First thing Sunday morning, I called Judi to tell her I think I'm leaking amniotic fluid and just to keep her updated. I told her the time it started and also that I'm not feeling ANY contractions. There seemed to be nothing wrong; no strange color, odor, blood, etc. Judi told me to take my temp every few hours just to make sure I wasn't developing an infection.
Jon and I decided that instead of having a relaxing Sunday, we would finish (read: start) getting things together in case we had a baby. We were surprisingly relaxed, very unsuspecting of how close we really were. We hadn't gotten a bag together further than making a list of things we may need. Jon spent a good portion of the day nesting in the garage, while I picked which music I wanted on my iPod during the birth. Real important stuff, right? We did manage to get a bag full of baby clothes, swaddling gear, diapers, etc, and a bag of clothes and some toiletries for Jon and myself. We put these bags together thinking that we were just going to have to unpack them and do it over later.
Judi called at one point during the day and told me if I wasn't in active labor by 7:30pm (24 hours after the initial break) to come to the birth center at 8pm just to make sure it was amniotic and that things were okay. I told her I was pretty sure we weren't going to be in active labor, and we'd see her at 8pm. We packed the car, and headed to San Francisco after eating a good sized dinner, still no noticeable contractions. We got to the birth center ~7:30pm and Judi confirmed that it was amniotic fluid before doing a few external exams; checking my pulse, blood pressure, the baby's heartbeat, positioning, etc. I remember when she was looking for the head waay down in my pelvis, it hurt. Pretty bad. Apparently I was contracting at that moment and didn't realize it.
We were probably there until 9pm or so. Judi had told us to go home and sleep, and set the alarm for 4am to start taking some herbs to see if we can get things going. She also gave me a "Preggo tea" with red raspberry leave and other herbs in it. I made a cup of tea before going to bed. At about 10:15pm I had my first contraction and there was some bloody show. I called Judi to let her know of the change in status and we headed to bed. It was futile. Jon was able to sleep, but I had about 3 contractions. I felt like such a wuss! It was getting too hard to breathe through them to the point where I went and took a warm shower to relieve the pain. I thought how am I going to do hours of labor like this? In the shower, the contractions started to be one on top of another; I couldn't tell the start of one from the ending of another. Jon tried timing the contractions, but I was unable to tell him when they were starting and ending; I was unable to say anything. I remember my mind being clear, but the words just not coming out.
I remember sitting on the bathroom floor swaying side to side thinking that if we didn't leave now, the baby was going to be an unassisted home birth. Jon called Judi and told her "We just went from 0-60 in no time flat". I remember Jon saying "Do you want to talk to her?" and I was very annoyed because I didn't know if he was asking me or Judi. I got on the phone with her and was barely able to get some words out. I remember thinking "I want the water! I want a water birth!" But those words never made it out of my mouth. After about a 2 minute conversation, she told us to come back to the center. Once we realized that we had to LEAVE, we scrambled. I would have loved to been out of body to watch the hilarity that ensued. I couldn't make it from the bathroom to the bedroom (a whole 12 feet) before collapsing from another contraction, and crawling back to my "cave". It must have taken me 5 tries (and 5 contractions) to make it to the bedroom to get dressed. We had also unpacked the diaper bag when getting home and Jon had grabbed the mass of cloth diapers and outfits pacing back and forth in he kitchen shouting "Is this sufficient? Is this sufficient!?!?" before deciding for himself loudly "It's sufficient!!" I was panicy that another contraction was going to hit before I could get to the car. I didn't want to be standing, because each one knocked my feet from under me. Eventually we got in the car, and off we went from Richmond to San Francisco.
We flew down I-80 at about 85mph. Thank god this was happening that late on a Sunday night. We would NEVER have made it to the City if it were any other time of the day. We got to the birth center at about 11:30pm. The car ride was intense. The oh-shit-handles served me well. We were greeted at the center by Judi, and all I could do was collapse on her and bite her shoulder. She wanted to do an exam to check where I was, so we went into the exam room. She told me "The head is right here". I asked how many cm, because my 2nd fear (1st was birthing on the bridge) was to push before I was complete and swell my cervix. She told me "We're way past counting centimeters." Now is when I told her I wanted water. She told me that it takes time to fill up the tub. I remember saying very sarcastically "Well, I guess it's not happening then" Since things were going so fast, Laura was still on her way; it was just Judi and us. She had me on all fours, with Jon in front for support so that things would go slower to reduce tearing. She had me do quick breaths to keep from pushing. It didn't work and was frustrating me. I rember feeling like I was hyperventilating and didn't want to do it anymore. I screamed at her "It's not working!" My body was pushing even though I wasn't. She was trying to run around and get the remaining items that she still needed. Next thing, I was on my side and the baby was crowning. I think that was the best part because my body said "Break time!!" and there were no more contractions. All I had to do was slowly stretch and push through the ring of fire. 12:04am, Juniper was born. I had a slight 1st degree tear, but nothing that needed stitches (woo!!).
