Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Emelyn's Birth Story: Part 3 (Otherwise Known as: This Story Really Does Have an Ending)

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Go here for Part 1.
Go here for Part 2.

My contractions were getting stronger and I was getting wearier. I wasn't at all sure when this would ever end or if I would have the strength I needed to bring it to a conclusion.

I was able to breathe through my contractions by keeping in mind the way my 6 yr. old responded to the "Throwing Up Every 10 Minutes" virus we went through recently. She stayed very calm, quiet, and as still as could be until she needed to throw up. Then, she would lift one finger and motion for the bowl, do her business, and lay quietly down again. On the other hand, my 7 yr. old would shriek and thrash and wail, "Mommy, help me! Mommy! Mommy! I don't want to throw up!"

I tried very hard to emulate the former way of handling the pain, and it really did help. I also tried very hard to think of Jesus suffering on the cross so that others might live. In my own small way, I thought that I was laying down my own life and suffering to give this little one life.

The doctor eventually came in and checked me and said that I had a bulging bag of water. WHAT?! Bag of WHAT?! I thought he had broken my water 12 plus hours ago! He offered some explanation that I really didn't pay attention to because once he broke that, Katie bar the door! Now, we were getting somewhere!

This was what I remembered happening every time my water had been broken before. Very painful contractions immediately and a baby in my arms 15 minutes later.

The only difference this time was that there was about 5 minutes of nothing between each contraction which made the process much longer. I was really having to concentrate on not losing control and doing what my 7 yr. old does when she's in pain. Every other birth without drugs, right at the end, I have always screamed, "I CAN'T DO IT!!" and my husband always had to assure me that I could and that it was almost over. This time I was determined not to do that.

At one point, there were 2 nurses in the room chit chatting about their weekend plans. I gave my husband one look, and, it still amazes me after 22 years of marriage that he can read my mind, he told them that I was doing some very difficult work here and I needed it quiet, please.

The pushing stage seemed to last at least 45 minutes because of all the rests between contractions. This is much longer than I have ever pushed before, but with lots of encouragement from my husband and a quiet and calm environment, I was able to finally hold my sweet baby in my arms. For the first time I never screamed that I couldn't do it, either!

My husband, with tears in his eyes, said that he was so proud of me and that I was his hero! When I got to talk to some friends and read the comments, I found out that some of you had been praying for me just at the most difficult time. Thank you! I really do feel like that made such a difference.

And now let's recap what SmockityMommy has learned from this experience. Shall we?

  • Pitocin is an evil, wicked drug. It can make you want to scratch the eyes out of a nurse walking past your bed simply because her name is Heather and you strongly suspect that she was at cheerleading camp the last time you were giving birth.
  • 12 hours of Pitocin will make you feel like you have just done 13,056 sit ups. In a row. While someone was hitting you in the stomach. With a bowling ball. Repeatedly.
  • Pitocin is bad.
  • One cannot depend on one birth being like any of the others.
  • Finally, and most important of all, it amazes me how our magnificent God cares so much for us that he creates little babies that are fearfully and wonderfully made, with eyes to see every color of the spectrum, ears to hear the world singing His praises, and perfectly formed lips that know exactly what to do to receive nourishment.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen, Connue. I'm so proud of you too!

Holly
www.seekingfaithfulness.wordpress.com

Laura in KY said...

Oh, Connie... bless your heart! I completely agree with your conclusions. My last 4 labors were induced with pitocin. (Although I'm quite jealous of the 5 minute lulls you got to experience... with Giovanni, hard contractions came every 2 minutes, and that was just at 3 cm!). Praise the Lord that Emelyn is here and she is a beautiful, healthy little girl! :-)

The Lockwood Family ♥ said...

What a wonderful conclusion~ Now I don't have to check my computer every hour too see if you've posted the rest of the story! :)
Thank you too for the sweet comment you left on our blog the other day.
I'm praying you are recovering well from all those sit ups, and that you and little Emelyn are staying warm and enjoying lots of snuggles, cuddles, kisses, and loving. You have such a precious family! Yes, the Lord is sooo gracious and good. I'm amazed by His faithfulness, mercy and love every time I think about it. May this Christmas be extra special for you all with your sweet little baby.
Our Nehemiah was born on the 18th of Dec. last year, and it was just wonderful to me to hold him and stare at him for hours thinking about the precious gift of God's Son to us.
love,
Jaynee

Jenn said...

aaahhhhhhhhh.....

i love this story.....

:o)

Nikki said...

Pitocin is evil. I agree. Luckily I didn't have it with Ham. Now that I've given birth without drugs I feel like I can do anything, anything at all that God wants me to do-- including give birth again without drugs.

I'm so happy for your new little arrival. She's beautiful!

Kim said...

Congratulations! What a beauty she is :)

I am induced with every pregnancy but I haven't endured without an eventual epidural.

Liz said...

Great birth story and such a sweet baby! Glad that you are able to hold and nuzzle such a sweetie!
Elizabeth

Shannon said...

You are just too funny! :) Love the birth story and am so glad that you and the baby are safe and sound.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your lovely little blessing! I'm so happy for you! Thank God that even the memory of that pain will lessen.

Now, in my opinion, you left the D off. I call pitocin the devil. 2 cm's feels like 8. Last baby it abrupted my placenta, and I needed a c-section. I'm glad you had such a happy ending, or shall I call it beginning:)

Anonymous said...

Awwww Connie!

You made me laugh and cry all in one post! That is the sign of a great post!

I would concur that pitocin is very evil and wicked and I will never use it again if at all possible. Posterior births are evil and wicked too, but that is a post in and of itself. :O)

Blessings, Michelle

Meliss said...

I really enjoyed reading your birth story even if it was almost as painfully drawn out as your actual birth. I'm kidding! I'm kidding! ;-) Did you ever get an explanation from the doctor as to why you had to have your "water broken" again?

Congratulations on your new baby girl and good work on your labor and delivery!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hey, Connie,

I didn't have pitocin this time. I didn't know what to expect. I found the process to be JUST as hard, and even faster! That surprised me SO much!

Now - where I think the difference comes for me this time IS...I felt so much better AFTER delivery. I really didn't feel like I'd had a baby at all, and never did. It was amazing! I think because the muscular work was natural, vs forced.

Anyway - love to you!

Holly

Heather Anne said...

My Midwife said that Pitocin is from the PIT - and she also likened it to kick starting a rolls royce - 0-60 in 20 seconds is never advised with fine cars or fine women. Birth is meant to be beautiful - not a drive-by! I hope you are feeling better, though I know from experience that you might just feel like you've been hit by a mac truck!

Enjoy your sweet girl and give her lots of loving! She is a wonderful blessing from God, as all children are!

Linz said...

Thank you again for your very kind and very encouraging words. :) I'm sorry if I overstayed my welcome the other night, but thank you for letting me hang around. Emelyn's in our thoughts and prayers everyday. <3

da halls said...

Congratulations on your precious baby and your Sheerah-like victory.

I don't remember whose link from whose link from whose link that I found your blog, but I got here.

I did not get to read all of the parts to your birth story, yet, but just had to comment on how you made my husband and I laugh about your conclusion regarding pitocin.

My husband calls pitocin "The Liquid Devil". And you sooo accurately described how I felt afterwards - the 13K+ sit ups. I could not get up for days afterward without assistance.

Again, congratulations and thank you for sharing and giving us a bit of laugh.

80)
Mary Beth

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