Carley's birth stories

During both my pregnancies I watched many videos, read many books and articles, and talked to various people about labor and delivery. In these videos it talked about that great feeling you get immediately following the delivery and the overwhelming pride the woman feels when they deliver naturally. I didn't really buy into this, until I had my 2nd baby.

First of all, I am an R.N. With my first baby I went in with the mentality of whatever happens, happens. I knew that adverse effects of an epidural and didn't plan to get one but I kept an open mind thinking if I need it, I need it. Once I arrived at the hospital (after labouring at home for 5 hours), I was 5cm and we were left to labor on our own for a few hours. At that point I decided I needed a rest so I got the epidural. I hated it. I didn't like the way it made my legs feel, I vomited, I need pitocin, I couldn't push effectively, and I ended up with a TERRIBLE delivery. I pushed for 3 hours (never once was it suggested I change positions and in the state of mind I was in I never thought of it), vacuum attempted twice with pop offs, and a low forceps delivery with an awful episiotomy. When they moved us to the postpartum room, my younger sister came in to see my son and I bawled and said over and over “never have babies, never have babies.”

Well, before my son was a year old I learnt that I was pregnant again. I was terrified. Not because I was going to be a mom of two, but because I knew I would have to get this baby our somehow. The first time vaginally didn't go so well, and being an O.R. nurse I knew I didn't want a c-section. I was bound and determined to not have such an awful experience. Lucky for me when I was 28 weeks, our province approved midwifery care and granted our midwife who had been developing the program in our town privileges to deliver. I immediately contacted her and she took me on as a patient even though she was full. She knew how scared I was and we spent a lot of time preparing mentally.

When I was 39 weeks, I woke up on a Saturday morning with bloody show. I contracted weakly on and off all day at home. Around 8pm the contractions became “real”. By 10pm I began to lose control so we called our midwife and met her at the hospital. I was 6cm dilated at this point. We laboured in a quiet dark room with just myself, my husband, and the midwife. Occasionally, the R.N. assigned to L&D came in to see if we needed anything. It was such a change from our last experience in the same hospital, in the same room. The first time, it was loud, bright and full of people (when the baby was born there was myself, my husband, 2 doctors, 4 nurses, and an attendant). I found that anytime my midwife just told me to breathe I was able to focus and control myself better. When my husband told me to breathe, I just wanted to tell him off. It helped to have that “other” person there. Around 1am I felt the urge to push but didn't really give it much effort. Around 2am, my midwife suggested I squat and push. One good push and I felt my baby move a far ways down. It was amazing to me to feel what my body was capable of. My midwife helped me back into the bed and applied warm compresses to my perineum as she didn't want me to tear over my old episiotomy scar as it was so large. The baby's head regressed so I had to stand up again and a couple pushes and she was right there. Back into bed and a few more pushes and her head was out. She came out facing my left leg with her neck flexed. My midwife had me reach down and as I pushed I brought her up onto my belly. I looked and saw that we had a girl. My husband cut the umbilical cord (which he never with the first) and we spent some time bonding. She was born at 233am. This time, when everyone left the room, I cried again. But this time I cried because I was happy. Because I was proud.

After my first delivery, I didn't want to have another baby. After this delivery, I feel like I could do it again and again. I can't say enough good things about midwifery care. I was allowed to do what women are made to do. I was given exceptional care before, during, and after our delivery. Before the delivery, we went to our appointments with our midwife and they lasted an hour. They were educational, bonding, and medical. Quite different than our 10 minute visits with our doctor (who we also have a great but different relationship with). We got to go home 12 hours after the birth and our midwife visited us in our home 3 times that week. I am so happy to have had this positive, positive birth experience and just want to share it with everyone!