**Please keep in mind that this is my experience. Every mom has their own unique story to tell. My narrative is not better than worse than someone else’s. While this is an extremely intimate post, I share because I found it helpful, comforting even, to read birth stories while I was pregnant.
We had quite a rollercoaster of a second pregnancy. I contracted Covid for a second time, again while pregnant, this time early in the first trimester. This led to numerous additional ultrasounds throughout our pregnancy. In March, after a growth ultrasound, we discovered that our baby was measuring in the 4.9th percentile. We were diagnosed with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and labeled a high-risk pregnancy.
Initially, our due date was June 5th, but ultrasound measurements pushed it back to June 11th. But because of this new diagnosis, we were told we might need to induce as early as 32 weeks, later if she continued to grow and scored well on testing. Thankfully, our little one kept growing, but to everyone’s surprise we now found ourselves now going past due… way past due.
Our goal was to have another natural, unmedicated birth. But as we reached 39 weeks, the pressure to induce at each doctor’s visit grew. Based on good ultrasound scores, I steadfastly declined cervical exams and inductions, convinced that our baby would arrive any day. My first child, Colten, was born at 39 weeks and 4 days, and I expected a similar timeline. Yet, each day felt like Groundhog Day, waking up still pregnant.
40 weeks came and went.. and I couldn’t believe I was still pregnant. But I was committed to letting my body and baby decide when they were ready… At 40 + 3, our providers were insistent on induction. They were visibly upset at our decision to continue to decline both cervical checks and an induction. Finally at our 41 + 3 follow up on Thursday, June 20th, at 9 days past due, I scheduled an induction for Sunday, June 23rd, hoping it would appease them. I had been having some contractions that day and figured we’d give birth any day now. To schedule an induction I had to consent to a cervical exam. I was only 1cm dilated, 50% effaced and baby was at a -4 station, giving us a low Bishop's score. Our induction was scheduled for Sunday at 1 pm.
Contractions ceased and nothing seemed to progress. Three days later we walked into the hospital on Sunday feeling very defeated but still hopeful. We opted for a non-stress test and a cervical check. Baby K “looked wonderful” according to the nurses and OB, however our cervical check showed that I had still not made any progress from Thursday. We had another ultrasound and follow-up scheduled for the next day, and despite their wish for us to stay, we declined admission and went home.
On Monday June 24th, after a biophysical profile, we had a 3-hour gap between appointments. Instead of going home, hubby and I decided to take advantage of our son being with his parents. So we went on a lunch date, did a little walking, and took a drive around some potential new neighborhoods. While driving around I noticed I was having some small, sporadic contractions, but nothing intense. But still made me hopeful things might be progressing on their own!
At our 4pm follow-up, to my surprise, there was still no change from our previous cervical exams. In a last ditch effort I asked for a membrane sweep. Our OB tried as best as she could but wasn’t sure she was successful because baby was still so high. She mentioned that on our ultrasound they observed particles floating around in the amniotic fluid, which could be vernix or meconium, and she highly recommended an induction for later that evening. Feeling defeated, we scheduled a tentative time for 8:30 pm, knowing we might be bumped if the hospital got busy. The ride home was somber. I tried to make best of the situation and jokingly told my husband “Okay, baby has 4 hours to get here on her own. She needs to come fast.”
When we got home we ate dinner with my in-laws and son. At one point while eating I had to stand up through a contraction because I had started to get a little uncomfortable. Around 6:30 pm my husband and I walked to go grab the mail. I noticed that my contractions were feeling stronger and becoming more frequent, though I could still talk through them. I did some last minute curb walking in hopes to keep things moving along on their own. Very on brand, I finished packing my hospital bag and hopped in the shower at 7:30 pm. At 8:00 pm we had a missed call from our hospital asking if we could instead come in at 10:00 pm because they had gotten busy. Awesome! More time at home. I kept moving around the house getting things done, working through contractions.
Normally my husband and I alternate our bedtime book reading with our son, but that night we wanted to put him down together as a family. I sat at the foot of the rocker as my husband and son cozied up together in the chair. At one point during the story I had to turn and silently work through a contraction. Still not thinking much of it we said goodnight to him for the last time as a family of 3.
