Colin's Birth Story and my VBAC Success

I first of all want to thank all of my family and friends for being so sweet to us the past few days, we have felt so loved.

Our new baby boy is finally here! Here's the story of how he made it into this world....

I posted my 39 week update on Monday feeling like labor was 2 weeks away, and literally as soon as I hit "post" I started to feel different. We had the hospital tour on Tuesday and I started to get really excited for labor and delivery. So I began doing a ton of walking. I got really tired and went ahead and gave my mom the green light to come from AL. I cancelled a lunch with girlfriends on Wednesday (very out of character for me) due to fatigue...so they all suspected Colin would be here soon :)

When my mom arrived on Wednesday I took a 3 hour nap, then we ran errands and walked the neighborhood after supper. I still went to bed that night feeling like I would probably make it to my 40 week Dr. apt on Monday and began to get worried about induction pressure.

Thankfully, Colin decided to cut me a break and come early. On Thursday morning, August 18th, a contraction woke me up around 3:45AM. I knew exactly what it was and began to watch the clock, after about 3 contractions that were 10 minutes apart, I woke Cory and told him that "today could be the day". I told him to go to work that I would labor at home all day, my mom could watch Carson, but to keep a watch on his phone just in case. I of course could not go back to sleep after this.

I tried to watch some TV and surf the internet in order to "ignore early labor" but by 6:30AM, I began needing to breath through my contractions that were then 5 minutes apart. At that point I called Cory's parents and let them know, and my mom called my Dad since they all had to travel from AL. I got in the bath tub to see if the contractions would stop b/c I didn't want everyone making the drive from AL for false labor! But the bath only sped things up. Contractions were then 3-4 minutes apart and I even had some come every 30 seconds or so...but still manageable.

I called my Dr. and she suggested I head to the hospital. So I called Cory and told him to come home and at that point contractions were still about 3 minutes apart. So I continued to labor at home with a toddler who wanted only me that morning and not Nana.....very hard. I started to really feel the pain after that and began to get everything together for the hospital, I put on some make-up but could not do my hair.

Cory got home around 7:45 and by 8:15 we were on our way (in morning rush hour traffic) to the hospital. I was warned by my sister-in-law that the ride to the hospital would be very painful, and that was so true, I needed to move around and squat and bend over for contractions and being restricted made the pain worse. Contractions were 1-2 minutes apart and Cory made some more phone calls on the ride over, he was so excited. Thankfully we weren't caught in any traffic jams and arrived at the hospital at 9:30AM.

They checked me and I was at 3cm, they offered to give me pain meds and break my water, but I declined and said I wanted to walk the halls. But before I could do that they had to make me lay on the bed and monitor me and the baby for 30 minutes or so. This was excruciating, at no point in my labor was I able to lay down, I just couldn't manage the pain, and I insisted on sitting on the edge of the bed and leaned on Cory during contractions.

Contractions were coming constantly then, I felt a gush and my water had broken, I knew there was no way I could handle the pain all day, so I insisted on getting an epidural. In order to do that they had some forms for me to sign, they had to get 1 liter of IV fluids in me, and had to do some blood work before I could get it. They offered me some narcotics while I waited on the epidural, but I declined that for fear of adding vomiting to the chaos. It felt like forever waiting on the epidural and I began telling Cory I wanted to die, and that I couldn't do this; the L and D nurses were very helpful in reminding me how to breathe. Cory was so calm and tried to help, but there was nothing he could do except fan me with a pillow, let me squeeze his hand, yell at him, and dig my claws into his arm every contraction (I still feel terrible about this). He was able to apply some counter pressure to my back and legs that helped a few contractions. He tried to help me make it through w/ out getting the epi, but I just couldn't take another second of pain and at that point I wasn't really getting any break between contractions, I couldn't do anything with my body anymore to manage the pain, nothing helped.

I had to sit still during contractions to get the epi, which was unbearable, then they made me lay down for it to take effect. I kept asking why it wasn't working b/c with my c-section it took effect instantly...but for the c-section, I was given a spinal block and this was different. It took about 15 minutes to work, then they checked me and to my surprise the nurse said I was COMPLETE (10 cm). I was in complete shock, I had no idea that I had made it to the end, and shocked that they didn't check me before giving the epi, and that they didn't notice the signs of me being in transition. But they probably just went ahead and let me have it since I was being so demanding (I apologized to every nurse for being rude after it was all done, they all laughed at me and said it was no big deal).

