pressure that I was sure his head was coming out and when I felt it touch the bed under me, I knew I was right. I laid on my side and baby came out quickly onto the bed, with only a a nurse, my husband, and the anesthesiologist in the room! They called for doctors to come in and they were, of course, stunned 😒 Baby was limp for a moment at first but livened up and was crying before they had to take any measures to help him.
Baby Roman James was born at 6:04pm weighing 8lbs 4oz and measuring 22.25in long ❤️
I’ve definitely learned with this birth and my previous births that I dilate quickly near the end and to trust my gut about when I’m ready to push, even if I have to make the doctors believe me!
I’m so proud I got my VBAC and that I didn’t have any pain medication either (the epidural was never placed 😂). Most importantly, I’m so glad my son and I are healthy.
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