Orion's birth story

This is the story of the fast, unmedicated, spontaneous birth of my second child, my son Orion.  But I’ll start with the birth of my daughter 7 years earlier.  Her birth was also an amazing natural birth in a hospital with a midwife.  With her I had ‘false labor’ contractions for 2 weeks before she arrived and we made 2 trips to the hospital sure we were in real labor just to be sent back home.  The third time we finally did get to stay after arriving at the hospital around 2 am. I labored about 7 hours - mostly on a birthing ball in the shower and delivered her on all fours in the hospital bed.  She came in 1 push - so fast that hubby didn’t make it to the foot of the bed to catch her like he wanted to. She arrived right on her due date (from the 20 week ultrasound).  I did tear and got a couple stitches and also was gave a shot to stop the excessive bleeding - otherwise a great labor.  The only real complaint was that we didn’t get the ‘good room’.  The midwives have a special birthing suite just for their patients - a larger hospital room with a queen size bed, birthing chair all the extras for a homelike labor.  Well another patient had delivered the day before my daughter was born so we didn’t get that room.

After completing the CRIM a 10 mile road race, 7 months pregnant (Exactly 2 months before I delivered)

For my second child, I saw the same midwife that was in the group I saw with my daughter.  Although I wanted a homebirth, insurance wouldn’t cover it, so I planned on another hospital birth with my midwife. She assured me that no one else she was seeing was due the 2 weeks around my due date so we would get the ‘good room’ this time! Other than morning sickness/ extreme fatigue the first couple months the pregnancy was mostly smooth.  I was active throughout the pregnancy - even training for and walking a 10 mile road race at 7 months.  

My 20 week ultrasound put the due date at October 24th, but my midwife kept my original  November 1st due date on my file so I would have a few more days before hospital interventions would come up if I went over. On October 26th I had my weekly appointment at the midwife's office scheduled in the afternoon.  Hubby came home for lunch before our appointment and we talked about names, an ongoing conversation since we still  didn’t have any "clear winners". With my daughter we picked a couple names we felt strongly about a couple months before she arrived - but waited to see her before picking her name.  For some reason boys names were harder for us and none of the names we came up with sounded just right.  We didn’t want a name that every other boy would have and wanted something unique but not too strange and out there. I had not yet had any signs of labor and was in no hurry for him to arrive, especially since we still didn’t have any names that I really liked.  Well at lunch hubby suggested a name that hadn't came up before and we both liked it.  We were still not 100% but it was a front runner.

At my midwife appointment everything was great.  We listened to his heartbeat, I measured just under 40 weeks and our midwife was sure she would see us before next week's appointment, in the ‘good room’.  She gave me the option of getting a vaginal exam to see if there was any progress.  The only other vaginal exam I had during the pregnancy was my first appointment when I got my regular pap done.  Since I had had virtually no signs of labor unlike the weeks of strong Braxton-Hicks contractions with my daughter I opted for an exam to see if this really was going to be happening soon like she thought. Unlike some women who just want the pregnancy to be done, I felt great and knew he would come when he was ready.  Well I was 60% effaced and dilated to 2 centimeters and after the examination there were signs of a bloody show.

The henna tattoo I did 
on myself 5 hours before I delivered

That night hubby got home from work around 8:30pm and still I had no sign of contractions.  We took a bath together and discussed names some more.  We watched some comedies on Netflix while I did a henna tattoo on my belly, something I had been wanting to do but kept putting off.  About 11:30pm I felt the first “real” contractions - but nothing too uncomfortable or regular.  We watched more Netflix while I finished the henna tattoo.  

We went to bed about 1:30am on October 27th, knowing that we should get some rest since tomorrow may be the big day and I was starting to have contractions 10-12 minutes apart. I could not sleep because of the contractions and at about 3:00 am I got up and went downstairs to make some tea.  Contractions were still about 10 minutes apart.  I  got in our jacuzzi tub to try to relax and distract myself from the contractions.  They were more annoying than anything, not really painful and since I had contractions for so long before my daughter was born I knew this could be going on for awhile.

The tub felt great and I was able to mostly tune out the contractions and relax.  Although I was keeping my eyes closed most the time in the tub I was still attempting to track my contractions on my phone app.  When I started needing to change positions with each contraction and still couldn't get comfortable I looked at my app and my contractions were five to seven minutes apart.   Hubby was still asleep and it was 4am.  I called out to wake him up as I wasn't getting out of the tub to walk into the bedroom.

