Childbirth & Beyond…Naturally

Graciously written by mommy Gina (thank you for sharing):

TITUS EZEKIEL DICKERSON – BIRTH STORY

Due Date: June, 1, 2009

Born: May 24, 2009

9 lbs 2 oz 19 ¾ inches

Sunday, 3:07 am

Born at Home

Midwife: Ann Crowell, CPM, LM

I went to take a nap at 1:00 pm on Saturday, May 23^rd and felt my water break (huge gush) at 1:30 pm. I called Tom right away and he said he was on his way home. He was working in Canyon, Texas 6 ½ hours away! I then called my midwife Ann and after asking the standard water breaking questions (how much water, what does it smell like, look like, etc.) she said to call her back when contractions start. At 5:30 pm I start to feel some back pain with minor contractions. At 5:45 pm I have a little bloody show. At 6:00 pm I start to have a few consistent light contractions that are about 10 minutes apart so I call Ann at 6:30 pm with an update. Tom arrives home about this time. He made it in 5 hours! Think he sped a little??? Nothing consistent for the next 5 ½ hours so we do our regular nightly routine with the kids – eat dinner, read stories, and put them to bed. I take a shower and try to get some sleep around 10 pm. Consistent contractions start at midnight so I wake Tom to start timing them. At 1:10 am I call Ann to give her an update. She listened to me breathe through a few contractions on the phone and we all decided that I would call her back when they were stronger and longer in duration. Looking back now – she should have come over then! At 1:37 am Tom decided to stop timing them and get some sleep. I sat in the glider next to the bed (my favorite labor spot) and worked through contractions as I listened to Tom snore J At 2:20 am I woke him up and told him that it was intense and hurt and to call Ann. He timed 3 contractions first and they were about 45-50 seconds long and about 2 minutes apart. He called Ann at 2:27 am and told her to come over. She lives about 40 minutes from our house. Abby her assistant lives less than 10 minutes away and Ann said she would call her to come right away. During some of the really intense contractions I would have uncontrollable shaking all over my body and I threw up once. I was working through some intense contractions on the glider when all of a sudden I felt my body want to push. I looked up at Tom and said “Tom” and before I could say anything else he said “DON’T SAY IT!” as he jumped off the bed and tore off the sheets to get the bed ready for birth. It was not ready yet because I had planned on birthing in a birth chair that was in Ann’s car. He very quickly put on the pads and sheets as he called Ann again to tell her that I was pushing. It was 2:50 am. She told him to get me on the bed. Instead of pushing with the contractions I was trying to breathe through them but my body had the uncontrollable urge to push and was doing it anyway. He looked at me and told me to get on the bed and I said that I didn’t want to. He got me there anyway and looked to see what was going on. My perineum was bulging and a little bit of head was starting to show. He called Abby to see where she was. It was 2:55 am. I was in a semi-laying down position on my right side still trying not to push (but couldn’t help it cause that’s what felt good to do) through the contractions. Abby was right around the corner from our house and came into the room within a couple of minutes. She took over for Tom, told me to take a deep breath for my baby and to push with the contractions. She quickly put on gloves, got the oil and began assisting the crowning. She told Tom to call Ann. It was 3:01 am. When Ann walked in a couple minutes later the head was out. Ann repositioned me on the bed a little and assisted the rest of him out. Because the repositioning and assisting was quite painful I let out a really loud scream and Tom was up at the top of the bed comforting me when he came all the way out. Titus Ezekiel Dickerson was born at 3:07 am and I heard Tom say “It’s a Boy!”  Mom heard me scream and came in the room just after he was born. They put him directly on my chest and waited for the cord to stop pulsating before Tom cut it. I pushed the placenta out at 3:21 am. Third big baby and no tears! I was able to hold and nurse Titus for over an hour before we took our herbal sitz bath together. It was a wonderful (and quick) birthing experience!