Yes, that was only 1hr and 49 minutes of labor. I think this is when Laura arrived. After delivery of the placenta, I started losing a lot of blood. My uterus wasn't contracting as quick as it should have been, so I had to have uterine massages. Painful, but nothing like the labor experience. I got a shot of pitocin in my leg to help with contractions, and more massages. We had to get me to one of the birthing rooms instead of just handing out in the exam room. When I sat upright, I couldn't hear. It was a surreal feeling. When I announced what was hapening, Judi had me lay back down, since it meant I was blacking out. Jon and Juniper were waiting for me in the birth room; Juniper was all swaddled up and Jon was trying to keep composure as he held such a tiny baby for the first time. Judi's favorite exchanged of the night follows next. She was trying to figure out how to get me down the hall. I couldn't walk, and she said "if only i had a wheelchair!" Cue Laura with "You may not have a wheelchair, but you have a chair with wheels!" Ding ding!! One of the office chairs was plastered with Chux pads, and off I go being wheeled backwards with me feet up looking to the ceiling. When I got the the birth room, I started blacking out a few more times. I got in the bed where I was given an IV for fluids and more pit. Every time I had to get up to pee, they had to help me and make sure I didn't pass out. I blacked out all but the last 3 times, but lasted longer each time. Standing for the first time was really weird. I was so used to having so much weight in front, so it was incredibly strange to no longer have to counteract it in my balance. I told them it felt like someone carved out my center with a spoon. I spent until 6am eating and napping and cuddling with Juniper before we went home at 7am. Juniper Phoenix Ames was born at 6lbs 1oz, 12:04am. Saturday evening, July 19th, Jon and I decided "Shit! It's out anniversary on Tues.. we should go out to dinner or we're not going to end up doing anything at all." As I was changing out of my 3rd trimester uniform of sweat pants and a tank, I feel a slight squirt. I didn't know if it was amniotic or just late 3rd trimester juiciness. And I wanted dinner. I mentioned to Jon I thought I may be leaking, and we headed off to dinner anyhow. I felt another similar gush once standing up to leave after we were finished eating. Close to 10:15 or so, we went to bed. Jon did anyway, I couldn't sleep because I was burning through so many pads and kept having to pee.
First thing Sunday morning, I called Judi to tell her I think I'm leaking amniotic fluid and just to keep her updated. I told her the time it started and also that I'm not feeling ANY contractions. There seemed to be nothing wrong; no strange color, odor, blood, etc. Judi told me to take my temp every few hours just to make sure I wasn't developing an infection.
Jon and I decided that instead of having a relaxing Sunday, we would finish (read: start) getting things together in case we had a baby. We were surprisingly relaxed, very unsuspecting of how close we really were. We hadn't gotten a bag together further than making a list of things we may need. Jon spent a good portion of the day nesting in the garage, while I picked which music I wanted on my iPod during the birth. Real important stuff, right? We did manage to get a bag full of baby clothes, swaddling gear, diapers, etc, and a bag of clothes and some toiletries for Jon and myself. We put these bags together thinking that we were just going to have to unpack them and do it over later.
Judi called at one point during the day and told me if I wasn't in active labor by 7:30pm (24 hours after the initial break) to come to the birth center at 8pm just to make sure it was amniotic and that things were okay. I told her I was pretty sure we weren't going to be in active labor, and we'd see her at 8pm. We packed the car, and headed to San Francisco after eating a good sized dinner, still no noticeable contractions. We got to the birth center ~7:30pm and Judi confirmed that it was amniotic fluid before doing a few external exams; checking my pulse, blood pressure, the baby's heartbeat, positioning, etc. I remember when she was looking for the head waay down in my pelvis, it hurt. Pretty bad. Apparently I was contracting at that moment and didn't realize it.
We were probably there until 9pm or so. Judi had told us to go home and sleep, and set the alarm for 4am to start taking some herbs to see if we can get things going. She also gave me a "Preggo tea" with red raspberry leave and other herbs in it. I made a cup of tea before going to bed. At about 10:15pm I had my first contraction and there was some bloody show. I called Judi to let her know of the change in status and we headed to bed. It was futile. Jon was able to sleep, but I had about 3 contractions. I felt like such a wuss! It was getting too hard to breathe through them to the point where I went and took a warm shower to relieve the pain. I thought how am I going to do hours of labor like this? In the shower, the contractions started to be one on top of another; I couldn't tell the start of one from the ending of another. Jon tried timing the contractions, but I was unable to tell him when they were starting and ending; I was unable to say anything. I remember my mind being clear, but the words just not coming out.