I told him that they were now five to seven minutes apart - but wasn't sure if we should head to the hospital... maybe we could wait till our daughter got up for school in a few hours, that would be simpler. Hubby called the midwife, who was already at the hospital because she delivered a baby at 1:30am.  She told us to head in.  Damn!  We were going to miss out on the ‘good room’ again!   Hubby then called our friend who would be watching our daughter to let her know that we would drop off our daughter on the way to the hospital.  I continued to labor in the tub while hubby woke up our daughter and packed the bags into the car. The contractions were more intense and the thoughts going through my head were both a panicky ‘I can’t do this’ and 'why didn't I plan a homebirth so I wouldn't have to get out of this tub'!

Hubby had the car and child ready to go and told me it was time to get dressed.  I got out of the tub and immediately sat on the toilet, although I don’t think I was able to go, I know there was more blood.  Hubby was trying to get my clothes but the contractions were making it difficult both mentally and physically to pick out what I wanted and actually get dressed.  I know hubby kept telling me to just pick something. Our daughter was ready in the car and we need to go.  He may have just handed me a top  at this point and said ‘just wear this’!

Just getting out of the house to the car I had 2 more contractions that brought me to my knees so I had to stop walking.  It was cold outside and a clear crisp night, I remember looking up at the bright stars in the clear sky as I got into the car.  In the car my daughter told me that I “looked stressed” and “needed to relax”.  I leaned the seat back trying to get comfortable but it wasn’t happening.  I kept looking at the clock on the dash and everything felt like slow motion, it was 4:20am.  We dropped my daughter off and between contractions I told her I loved her and to be good. We then quickly headed to the hospital.  I would close my eyes and brace myself for each contraction and when I opened my eyes to glance at the clock it was only 2 or 3 minutes later - that didn’t seem right but before I could really try to calculate the timing I was closing my eyes again as another wave hit me.  There was very little traffic and although I didn’t realize it at the time hubby ran several red lights. He told me later that he knew I was close and didn’t want me to deliver in the car!

We got to the hospital and hubby got me into a wheelchair and security wheeled me into the ER waiting area. I had another contraction while waiting for hubby to park the car and they asked me if we should head up to labor and delivery now or wait for hubby.  I told them to wait, I wasn’t heading up on my own and luckily saw hubby coming up to the doors.  He had grabbed every bag we packed.   I had packed a number of hospital bags - the smallest ‘labor’ bag had the essentials and was all we needed right now.  The others were things I may want after baby is here but could stay in the car- gifts for my daughter, baby clothes, snacks, etc.  Well hubby grabbed them all and was starting to go through them with security!  I was about to yell for him to just leave them when they realized he was with me and they waved him through the metal detectors.  We rode the elevator up to the 7th floor and I had a couple more contractions,  bracing myself against the wheelchair. They wheeled me to the nurses station where they handed me a cup for a urine sample and told us which room to go into.  The nurse said there was a gown to change into in the room.  

We got to the room and I went into the bathroom and tried to give a urine sample, but couldn’t.  Really why do they need one anyway - it is not like the results change the fact that I am in labor!  Hubby helped me take off my shoes and pants while I was sitting on the toilet, then stepped out of the bathroom to get the gown for me while I attempted to finish undressing.  When another contraction hit I called for him to lean on and have him put pressure on my lower back.  After the contraction passed he went back to get the gown and I finally got my shirt off and threw it across the bathroom where it landed in the sink,  I was having as much trouble getting clothes off as I had had getting them on before we left the house.  As he came back holding the gown (trying to figure out what side was up) I tried again for the all important urine sample and realized why I couldn’t pee - I could feel the head!  I told hubby that I could feel the head and he asked if I was crowning.  I just kept my hand down there saying I don’t know but the head is right there.  Hubby stepped out of the bathroom to get a nurse just as she was coming into the room to check me in.  He yelled “we are having a baby” - to which she calmly and happily replied, “yes, we are having a baby”’.   He said it again "Yes, right now".  She came into the bathroom and asked me to move my hand so she could see, also asking if I was crowning.   I was afraid to move my hand thinking he might fall out right there but moved it enough for her to realize we were serious.