Minor complications:

• Some minor postpartum hemorrhaging – took Methergine pill
• Was dizzy after getting up – had to lay back down for a little longer
• Shaky with afterbirth contractions – threw up orange juice

Notes this pregnancy:

• One sonogram at 19 weeks
• No diabetes testing
• Strep B test at 36 weeks – results not back at time of birth
• No vaginal exams

No eye ointment or vitamin K shot at birth 

Graciously written by mommy Gina (thank you for sharing):

THOMAS EUZEFFER DICKERSON IV (ZEF) – BIRTH STORY

Due Date: September 28, 2006

Born: October 6, 2006

8 lbs 15 oz 21 ¼ inches

Friday, 5:38pm

Born at Home

Midwife: Michele Fitzgerald, CNM

Sunday, 9/24 – Contractions started at 6:30pm after intercourse. They were 3-5 minutes apart and lasted less than 60 seconds in length. I thought this was going to be the day so we called the midwife. Kristen and Sam (Michele’s assistants) came over at 11pm. An exam reveled that I was only 3cm dilated and 90% effaced. The contractions stopped at 2am and Kristen and Sam left at 8am the next morning.

Thursday, 9/28 – I had my 40 week apt at 1:00pm. After an exam showing that I was 3-4cm dilated the contractions started at 4pm. I only had 2 really hard ones and nothing was timable or consistent. They stopped by 11pm.

Friday, 9/29 – Light contractions started at 7:45pm after intercourse. Stopped at 11pm.

Sunday, 10/1 – Contractions started at 12:45pm after intercourse. Stopped at 2pm.

Thursday, 10/5 – I had my 41 week apt at noon. Exam showed 4 cm dilated, head tucked and water bags bulging. I asked for some natural remedies on how to get this baby out! Advice to start contractions – intercourse, herbs, and breast pump.  Michele didn’t think I would make it to 42 weeks but said that I could schedule an ultrasound apt for the next week. On the way home Tom and I stopped by the pharmacy and bought the herbs. We had intercourse at 2pm and the contractions started at 2:30pm. I started the nasty tasting herbs at 2:45pm and used the breast pump at 5pm. Contractions stopped at 5:30pm L

Friday, 10/6 – By this time I was feeling like I was never going to have this baby. I was 8 days overdue, already had 5 false labors produced by intercourse or vaginal exams, and the contractions just weren’t lasting long enough or coming hard enough. As uncomfortable as I was and as much as I wanted this baby out I still wasn’t willing to have him in a hospital. I knew that they would have never let me go this long without major intervention. I was still in the mindset of having a natural childbirth. Contractions started at 6:30am and lasted all day long! I started taking the herbs again at 9am and used the breast pump at 10am and 11:30am. I got in the hot tub that morning and called Tom and Michele at 11am (from the hot tub) to let them know the status of my contractions. They were still about 3 minutes apart and around 30 seconds long. I was able to walk around and get things done around the house so I knew that they were not very intense. They were consistent though. Tom came home from work at noon and said that I should probably rest so I tried to lie down and take a nap. At 1:00pm the contractions started to feel more intense and with some back pain. We called Michele back and she said she would call Kristen and Sam and they would all be there shortly. On her way in she called and told me to fill the bathtub and get in and lay on my left side to slow down the contractions until she got there. She arrived around 3pm, Kristen at 3:30pm and Sam at 4pm. Because I had chosen a private birth this time around my mom left with Sarah around 3:30pm. Michele gave me an exam at 4pm and I was 6 ½ cm dilated so she broke my water. The intense contractions started right away!!!! I labored in the shower through 3 of them and then went to the rocking chair for the rest. I felt a strong urge to poop (really push) so Michele moved me to the bed. I pushed his head out in just a few pushes. When I tried to push his shoulders out he would not come. He was stuck! After some intense pushing, yelling and screaming by me Michele reached in and pulled his shoulders out. Tom pulled the rest of him and after a few minutes cut the cord. Zef had a very short umbilical cord which is why he came 8 days late and was stuck in the womb during the pushing phase. Average cord length is 21 inches long and his was 13 inches. I birthed the placenta while Zef was getting looked over and was able to breastfeed him within an hour of his birth. Due to the excessive bleeding after Sarah was born I had a shot of Pitocin right after Zef’s birth and a Methergine pill a few hours later. Fortunately, I did not have any excessive bleeding this time. Everything turned out wonderful and I didn’t have any tears or cuts. Michele and Sam left around 8pm and Kristen left around 9pm. We had a wonderful evening together at home just the 3 of us. There was a full moon that night.      

