On a sunny afternoon in July of 2017 I gave birth to my last baby, a 6 pound, 14 ounce beautiful baby girl. It’s bittersweet having your last baby. The closing of a chapter. Something my head was prepared for, but my heart, not so much. All my birth stories hold a special place in my heart. I hope you enjoy reading her story!
Laboring at home
The first contraction came at 4:00am. Then another 20 minutes later. I got up at 5:00am and started timing them. They were now 12 minutes apart. At 7:00am I went to labor and delivery to get checked. The contractions were 7 minutes apart and getting a little painful. Two days prior I had been 1cm and 70% effaced, today I was 3cm dilated and 90% effaced. With my history of prodromal labor, I was not convinced I was in labor. The doctor told me I was going to have a baby that day and I should stay at the hospital. I verbalized I wanted to labor at home and she gave me clear instruction to come back immediately when contractions get worse or my water breaks, so I went home and continued to labor at home for the next 3 ½ hours.
The contractions were manageable and about 7-10 minutes apart… I still wasn’t convinced this was labor. Over the next few hours the contractions became more painful and 5 minutes apart. My husband suggested we go back to the hospital. We got in the car, I was listening to music with earbuds in, trying to relax through the contractions and breathe. I had 4 contractions in the car. I kept saying, “I really hope this is real.” There were 3 more contractions from the car to the hospital room and the pain was getting worse. The same nurse who checked me earlier that morning checked me again and I was 5cm. I was in labor!
Laboring at the hospital
The doctor came in and said she could break my water. I wanted to see if I could get to 8cm before breaking the water. She agreed to let me walk for 30 minutes, be rechecked and have my water broken then. Those 30 minutes were a gift. I will never forget breathing through those contractions while listening to worship music and praying. Just what I needed for my last labor and delivery experience- I will always treasure that time.
After walking I was starting to feel pressure and the pain was getting worse. I started getting anxious. My husband re-focused me by reminding me that my body was doing what it was supposed to be doing. The doctor checked me again, I was almost 8cm dilated. She broke my water at 1:33pm. With that came the first transition labor contraction.
The doctor said there was meconium in the water. They would monitor baby after birth to see if she needed to go to the NICU. She reassured me most babies do great and do not need the NICU. Then came three intense and painful contractions. I was breathing through them and turning on my side to help alleviate the pain. My legs were burning from the pressure.
Contractions had been coming every 2 minutes and lasting 90 seconds, but after the third intense contraction, I had a 5 minute break. I asked the doctor what was taking so long. She said my body was resting because the next contraction was going to be a big one. She was right and it was the hardest contraction yet. Halfway through that contraction I felt tremendous pressure. It was time to push.
Delivery
I was 10cm and my body started pushing. With that came the burning of her head and I thought to myself, “just push hard through the burning.” I took a quick breath and pushed again and I felt her head come out. It was amazing! At 1:52pm I took one more breath and pushed her body out and remember feeling her tiny body come out… it was still the most amazing experience regardless of having done this three times before. She was born with one contraction and three pushes.
First moments with my last baby
The doctor put her on my chest. I immediately asked if she was ok. Thankfully she started crying and the doctor told the NICU that they were not needed. Then the emotions flooded in. I was thankful for a beautiful baby, relieved labor was over, and emotional because I had just delivered my last baby. The hospital had a new policy to wait one minute to cut the cord, which my husband cut. I delivered the placenta and only needed a few stitches. We had uninterrupted skin to skin for over an hour.
I could not have asked for a better labor and delivery of my last baby. It was a very bittersweet experience, knowing it was my last. Things I will never forget (from all my labors) are the worship music I was listening to, my husband being holding my hand while I labored through the pain of the contractions and feeling my baby’s head and body come out. I am grateful for my labor and delivery experiences. Yes, having a natural birth is painful, but I would do it all over again!
Read my other birth stories!
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