Piper's Birth Story

Piper's Birth Story
On Thursday, May 14th at 40 weeks and 2 days, I woke up and went about my day. I had been having prodromal labor for 3 days leading up to this but nothing had turned into labor. This is the first pregnancy that I had gone overdue. At about 9am I started to have some contractions again, but these were in my back more (I’ve always had back labor in all of my births and in my miscarriage, it is just where I experience labor). But, I didn’t want to get my hopes up as they were still only about 30 seconds long. So the girls and I headed out to the gym, where I kicked and ran in the pool, I threw up at the end of my workout and decided to head out. I was still having contractions every 3-5 minutes but they were still light and only 30 seconds long so I still didn’t know if this would stop or pick up. The girls and I went to the Library/Park and they played for a while and I read a book. We headed home at 11:45 and I put a tv show on for them. I hopped in the shower because I figured if things were going to stop a hot shower would do it. So a little after noon I took a shower and things did not slow down. I started to have to sway my hips and lean over on something and at that point I knew today would be the day.

After I got out of the shower, I started to prep lunch for the girls and then laid down and timed a few contractions, they were coming every 2-3 minutes and lasting 45sec to a minute so I called Jude my Midwife and told her that I thought today would be the day, she heard me talk through a contraction and said she would be right over. I e-mailed Clayton at work and told him to come home ASAP and I called my Mother-In law to come pick up the girls (but she had an appointment at 1 so I knew she wouldn’t be there for a while. The girls ate lunch and I put them down for their naps/quiet time until my Mother-In law could get them. Jude arrived at 1:45 pm and we started setting things up (including my diffuser with Valor *my brave oil* ) and I was pacing the room in between contractions and swaying my hips leaned over the bed during contractions. Clayton arrived at around 2, he helped Jude finish getting everything set up and I would call him when I would have a contraction and he would come squeeze my hips to help me work through the back labor. I could only stand or lean over and sway, nothing else felt good, I attempted to squat but I realized quickly, that it was a no.

My contractions started to get stronger/longer and I was feeling my back pain very low and starting to feel pressure on my cervix. I had one contraction that felt like it rolled right into the next one where I think she was descending through my pelvis quite a bit.

Then I was working through a strong contraction when my water broke at 2:38 and I felt much more pressure. I then got into the birth tub sort of on my hands and knees. I relaxed for a minute before the contraction started. Jude told me to blow through the next one so that she could finish setting things up, but when the contraction started she was coming no matter what. I put my hand on her head so I wouldn't push too hard/fast, but her head came out all in one long contraction. Jude said there was a cord so she tried to reach it but she couldn't because Piper’s shoulder was stuck (Lucy’s birth was the same way). Jude told me we need to get out of the water, we have a stuck baby, so I stood up got out and did what she asked me to (just like Lucy’s birth) I got on hands and knees and pushed, then went into a runners lunge, then she had me lie on my back and pull my knees way back and push, she put her hands on either side of her shoulders and then she came out at 2:45. She was stuck for about 3 minutes (Lucy was also stuck for 3). Piper was alert on my chest with her eyes open but it took her a few seconds of rubbing to get her to breathe. She was just fine and healthy as can be, her apgars were 7 and 10. I am very thankful that I have such a good and experienced midwife who has successfully used the gaskin maneuver to help my 2 shoulder dystocia babies.

I pushed the Placenta out about 3 minutes later and I got up and went into my room to lie down on the bed. Piper and I snuggled while my midwives cleaned everything up. While I had been pushing my Mother In law arrived and was hanging out with Lucy in her room. Hannah woke up shortly after that from her nap. Clayton went in and asked them to wait a few minutes before they came out and my mother in law was shocked that she was already here. Jude checked me and thankfully I didn’t tear even with how fast everything went down. Piper Jane was 8lbs9oz and 21.5 inches long.

My Midwife now believes that I have a slightly android (more masculine) shaped pelvis and because of that is why 2 of my 3 babies have had their shoulders get hung up on my pubic bone. Hannah’s birth had no problem.  Again, I am super thankful that I have such a great midwife who calmly and correctly handled the situation. I was really hoping for a waterbirth this time but obviously that was not the way it was supposed to be.

I love all things birth and my desire is to be a midwife in the future, I am so thankful for Jude, who is such an excellent midwife even when birth doesn't go exactly how you planned. Shoulder Dystocia can be a scary thing, but in most cases is resolved without issue, which has been the case for me both times.

If you are in AZ (in the phoenix area) check Jude out if you are interested in a Home birth or Birth Center birth www.sunrisemidwifery.com

Here is our first Family picture about 30 min after Piper was born.

And one of our first pictures of Piper and she was sucking her thumb :::swoon:::

I will share Lucy and Hannah's birth stories over the next few weeks as well. This is obviously the Crunchy side of this #HappyHippyishMama ;)