My natural VBAC birth story!
On Friday August 5th, 2022, we brought our baby boy, Callen Leroy into the world ♡
If you read my first birth story, you know I had an unexpected and truthfully, unwanted, c-section due to my daughter being in breech position and finding out late at 39 weeks. Even with that birth, I knew I always wanted a natural, fully unmedicated birth, or at least the opportunity to experience birth and labor. Here was my second chance at that!
The week leading into my 41st week of pregnancy, I was really focused on staying positive and trusting the timing of my body to go into labor when baby was ready to come. I was continuing to do what was in my control - supply my body with the proper nutrition, stay hydrated, focus on getting good rest, continue to take supplements and foods to help support labor/birth. Some of those nutrients were beef liver, red raspberry leaf tea, dates - and I did start taking evening primrose oil supplements 3 days prior to when I went into labor. I did have some early symptoms of labor now looking back - increase in Braxton Hicks contractions, losing part of my mucus plug and an increase in bowel movements (especially the morning of). Thursday, August 4th, I started doing curb walking while out with the family then came home and had a great night sleep! The next morning, I had a scheduled appointment, where I was worried they were going to really push induction which I really didn’t want (will share in another blog!).
That morning August 5th, around 5:00 AM, I woke up with what felt like period-like cramps and some loose bowels and thought ‘hmm maybe something is happening’ but went about my morning. Eloise got up a while later, and I was talking with her and getting her breakfast ready when I started having contractions that were definitely more noticeable compared to the Braxton Hicks contractions I have been having previously. I told Nick that something feels a little different and I’m going to sit on the couch to see if they go away - they didn’t go away and seemed to be getting more intense. I told him that he should probably come with to my scheduled 41 week appointment I had that morning at 8:45 AM. Luckily we had asked my mom to come over and watch Eloise while I was going to that appointment, so we were waiting for her to arrive. In the meantime, contractions were picking up in intensity and I had no appetite, but knew that I needed to try to eat and stay hydrated if this actually was labor, so I had a little yogurt, fruit and granola and a couple of the ‘Goodpop’ Freezer pops which were delicious and a great distraction from contractions with cooler sensations.
Around 7:30 AM, Eloise brought me a stuffed animal & was giving me some hugs while I was breathing through the contractions and early stage of labor! 😊
We left for my appointment and I started timing the contractions in the car, they were averaging 3-7 minutes apart and I got the notification on the app saying ‘Head to the Hospital’, but knew that sometimes that can happen and then they stop or spread out. At this point we just got to my appointment, and I was obviously showing that I was in early signs of labor. I was leaning over the front counter breathing through the contractions waiting to talk to the receptionist. There was one women in front of us asking so many questions with the front counter while I was waiting to get checked in. We were both wondering if she was ever going to stop because it felt like she just kept asking for 15+ minutes and didn’t even notice how uncomfortable I was!
8:45 AM
We got back to the room finally and the sweet young nurse said, so we have to do your NST (Non-Stress Test) today with such a happy demeanor and I said ‘Do we have to? I think I’m having contractions pretty intense’ and she said, “um I think your doctor wanted to have it checked, I’m sorry”. So I got hooked up and the contractions were showing up much more very frequently and intense than I had seen previously. Eventually, the doctor came in and said ‘Alright, we have to check you I’m sorry’, so I laid down and boom, my water broke (or at least part of it) and she said “well you are definitely at a 4+ and effacing, I will call the hospital and get your room ready, you need to go now”. Wow! What a relief to be progressing and already at a 4 I was thinking. On the way over to the hospital (which was only about a 10 minute drive from my clinic thankfully) I was staying positive and telling Nick how excited I was that I only have 6 more cm to go, I can do this!! And he was encouraging me and keeping me motivated.
