It feels a little surreal to write this. I read so many birth stories leading up to my own experience that they all seemed to blend together. As an Event Planner by profession, I kept reminding myself that every birth is a highly anticipated event… it starts, it happens, it’s over, and you recover. Like my pregnancy, I was hoping for a fairly textbook birth and for the most part that is exactly what I got. But so. much. better. I finally got to meet Koralyn and there are truly no words for that moment. I certainly had none. She was perfect, her dimples melted me instantly, and every ounce of energy and intensity that her birth took was worth it. Here is the story of my labor and Koralyn’s arrival.
My birth story starts 9 days past my due date (which was July 8th, 2022), we planned an induction on Sunday, July 17th. Alex and I arrived at the hospital at 7:45 am. A nurse came in and hesitantly asked me if I was okay having “Hilary” as my nurse, it took me a moment to realize that she was referring to MY FRIEND, Hilary. Ummm yes I want her as my nurse! Honestly it took a little of my nerves away knowing that I had a friend there with me (along with my husband and mom). It took several failed attempts and eventually calling the specialist to come get my IV put in (Hilary opted not to poke me so none of those tries were done by her). The whole IV port process took nearly 3 hours, thanks to my deep veins apparently. At some point during the IV debacle my mom arrived. Around 11 am we started the Pitocin. Hilary increased it every 30 minutes until my contractions showed they were moving along nicely. Bored, Alex, my mom, and I sat there chatting watching my contractions increase and joking about how long this process was going to take. Eventually Alex propped up his phone and we watched an episode of “Skinwalker Ranch” (the first season is on Netflix… so good!). I sat on the round inflatable ball bouncing while eating a popsicle. Not long after the episode ended around 1:50 pm, I was enjoying the second half of my popsicle when I suddenly I felt the GUSH. My water broke! It was like a scene from a movie; water surrounding me, pure shock on my face, and everyone in disbelief over the amount of liquid on the floor. CLEANUP ON AISLE THREE!!! Hilary laughed right along with us and helped me get out of my soaking wet leggings and clothing.
The next few hours were a blur for me as my contractions went from super manageable to more intense and painful. After a few contractions brought literal tears to my eyes (I like to think I have a high pain tolerance), I gave my mom and husband a look of defeat… “I think I want an epidural.” Hilary, came to confirm and I started to cry a little. She asked me if it was because I was in pain or if it was because of asking for the epidural or both… crying a little harder I said “both”. It was true. I wanted to be stronger, I wanted to labor naturally, BUT I had always been open to having an epidural (especially after being induced) – I just truly thought labor wasn’t going to be so instantaneously rough. The best way I can describe the intensity of the contractions (at that point) was sharp but dense pain that reverberated through my whole entire body. Similar to cramps but way more intense and add in an entire body experience that makes your eyes water and your teeth clinch even through concentrated breath work. Although I felt defeated by the waves of pain, I reminded myself that this was all a part of my birth plan, it was okay, normal, and all that mattered was getting the baby out safely. Why not do so with a little help from an epidural?
The epidural was quick and painless, it worked effectively on my left side but my right side was barely numb. Thanks to my Birth Class I knew that the epidural moves and disperses with gravity so if I leaned to my right side it would help the epidural numb that area, which it totally did. At this point it was after 4 pm and I was a solid 5 hours into labor. I had progressed incrementally with dilation and effacement but felt like I still had a long way to go. Contractions had settled some and the epidural was doing its job, I relaxed enough to realize I was hungry but I wasn’t allowed many options. My dinner consisted of chicken broth and ANOTHER popsicle (man, those popsicles sure tasted good!). I met my new nurse who came onto shift at 7 pm and said good-bye to Hilary. Bummed that she didn’t get to help deliver Koralyn, I was so thankful to have her by my side through those first hours of laboring and the epidural.
My new nurse, Anna, chatted with me about hiking and I instantly liked her. Alex took a few photos as we joked about the names of the positions I was laboring in… one was called “The Throne” and I kinda felt like a very pregnant queen, ha. Anna, Alex, and my mom helped me change positions, because of the epidural I was numb and my legs were like tree trunks, moving me was a team effort. My contractions remained consistent. At some point in the next hour or two I transitioned… my mom was there and ready for her moment to hand me the blue bag to vomit into, she knew I would get nauseous and most likely throw up. How did she know? Because she always did during her labor transitions. Like mother, like daughter… I definitely threw up. I wasn’t prepared for the uncontrollable shivering, my body reacting to birth in a way I never thought it would. I sat there shivering looking at my husband like, “What is wrong with me?”
At this point, all the signs were there for my nurse to check me and see how far along I had progressed. Sure enough at 10 pm, I was 10 cm dilated, 100% effaced and ready to start pushing. They called my OB and she told them to wait until she arrived for me to start pushing. I remember feeling pressure in the beginning and middle of my contractions. I focused on that feeling and knew that was my body’s natural rhythm. At 10:45 pm my OB had arrived and we started the continuous game of push for a count of 10 – in the same position for at least 4-5 pushes – then switch positions and start over again and that routine is what I FOCUSED everything on. After pushing for 2 hours, my OB got called out to the hallway. Based on hospital policy they don’t like women to push for over 3 hours. However, my blood pressure was good and the baby’s heart rate was steady so there wasn’t any cause for concern. I kept pushing and my doctor declined their offer to prep the OR. She told me later that she said, “My girl is getting this baby out in the next hour!”
When my OB came back after that conversation out in the hallway she turned into a vocal cheerleader and I am not joking when I say the whole room turned into a cheering match. I had been laboring for just over 13 hours at that point and pushing for 2, I was ready. I found a position that felt strong and I stayed there counting through contractions with my mom and my husband by my side. My OB grabbed my hand to touch Koralyn’s head (even though I didn’t think I would want to) it gave me the motivation I needed to get her out completely. I knew I was close when I saw my mom and husband tearing up. We were about to meet our little girl. Koralyn got cheered into the world at 1:57 am. A little over 3 hours of pushing to get my girl earth side and it was worth every – hunched over, count to ten, burst of energy – moment.
She was placed on my stomach in what felt like an instant but they somehow managed to wipe her down and cut my top so quickly I didn’t even notice. Everything happened so fast and then slowed down to a very intimate and calm introduction. I held Koralyn, looking at her sweet face and then peering up at my husband and mom saying, “I did it, we did it, she is here! Look at these dimples!” I barely noticed delivering the placenta and Alex cutting the cord. I remember wanting them to weigh her but they insisted I take my full hour of post-birth skin to skin time. It was blissful. We stayed another day so they could check all of her (and my) vitals and take some tests before we got the clearance to go home.
I don’t think I would have believed you if you told me that would be our story but I am so thankful and grateful that it is. A positive birth experience is what I was hoping for and exactly what I got. The real postpartum didn’t start until after we left the hospital and I will save all those details for another blog.
The Salty Exchange 