She asked if I could walk to the bed. I quickly replied no and she told me calmly that we can’t have him in the toilet and  grabbed some towels and threw them on the floor.  She had hubby grab one side to help me up to standing, then attempted to carry me to the bed.  A contraction hit and I had to stand (them carrying me just wasn’t working).  Hubby supported me from behind as I squatted in the bathroom and without any conscious pushing my water broke as my son’s head came out, immediately followed by the rest of his body.   I caught him and the nurse unwrapped the umbilical cord from around his neck so I could lift him up on my chest. The nurse then put down some more towels so I could sit down, holding my son in my arms.  She suctioned his nose while I held him and asked if it was a boy or girl.  I replied that it was supposed to be a boy then lifted him up to check, yep a boy!  He had dark alert eyes and was looking right up into mine, he was calm and quiet.  It was amazing and I was in shock that it was already over and he was here.

My baby boy’s dark alert eyes

The time was 4:50am, just a few minutes after we got in the room.  After the cord stopped pulsing the nurse put on a clamp and with hubby helped me stand up and walk to the bed as I held my son.  Once I got to the bed I put him to my breast, and he started nursing fairly quickly.  

  

15 minutes after delivery - I’m finally in a bed and reminded hubby that we have a camera

After this our midwife came in and checked me out.  Although she was at the hospital already when we arrived she was still asleep in another room when I delivered. It was still dark outside and we had the lights in the room dimmed the whole time (at least that is how I remember it).  At some point the midwife asked if we had a name.  We were still in shock over how fast he arrived and hadn’t thought about it yet.  We went over the list and decided on the one hubby came up with the day before, Orion.  Orion the hunter, a constellation that we saw that clear night.  For his middle name we named him after both our maternal grandfathers, Gerald.  Hubby never knew his grandfather but we called mine later that day to let him know his 7th great grandchild was here and named for him.

I had quite a bit of bleeding (the midwife said that always happens with redheads) and 2 small tears, but no stitches were needed.  The tears were more like a skinned knee from him descending so quickly.  The placenta took a little longer to deliver than expected and they found that the placenta membrane was attached to the umbilical cord, which caused it to flip as it was delivered. This is what hubby told me as I was preoccupied nursing my son and not paying attention to what they were doing down there.  

My wonderful nurse helping me with nursing while my midwife deals with my bleeding

Hubby cut the cord and since they couldn’t stop my bleeding I was given a shot of pitocin,  then a suppository, then an IV for more pitocin. That combined with nursing finally reduced the bleeding.  Orion Gerald nursed almost continuously for the first couple hours.  After this they weighed and measured him at 8 lbs 7 ounces; 21 inches long.  Our nurse helped me get his latch right, it was so much easier than with my daughter where I had inverted nipples and ended up using a shield for months.  And like his sister is still happily nursing 2 years later.

Hubby was surprised how calm I was the whole time and the nurse that helped me catch my son said it was the most controlled, calm pushing she had ever seen.  The midwife told me that I would be a good candidate for a home birth and part of me wishes I would have went for one.  But for a hospital birth this was pretty great, partially because he came so fast that there was no time for medical interventions to mess anything up!  I feel strong and proud that I caught my own baby.

Leaving the hospital the next day. The bathroom he was born in is behind me.

We didn’t get the normal labor and delivery treatment: no apgar scores, never weighed a second time before we went home and it was a few hours after delivery before anyone got braceleted.  Apparently we were the talk of the hospital as when we left (with our whole baby) the attendant said that they had heard that a baby was almost born in the bathroom - I corrected him that the baby WAS born in the bathroom!

Some say I’m lucky that I had such an ‘easy’ labor.  I don’t consider it luck and would never call labor ‘easy’.  It wasn’t painful but was intense.  I worked hard to condition my body so I could have this fast natural labor.  I walked throughout the pregnancy and did belly dancing moves.  I had chiropractic adjustments.  I ate healthy real/whole foods.  I read lots of books on natural birth and birth stories to keep in a positive mindset.  I didn’t follow any birthing style but took pieces from many.   I knew that many woman before me have done this and I could do this too.  I accepted that birth is a unique experience that can’t be controlled.  With both my pregnancies I didn’t set birth plans that said I will “never” want xyz.  I know that many interventions are needed and have a place but I educated myself on the risks and benefits so I knew when they may be needed (and more importantly when they are not).  And above all I had a trust in my body and that it knew what to do when I let it.

Our family