At 8:45pm with the additional time we had, I decided I wanted to labor in the tub, something I missed out on during my first labor. I was having to really breathe through contractions at this point, focusing on 4 seconds in, 8 seconds out. In through my nose, out through my mouth. Around 9:00 pm as I was filling up the tub, my husband downloaded a contraction timer on his phone and started timing my contractions. I rapidly went from 8 minutes apart, to 6 to 4, and even 2 minutes apart. The app suggested getting ready to go to the hospital but consider heading in now if this was not our first labor. My husband started to get concerned and wanted us to head in, but I wanted to wait for another couple contractions. Because of how slow our first labor was I figured we had way more time… and I was mentally preparing for another long labor.
At 9:45pm we said bye to my in-laws and headed out the door. I texted my family “On our way to the hospital now. I’m going to turn my phone on airplane mode but hubby will keep everyone updated on what’s going on. Strong contractions happening naturally on their own every 8-4 minutes but heading in for our scheduled induction time.”
We walked into the ER at 10:04pm to fill out our paperwork for our induction/admission. When we got there my contractions were picking up intensity and getting even closer together. My husband informed the receptionist that I was in active labor so she kindly expedited the process for us. Standing at the counter, I worked through a few contractions while my husband worked on the paperwork. Ten minutes later we walked up to the labor and delivery floor. We were greeted by the nurse we saw the day before and were escorted into a room. Things picked up fast after that. I wasn’t sure if the room was ours or if we’d be moved somewhere else so I labored at the foot of the bed. This phase was hard work and really pushed me deep. Contractions were coming every 2-3 minutes and they. were. INTENSE. My first birth I was very silent during labor until pushing. This time was not the case. I became extremely vocal during these contractions, really struggling to keep my breathing pattern and starting to really doubt myself. I was sweating and shaking so badly during each contraction. My husband rubbed my back and blew air onto my neck to keep me comfortable. I peered down at my watch and saw 10:25pm. The nurse still had not come back to check in on us.
After what felt like an eternity, at 10:35pm the nurse came in to hook us up to the monitors. She said “We’ll need to monitor you for at least 20 minutes and we’ll go from there.” I climbed into the bed and my husband mentioned to her that I was having contractions every 2-3 minutes. Once in bed I remembered my birth plan and asked if my husband could give her a copy from my hospital bag. In between surges she asked if she could do a cervical check. I nodded. She finished and said “Um… I need to go get a second opinion. I can’t feel your cervix.” To which I responded “Is that bad?” She replied “All I can feel is your waters and your baby's head. Your baby is at a 0 or +1.”In disbelief, I realized how fast the labor was progressing!
The second nurse walked in at 10:45pm and confirmed I was complete. She said “If you get the urge to push you can start pushing!” Instinctively I quickly flipped over onto all fours. While working through a contraction I felt the urge to pee, but knew there was no way I was going to make it to the bathroom. I told the nurses and she responded “It’s probably just the pressure from baby, but I’ll grab you a pail just in case”. She placed one under me and I started bear down after feeling my body’s natural urge to push.
I reached down and could feel her head. I gave it a second big push and felt a huge pop and a rush of warm water. The nurses cheered me on “You’ve got her head out! You’re almost there!”. Roaring, I gave it one final push and felt the rest of her body come out. At 10:52pm our rainbow baby was born. Once I heard her cry out I started sobbing - tears of joy, love, relief, and overwhelm. I couldn’t believe how fast everything happened. Our baby girl was here in under a minute, in just three pushes without the OB even making it into the room. No tearing, no induction, no interventions. We did it on our own. The nurses were amazed, saying “She did that with no anesthesia or anything!”. After a whole lot of commotion we found ourselves alone for the next hour, soaking in the experience and our new baby girl. After a while our nurse walked back in and said to me “I’m not sure what your birth plan was, but I hope it was everything you wanted!”.
From start to finish our labor and delivery was only about 5-6 hours, but it was the end of the pregnancy that was the most mentally, emotionally, and spiritually challenging. The pressure from our OBs to induce made me question if I was doing the right thing for me and our baby… but I’m SO proud of myself, and especially my husband, who continued to remind me time and time again of what our goal for birth was. In the end we got the natural, unmedicated birth we dreamed of.
What amazed me the most was how instinctual it all was. I am so in awe of the female body. It KNOWS how to birth without the “thinking” part of your brain. I was so in the zone the last 30 minutes before her birth. When I reached down to grab her, it was just so natural and divine.
Hopefully this encourages some mamas who didn’t have the birth experience they wanted in the past or have gone past their due date. Listen to your instincts and trust your bodies, they are intentionally created and designed for this 🤍
Kaylee made her arrival at 10:52 pm on June 24th at 6lbs 7oz, 19.5 inches long. We are beyond blessed to have such a beautiful, healthy, happy baby girl.
With love!
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