Marlie's Birth
Hi, I haven't posted much in the last few months but I wanted to share my VBAC story with Marlie born on 28 August weighing 5lbs12oz (she was 36 wks 4 days, my first - breech- was born at 36wks 5 days on a Tuesday too!). My early labour started at 2am (spent some time finishing my hospital bag and getting everything ready for the car) then went back to bed to listen to my Hypnobabies CDs (intended to be active on my ball or squatting but was more comfortable drifting in and out of hypnosis). I called my doula at 6am to let her know and my MW at 7am (still wasn't sure if it was the real thing as my ctx/waves were coming every 4 mins for 30s for the first 4 hours - they eventually spaced out when I went back to bed).
We left for hospital when they came at the timing indicated by my MW and Marlie came 2 1/2 hours after we arrived at 14:27 (it took me 40 mins to dilate from 5cm to complete and push her out). I was expecting continuous monitoring and an heplock but things went so fast that I escaped both (no drug either). I am still recovering from a 1st degree tear, the discomfort is being felt but nothing like the pain of getting out of bed after a CS.
I haven't felt that birth high that many VBAC mums described (a nurse came to make me sign all the forms during what we realised was transition so I lost focus on my Hypnobabies relaxation and everything went so painfully afterwards, I screamt my lungs out so I wouldn't say I'd do it again soon! I begged for an epidural when I felt the baby's head entering the birth canal though I was so completely against and I thought for a second, man, the CS didn't hurt that much. DH, mom and DD1 attended the birth which shows how relaxed my hospital is (wished I'd face the ocean views whilst pushing rather than the wall - was kneeling on the bed).
Nobody from my team (wonderful MW, prenatal yoga teacher and hypno-doulas -
thanks Sheridan for coming along and taking all
the photos!) made me feel I was a VBAC (I had a pro-VBAC perinatologist as a
back-up to my MW). I guess it went so smoothly due to the fact that:
1) during the whole pregnancy I never doubted I would do it (despite the
fights with DH and OB - at the back of my mind I could always fly to London
where DD1 was born and where VBACs are encouraged) and researched and shared
the wisdom of women on that board. I never thought U/R would happen to me.
2) I worked on optimum positioning from early on (Marlie was in the perfect
position which I'm so proud of - stopped slouching half way through pregnancy
and would only sit on a ball or the edge of a chair leaning forward) and saw
an ICPA listed chiropractor from 30 weeks onwards
3) I did prenatal yoga with a teacher so knowledgeable about anatomy
4) I took Hypnobabies classes - great tool that I'd recommend not only for the
drug-free part but also childbirth education, the only one if needed (I
skipped the VBAC class at another hospital)
5) I followed the Gentle Birth Method of UK Dr Gowri Motha OB (mostly the diet
part which recommend to avoid carbs, wheat and gluten, bananas, mangoes and
grapes especially during the last several weeks so that you don't get bloated
and birth your perfect size baby and drank the ayurvedic herbs she prescribes
in the book) - that diet weaned me off my sweet tooth (had a gastro-vacation
at 27 wks in France and was visiting the local French bakery here in SoCal
several times a week...you guess I'm French). Never had a big appetite during
pregnancy anyway so that suited me (craved only forbidden food!).
6) I wrote down my ideal birth story in details the week before the birth.
Lots didn't go as easily as I had visualised but many things happened close to
how I had described it to myself (incl. timing).
OK, I'm a freak who did everything ever read about. Marlie's small but
perfect, am so proud of having 2 beautiful DDs now. I hope the next few weeks
will make me realise I have emotional closure about my CS. I just wish now I
could sit down (had not idea how swollen you can get with vaginal births..
thanks for foam mattresses and hopefully all the kegels that Hypnobabies
pressure you to do will prove to be effective
)
and go eat all the sashimi, ice cream and foie gras in the world!