Charlie's Birth Story

This pregnancy was a little different.  When I was pregnant with Jayne I took a pregnancy and labor class the college offered.  I learned all about how a baby develops and grows.  I learned all about labor and the different stages and what words like "effaced" and "transition" meant.  I didn't really have a plan for pain management, it was just gonna be a wait and see what I could handle kind of deal.  To read Jayne's birth story click HERE.  During Max's pregnancy, I did a bunch of research on natural childbirth and how beneficial it is for mom and baby.  I made my mind up to "go all natural" just like I did with Jayne.  After all, if I did it once I could certainly do it again.  To read about Max's birth, click HERE.  With Charlie I knew I wanted to go natural again, but I needed to work on a few things. I love the way I can get up and take care of my baby and myself after a natural birth.  I don't love about an hour before the baby is born when my contractions are so strong I can't breath.  I don't like going numb in my face, hands and feet. And I don't like feeling like I don't have control. So this time I decided to try Hypnobabies.  To me Hypnobabies is all about learning to relax, breath and let birth happen.  So I found a class offered and joined it. 

Change of terms:

Labor- Birth Time

Delivered- Birthed

Contraction- Pressure Wave

Transition-Transformation

In the class they go through your pregnancy and you learn different techniques to put yourself instantly into a deep state of relaxation/hypnosis.  I started practicing hypnobabies around 30 weeks, so I used it for a while.  I would practice for about 30-60 minutes a day.  Normally right before I took a nap or went to bed at night.  Darick did it with me a couple times a week so when I was in birth time, he could help me stay focused and relaxed.  Most of my birth time, I looked like I was sleeping, but really I was just staying relaxed.  You start using hypnobabies the moment to start feeling regular pressure waves, when they are short, spaced well apart, and not as strong.  That way when they get stronger you don't have to all the sudden relax and try to not think about them. 

For those that were there with me, it was a seriously boring day.  I needed it to be quiet in the room so I could stay focused.  I went into the hospital at 6am because I have a fear of not making it to the hospital in time.  I knew I had a while to go, but I wanted to be at the hospital.  So my midwife Karen came in and checked on me pretty often, she wanted to break my water, and get things moving, but part of using hypnobabies is to let things progress naturally.  Charlie's head was really low, I kept getting comments that he was just gonna fall out.  If I had let my midwife break my water, I bet I would have had him way sooner.  There is no benefit to breaking the water, except to "get things going."  There are a bunch of risks though, and I wasn't willing to do it.  There were some people annoyed by my decision, but it was my labor, and I wanted things as natural as I could make them. I was monitored about every 30 minutes, my nurse Jessica would come in and listen to the baby and check on me. I drank a ton of water (so I didn't need an IV), peed a ton, and moved from the bed to a birthing ball, to the rocking chair and finally the Jacuzzi.  Hypnobabies encourages changing positions about every 30 minutes.  But I liked laying down the best, it was easiest to stay in hypnosis then. 

Around 5pm my pressure waves were stronger but I was comfortable and relaxed.  I think this is about the time I went into transformation.  I could feel the baby pretty low and I didn't feel like I had to push or anything, but I knew that I could have pushed.  I asked my midwife Karen to check me about 5:20pm.  She did and said I was only at an 8 and to hold off for a little bit.  The urge to do something was becoming stronger but I tried to just stay relaxed and keep breathing and focusing.  Karen checked me again about 5:50pm and I had a bulging bag of water, which is the reason I wanted to push.  Karen had to attend an emergency c-section and wanted me to hold off til after that.  I basically said no, but she had to go.  So my nurse Jessica came in.  I told Jessica that I needed to push and I couldn't stop it.  The next pressure wave I had some uncontrolled tightening type pushes and I said  "oh"..."oh." Then Darick told them I was gonna push.  I think that there was about a 3 minute break between the pressure waves.  I told Jessica that on the next one I was gonna have to push because I couldn't stop it, and that she needed to be ready.  When the pressure wave was about to start I said "OK" and basically my body took over, during the pressure wave I pushed 3 times.  The first push my bag of water came out.  I told them something came out.  They lifted the blanket and got to work.  The next push was his head, and finally Charlie's body.  He was born at 6:13pm with the bag of water intact.  We chose a midwife this time because they stay with you the whole time.  With Jayne and Max the doctors came in and caught the baby.  So it's funny that Karen missed the baby, and my nurse delivered him.  It's OK though, I really liked my nurse.  She was so supportive of our desire for a natural child birth, and she was respectful of me and my needs. 

Karen came back about 6:20 and delivered the placenta and helped to clean me up.  She waited at the hospital all day... oh well, there were a couple other ladies having babies too.

He sure is a chubby little thing!

Darick was really great, he helped my stay focused and relaxed, especially at the very end when things get a little more intense.  I would definitely use hypnobabies again and recommend it.  I was able to keep breathing, and not feel light headed or numb.  I also felt like I was really in control of my birth.

Afterwards I had a chocolate milk shake, fruit and a club sandwich.  The last time I had eaten was at 4am before leaving my house.  It was a banana :)  so I was pretty hungry!

We stayed for 24 hours and then came home

He has a perfect head

Chubby cheeks

Thunder thighs

Perfect little feet

And is super kissable

Here he is, ready to go home.  This is the same outfit Max came home in.

I was ready to go home too.

We all were