This blog post is a little different from what I normally write about, but it is still something near and dear to me. This is my labor and delivery story at a birth center for the birth of my second baby. In this blog post, I will go over what I did to prepare for labor and delivery and what my day looked like while in labor. Also, I will go over some of the methods I used to cope with the contractions.
Why I Chose a Birth Center for labor and delivery
The first reason why I chose a birth center is because I had already had my first baby at that same birth center so I felt comfortable going there. Additionally, we live in a duplex that seems to have the thinnest walls sometimes if I’m to be completely honest.
Now don’t get me wrong, if we didn’t make it to the birth center and I had the baby at home, I wouldn’t be upset. It’s just I thought I’d have a hard time knowing that my neighbors could hear pretty much everything. That’s why I chose the birth center.
How I Prepared for Labor and Delivery
Positive Birth Stories
One thing I would do was listen, watch, read, etc. other woman’s positive birth stories. In fact, I really enjoyed hearing about them and I would even listen to ones not at a birth center.
Refreshing Myself with Ways to Cope
With my first pregnancy, I took a class with a local friend/doula on different comfort measures you could take during labor. I still had all of the hand outs from her class, so I would pull them out and look at them occasionally.
Getting Lots of Nutrients
In addition, I made sure to get plenty of nutrients from meats, cheeses, fruits, and vegetables. I always made it a goal to have lots of protein and stay well hydrated.
There are certain foods and drinks that are said to help with a speedy labor. The studies can sometimes vary, but I drank red raspberry leaf tea and I do believe it helped to speed things up for me at least.
Exercise
Another way that I prepared for labor was taking lots of walks. Now one thing to know is that I live in Wisconsin, and if you know anything about Wisconsin, its weather is unpredictable sometimes. So for me, that meant that sometimes I’d have to walk around indoors somewhere or do another type of exercise (I also did some pregnancy safe Pilates.)
Prayer
Lastly, whenever I’d feel anxious about labor, I would try to remember to say a prayer to God or the Mother of God, the Theotokos. Prayer gave me a sense of peace and truly did ease my anxiety.
The Day When I Had My Labor and Delivery
Laboring at Home
It was a cool, Autumn day when I went into labor. Prior to that day, I had only had Braxton Hicks so I knew that this was the real deal. The contractions started around 5 A.M. and I was able to do things, for the most part, like brush my teeth braid my hair, etc. So, I knew that I was probably in early labor.
I ended up having my mom come over to be with my toddler, Juliana. After my mom arrived, I went back to my room to try to rest a bit. However, I was uncomfortable and hungry, so I went to the kitchen and made sure to eat while I still could.
Coping with the Contractions
Also, I did my best to breathe through the contractions. For me, that looked like taking a breath in and then exhaling as I felt the intensity of the contraction. Sometimes I would make a deep groaning noise while exhaling to help release some of the pain and tension.
When my husband made it home, my mom left and we did an Akathist, a special prayer dedicated to a saint, event, or God, to the Theotokos to help me with a safe and speedy labor and delivery. After that, I spent a lot of time walking between the living room and the kitchen breathing through contractions. I noticed too, that going up or down the stairs, intensified the contractions as well.
In addition, I used some aromatherapy to also distract myself from the intensity of the contractions. In fact, I had some herbal teas sitting on my kitchen table, so I would go a smell them whenever I could during a contraction.
Additionally, my husband had the task of timing each contraction. He kept track of the duration and space between each contraction. When the contractions, got closer together and longer/more intense. We decided it was time to go to the birth center.
Laboring at the Birth Center
As soon as I arrived at the birth center, I had the midwife check to see how dilated I was. I ended up being at about a 7, which was more then I was expecting.
From there, I went into the tub which is where I was able to stay and even deliver my baby. In fact, I spent the 2 hours of labor at the birth center in the tub. I was able to relax at first in the tub, but then the contractions started to ramp up again.
Next, the contractions started to get so intense that it got to a point where I couldn’t get comfortable no matter what position I was in. I would try laying on both of my sides and my back and I would even try to stand up in the middle of the tub. However, nothing I did seemed to help.
Isidora’s Grand Entrance
At this point, I was laying on my back with someone holding my left leg on the side of the tub, per my request, and then I had my right leg on the other side of the tub. Also, I was gripping the faucet with all of my might each time I felt the urge to push. Additionally, I asked one of the midwives to tell me when to push because I was afraid I’d tear.
I pushed for what felt like forever, and I would use a deep groaning voice from the back of my throat to help me push the baby out. I finally got to a point when I could reach down and feel the baby’s head. Then, I pushed some more because I just wanted it to be over with, and finally the baby zipped right out. Personally, I felt like she flew out like a torpedo, but my husband said that it really wasn’t that dramatic haha.
Isidora Amelia was born with the umbilical cord around her neck, which might seem scary. However, the umbilical cord provides oxygen to the baby, so until it’s cut, there’s nothing to worry about. Isidora was born at 2:14 pm and was 8 lbs 13 oz!
Also, here is a prayer for a mother who has just had a baby. I had a similar prayer, if not the same prayer read over me after I had little Isidora!
Overall Experience: Labor and Delivery at a Birth Center
Overall, I had such a positive experience. I was happy that I could manage my contractions at home for most of my labor. Also, I am grateful that I had Isidora in 10 hours, from start to finish, which was a lot faster then my first daughter.
I was able to achieve an unmedicated, natural delivery which was my goal. Lastly, I am so thankful for all of the support and encouragement that I got as well as God who gave my the strength I needed to persevere to the end.
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