On Tuesday 15th April my medical team advised me at my 40+5 week prenatal appointment that I should have an emergency induction because they were worried about the baby’s growth.
Medical induction was not my preference but I didn’t want to push any boundaries regarding my baby’s safety so I was willing to proceed.
I drove myself to the hospital and checked in around 8pm that night. After admin was complete they checked my cervix and I was around 1cm dilated. I took my first dose of cervidil, a cervix ripening oral medicine at 10pm. I tried to get some rest before my second dose at 2am but sleeping in the hospital was hard.
At around 4am my contractions started to pick up so I got out of the bed and sat on the birth ball to get some movement in my pelvis.
At 4.45am I called my husband to tell him my contractions are getting stronger and I think he should drive to join me.
At 5am I was checked and my cervix had dilated to 3cm which means no more doses of cervidil and they decided not to proceed with pitocin because my contractions were consistent and I was progressing on my own.
My husband arrived at 5.30am and I was in early active labor on the birth ball.
At 8am my contractions were strong but I was still able to maintain conversation between, I was checked again and I had dilated to 5cm it was also at this point that I called my doula to join us.
The midwife told me that baby was still high so I chose more open leg labor positions and supported squatting positions during contractions to help baby engage down. Knowing the baby was still high made me feel like I was still far away from the finish line.
Around 8am my contractions were strong and intense, I was getting exhausted from lack of sleep and I started to doubt my ability to continue.
I had a strong contraction and pressure radiated through my lower back which broke my water bag. This made me emotional because it felt like something was progressing and I know labor can move quickly once the water bag is broken.
I was resting in side lying positions between contractions to try converse energy and hanging from my husband during contractions shifting from side to side. I snacked on dried apricots during labor and had sips of water.
Around 9.10am I felt a subtle urge to push, when the contraction was over my husband asked “did you just start pushing”, I answered “no, I’m still far away from that”. The next contraction came quickly after and my body was pushing without my control, it made me scream and move to the bed because I thought the baby was coming out.
The nurses and midwives come rushing in to deliver the baby, I climb onto the bed in a hands and knees position. At this point my doula arrives and holds my hand for the pushing phase.
I waited for a contraction to come, took a deep breath and pushed into the sensation of my baby’s head crowning while slowly exhaling.
I waiting for the next contraction to come, took an inhale and held my breath while pushing which birthed baby’s head. With my next push I felt the baby’s body come out and a huge release of pressure at 9.23am.
The midwife passed the baby between my legs and I got to announce that she was a baby girl.
We did skin to skin and my placenta was born 5 minutes later. My husband cut the umbilical cord. I didn’t tear so no stitches were needed and baby latched at around 9.45am.
Her name is Coco Dove Bullen, weighing 7lb 8oz.