Minor complications:

• During pushing stage baby’s shoulders were stuck due to short umbilical cord.
• Strep B positive
• Gestational Diabetes

Graciously written by mommy Gina (thank you for sharing):

SARAH GRACE DICKERSON – BIRTH STORY

Due Date: October, 8, 2004

Born: October 8, 2004

8 lbs 0 oz 19 ½ inches

Friday, 10:17am

Austin Area Birthing Center

Midwife: Joan Smith, CNM

I went into early labor at 4pm on Thursday 10/7. My contractions were 3 minutes apart and about 30 seconds long. It was back labor (different feeling then the Braxton-Hicks I’d been having for about 2 months). That lasted until 9pm when we decided to go to the birthing center. Michele met us there and checked me (I was only about 3 cm dilated). She told me that I was going to have the baby within the next 24 hours, but not for awhile so to go home, have a glass of wine, take a bath and try to get some sleep. She told me to come back when the contractions were more serious. I asked her how I would know (cause I thought these were pretty serious). She said that I would know. So I came home, had my glass of wine in the bathtub then tried to go to sleep (yah right). At 4am on Friday I got up with a whole new perspective of what hard labor contractions felt like. These were definitely different then what I was having the night before! Much more intense!  During the contractions I would hang from the dresser in our bedroom and sway my hips. We got to the birthing center about 5:30am and I was 5 cm dilated. By that time Joan was on shift. During the contractions I started out on the bed, then went to the birthing ball for awhile, then to the water (that was nice), then to the toilet (probably my favorite place during the contractions), and also did some squatting. Didn’t get a chance to use the rice sock (I forgot about it). When I felt like I needed to push (around 8:30am) I went back to the bed and did some more squatting (it’s a sleigh bed so it works well for squatting). I ended up having her on the bed at 10:17am. Tom was holding one leg, my mom holding the other, my mom-n-law pushing my back up and Joan ready to catch. It was a team effort. The pushing stage was a relief. No tearing or cuts. Tom and I did the perineal massages a few weeks before so I think that helped. Tom was an excellent coach throughout the labor – I’m so glad that we took the Bradley classes! We used the relaxation breathing and different positions and Tom knew exactly what to do and say throughout.

Minor complications:

• During pushing stage & birth baby’s head was sideways. Joan had to manually move the lip of the cervix for the head to pass through.
• Had some excessive bleeding right after birth. Had to have a shot of Pitocin in the leg and then something stronger a few minutes later to stop the bleeding.
• Tried to take a shower 2 hours after birth and passed out in the shower (Tom caught me just in time). Lesson learned: rest longer before getting up next time.
• Strep B positive
• Gestational Diabetes

Graciously written by mommy Daedra (thank you for sharing):

My due date was February 24^th; our son was born February 24^th!  My labor was 12 hours EXACTLY to the minute.

On February 23^rd I felt some mild contractions and started to time and record them, they were about 20 minutes apart and lasting maybe a minute or so.  I told my husband and his brother that I was going to have a baby tomorrow and they just looked at me like – “well, ok, you’re due date is tomorrow, so of course you will Daedra”

I awoke at 3:10 AM with what I thought were the poops.  While sitting on the toilet doing my business I began to realize that these stomach cramps were coming about every 5 minutes. So, it’s time to wake the husband up and get to business.  I just settled into bed and started my relaxation (this wasn’t hard since it was the middle of the night) while Brian timed every single contraction. 

Brian called our midwife and doctor to let them know what was going on.  I moved from the bed to the tub a couple of times and when the midwife got to our house at 8AM I was already 8cm dilated and totally excited for a quick delivery. (Boy, did I ever curse myself!)

The metro Detroit area has a great in hospital birth center and that is where we planned to deliver.  We arrived at the hospital at about 9:30 AM and when I was examined at 9:45 I was told 9cm almost ready to push.  So when I felt like it I started to push.

And I pushed, and pushed, and pushed, and pushed, and pushed…… 5-1/2 hours later at 3:10 PM our son was born at a healthy happy 9lbs.!

In the end I was told he was just a little bit too big for me and he continually got stuck at my pubic bone until he finally got through paving the way for any future children.  The birth center should’ve technically risked me out to regular L&D for a vacuum extraction or forceps delivery but they broke the rules for me because the baby was doing just fine.  So that they don’t get into any trouble my chart reads that I pushed for 3 hours.

After just an amazing experience, even all the really hard work, I couldn’t imagine it any other way.