This little guy just had his first birthday, so I thought it would be a good time to share the amazing story of his birth.
Amber was expecting her third child. With her previous births, she had elected to use pain medication but had had bad reactions, so this time she was determined to have a natural childbirth and let her body do what it was capable of doing without interventions.
Her husband was in the military and was stationed out of state, but Amber hoped and prayed that he would be granted a leave to come home for the birth. And as we were quickly approaching her due date, his leave was granted for ten days. So we prayed that her labor would hold off until he made it home, and it did! But then the days of his leave were passing by, and we still didn’t have a baby yet, so we prayed for labor to start, and we began trying a few natural methods to get labor going, but nothing was working. Amber reluctantly consented to an induction so that her husband could be present for the birth, but we were still hoping for labor to begin spontaneously. Her induction was scheduled for Sunday morning so she checked in the night before.
And from here on out, Amber tells the story in her own words:
“I went in to the hospital around 10 pm. I was scheduled to be induced the following morning. My OB wanted me to start the IV with Pitocin at 5am. I was a couple of days past my estimated due date. I had spent the last week trying natural induction methods and they didn’t seem to be working. I was only 1 cm dilated and maybe 20% effaced at that time. It didn’t seem as if I was close to natural labor at all.
When I was admitted to labor and delivery, I immediately asked the nurses if I could try induction with the foley bulb. My doula, Jamie, had me look into that as an alternative to Pitocin. After I read into it, I decided I wanted to try that first. Unfortunately, the doctor wanted to stick with the Pitocin in the morning so my request was denied. The nurses got my husband and I settled in a room and the nurse have me some melatonin to help me fall asleep. I fell asleep a little before midnight.
At 2am I woke up with some mild contractions. They were the first of any painful contractions I had felt throughout the pregnancy. I tried to fall back asleep but them at 2:30am I got out of bed to use the restroom. That was when I noticed I was losing my mucus plug. I started to get a little excited. I was hoping I would go into labor completely naturally. I called the nurse and told her that I was experiencing mild contractions and she came to monitor them.
At around 3am I noticed fluid leaking. My water was slowly breaking. The nurse had me on the monitor for about 30 min but I didn’t have any contractions at all during that time. I was a little discouraged but I asked for a birthing ball.
I bounced on the birthing ball for a while listening to praise music and praying. Soon I started experiencing more mild contractions. It was a little after 4 am. The nurse came and checked me around 4:30 because they wanted to start the Pitocin at 5am. I was dilated 2-3cm.
By 5am I was having painful contractions and they were getting regular about 5 minutes apart. I thought it might be a good idea to let Jamie know that I was going into labor. I told the nurses I did not want any Pitocin and I was sure my body was doing everything on its own. It was such a wonderful feeling to know that! My contractions became stronger and I became very nauseous. I began to throw up during and after every contraction. It made the contractions seem unbearable. I asked the nurse for something to help with the nausea. She gave me Zofran and it helped a bit. I tried laboring in different positions, including the birthing ball. I found that the only position I could tolerate my contraction in was standing, rocking side to side and leaning forward into my husband.
Jamie arrived to my room a little after 6am. I was still nauseous so she pinned a cotton swab with peppermint oil to my top, it helped and was refreshing. My contractions were very painful and Jamie helped my husband apply pressure to my lower back during them. It helped so much! Around that time the nurse checked me again and I was 4-5cm dilated. They put me back on the fetal monitor. My contractions became closer together. The baby’s heartbeat would drop with the contractions so the nurses had me try to labor in different positions. I tried lying on my side in the bed but it was too painful and felt very uncomfortable. I stood back up and next to me bed. The contractions were coming so quickly.
The doctor came in to check on me. I was in so much pain and I became very afraid. I didn’t think I could do it anymore. Jamie and my husband assured me I could. Jamie told me I was very close. Soon after that I felt an urge to push. The doctor began to put on her scrubs and gloves. I really had to push and I was still standing on the side of my bed. I was finally ready. It came so fast! The nurses raised my bed and the doctor sat on the floor. I felt so much pressure. The baby’s head was crowning. I continued squatting on the side of my bed andafter a couple of pushes he was out. He was born at 7:05 am. They had to cut his cord immediately because it was around his neck and then they gave him to me. I was still standing next to my bed. I held him to my chest, completely in shock. It was the best feeling. I smiled and laughed."
We were all so happy that her prayers had been answered. Her husband was able to be present, and Amber had the beautiful, natural birth that she was hoping for. She did an amazing job as she coped with a very fast and intense labor, and her body did it all on its own, in the most perfect timing.
Congratulations Amber and William, and happy birthday Rorie!