A Birth Story by Lana Williams - December 29, 2024
I want to share my birth story to help others. In 2020, I was convinced by my provider to be induced at 39 weeks. I had no medical need to be induced, but my provider was on call that weekend. The OB would not let me get out of the bed from the moment the IV was hooked up. The OB never did any cervical softeners or other forms of induction, other than Pitocin. Cranked it up to 20. I was “stuck” at 6cm for 4 hours and was told my pelvis wasn’t big enough. *Remember this because it ends up being so ironic* Ended in a C-Section 12 hours in due to “failure to progress” My baby boy was 8 lbs.
In 2022, I had switched to an OB that was, I’d say, VBAC tolerant. He agreed to let me go to 42 weeks but with the stipulation of spontaneous labor as no induction would be performed. I was active my whole pregnancy and drank raspberry leaf tea. Spontaneous labor began at 40 + 4.
I went to the hospital pretty early, I got an epidural at 6cm and labored for 21 hours total. I pushed out a 9 lbs 2 oz girl. I pushed for 45 mins and ended up with a 2nd degree tear. Baby girl had a broken left clavicle but no shoulder dystocia. Had meconium in my water but no complications. Recovering was a million times better than a C-section.
In December 2024 I had my successful 2VBAC! This pregnancy I stayed active again, drank raspberry leaf tea, was seen by a Webster’s certified chiropractor, and focused on a gentle birth. I switched OB's again to a midwife group that delivers in a hospital. They would allow VBAC inductions if necessary but were supportive of letting me go to 42 weeks if need be. My whole pregnancy was smooth, no GD, no hypertension, etc.
I know most people say not to do a growth scan towards the end because it can give providers a reason to use again you but in my case I wish they had done one sooner. At my weekly appt I was 40+4 and they did an ultrasound and growth scan. The baby was measuring 11lbs 10oz… they immediately told me my only option was C-section. I was in shock. I told them I wanted a shot at induction at the very least. Since the midwives don’t handle high risk pregnancies or deliveries they told me my only option was to switch to the high risk OB group at that hospital, so I did. They checked me and I was 1.5 cm which I had not been the week before. That evening they got me a bed at the hospital and I went in to be induced. The high risk OB was amazing. She was open and honest with all the risks. We discussed how ultrasounds can be off by 1-2 lbs. Even the high risk group doesn’t want to have vaginal delivers over 11 lbs. Since she was a high risk OB, she was used to doing ultrasounds herself on a regular basis and took her time to get the most accurate measurements she could. She said the baby was measuring 10 lbs 12 ounces, so with that, they were okay with me moving forward with induction. The biggest concern was the potential of shoulder dystocia and the risks that come with it. They were going to do a foley bulb but when they checked me I was now 3cm so they started me on piticon. I progressed so well. I got an epidural at 6cm. I moved right along until I got to 9.5cm and one side of my cervix was fully effaced but the other half was stuck at 90% effacement, a cervical lip. They realized it might be because baby had flipped to OP. They checked via an ultrasound and he had. They were able to manually rotate him and then it was time to push. I pushed for 1.5 hours and ended up with a 2nd degree tear, no shoulder dystocia. The moment of truth, the weigh in...He was 10 lbs 10 oz. He did break his right clavicle- all his reflexes and movements were normal. It takes 2 weeks to heal up so it should be completely healed by his appt this week. I labored for 14 hours total from the time they induced me. I think I was already in early labor when the induction started!
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