Millenium
Baby!
Our Birth Story
On January 13th, we went to the
midwife in Grand Coulee for our weekly appointment. She
checked me and said I was still 4 cm dilated and 90 %
effaced, however she said the baby had moved back up. She
assured us it could not be much longer.
We got home that afternoon and I
started having some mild contractions. I really didn't tell
anyone because I started feeling like that little boy who
always cried wolf, as I had been having contractions almost
every night since January 1st. (As a matter of fact, we
spent the night of January 9th at the hospital because my
contractions were coming every 4 minutes. This lasted for
about 4 hours and stopped.)
I showered and took a nap, and
pretty soon the contractions stopped again. I had reached
the point where I did everything I could to take my mind off
of the labour I thought would never start. We had an
uneventful night, and I trudged off to bed one more time
still pregnant. At about 1:30am, Marlee woke up. She had
been particularly clingy to me (which is unusual…she is
daddy's little girl in every sense of the word) the previous
day, and I asked Troy if he would please get her. He
brought her to bed with us and she quieted down.
At about 2:00 am, I had to go to
the bathroom. The minute I got out of the bed, our daughter
started crying again. So, I got her up with me. I started
having contractions, and I thought, 'Great! Another night of
no sleep, a cranky 20 month old, and I am STILL pregnant.'
Finally, at 2:30 am, I woke Troy
and asked him to sit up with our daughter so I could take a
shower. I got in the shower and the contractions dissipated
a little. I noticed that they were a lot stronger than any
of the contractions I had been having, but they were only
lasting about 30 seconds and did not seem to be getting any
closer together or forming any true pattern.
I got out of the shower and Troy
asked, "Don't you think we should go?". By this time, I had
no clue. I had been having so many different contraction
patterns that I didn't know if it was real or not. We put a
call in to the midwife and she said to come on up. It was
now 3:00 am, we loaded up Victoria, Jacob, Marlee and my Mom
and headed for the hospital.
I could no longer talk through
these short, very intense contractions. About 16 miles up
the road, my water broke. I told Troy and he kept
reassuring me that we would be there in no time and to just
hang on. He was wonderful in keeping us both calm.
The next contraction hit and I told
Troy I thought the baby was coming out. He asked me what I
wanted him to do, and my mom said, 'Keep going!!!'. Of
course, I countered, "Pull over!". We just happened to be
coming up to a friend's house (Scott and Cindy Carroll's).
We pulled into their drive, Troy laying on the horn. Troy
got out and came over to my side of the van and helped me
get my pants down. He said he didn't see anything, but the
contraction had passed. My mom said, "It's not
coming…let's get to the hospital", which was still
another 40 minutes away.
The next contraction hit, and Troy
said, "Oh, there it is!". The next few minutes were
amazing. My mom, Jacob and Marlee could see the whole thing
from their vantage point over my left shoulder. Victoria
was sent into the house to wake our friends and to get some
towels and blankets. During all this, Troy slowly delivered
the baby's head. The baby then turned his own body (that's
innate for you!), and Troy gently guided him out with the
next contraction and placed him on my belly.
After a minute or so of
reassurances going back and forth between Troy and I, and
making sure that the baby was 'pinking up' and breathing ok,
I asked Troy what we had…he forgot to look. He peeked
under the blanket and said, "It's a Boy!". We also forgot
to check the time when the baby came out, which Cindy asked
when she got out to the van. Troy had been timing my
contractions, so we estimated the time of birth to be 3:38
am. Scott and Cindy were wonderful, getting extra towels
and blankets for me and the baby. Scott also got a
flashlight for Troy so that he could make sure that I was
not bleeding. The placenta was 'born' about 10 or 15
minutes after the baby's birth.
By the time the ambulance crew
arrived, Roger Sebesta, Lois Harp and Rhonda Kuch, all the
excitement was over. They were very calm and supportive.
Rhonda clamped the cord and Troy cut it.
Many wishes were granted with our
'impromptu' birth. We were able to have only family
present. There was no monitoring or any other form of
medical intervention which is the way God intended
childbirth to be. Troy was able to deliver the baby solely
on his own (with a little help from me). I was able to
nurse him shortly after birth and the cord cutting was
delayed until it had stopped pulsating (and then some).
After a brief visit to the ER in
our hometown, we were released to our midwife. She said to
just go home, since we were only 5 minutes away and to call
her if either of us seemed to be having problems. We were
safe and sound at home by 8:00 am.
All in all it was a wonderful
birthing experience. We were blessed with a beautiful,
healthy baby boy weighing in at 7 lb. 13 oz. and measuring
20 inches in length. Mom faired well with only a small tear
that did not require any stitching, and Dad has been on
Cloud 9 ever since! Our three older children were able to
take part in the joy of the miracle of birth, and Odessa's
first Millenium Baby was born in Odessa. Troy David
Eldridge, II is doing wonderfully and nursing like the
little champ that he came into this world being.
Thank you to all of those who gave
us encouragement, insight and support during this pregnancy.
A special thank you to Scott and Cindy for their help and
wonderful friendship. Also to the many women at
ICAN(International Cesarean Awareness Network) , a
VBAC(vaginal birth after cesarean) support group, thank you
very much…without your wise words going through my head
during my very short labor, I would not have remembered to
control my breathing and to keep my vocal noises low. I
pulled on the strength from all of you and each and everyone
of you were with me during our wonderful journey.
