Since we found out that we're expecting again my mind has been drifting back to my pregnancy, labor, and delivery with Fynn. I never wrote anything down... but have been meaning to since day one. Last night as I was trying to fall asleep I slowly realized that I'll have to give birth again! We were so lucky with how everything worked out with Fynn that I'm not terribly apprehensive about baby #2's imminent arrival, but I'm sure as the weeks go on I'll get more and more anxious.
So - here's the gist of how Fynn was born. I'll try to keep out most of the gory details :) I'm warning you - this will end up being long.
My pregnancy with Fynn was very smooth. There were hardly any bumps at all - until I got closer to my due date. I started experiencing high blood pressure around I guess 35-36 weeks. I was sent for several non stress tests, and was put on moderate bedrest. On the Monday of my 37th week I went in for my regular Midwives appointment. I had been complaining of cramps and lots of pressure, so they went ahead and checked me. They found that I was already dilated to 3cm, and completely effaced. I was told to go home, get some rest, as the baby would be here within the next few days. They also suggested several ways to get labor started... but if I remember correctly the main one I told Lucas we just looked at each other and laughed ;)
The next night, Tuesday, I couldn't sleep. I stayed up watching reruns of Scrubs until 2am. Somehow I just felt off. I finally fell asleep only to wake up at 3:30 to my water breaking and contractions starting! Lucas was sound asleep so I crept out of bed and called the midwife. She talked me through a few contractions and said "you sound like you're really in labor - so take your time, get cleaned up if you want, but come on in". So I woke Lucas up, went down to take a shower, and then we were off to the hospital - all the while contractions getting stronger and stronger.
On the ride to the hospital I had a few moments when I thought my goal of having an unmedicated birth was completly going to be out of reach. Lucas did his best to drive carefully (and luckily there was no traffic that early in the morning!!) but being in a car is not ideal for a woman dealing with serious contractions. During the ride I remember Lucas saying that he was going to call everyone when we got to the hospital and got settled. Looking back, it's no wonder he didn't call anyone until after Fynn was born because we really didn't have time to get settled - everything happened so quickly from there on in.
We arrived at the hospital, made it up to the room (as soon as we walked up someone raced out to greet us with a wheel chair and escorted us into the hospital), and then I got changed. They checked me almost right away and I was alread dilated to 7cm. Next (if I remember right) they tried to get an IV in because I had to have antibiotics for Strep B (something that about 40% of women have, and you have to have antibiotics about 4 hours prior to the birth of your baby so he/she won't have a risk of getting it) but they had so much trouble w/ my veins that they had to call in a specialist. They finally got the IV in - and it was a monumental occasion!
After that things kind of get blurry for me. I remember the nurses telling me that I was so far along already it would be great if I could go without an epidural, especially since there were student nurses coming on. Then I remember Meghan, our midwife, (who wasn't there often because the floor was crazy and we were apparently the calm couple... ) was telling me that Terri was coming on and she had to leave. Terri, who is the quinticential midwife, was the only one I had not met from the team until that 37 week appointment, but I have to say I wouldn't have wanted anyone else there. Between her, the nurses, and Lucas everyone was just amazing.
My husband floored me with how wonderful of a coach he was. Without him I would have forgotten all of my breathing techniques that really helped me through. He was so strong and supportive - I'm a very blessed woman.
Teri tried a few times to get me in different positions for laboring - but I found my spot right on the bed. I coudln't focus on being anywhere else through the contractions, I didn't want to think about having to stand, sit, or move through the pain. Somehow accepting the pain in and letting my body do it's thing (as well as squeezing the heck out of Lucas's hand) worked for me.
It must have been after 7:30 when I needed to start pushing (I've been told I pushed for 40 minutes or so, but it seemed like forever... ) and that was the only time other than the car ride that I thought I wasn't going to make it. I couldn't figure out how to push, and Teri again wanted me to try all sorts of positions. Eventually I figured out the pushing thing, and the next thing I knew Teri asked if I wanted to feel the head - and I vividly remember yelling "NO - I JUST WANT IT OUT!" So needless to say I did not feel his head.
Fynn Robert came out at 8:26am, November 15th 2006, after only 5 short hours of labor. Teri put him directly in my arms so Lucas and I could welcome him into our family. We were the first ones to find tell the room that it was a he - which I knew it would be :) It was the most beautiful moment I think I've ever had, and the most beautiful moment I've been able to share with my husband. Starting a family is priceless, and holding a newborn life in your arms is the most incredible feeling of peace, hope, and unconditional love.
After Fynn was born came the hard parts. Lucas went out to call family, and Teri discovered that my uterous was being "lazy" so she had to give me a shot of pitocin to get my uterous to contract again. I would take another few hours of labor over the "massaging" they give your uterous after birth. It was the most intense pain, and that in itself scares me for the next time.
Within maybe an hour of Lucas's phone call his father arrived to meet Fynn :) Later that day his father came back with his mom, and our friends Karen & Andy also came by to meet Fynn. Our hospital stay was fairly uneventful - I remember just wanting to get home. When we finally got home it was so surreal to bring our little boy into the apartment. We left as husband and wife, and came home as a family. Again, an amazing feeling!
I can only hope that our next child comes into the world close to the way Fynn did. All of my expectations of having a midwife, an unmedicated birth, and a warm friendly environment to labor and deliver in happened. I wouldn't change a single thing about Fynn's birth - or Fynn for that matter!
The Story of Fynn was originally published as The Real Story of Fynn on December 22th, 2007 at The Story of Fynn & Paige by moi...