10:30 AM
We got to the hospital and met the sweetest nurse ever! I told her my hopes for the birth. I wanted to be as natural as possible with no/low interventions and medications and she was so encouraging and brought such good energy to the room! She checked baby’s heart rate, gave me a C0VID test and at this point things were ramping up so I asked Nick to start the bath for me. Getting in the bath helped me immensely. I turned off the lights and just sat in the warm water playing worship music which was so calming while breathing through the contractions. During my time in the hospital it was just myself and Nick in the room and periodically my nurse would come and whisper to check in with nick - exactly what I wanted! (Funny side note: Nick was controlling the music from his phone and it was hooked up to our Alexa Speaker and while we were listening to the calming worship music, all of a sudden ‘Barbie Girl’ came blasting through the speakers from our daughter, Eloise playing it often at home. I was not having it 😂 and got upset lol so Nick quickly turned it. We could hear our nurse laughing about it and I’m sure I had a good brief distraction in that moment).
2:30 PM
I had no clue on time, was just focused on taking each contraction as they came, breathing through and really resting between them. While I was in the bath, Nick took the shower head with warm water and was going up and down on my back which felt amazing and was a great distraction. After a while, things started to feel a little different (in hind sight - this was transition which is when the cervix is dilating to ~ 8 to 10 cm and preparing the body to push!) and I wasn’t feeling as comfortable in the side lying position in the bath. I sat up and went to sit on the toilet as I was feeling a lot of pressure down there. I told Nick I was going to lay on my side on the bed and wanting to maybe try the nitrous oxide as things seemed more intense.
My nurse came in and said, “I told your doctor you asked for the nitrous oxide and usually that means things are ramping up, so she would like me to check you”. I had mixed feelings about getting checked (more coming in the blog about that), but thought I have to be far along so said sure, “I don’t feel your cervix at all!” she said and I thought, what does that mean? 😂 She said, “you are at a 10!” Wow! What a relief and feeling of JOY! I knew I was getting so close to meeting our little babe and was feeling a new burst of energy and motivation.
3:30 PM
From there, things continued to progress and quickly, I started utilizing the nitrous oxide through some contractions and felt my body starting to push uncontrollably. My doctor took about 30-40 minutes to come to our room after being told I was at a 10 (but it felt like forever!). I was just riding each contraction and allowing my body to do what it wanted to do. When she got there, my sweet nurse was ready to help be my coach and encourager. (The pushing part felt like the part I knew least about/felt the least confident - room for improvement/more research to be done for next time!) I ended up pushing in the bed and ended up pushing on and off for about 45 minutes. Eventually my husband and the team said we see his head, you’re getting so close! At this point I wasn’t really feeling the contractions, just a LOT of pressure down there (hello ring of fire!). This part probably wasn’t as long as it seemed, but I started to push long and hard when I would feel a contraction, but struggled to know when they ‘ended’ due to him crowning.
Finally, with one last big push, he was here at 4:18 PM on 9/5/22. It truly is crazy how all that pain just stops and you are in awe of what you just did. I got skin to skin and was just allowing my body to go through the post birth ‘shakes’, while getting assessed for any tearing. He was here, healthy and I did IT! I felt so many emotions at once and was feeling so extremely blessed. I got the post-birth experience I was hoping for - lots of skin to skin “golden hour”, being with my baby constantly and feeling aware of my physical body and what it just went through and its needs. I was able to get up and walk not long after birth, eat and drink and feel totally present during this precious postpartum time. Truly a healing experience for me!
First 24 hours with our little guy! 🤍
I was told I was viewed as a ‘first time laborer’ since I never experienced it with my first birth (had the c-section before I had any signs of labor) and was told by my team that it was relatively quick for a first birth/labor and that following births likely will be much quicker! Curious for mamas of two if this was your experience with the second? Comment below :)
Prior to this birth I did SO much research, learning, watching, and listening to help my mind to not fear birth and help my body prepare for this natural VBAC birth! I plan on sharing some of those tips in another blog post soon 💗
Thank you to everyone who reached out before and after saying they were thinking of me, praying for me and checking in throughout my pregnancy and towards the end! I truly believe the power of prayer and positive thoughts helped my mindset, energy and this birth go the way it did ♡
Similar topics: