After doing tons of research and feeling confident I had my vbac team I felt that one day we would be able to have another baby, but timing didn't feel right. However, on my husbands birthday we found out we were on our way to becoming a family of 5. Wow was I in shock, emotionally I wanted to vbac, but I didn't want another baby yet. We were not ready to add to our family and knew that this was going to be extremely hard financially. This whole pregnancy I had to entrust to God. I knew He had a greater plan then I and He wanted this baby in our lifes at this time.
I called Bella Vie and scheduled my first prenatal appointment with Desiree. This appointment was over and hour and a half long, we had a vbac plan set in place by the time I left. We talked about me, and my health. We quickly determined that I needed to eat more, and she helped me get a meal plan laid out that I felt was something I could do. I started taking vitamins and supplements, other then just prenatal's to help me prep for pregnancy and delivery. Baby's position was critical, as that was the reason for my first c section, so I started chiropractic care right away. I also started looking at the spinning babies website to make sure that I was doing everything to get her into position from early on. Desiree gave me her cell number so I could contact her if I had any issues, it felt amazing having a way to contact her directly if needed.
I had a feeling that I was not as far along as I "should" have been and being I was going to be seeing an OB around 30 weeks we decided to do an early ultrasound to confirm dates and give me as long as possible so that I wouldn't be pushed into induction or a repeat c section before she was ready. We had the ultrasound at what was supposed to be 8 weeks, and found out I was actually only 6 weeks and 5 days! I was able to push my due date back by 9 days! This felt GREAT we were getting the time needed to let this little one come on their own!
The care I was getting was so much better then I could ever expect. Each appointment was an hour long, and was much more in depth than anything I had ever experienced I was learning so much more then I thought one could in a third pregnancy. I got to listen to Maddy's heart with a fetoscope; you can feel the heartbeat, it was totally different then a doppler. I become more aware of the baby's position. The midwife could tell me which way she way laying and even the way she was looking. I was able to walk my fingers up her arm, and along her back, etc. It was amazing knowing what I was feeling, and not guessing if it was a random knee or elbow. At one point I felt her little fist against my stomach when I was taking a bath, I was able to hold my baby's hand for about 20 minutes while she was still inside of me. This was a magical moment; I was still in shock I was pregnant and not sure that I was ready for another baby. My baby was working through me to tell me that it would be okay and that she was mine. She liked to keep her back against mine, or to my side, rather than at my front. So towards the end I would try to lean forward lots, and she was willing to move rather quickly most of the time. We felt this was a great sign that she would be willing to turn and be in ideal position when she was born. At my 20 week ultrasound we decided we didn't want to know what we were having. We already had a son and a daughter. Deep down I thought that maybe not knowing would give me that extra drive at the end to have this baby my way. I wanted to tell everyone what we had, as I hold the baby on my chest, not have some doctor pull this baby up over a sheet and whisked off to be cleaned up.
The pregnancy progressed very normally, I had the least amount of morning sickness I have had. At around 29 weeks I met with the OB for the first time. He was very supportive of my vba2c and felt that I had a good chance of having the birth I wanted. At my first appointment he told me that he wanted to build enough trust that if he told me in labor that I needed a c section that I knew it was because it was needed, not that he was tired of me laboring, or he had somewhere else to be. The fact that he said he wanted to build trust, and didn't act like he was the doctor so he knew best really put my mind at ease. I knew I had the midwives on my side, but didn't want them to feel like they were having to fight for me. The doctor was concerned I wasn't measuring where I should have been, I knew this was my normal, but we did a couple growth ultrasounds just to confirm. At each ultrasound we would need to remind that staff that we didn't know the gender and to please not tell us. The first ultrasound was hard, but by the end it was rather easy to not know.
At around the 8th month I realized I had to offer this birth to God, I talked with Him in a way I have not done before. I told Him that this is what I wanted, and if it was His will then please let us have a successful and easy birth, and if it was not in the cards for me to keep us safe and give me the power to heal physically and emotionally. This was a HUGE turning point for me; I accepted my first two births for the first time in 2.5 years. I had never accepted Katie's the way I needed and had questioned JC's for the last 2+ years.
Little did I know how much this would come into play. At my 38 week appointment with the ob he told me that at my next appointment he really felt we should do a membrane sweep, as he was going to be leaving town for spring break and he felt that it was important to attend my birth. This was eating me up, as I didn't want any form of induction, but I also felt that he was going to give my midwife and I the best chances to vbac, and give her more room to help me without pressure. At 39+3 I had an appointment with my midwife, I asked her to do my first check this entire pregnancy. She said I was very soft, baby was engaged, and I was about 4 cm dialated! I was very happy with this, it was good progress. I talked with her about what I should do the next day at my ob appointment, and she said that if I wasn't ready that the strip wouldn't work, and as far as inductions are concerned a membrane sweep was the least invasive. I prayed I would go into labor that night, but it didn't happen; so the next day, March 12th, I asked John to stay home with me and take me to my appointment. I was so nervous. We had my appointment, and I agreed to the sweep, I had progressed about 1/2 cm, so he said he really felt that I would go into labor the following day, and I would see him within 48 hours.
We decided to walk a bunch and try to get contractions started, this was right around noon; so we walked over to L&D and did the pre check-in that we were supposed to mail in before the birth. We then realized that I left my phone in the doctors office, so we walked the stairs back up, well most of the way at least. I was having contractions already, but felt that they were from the membrane sweep. There was just a couple last minute things I needed from the store, so we went to the mall and did a little shopping. On our way home we needed to stop and get gas, when at the gas station I talked to my midwife on the phone, it was 2:00 at this point. I asked her if there was any chance that these were the real thing, and she said to trust my gut. I decided that I would go home and relax for awhile and see if they changed at all.
We then went to pick up our kids from the sitter, then headed home; I headed to our room to try and soak in the tub for a little bit, and hopefully nap. I sat in the bath for about 20 minutes, but was to uncomfortable. I laid in bed for about half an hour, but couldn't sleep. By this point it was about 4 and my mom was getting off of work, so she called me to see how my doctors appointment had gone, as I hadn't really talked to anyone yet. I asked her to please come to the house and watch the kids, until my sister in law could get to the house. She asked how far apart the contractions were, and I said about 5 minutes apart, but they were not even a minute long. She tried to convience me to meet her in Salem, but I assured her to come to the house, as John was making the kids dinner. I was in complete denial that this was active labor, contractions were hurting, but as soon as one was done I was able to pick up conversation where I left off. I knew I was in labor, but thought it was still early and didn't wan't to go to the hospital to soon and be put on any form of clock. I completely trusted my midwives, but didn't want them to have to run interfearnce. I had been on the phone a couple of times with Desiree and she was encouraging us to get to the hospital. I told her as soon as my mom got to the house we would head in. She called me back and asked if we had left yet, I told her we had not, John was grabbing a bite to eat as it was going to be a long night, and I was doing okay (or so I thought). She asked me to hand the phone to John. I am still not sure exactly what she said, but as soon as he hung up with her we walked out the door.
Once in the car I realized just how in labor I was. I had a contraction in our driveway, one more before we made it onto 22, and then about 5 or 6 more before we made it to the hospital! Man was it intense. Once we got to the hospital I called my doula, Jen, she was a student midwife, and also taught our birth class. Desiree was behind us, but Jen was waiting for us right outside of the labor and delivery building, and we were parking the car. As we got out of the car and headed for the elevator I was hurting pretty bad. On the elevator my water broke, wow did contractions change! They were so much more intense. I got off of the elevator, and walked as far as I could in between the contractions. They were comming one on top of the other. We made it to where we had to cross the street to get to the building, buy this point Jen had found me and we were heading in to get checked in together. I made it to the center median, and had another contraction. I stopped and looked and Jen and told her I was feeling pushy. She rushed to get me a wheelchair and being right at shift change there were nurses and other hospital staff gathering around. She got me the wheelchair and we started to head in to the hospital. I wasn't able to sit in the chair well at all, as the baby was so low and contrations were coming so fast. About this time my doctor comes rushing off of the elevator looking for me. Desiree had called him and told him I was comming in and I was in transition. He ended up pushing me onto the elevator, there was a poor kid who was about 4 years old on the elevator, who will be scared to death of having babies for life, lol. When we got to the second floor, L&D he told the gal at check in that I wouldn't be stopping and pushed me right back to a room. When we got to the nurses station he asked for the closest room that was clean, which happened to be the one right in front of us. John went back up front to try and get me checked in, as Jen helped me get onto the bed.
I was still wearing jeans, so she had to try and peel them off of me, not an easy task being they are now soaked! as she did this I crawled onto the bed on all fours, and it just so happened my head was facing the foot of the bed. The doctor asked for me to turn around and lay on my back so he could check me, as he can't check well when I was upright. This was the point that I thought I couldn't do it, and give me the epidural, but I didn't get the chance to say a thing because the nurse said there was no need to check because this baby has hair. Oh wow it was time to do this!!!! My doctor then told me that there was no way to catch a baby when I was like that and I had to at least turn around, I kept just saying ok, but there was no way I could, I couldn't move during a contraction, and between contractions I just wanted to breath. Jen went to get John as she didn't want him missing the birth and after they both got into the room Desiree got to the hospital. When she got there I was in my zone. I knew she was there, but I didn't see her. Just having her in the room was such a comfort. She came to my side and said very quietly to me that it was time to move around and she was going to assist me. I moved around and ended up laying on my right side. They got monitors on the baby right away, and she was doing well. They were trying to get an iv started, since I did hemorrhage with JC we wanted to make sure I was able to receive Pitocin if needed after the birth. I had a couple contractions and then started feeling the urge to push. John and Jen were both up by my head and getting me cool rags, and helping me keep deeper tones in my volume.
Our original plan was no coached pushing, but once Madalyn dropped far enough down that she wasn't moving up during contractions her heart rate plummeted. Desiree came up by me and told me that she knew this wasn't in my plan but we needed to get this baby out and now. My doctor was also very supportive and said we were going to push this baby out; they put oxygen on me and the NICU team was called just in case. I realized I still had my shirt on (as I had clothes I had planned on delivering in, but didn't have any chance to change) and really wanted to do skin to skin, so my doula, midwife and hubby all helped me get it off. I pushed a couple more times and reached down to grab her. Her umbilical cord was around her neck so I had to pause for a half a second. I then pulled her onto my chest where the nurse covered her with a blanket. She was crying right away and the NICU doctors that were waiting at the front door asked if she was ok and left. John and I just looked at the baby for a few moments, and each other. I couldn't believe it, it happened so fast, and was so easy. Then we realized that the nurse, Jen and Desiree were all watching us. Everyone was waiting to see if he had had a son or daughter. we raised the blanket up and peeked to see that we had a healthy beautiful baby girl. A little bit after her birth we were talking about how fast it went, and talking about how long it took. To me it felt fast, but I thought it took about 45 minutes or so. Then I remembered that we called Jen when we parked the car! She pulled out her phone and looked at the time stamp. It read 5:57 and her time of birth was 6:25! wow 27 minutes!!!! We didn't cut the cord for several minutes; and after the plecenta was delivered I did need stitches, so I nursed her while getting stitched up. I held her for over an hour before I handed her to her dad and she went to get weighed. At that time Desiree got me my jammies and I went to the restroom and got clean and put on my own clothes, it felt amazing!!!!
Due to some vaccine issues we were in the delivery room for a lot longer then usual, but were able to have the kids visit. JC was instantly in love with his sister, and on the way into the hospital was telling everyone he was there to meet his sister. Katie on the other hand didn't want anything to do with Maddy, I think she was really wanting a brother and realized that having a sister meant that there may be another princess around. (Madalyn has officially been nicknamed the pea, and within a week Katie loved her sister.) When we moved upstairs the kids went home and Desiree made sure we were settled in and headed home. Because I was still nursing Katie my milk came in right away! This birth and recovery (even with a bad tear) was so healing and an overall amazing experience. I think before we left the hospital I said I wanted to do that again! I love all of my children so much and am so grateful that God has blessed me with these three wonderful children and this amazing journey.
Oh Tricia! Your prayers were answered and more! What an amazing birth story! You are an inspiration and I am so thankful you had such a successful Vbac. You knew what you wanted and you surrounded yourself with the right people who could help you make it happen. It's a true testament to where there's a will there's a way. Good work, mama :)
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