Sylvia Brynn
8:30AM on June 2nd 10lbs and 22in
The word that would characterize my birth story is unprepared. Unprepared in a good way. I am not sure there is any way to really feel prepared for a birth. I was unprepared for the emotions that would come after my due date was long past. I was unprepared for the emotions that would flood as I first got to hold my baby girl. I was unprepared for it to feel like I had just completed the best, most empowering, but hardest thing I could ever do.
I was unprepared for it to be one of the best experiences of my life.
As a first time mom, I was prepared to go over my due date. Everyone says that first time moms usually go over their due date. However, when I saw 42 weeks come and go, my mental state was a little rocky, and I was very ready to have baby on the outside and be done hearing other people's opinions.
At 42 weeks and 1 day, I went into the office for an appointment with the midwives, for a non stress test and a routine prenatal. Baby looked good and Jenn graciously answered all of our questions. Jenn and I discussed sweeping my membranes to try to get things going, to which I decided to do. Jenn mentioned that I might feel a little crampy later in the day and that it might take two sweeps to get things really going, but that hopefully it would work. I was already 3-4cm dilated, yay!
My husband, Aaron, and I left and went to Chic Fil A for lunch and headed to Prairie Park for a long walk together, hoping it would be one of the last before we became a family of three. We headed home and did some work out in the garden. By the time we made it inside to start making dinner, I was feeling a little crampy. I wondered if perhaps baby was finally deciding to make her appearance or if it was just the aftereffects of the membrane sweep from earlier that morning. I kept working on dinner with Aaron and didn’t mention anything. After dinner, I realized the cramping was coming a bit more consistently. The midwives had texted me to find out how I was doing, and I let them know I was feeling a little crampy, not sure if it’s contractions or if its from the sweep. After dinner, Aaron and I settled in to watch a movie to see if things would keep progressing (Did you Hear About the Morgans). Halfway through the movie, I was unable to sit still any longer through the contractions. I got up and began pacing, which I think really made things progress faster.
We updated the midwives, and then I tried to lay down and rest. This didn’t last long as I was not able to really rest. My contractions were about 5 minutes apart pretty consistently starting at 10PM (halfway through our movie). I rested on the bed between contractions. During contractions, I kneeled on the ground and supported the rest of my body on the side of the bed while swaying my hips. I kept this up for most of the night, alternating between laying on the bed and kneeling next to it as I felt a contraction coming. It just felt as comfortable as I could get. I have no clue how long this went on, Aaron was timing contractions for me and I was just trying to get through them. All the while Aaron had been setting up the birth pool and filling it. Of course, a few days prior, our water heater had broken and would only provide hot water for a few minutes before it started filling with cold water. Thankfully, I had no idea Aaron was having such trouble getting hot water to fill the tub, and he got it all filled with just a little more work than was planned.
We were updating the midwives. At one point, I remember thinking “wow if this goes on for 12 more hours, I will not be able to do it”. Shortly after that thought, I threw up, so I now know that I was in transition at this time. Aaron was supportive and rubbing my back or laying next to me the whole time. The midwives arrived in the early morning around 6AM, and checked all of my vitals. I then moved into the pool and was ready to start pushing shortly after. After a few minutes, I asked Jennifer to check me, and she mentioned that I had a cervical lip. She worked with me through a few contractions to try to combat this and get it over baby’s head. Soon enough that worked, and I continued pushing through the contractions.
The pushing was the most intense part for me. It was a lot of hard work.
I pushed for about two hours. While pushing, I remember feeling like I had just peed myself, but after the contraction Jen asked if I felt the warm gush and told me my water broke. I was convinced that I had peed myself and my water still hadn’t actually broken. Anna and Jen told me that they could see a lot of hair on baby’s head. I reached down and was able to feel her head a few times. I kept asking if I was going to be done soon. The team very graciously responded that I was getting close but they didn’t know how long. Everyone was supportive and trying to speak words of encouragement. I was very ready to just meet our little lady. Finally her head came through and the rest of her body just followed through. The rest of her body came faster than I anticipated. Anna caught her and brought her up to my chest. This was the sweetest, most amazing moment ever. I was so overcome with emotion. I did it, and I finally had my baby girl on my chest. She started crying right away. Shortly after, I started cramping and the placenta came out. Aaron cut the cord and then we transitioned out of the tub and into the bedroom to try to start nursing. What an amazing experience. It was so tough, but I felt so accomplished. When I think back on my story, the moment that always stands out and overwhelms me is the feelings of elation, empowerment, and accomplishment while holding her in my arms for the first time.
