The Business of being born

January 2010, (I don't have a recent prego pic :)

Let me first begin with recording my experience with Micah's birth. Micah was due on January 15, 2008. My pregnancy with him was wonderful. The hardest part was my last Trimester when I became SO INCREDIBLY ITCHY ALL OVER! Other than that everything was great. I was 2 days over due and like any full term mother, I was feeling very ready to have my baby.

I worked up until the day I had Micah. I made it into work bright and early (6:00 am). After a few hours I was just ready to go home, so I did. I went home and slept for hours, woke up showered and took a good look at my apartment. I decided it wasn't clean enough so I made my way in and out of each room cleaning every last inch of my apartment. I remember feeling contractions while I was scrubbing the bath tub. The contractions continues through the evening but I hadn't started timing them yet. I made dinner and then let Ryan clean up. After we ate I started timing my contractions. They were about 2-4 minutes apart, I tried to lay down and rest to make sure it wasn't just false labor. After a couple hours of rest and contractions staying at about 2 minutes apart we wen to Mt Timpanogos Hospital. When we arrived a nurse had me change my clothes and checked to see how far I was dilated. I was only a one and a wiggle! The nurse reassured me that she would watch me for an hour and if I didn't make any progress, I would be sent home for the night and then most likely have a baby in the morning. After we had only been there about 15 minutes the same nurse came in and asked me all kinds of questions, and then the next thing I know she is sticking an ivy in my arm and having me turn to my side. A few minutes later she tells me that the babies heart rate is going down with every contraction (that is normal) but is not bouncing back to a safe range. She said I will be staying in the hospital and she checked me in. A second nurse came in and gave Ryan some clothes to change into.

The next series of events happened so fast that the excitement I felt to have a baby tuned to fear. The Nurse that I had been helping me from the moment I arrived, came in and announced that my Dr. was on his way and wanted me prepped for a c-section. I was then told that the there wouldn't be any time for me to have an epidural for the surgery so I would be put to sleep completely. On top of that I was told that Ryan would have to stay behind and I was wheeled away to the operating room. I don't even think I got to give Ryan a hug or a kiss before I was rushed away. While in the O.R. I was laid half naked onto a surgery table, received a catheter (can I say ouch!), and had a mask placed over my face. The nurse told me she would make sure that my chest was covered so that I felt more comfortable, what a foolish thing to say, I was way beyond comfortable! Then the Anesthesiologist came over, pinched my throat and I was out. The next hing I know I was being waken up by a nurse. She told me that my baby was taken to the NICU and I would get to see him soon.

I was taken to a hospital room where my family was waiting for me. It was good to have them there but Ryan was missing along with mine and his Dad. I was told that they were in the NICU with Micah giving him a blessing. I asked again when I would get to see my baby and I was reassured that it would be soon. Ryan finally came in and showed me a picture of Micah. Yes the first time I got to see Micah was a photo! I thought I would feel something special but I felt nothing when I looked at the picture. I wanted to meet him, yet I still didn't have the feelings for my baby that I had heard other moms talk about. I was then taken to a more permanent room and told to get some rest. I was getting so upset, I still hadn't seen my baby, my family had gone home, and I was still delirious from the drugs. It was the next morning, 11 hours after I had had him that I finally go to go see Micah. It was three days later that I got to hold him, 4 days later that I got to nurse him, and 17 days later that we got to bring him home. For those of you who don't know, Micah was in the NICU because he inhaled meconium and his lungs were partially collapsed.

Since having Micah have have been determined that my next baby was going to be a vaginal birth. The only thing I knew for sure that I needed to do, was to find a provider who would allow me to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). The next step I took was getting my body baby ready. I got into the best shape I have ever been in in my life. I have managed to stay very physically active through out this pregnancy, which I feel has been and will continue to be very beneficial to me on so many levels. I was feeling as though I had covered all the bases, but as the babies due date is coming up and after all the research I have been doing, I started feeling there were a few more measures that needed to be taken. I felt that in order to have the birth that I want, not only a VBAC but also a natural birth, I needed to find a new provider. I made the last minute decision to switch to a nurse midwife. I kind of think it also has to do with my impulsive pregnant brain. For now I am very happy with my decision, but we'll see if I feel the same way after my first appointment with my midwife tomorrow. I have also borrowed a few things from my friend Camy to help me with Hypno birthing (not as crazy as it sounds, I promise). I am feeling much more in control of things which makes me very Happy! And did I mention that this pregnancy has bee wonderful too? I absolutely love being pregnant!

To what do I owe the credit of my new impulsive behavior?
- Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin (I highly recommend this)
- The Business of Being Born, Documentary ( I highly recommend this too!)
- Various articles
- Very supportive and experienced friends and family :)