The Birth of Alexander

I woke up on the morning of Sunday June 27, 2010 at 41 weeks and 1 day pregnant and knew in my heart it was time for Alexander to arrive. I looked down at my belly as I have done so often in my pregnancy and began to speak with my child. I explained to him that today it was time and that I felt it was important for us to meet. After speaking with my little one I turned to my husband and said the same thing he patted my belly and kissed me and told me it would happen.

My midwife gave me the all clear to take Castor Oil to induce labor at any point after 41 weeks. My plan was to wait until Tuesday the 29th but I decided I would take it on this day. I called my birth center and spoke with the midwife on call she gave me instructions on how to take the Castor Oil and told me to call if I went into labor. About an hour later Marsha, the midwife who was set to deliver my baby called me and said she wanted to come by my house and check my cervix. I took the Castor Oil and waited for Marsha. Before she arrived I had thrown up the Castor Oil I had taken that morning. When Marsha arrived she said I still had a closed cervix and we decided that the scar tissue I had from a previous procedure was preventing my cervix from dilating. Marsha used her finger to push pass the scar tissue and she was able to get me open to 1 centimeter. She also swept my membranes and told me to take another dose of Castor Oil later that afternoon.

Amir and I went out ran a few errands and I took a second dose of Castor Oil about 2pm. I assumed it had not worked because outside of going to the bathroom a few times I had not felt anything. I spoke with Marsha and she agreed the Castor Oil didn't sound like it worked and we set a plan for the morning for me to come in and see her at the Birth Center to try another natural induction method. The goal was to avoid medical induction which was scheduled for later that week.

At about 5pm I started feeling some irregular contractions that came every 10 minutes apart. They were not painful and I managed to get a nap in at this time. I woke up about 7:30pm ate dinner and just laid around watching TV with Amir still thinking that nothing was going to happen. About 12am Amir told me I should get some rest since I had an appt in the morning so I agreed and settled in to get some sleep. All of a sudden I feel a kick from the baby and hear a pop and have the urge to use the bathroom. I got up and told Amir that did not feel normal and went into our bathroom. Once I sat on the toilet I was certain my water had broken. I called Amir and asked if it looked like that to him and he said absolutely.

I called Marsha and told her my water had broken but my contractions were still very irregular. She told me to try and sleep before active labor really started going and to give her a call in the morning, unless I needed to call her sooner. Regular contractions started almost immediately coming every 5 minutes apart. I labored at home until about 5am before we called Marsha and agreed it was time to head to the birthing center. We arrived at the birthing center about 5:30am and my Birthing Assistant Kelly was already there. Kelly got us set up in a room and helped me get comfortable. At this point my contractions are about 3 minutes apart. Marsha arrives and checks my progress I am 1 and half centimeters she opens me to two but said she noticed the baby's head was not dropping down into the pelvis as it should be. She said that as labor progressed we would keep and eye on that and see what was going on. His heart rate was fine and at this point he was handling my contractions like a champ. At about 7:30am Marsha checked me again and I was now 3 centimeters. I decided to get into the tub and I labored there for a few hours and then got up and walked around. After Several hours my contractions were coming on top of each other and I was feeling a great deal of pressure. The most comfortable place for me to handle a contraction was sitting on the toilet because I felt like I had to go to the bathroom. This should have been a GREAT sign!! It was now after 12pm and I had not been checked in awhile. Based on the way I was feeling I was praying I was in transition. This is where things take a huge turn. Marsha checks me and I am still the same 3 centimeters I was 5 hours ago but my contractions had become so intense. We checked the baby's heart rate and it was dropping with contractions. Also he still had not engaged any lower into the Pelvic bone.

It is at this point Marsha gives me the advice I feared most. She wanted to go to the hospital. She said she had a strong feeling I would need a C-section but that maybe I just needed to try and epidural and relax more. It had been hours and the baby simply was not coming down. She said her suspicion was he would not. I trust Marsha with all my heart and her reputation is never to send patients to the hospital unless she thinks it is absolutely necessary so to the hospital we went. Laboring in the car was HORRIBLE and I am sure I scared Amir because I was screaming with every contraction and kept asking if we were almost there.

We arrived at the hospital at about 1pm and by 2pm I had an epidural. I was very upset about this but felt that if this was going to help me get the vaginal birth I desired than it was worth it. Marsha and Kelly stayed with me the entire time I was in the hospital which I am so grateful for there was even a point where they needed to advocate for me. A resident came in checked me and I was 4 centimeters and told me i had not dilated in hours and needed pitocin. I of course did not want that. Both Marsha and Kelly pointed out that this was ridiculous. My contractions were coming very strong and on top of each other. Even with an epidural I felt every contraction and the urge to push. Additionally they pointed out that the strength of my contractions was very difficult for baby already pitocin would only make that worse. The resident said nothing else and said he would get the doctor. Before the doctor came in the check on me Alex's heart rate dropped tremendously a few times I know one time it was below 60 which made me extremely nervous.

The Doctor came in to check me about 5 and said that he did not like the baby's heart rate and it was making him extremely nervous. His recommendation was a C-Section as his suspicion was that the babys cord was wrapped around his neck and that was what was preventing him from dropping lower into my pelvic bone like he needed too. My heart dropped this was my BIGGEST fear for this pregnancy and I really did not want surgery. I looked around the room and everyone, Marsha, Kelly and Amir agreed this was best for Alexander. In my heart I knew it was what was best as well. I had to wait awhile for the surgery because there was someone ahead of me and I cried. I cried because this birth I worked so hard to plan was going wrong in so many ways. I cried because some how I felt this was my fault and maybe I had given up and I cried because I was scared out of my MIND. I had never even broken a bone before and now I am being told in the next few hours I am going be having major abdominal surgery. I kept thinking of all the bad things I had read and all the possibilities of what could go wrong.

At 6:30pm I was prepped for surgery and the Doctor ran through the procedure with me. I was very happy because she made it clear she would do everything in her power to assure I was able to have a VBAC in the future. My birth plan had been read and they understood my concerns! I was still very scared. Amir was handed some scrubs and I was wheeled down to an OR. The whole surgery was surreal to me your awake but your whole body feels like its on pins and needles and although you can not feel the pain of the surgery you can definitely feel that they are working on you. I felt every tug and push and all kinds of pressure and even as they go through the process I am still scared. Then I hear the cry of my son and I look up and see this beautiful baby being held over the divider and all I can do is CRY. My fear is no longer my concern but my son is. Amir jumped up and ran to take pictures. They suctioned him out and brought him to lay on my chest and from that moment forward my world had changed. I immediately no longer cared about myself as a priority but my new little boy.

Alexander Kelson Greene was born via C-Section on Monday, June 28, 2010 at 7:01pm. He was 6lbs. 150z and 20 inches long. It was determined that he was unable to drop down into my pelvic bone was because of the cord as well as his position. Despite all the methods I had tried he returned back to his posterior position that he was in a few weeks prior to birth. The position prevented him from passing any further in the pelvic bone and my poor baby actually had some bruises and scrapes from being stuck the way he was in my pelvis. I am so in love with this little boy. After surgery I was taken back to my room where I was able to breast feed immediately. I can honestly say I don't think my boy has left my side since.

I stayed in the hospital for 4 days and recovery has been OK. I admit that when I am in pain or am slow getting things done I get upset because I remember that this isn't the way it was suppose to be. I had a long talk with my Birth Assistant and with Marsha and they both assured me that they felt this birth was suppose to end this way and there was nothing I did wrong. My son had his own plan. I am getting over the whole C-section thing and the more I look at my son the more I fall in love with him and the more I forget about the birth because we are now moving on to a whole new chapter. My life as a new mother!!!