Matthew

When I awoke later in the day on Friday, I talked to my parents about
the situation. They STRONGLY suggested that we go to town (the city in
which I wanted to birth) and stay in a hotel for the night; the weather
forecast called for heavy rain, turning into snow. My husband and I
decided it was a good idea and went to Kearney that night. We arrived
at around 10:30pm and my husband was asleep before 11:00pm. I, on the
other hand, was still having pressure waves about 6-7 minutes apart and
couldn't sleep. I read, sat on my birthing ball, took another dose of
both black cohosh and evening primrose, and drank a few cups of the red
raspberry leaf tea. All through the early morning the pressure waves
remained around 6 min. apart, however, they increased in duration to 1
min. and in intensity. I used my self-hypnosis with each one and it
worked great! By 4:30am I was getting very sleepy and I tried to lie
down for a while. I think I slept for about 20 min. during the time I
was in bed. At 8:00am the pressure waves were getting very intense and
only 3-5 min. apart. I called the answering service for my doctor (she
was actually IN TOWN and ON CALL!). She told me to check into the
hospital and she would see me there.

My husband and I checked out of the motel and into the hospital at
around 8:30am on Saturday, 2/24. After I got into the room the doctor
checked my cervix and I was 90% effaced, 3 1/2 cm. dialated, and the
sac was bulging. She thought it would break at anytime and then the
birthing would really progress quickly. I felt great that I was finally
going to birth my baby! I tried to sit on the birthing ball, but the
nausea I was having made it impossible. I ended up vomiting and feeling
much better. My husband told the nurse that we had a birthing plan and
she said she would look at it. She started my IV and the antibiotics (I
was strep B positive). I ended up lying on my side during most of the
birthing because it was the most comfortable for me. After about an
hour I started to lose my focus (I had only slept for just over 4 hours
in two days) and the pressure waves began to be p*nful. My husband
reminded me to use my Hypnobabies and it really helped. I imagined my
anesthesia was like spray paint and I used it to cover the areas of p*n
with a dull, gray paint. I don't know where this idea came from, but it
worked!

When my doctor checked my cervix again at 10:30am, I was at only 5 cm.
dialated and 100% effaced. The amniotic sac had been bulging for over
two hours and still hadn't ruptured. She asked me if I wanted her to
break it and I told her I didn't know. I had lost my focus and ability
to use my self-hypnosis. After learning how little I had slept
recently, the nurse suggested giving me a sedative to let me sleep for a
while before breaking the sac. I told her that it sounded like a good
idea; I didn't know how I would get through the birthing with so little
energy. The doctor thought it sounded like a good idea too; she
suggested that she come back later in the day and break the sac if
necessary after I had slept for a while. When the nurse came back with
the sedative she also brought my birth plan and apologized for
suggesting the medication. I told her that I thought she was right,
that I did need rest before continuing on with the birthing. After the
sedative was administered I ended up sleeping for several hours. The
pressure waves continued, but I was able to use the mental anesthesia
and self-hypnosis. I listened to my birth guide while I slept.

By 2:30pm I was fairly well rested by the time my doctor came back to
check on me. My water still hadn't broken! She asked if I wanted her
to break it and she did. At this point I was 5 1/2 cm. dialated. She
said the most difficult part was getting to 5 cm. dialated; after the
sac was ruptured the baby's head would quickly open up the cervix. The
pressure waves became very intense at this point, but I continued to use
my self-hypnosis and anesthesia.

At 3:00pm I became extremely uncomfortable. I was exhausted again and
had a really hard time focusing on my self-hypnosis. I was in p*n and
couldn't get myself into hypnosis. My husband tried to help me, but it
didn't work. By 3:30pm, the nurse checked my cervix and I was fully
dialated, except for a lip. She moved it out of the way and I felt
better for a little while. She also called the doctor and began getting
the room ready for birthing. Right before 4:00pm I started pushing even
though there wasn't anyone in the room to attend to the birth! My
doctor arrived and they got the bed into position and me into position.
At this point I was so uncomfortable and in p*n that I didn't care how I
birthed as long as I did it soon! My husband tried to remind me to push
between pressure waves, but I told him "I'M TOO TIRED!". The nurse took
over since I didn't know what I was doing and I wanted someone to tell
me what to do.

After around 15 pushes (ten seconds long) I pushed my
baby out. Matthew was born at 4:27pm. I felt great and my first words
were "I just birthed a baby," in disbelief. My second words were "I
hope his head is going to change otherwise people will think he 'came
from France.' " (Coneheads reference.) I was tired but I felt so
exhilerated that I did it without an epidural and without tearing or an
episiotomy! The nurse said it was the best birth without an epidural
that she had seen in a very long time. My husband heard her tell
someone else in the nursery later how easy my birthing went (she had
been working there for 24 years). My doctor just allowed the placenta
to move out on its own and she didn't do the nasty fundal (sp.?) massage
that others have talked about. My son nursed a few minutes after being
born and had a great sucking reflex. He also scored an 8, then a 9 on
his APGAR.

I think the Hypnobabies worked very well for me. I attribute any p*n
that I experienced and loss of focus to my lack of rest and sleep before
the birthing. My husband thinks the birthing went very well, too, and
he is very proud of me.

I plan on using Hypnobabies for my next child (yes, already I want to
birth another!). I am very grateful that I used the system and that I
have been a part of this web group. It has been a blessing to me.

Elena