Birth Story of Feona

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Shay 1 S and B came to me near the end of the second trimester of their first pregnancy desiring a home birth and a change from their current, unsupportive provider.  They took hypnobirthing classes to prepare for their natural birth. At 37 weeks, S’s blood pressure was nearing the high normal range.  She decided she would start maternity leave so she could take it easy.  Her blood pressure immediately normalized. One day past S’s estimated due date, she came to my office for her regularly scheduled appointment.  She mentioned she had a bad, migraine like headache for over three days and had been occasionally seeing stars in her vision.  I took her blood pressure and it was high.  I did a cervical exam to see if I could sweep her membranes.  Her cervix was closed, thick and high making a sweep impossible.  I sent her for an ultrasound and talked to my back up.  Her ultrasound helped solidify the unfortunate decision:  S would need to be induced first thing the next morning.  We had a good cry and discussed what S would need to bring for her hospital stay. Cervadil was placed at 2pm on April 7 to start the induction process.  S was quite restless through the 12 hours on cervadil and found it hard to sleep. At 4am on April 8, pitocin was started.  I arrived along with S’s doula around 8am that morning and found S to be in happy, pleasant spirits, contracting every 3 minutes.  B had bought her flowers for the room and she had brought a turquoise sheet as that was the birth color she had chosen.  We hung a few pictures up for her to visualize on, and the room became more “homely.” After a bit, we got S out of the bed to do some captain morgan’s and hip circles beside the bed.  Over the next couple hours, S alternated her position, and pitocin kept increasing every 20-30 minutes.  S would stand around the room, then sit on the bed.  She would lean over the birth ball, and then try reclining in the bed. As the 12pm hour moved into the 1 o’clock hour, S was becoming more serious with her surges.  The nurse had come in to adjust a few things and walked out and S looked at us and said, “I thought she was going to increase the pit again.  I was going to cut her.” M, my back up, came in close to 2pm and did an exam and found S to be 2cm dilated, 80% effaced and baby at a -2 station.  M swept S’s membranes to help move things along.  Immediately the surges got stronger.  S didn’t want to move from the bed.  She would alternate from her sides and semi reclining.  We would read over S her hypnobirthing tracts and B would remind her of the balloon.  S made it clear that she was done hearing us talk about the $*^* balloon. As 4pm was nearing, S was exhausted and hurting.  She told the nurse her pain scale was around a 7-8.  She wanted to talk pain medications.  I talked through IV pain meds and epidural anesthesia with her.  She decided she would try a dose of stadol to see if it would take the edge off and help her sleep.  A little after 4, her nurse checked her and told her she was pretty much the same and administered the stadol, as well as zofran for nausea. For the next two hours, S rested very well on her side.  She might perk up to moan through a surge, but was sleeping quite peacefully.  We were all thankful she was getting some much needed rest to help give her the energy for the work ahead. Around 6pm S began to perk up.  She felt a gush and thought her water broke.  I looked and definitely agreed she looked ruptured.  S felt and looked rejuvenated.  She was laughing in between surges, and had us all laughing, when talking about stadol she said for a few moments she thought, “Oh man.  Now I am stoned and having contractions.” The surges were stronger now.  S got out of the bed and leaned on the birth ball, rocking her hips through surges.  I could see bloody show now and knew things were definitely moving along now. Close to 8pm, S was feeling tired and got back into the bed.  I had her get in an exaggerated runner’s position, alternating sides, to help baby move on down.  A little after 9pm, S was beginning to feel pushy.  M checked her and found her to be 9cm, 100% effaced and baby at a +1 station. Thirty minutes later, S’s body was spontaneously bearing down and M found her to be 10cm now and baby at a +2 station.  I was at S’s side holding on the stubborn monitor so that she could move around comfortably. S initially tried pushing on her side.  After awhile, she moved into hands and knees to help with pushing through a few surges. As 1030 neared, S moved back unto her back.  M had her sit up more and drop the foot of the bed so that S was in more of a squat position.  S was getting tired and we could tell the baby was too by her heart rate on the monitor.  We encouraged S to stay the course and push stronger.  She pushed with all her might, edging her sweet girl closer and closer earth side. Soon we could see some hair and a small portion of the head.  A few more surges brought the head, followed by sweet Feona herself to her mama’s chest.  Feona needed a little help to get her going but she soon was crying for everyone to hear. Welcome to the world sweet Feona, born earthside on April 8, 2015 weighing in at 6lbs 2ozs, 19″ long.  Your mama worked so long and hard to bring you earthside.  So proud of this sweet mama for staying the course despite the unexpected detours.  

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