Beauty Among Thorns: A Birth Story: Natural with Pitocin

Zane Thomas born August 6, 2014 at 3:19pm

9 lbs. 12 oz. 21 in.

All day Monday I thought my water had broke but it was just a slow trickle and wasn't enough to know for sure so me and little buddy went for breakfast and to get some walking in, hopefully to get things moving. I was 5cm dilated for over a week now, contracting constantly and every moment like this felt like hours. I was literally pacing the apartment all afternoon waiting to feel different or to know I just had to go to the hospital but nothing was happening. I waited until hubs got home from work and I just had to go to the hospital to find out if I was going crazy. The nurse tested two times and both came back negative. It was official, I was going crazy, but something was going on so why was everything so slow moving.

The nurse and my Doctor were nervous about sending me home due to being 5cm dilated, contracting, being Group B strep positive and living so far away from the hospital. She was encouraging me to wait it out for 2 days and if nothing progressed then I should be induced. I hated the idea. I wanted to go completely natural this time. But we decided to stay with family nearby the hospital at least for the night and see what the next day would hold. It turned out to be a good decision. We were all relaxed and just patiently waiting Zane's arrival, but still no progression all night and all day. He was just going to take his sweet time. I could've waited longer for contractions to progress on their own but I had to keep in mind being group B positive. So we decided to go in Wednesday morning (39 weeks) at 7am for induction.

We waited two hours for any progression, but still I sat at 5cm with consistent mild contractions. So the nurse gave me Pitocin, which I hated the idea, I was terrified to go on Pitocin again and even more terrified of what it was going to be like with no pain meds, but still things progressed slowly. So at 12:30pm the Doctor came in and broke my water. It was like a water balloon popped inside of me, weirdest feeling I've ever felt, and then things started moving forward. I felt baby coming with every contraction. 1:30 came and contractions were strong but still bearable. . . 2:30 came and it hit me like the most intense lightening, rain, thunderstorm; contractions one after the other, crash, boom, faster and stronger, faster and more intense, I didn't think I could make it through. All I could do was squirm like a fish out of water. There was no break between contractions. I thought I was going to die a slow, agonizing death.

My husband locked eyes with me and said in a calm peaceful voice, "We are going to meet little Zane very soon, closer with every push, you can do this." And then I focused in, stopped the screams and moans, and with everything in me, I pushed him into the world with 3 last pushes. Tears just poured out, I couldn't hold in the pain or emotion any longer. They put his little body on mine and all I could tell Zane was "it's over, you're here."

The intensity lasted about 20 minutes and then . . . peace after the storm.

Am I wanting bragging rights for natural and no pain meds? No way! I had an epidural with my first son and I hated feeling numb during delivery, I hated the longer recovery time and the drowsiness. I was determined to go without this time. You definitely have to be mentally prepared going in and be on the same page with your labor coach, especially if you're getting induced with pitocin or you won't make it through.

Two hours later, I was up and walking, and we were snuggling in our warm, quiet, recovery room. Zane is a gift that was worth waiting to open. There is no relief like relief after a thunderstorm of delivery a baby. And now I get to squish this sweet face everyday.

He was the beauty in the midst of that storm.