I remember sitting on the bathroom floor swaying side to side thinking that if we didn't leave now, the baby was going to be an unassisted home birth. Jon called Judi and told her "We just went from 0-60 in no time flat". I remember Jon saying "Do you want to talk to her?" and I was very annoyed because I didn't know if he was asking me or Judi. I got on the phone with her and was barely able to get some words out. I remember thinking "I want the water! I want a water birth!" But those words never made it out of my mouth. After about a 2 minute conversation, she told us to come back to the center. Once we realized that we had to LEAVE, we scrambled. I would have loved to been out of body to watch the hilarity that ensued. I couldn't make it from the bathroom to the bedroom (a whole 12 feet) before collapsing from another contraction, and crawling back to my "cave". It must have taken me 5 tries (and 5 contractions) to make it to the bedroom to get dressed. We had also unpacked the diaper bag when getting home and Jon had grabbed the mass of cloth diapers and outfits pacing back and forth in he kitchen shouting "Is this sufficient? Is this sufficient!?!?" before deciding for himself loudly "It's sufficient!!" I was panicy that another contraction was going to hit before I could get to the car. I didn't want to be standing, because each one knocked my feet from under me. Eventually we got in the car, and off we went from Richmond to San Francisco.
We flew down I-80 at about 85mph. Thank god this was happening that late on a Sunday night. We would NEVER have made it to the City if it were any other time of the day. We got to the birth center at about 11:30pm. The car ride was intense. The oh-shit-handles served me well. We were greeted at the center by Judi, and all I could do was collapse on her and bite her shoulder. She wanted to do an exam to check where I was, so we went into the exam room. She told me "The head is right here". I asked how many cm, because my 2nd fear (1st was birthing on the bridge) was to push before I was complete and swell my cervix. She told me "We're way past counting centimeters." Now is when I told her I wanted water. She told me that it takes time to fill up the tub. I remember saying very sarcastically "Well, I guess it's not happening then" Since things were going so fast, Laura was still on her way; it was just Judi and us. She had me on all fours, with Jon in front for support so that things would go slower to reduce tearing. She had me do quick breaths to keep from pushing. It didn't work and was frustrating me. I rember feeling like I was hyperventilating and didn't want to do it anymore. I screamed at her "It's not working!" My body was pushing even though I wasn't. She was trying to run around and get the remaining items that she still needed. Next thing, I was on my side and the baby was crowning. I think that was the best part because my body said "Break time!!" and there were no more contractions. All I had to do was slowly stretch and push through the ring of fire. 12:04am, Juniper was born. I had a slight 1st degree tear, but nothing that needed stitches (woo!!).
Yes, that was only 1hr and 49 minutes of labor. I think this is when Laura arrived. After delivery of the placenta, I started losing a lot of blood. My uterus wasn't contracting as quick as it should have been, so I had to have uterine massages. Painful, but nothing like the labor experience. I got a shot of pitocin in my leg to help with contractions, and more massages. We had to get me to one of the birthing rooms instead of just handing out in the exam room. When I sat upright, I couldn't hear. It was a surreal feeling. When I announced what was hapening, Judi had me lay back down, since it meant I was blacking out. Jon and Juniper were waiting for me in the birth room; Juniper was all swaddled up and Jon was trying to keep composure as he held such a tiny baby for the first time. Judi's favorite exchanged of the night follows next. She was trying to figure out how to get me down the hall. I couldn't walk, and she said "if only i had a wheelchair!" Cue Laura with "You may not have a wheelchair, but you have a chair with wheels!" Ding ding!! One of the office chairs was plastered with Chux pads, and off I go being wheeled backwards with me feet up looking to the ceiling. When I got the the birth room, I started blacking out a few more times. I got in the bed where I was given an IV for fluids and more pit. Every time I had to get up to pee, they had to help me and make sure I didn't pass out. I blacked out all but the last 3 times, but lasted longer each time. Standing for the first time was really weird. I was so used to having so much weight in front, so it was incredibly strange to no longer have to counteract it in my balance. I told them it felt like someone carved out my center with a spoon. I spent until 6am eating and napping and cuddling with Juniper before we went home at 7am. Juniper Phoenix Ames was born at 6lbs 1oz, 12:04am on July 21, 2008, one day before Jon and my 3rd wedding anniversary.
Every day for months after her birth, I would think about the events and how they unfolded. Even now as I celebrate our 18th month together, I go back and read our story and think about how amazing it was. I laugh at how we coped, I beam looking at the pictures, and I find it so amazing that I had such a beautiful experience and was able to share it with Judi at Sage Femme.
