LydiaSue Renee's Birth Story (In Full Detail)

FAST!

One word really sums it up. Funny, how I waited so many days past my due date to then have a labor that ended almost as quickly as it began.

I had been really hoping and praying for a natural course to labor. Although Alyas' birth went very well, I was really wanting to avoid induction. I wanted to experience the spontaneity of natural birth and had also been reading about experiencing birth without pain medication (epidural). As the days crept further along after her due date, however, I was scheduled for induction on the 22nd. I had gotten pretty much over my disappointment of being induced and was just excited to see my baby. I called the hospital the morning of the 22nd at 8AM to see if I could get in earlier (they normally wait till after 5PM to induce low-risk women). I was told that it was too busy and to try after 2:30. When I called then they said the day had been hectic and there was a chance they would cancel my induction but to call back at 3:00 to see if anything had changed. When I called at 3:00 they said they still weren't sure and that they would call me back "later".

In the mean time Brandon decided to go ahead and go to class because it seemed likely that I wouldn't get in that day. Alyas was down for his nap so I sat down to listen to a medical lecture online. Ironically, during that time I had 1 or 2 slightly more painful Braxton hicks contractions...at least that is what I thought it they were. I had those contractions all the time. The hospital called me at 4:30 to say they wanted me to come in at 7:00PM but that I most likely wouldn't be started for a few hours. The timing of that sounded horrible to me, so I requested I just be canceled and to try again tomorrow, and they conceded.

It was at this point that the irony began to grow because my contractions started to pick up in frequency and strength. I still didn't think I was in labor though...or at least I wasn't going to get alarmed about it because I knew they could just as soon slow down or stop all together. I did start to note how often they came while I proceeded to listen to my lecture. I recorded 5 contractions spanning 5-10 minutes apart and Alyas woke up at 6:00PM. When I went up to get him I realized I had to lay down in his bed during the contraction. We came down stairs and after 2 more of those I called Brandon to come home...mostly because I didn't think I could pay that close of attention to Alyas during the contractions, and he had started to repeat over and over "hurt, hurt, hurt???" when I had one (ahh, 2 year olds!)

Brandon headed home from class on his bike but stopped at the store to get a pizza for dinner, since I hadn't planned on making dinner due to previous induction agenda. When he came home at 6:30 I was starting to tear up with the contractions. Needless to say we were then convinced this WAS labor and over the next hour our pace began to speed up in our haste to back bags, care for Alyas, and call the midwife. We were out the door some time after 7:30 and hadn't had time to call our family at all. We left Alyas with Jill and Peter and they graciously relayed the news to our families.

The rest of the time went by really quick. My contractions quickly sped up in the cab and the driver was supportive by ordering Brandon to open the windows for me. When we arrived at the hospital Brandon found a wheel chair to get me upstairs. For the time being we left our stuff with the cab driver in the lobby b/c neither of us could carry it. After running into a few walls with the horrible wheel chair and making it to the second floor I was already in transition. The first midwife to see me could tell I was further along than we thought and said we needed to get to delivery fast. All the normal delivery midwives were busy so she had to leave her post in the antenatal clinic to come with me.

Once I got up into the bed she glanced at me from a distance and her and her attendee got gloved and gowned. She never did a single internal check b/c she said I had "external" signs of full dilation. I was told to go with my body and when I sensed I needed to push to go ahead and do so. After about 15 minuets of me making funny noises, yelling, and asking rediculous questions LydiaSue was born. On push two my water broke and by push five she had entered the world! There was no counting, no one telling me when to push, no external devices or assistance (I didn't even have a hospital bracelet on...once the midwife called me Lilly instead of Philly), and I suffered not even the slightest nick or tear. All this despite the fact that her hand was delivered along side her head and she came out partially oblique in angle.


Immediately she was placed on my chest. She was breathing fine and they didn't even suction out her nose and mouth. She began to nurse while Brandon cut her cord and I finished delivering the placenta - a physiologic (meaning no oxytocin injection) third stage of labor. All said in done in 30minutes after arriving to the hospital at 8:25PM! She was 3.4kg or 8lb 8oz...and 22 inches long.


I may make it sound quick and easy but don't be deceived I was shocked by the pain and intensity! I offer the details not to give the idea that it was because of prior preparation and thought that I could have such a smooth delivery. It just happened that way and I pretty much felt like in many ways it was out of my hands. I had actually reconsidered the idea of an epidural when I figured I would get induced, but when Lydia actually came it wasn't even the slightest option. I was able to use a few pointers from the books I had read but mostly I didn't even have time to employ all the techniques I had learned about. Do they write manuals for shotgun style birth? The biggest benefit though I would say is that my recovery time was so quick after her delivery - I was and still am just amazed at how I feel. I might be sleep deprived at the moment, but compared to my first birthing experience and even how I felt in my last trimester I am in a much more comfortable position.

Anyways, with Lydia nursing Brandon was NOW allowed to leave and go retrieve our bags from the taxi driver!! I had asked him once I was in bed to go get the camera but the midwife said he might very well miss the delivery if he left. The kind gentleman had stood in the lobby watching our belongings but had kept an eye on the time. Our 8 pound cab fair had increased to 25 pounds...or about $37. Not to bad considering that was the only price we paid to have our little girl!


I was shocked at how good I felt. The pain was gone, I needed no sutures, and she was beautiful. She was quite alert and continued to nurse until they took her for a few minutes to get weighed and evaluated. They finally entered our information into the hospital system and we received identification bracelets. I ate a piece of pizza Brandon had brought, drank a smoothie, and enjoyed a few M&M's. At 10:45 I got up for a shower and came back to the room at 11:00. My sheets had not been changed so I decided to do that on my own...I really did feel good enough to pull it off and laughed as I made my bed.


At this time Brandon and I discussed what we wanted to do. I had heard that in their system if you had a normal, natural delivery you could go home after 6 hours. Otherwise you were admitted onto the "ward" to rest. The ward is a big open room with many other mothers and their babies with only curtains to separate you...and your husband was not allowed to stay. Knowing they were short staffed and I would be having to do a lot of my own cares we opted to ask if we could go home. After Lydia was given a clean bill of health the answer was yes! She would have to come back for a hearing test the next week, and the midwife would make a house call the next day, but we were free to go. We arrived home at 2:30AM, called our families via skype to introduce Lydia to them, and were in bed by 3:30AM.

That's her story. My little peanut is quietly now sleeping on my chest. She looks a lot like Alyas and is clearing the work of an awesome Creator!

We are so very thankful to have her here and to know that she is healthy. She had quite a dramatic, fast paced, and at times humorous, entrance into the world.
Welcome LydiaSue Renee Wall! We love you!

Pictures taken on day 2 of life: