Welcome to the World Evelyn Mae Nussbaum! (Birth Story)

So as many of you know from previous posts Evelyn was a bit on the larger side for a newborn. The doctors gave me a heads up on a possibility of a cesarean. I had my mind set on a peaceful unmedicated birth so this was not good news to me. I feel like I got a lot out of my birth experience regardless of the outcome. So continue on for the full fledged deal.

Welcome to the World Baby Girl!

So it all began on July 9th. At 8am we went in to our 40 week u/s appointment to check her fluid levels to make sure everything was still looking adequate. She was measuring pretty large and they thought her to be about 9 1/2 lbs. So they were keeping a close eye on her. I had been having these painless contractions since that morning but didn't think anything of it since I had had them on an off for the last week and even a case of them a few weeks prior. They never turned into anything so I just shrugged them off.

We went out to a nice breakfast after the appointment. Ran around, did some errands and went home. When we got home I just got in some comfy clothes and tried to relax. I began timing the contractions because they were coming pretty close and they had never lasted this long before. So I timed them and they were about 3 min apart so it was definitely peaking my curiosity even though they were painless. I decided that we should go on a long walk just to see if we could make anything come of the contractions. So we took a 2 mile walk around our town and came home. Still had them but still really no pain. So we just got a pizza and relaxed for a little bit into the night.

By about 8pm that was when I thought there might be a little bit of pain/cramping to the contractions, I still wasn't sure though. We just laid on the couch watching TV a little longer and I noticed the pain a little more than before even though it still really wasn't bad. They weren't going away by laying down or drinking water so I knew this had to be the real thing. So since I planned a  unmedicated natural birth I called my doula told her I thought I was in labor and told her my times and decided yes that I was most likely in labor. She came over by 11pm and we labored in the comfort of our home for a while until about 2:30am when I was beginning to have to vocalize through the contractions. We then headed to the hospital.

Evelyn Mae

We got checked in and I was hooked up to fetal monitor because they needed a strip on her heart rate. Nurse checked me and I was actually already dilated to an 8cm, I was so relieved! I honestly thought I'd be only 3 cm dilated. Labor up to that point really wasn't that bad it was very manageable. Anyway nurse wasn't happy with the heart rate on baby said there wasn't enough fluctuation in the heart rate, that it was too flat. So they put me on continuous monitoring. Thank goodness they have a waterproof one so I could still use the tub.

I was about to have a contraction just before I hit the tub and it just disappeared it was amazing! Anyway, I labored in there for about 3hrs. I began feeling pressure so they moved me back to the bed and checked me. This is when the contraction were getting really bad. I was pretty much fully dilated with just a little lip left.

I ended up laboring a little longer in hands and knees position because the baby was still really high. They thought she might just be in a weird position. So I did for a bit but I started having urges to push. So they got me on my back and I began trying to push with my contractions. This was by far the worst part of my whole labor honestly. Felt like the contractions never let up even though the monitor was saying they were. By this time the doctor and the nurse were getting a bit frantic. Her heart rate was dropping way too low when I pushed and having a hard time coming back. It dropped down into the 50's it was really scary.



First time touching her.

They put me on oxygen and IV fluids which seemed to help. She started doing a lot better. I just kept having to be constantly reminded to breath deep and steady after each contraction. They then broke my water hoping it would help her descend it didn't. Then they come to find she has already had her first BM, which was why she was distressed. I pushed for two hours and she never made it past the -2 station... she was a stuck baby!

At that point I was so exhausted after laboring 10hrs and pushing for 2hrs. The pain was so intense it was the most pain I'd ever felt. The fact of the situation was all too clear, I had to have a C-section things were just not happening. So they brought me in for the C-section. They gave me a spinal and you do not know how good that felt after being in that much pain for that long! I imagine it's what it feels like when your baby finally pops out, except the massive numbing feeling!

They got me all prepped and started operating. Once they finally got to baby she was so far wedged in my pelvis they literally had to shove her back up to get her out. Those first cries were the best sounds I had ever heard. I instantly started crying. I watched them caring for her across the room while they patched me back up. They finally brought her over and I got touch her is was really a magical experience regardless of how it happened.

First Family Photo!

She was born on July 10 at 8:56am right on time (her due date!). She weighed 8lbs 5oz and 20.5 inches long! Her Apgar score was a 3 then a 9 thank goodness. She had swallowed a lot of meconium and they were trying to get it out of her before she inhaled it. I am not disappointed with the outcome at all as I know it was necessary and my daughter is doing so great she is amazing. Recovery will be a little different for me but it's really not bad. I am completely at peace with the way things worked out and so happy with my birth experience. I added some pictures for your viewing pleasure :)