®Editor - Some Info' Camille
sent me:
Pregnancy #1 - 'Traditional ob/gyn
care'. My labor started and I was told to go to the
hospital when my contractions were 3-4 minutes apart.
Arrived at the hospital and was immediately hooked up,
plugged in, iv'd, vaginal checked, you name it.
Contractions continued, but I was not dilating. They
decided to hook-up a pit drip. After 12 hours, my bag of
waters was artificially broken and an internal monitor was
'screwed' into the baby's head. After an additional 5
hours...that is 17 long hours of very strong contractions, I
had only dilated to 3.5 cm...An epidural, catheter, enema,
and shaving were ordered. The epidural being last. Pit
drip was continued. I dilated almost immediately after the
epi was in place and my daughter entered into the world,
guided by forceps, without much help from me because I
couldn't feel anything about 1 hour after the
epi.
Pregnancy #2: Same type of care as
#1. Went to the hospital. Same medical protocol as for the
iv's, monitors, etc. Was told I was not in true labor, but
they would give me another hour. After that hour was
dilated to 7 cm (so much for not being in 'true' labor!...I
just wasn't following their idea of contraction patterns! I
would 3 to 4 contractions back to back and then nothing for
15 minutes!) I was told 'now or never' for the epi and it
would hurt really bad if I did not get one. I buckled. As
soon as the epi was in place my son started crowning. I
could feel all the pressure of him coming, but could not
feel my contractions. I was scolded by the doctor because I
wasn't pushing at the appropriate times, etc. My son was
born...again no real aid from me, suctioned, poked, prodded
(you know the drill).
Both of my first two children
started getting 'medical interventions' even before they
were totally born. Cords were cut immediately, they were
suctioned as soon as the head was delivered, etc. I was not
able to nurse either of them until about an hour after
birth...and that was with iv's, blood pressure cuffs, etc.
still attached. Oh, and the wonderful nurses coming to
check me every few minutes. Let me tell you here, that no,
I was not high risk, and nothing was wrong...just following
that medical protocol. This was in 1990 and
1992.
Pregnancy #3 - Miscarried at 12
weeks.
Pregnancy # 4 - She was my c
-section baby. She was in breech presentation. At 35
weeks, they told me (a 'med'-wife group) that I would have
to go see an ob for external version. Went for the version
(what an absolutely miserable procedure!) and the baby's
heart rate dropped so they stopped. They said I would have
to have a c/s prior to my due date b/c it would be dangerous
for me and the baby if I went into labor. Again, other than
her being breech, there were no complications involved. I
went in 1.5 weeks prior to my due date for the c/s. It was
an 'uneventful' surgery. I don't remember a lot of
everything b/c of all the drugs and what not that they give
you...but all in all it was the absolute worse birthing
experience that I have ever had! I was especially upset
after I learned (much later) that in subsequent pregnancies
(meaning not your first) babies will often turn from a
breech position during labor...had I known then what I know
now, right? This was May of 1998.
Pregnancy #5 - Decided before
getting pregnant for a birth, not a medical procedure. Took
hypnobirthing course, read Birthing from Within, and other
uplifting stories on birth. Joined ICAN via the internet
for support. All in all, this was the absolute BEST birth I
have ever had. When people hear that I delivered in the van
on the way to the hospital, they say, "Oh you poor
thing!"...And I say, "Are you crazy??? Out of the 4 birthing
experiences I have had...this was the best one!"
Contractions had been coming and going for several weeks,
but when THE night arrived, I was so totally able to 'get
into' it, that I was in transition and DIDN'T even really
know it! From the time of the first contraction that
night...until David joined us...only 1.5 hours
(approximately) had passed! I had been having contractions
throughout that day, but I didn't think much of them because
of the true pain I experienced with my first two. After the
fact, I now realize that I was so AWARE of my body, the
process and so in tune with my baby, that the contractions
didn't hurt any less, I was just in a better frame of mind!
I was not being unnecessarily checked every 15 to 30
minutes. I was not hooked up to any machines. I didn't
have a needle jabbed in my arm...and most importantly, I had
freedom of movement if I wanted it! I was able to get in
the shower, get out of the shower. Get on my hands and
knees, etc...All in the privacy of my own home! After the
call to the midwife...she said come on up and well you know
the rest!
So, I can safely say that I am
(almost) an expert on all possible ways of having a child.
So, hands down, I can say that natural birth is the ONLY way
to go for the mother and the baby!
David was never poked, prodded,
suctioned, stuck, irritated, etc. He was nursing before the
placenta arrived...and his cord was not cut until after it
had stopped pulsating. It was the most amazing experience I
have ever had! I have told my husband I would truly love to
have one more child just to experience another birth that
way. We had said though that David would be our last...and
it would be selfish of us to conceive for the wrong reasons.
Anyway, to every and all women (if done it before or who
have never done it) on your next childbirth, focus on an all
natural childbirth...preferably at home if that is
allowed!
Wow, Jackie, when I get going I
really get going! Sorry to be so longwinded. I didn't
intend for all of that to be the side note...just the fact
that I have experienced many different types of 'birthing
experiences' and by far my last was the absolute best that
there is, in my humble opinion anyway!
Take care.
Peace,
Camille
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