2 weeks: all the gory details

We've been getting a lot of questions about our birth story, so here it is:

At 4am on Sunday, November 12th, Theresa's water broke but she wasn't in labor. There were no contractions.

At 8am we called our doula, Lisa, who gave us some natural remedies to trigger labor. The baby kept kicking and Theresa had no temperature; good signs. So we kept trying to induce labor naturally for the rest of the day.

Now it's 8pm Sunday and still no labor. We called our midwife group and Julie was on call. She read us the riot act and scolded us to come to the hospital immediately. We reluctantly agreed, fearful that we'd begin an all too common downward spiral: Pitocin to induce labor, an epidural to handle Pitocin's violent contractions and, when the epidural slowed down the labor, a cesarean for 'failure to progress.' In short, everything we didn't want our birth to be.

So our mood was low when we got to the hospital at 9pm and sure enough, Julie wanted to start Pitocin. We compromised on Cervadil, a milder kind of chemical induction that makes a woman who isn't in labor get into labor. The 12 hour treatment began at 11pm and we went to sleep in our hospital room, with Theresa also getting IV antibiotics.

We woke up Monday morning to no contractions and a hospital breakfast. The Cervadil didn't work, but Theresa was 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced, which is great for a first time mom not yet in labor. Rested and fed, our spirits were stronger and Theresa felt she could handle Pitocin without an epidural! By noon, Lisa arrived to help us through our options. Gayle, the midwife who was now on call, came by too. An hour discussion confirmed that we'd attempt a low dose of Pitocin and see how Theresa did. We began at 2pm and Gayle and Lisa left.

The nurses started Theresa at a dose of 2 ml via IV - nothing happened. Then 4ml - still not much more than a twinge now and then. We're resting in the room, talking, watching DVDs of Mr. Show when they finally upped it to 6 ml. Soon the contractions were fast and furious. Induced by Pitocin, they went from zero to sixty in an instant, and were 2 minutes apart and taking everything Theresa had to get through them. I was at her side, encouraging her, trying to make her as comfortable as possible, but Theresa was doing all the work. I called Lisa and Gayle at 6pm to let them know she was in labor and they should come back to the hospital.

At 7pm, the nurse panicked that the contractions might be too strong, too fast, and she turned off the Pitocin. Once the Pitocin stopped, so did the contractions. Gayle and Lisa arrived to find Theresa laughing, smiling, in good spirits, and not in labor at all. They must have wondered why I phoned them. But Lisa brought Theresa a 'chocolate cake shake' from Portillo's.

At 10pm we started the Pit again at 4 ml, and by 11pm Theresa was back in labor. To better monitor the effects of the Pitocin, we agreed to let Gayle insert an intrauterine pressure catheter, or IUPC. We took a pass on placing a fetal scalp electrode on the baby (it actually screws into the baby's scalp!) and instead continued with an external monitor for watching the baby's heartbeat, which had been strong and steady all along.

When she placed the IUPC, Gayle discovered Theresa to be 4 cm dilated and 100% effaced - great progress! With the IUPC to monitor contractions, the Pitocin was upped to 6 ml again, where it stayed for the rest of the delivery. Theresa's best friend, Kristen, arrived at midnight and stayed until the end, helping each step of the way.

Theresa labored amazingly though the Pitocin. What a champ! Lisa and I encouraged her, held her hands, rubbed her back, told her she could do this. However, there was a small skirmish between our midwife and doula and the hospital's nurses, apparently over who was in charge. They took it out into the hall, leaving me alone with Theresa for a while. Theresa said to me, "I need really red Jell-O... BUT DON'T LEAVE ME!"

By now, Theresa was cursing out the woman in her HypBirth CD. New age music behind her, the HypBirth woman calmly said: "Contractions do not hurt. It's your body's way of opening to bring you your baby. Welcome the contractions." Theresa responded with: "Bull $&*#! It $%@#&* hurts!"

Around 1am, Theresa entered the "transition" phase, the moment when a woman loses faith in her ability to handle the labor. 'Transition' lasts 30 minutes on average and signifies that labor is starting to end. Knowing this, Lisa and I were secretly thrilled. We were almost there! Giving the HypBirth woman a rest, we put on Theresa's Relaxing Music Mix. Theresa watched the monitor display from the IUPC to focus her mind and help her with pain management.

Gayle checked Theresa's progress and found her to be 9 cm dilated! At 2am, Theresa had the urge to push. Pushing into the contraction peaks felt good to her; almost a relief. Nurses began scurrying in and out of the room, preparing for the birth. At 2:30am, Theresa was in the classic pushing position with her legs on the birth bar.

Gayle was great during second stage, encouraging Theresa, who found her second wind. Theresa did incredibly, pushing strongly until the baby's head emerged! He was sunny side up, face to his mother's, which surprised everyone! Theresa had been laboring a posterior presentation without knowing it! One strong push and Benjamin was quickly born and placed on Theresa's chest. It was 3:40am.

Benjamin cried right away and sounded great. Without an epidural, he was undrugged, alert and bright eyed. So was his mother. Benjamin latched onto Theresa and breastfed for over 20 minutes. Theresa had no bleeding or complications. She was shocked to be out of pain so quickly. It was a great moment with dim lights, soft music, and everyone happy. Later, we discovered there was no infection and that Ben's APGARs were an outstanding 9/9.

With a great health provider who supports and trusts you, anything is possible - even a natural birth 48 hours after breaking your water.

Theresa, I am proud of and humbled by what you accomplished: the birth you wanted.

We love you,
Jeff and Ben