They called my Dr. and she gave the green light for me to start pushing. I pushed for about 15 minutes with just Cory and one nurse and then my Dr. arrived and a few more pushes, I was able to feel Colin's head emerge and then after about 8 hours of labor he was here; Colin Alexander Phillips was born at 12:24pm weighing 7 lbs, 13 oz and measuring 20 inches long.

Cory told me all during the pregnancy that he didn't want to see what was going on down there, but when the action happened he was glued and when they asked if he wanted to cut the cord, I answered YES for him, I would have let Cory catch Colin if the rules would have permitted that! We didn't get any video footage...this all happened so fast. It was such a whirlwind and I can't believe my labor progressed so quickly. I attribute the speed of it all to the fact that my body went into labor on its own, my water broke on its own and I was able to wait until the end for the epi.

I am so happy that I educated myself and got the birth experience I wanted, and most importantly my sweet baby boy is here safe and sound. It is still surreal that I got my VBAC, I am so happy to be a part of the growing number of VBAC's out there, and it would not have been possible without the many birth bloggers out there that sparked my birth curiosity and education, my supportive hubby, great friends and family, supportive Dr., and an amazing hospital...when I got checked into my room, the nurses were going over my chart and they were so excited for my VBAC, North Fulton Regional Hospital was just wonderful, I can't say enough positive things about their staff.

We stayed at the hospital for 48 hours and then we were released. I am pretty sore "down there" and I was given an episioteme, which is no fun but much better than having a c-section! Breastfeeding is going ok, we have a few challenges but I am committed to trying as hard as I can this time. I lost about 10 pounds so far and have MANY more to go...

Carson is doing amazingly well, he loves Colin and wants to touch, hug, kiss, and play with him every time he sees him. So far he hasn't shown any jealousy, he is genuinely happy to have Colin around which makes me so happy.

Cory went back to work today, we miss him so much. I am so blessed to have such a sweet husband and such an amazing father to my boys...that feels so good to say "my boys". :)

And excuse me while I brag......I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So much to say...

I have had such an extremely busy week, but I hate when my blog posts get old, it just annoys me...so I MUST post something new. Pregnancy news anyone????

This pregnancy is going very well so far (knock on wood). There are a couple of things weighing heavily on my mind:

1) Changing caregivers and hospitals:

While I had a happy experience (what I thought was perfect at that time) with Carson's prenatal care and birth...I am now a changed person, a more informed, educated, and outspoken person when it comes to the birth of MY babies. What was "perfect" then is nowhere near the experience I want this go round. I was the perfect patient back then, I had my list of questions, read through them quickly as to not waste the Doctor's time on little ol' me. I took his answers to be the only truth without batting an eye. And I was oh so wrong.

My attitude back then was "induce me as soon as possible" and "give me every drug available" and "maybe I will breastfeed". After Carson was born I became a mom - I grew up, I realized that there is nothing convenient about birthing or raising a baby. This time, my own convenience will not overshadow what is best for my baby and my health.

My first order of business is to ensure that I will birth in a place that fully supports a VBAC and doesn't just say they do. My current practice says they support it, but their actions and body language don't suggest the same. My first few appointments during this pregnancy I expressed my want for a VBAC and I was made to feel like a student in detention...I was quickly reminded of the rules that are associated with it. They seemed to focus on the negative (which is an extremely small portion). It was almost like I was inconveniencing them by wanting something that they can't control. You see, with a successful VBAC, labor must occur spontaneously, no induction of any kind, no speeding up labor, etc...just wait on labor to take its natural course......imagine that! The only appointment where I felt supported was my most recent visit, this Dr. actually asked ME about VBAC, not me initiating the conversation. He gave me some information on the subject and was very kind...but he is the only person that has made me feel that way....and there is no guarantee that he will be overseeing my labor and delivery on the big day.

One of the main give-aways of the staff's true opinions on VBAC (besides the looks on their faces) is the "right of passage" to get a VBAC. For example, they ask me why I had a c-section with Carson and they sigh and say ok, breech presentation is a good reason to try for VBAC. On the contrary people, unless this pregnancy/labor suggests that a c-section is medically necessary (not conveniently necessary), then women should be allowed to try for VBAC no matter how many c-sections they have had, and no matter how their labor progressed during the last delivery (every, pregnancy, labor, delivery and baby are DIFFERENT). Just because X,Y,Z happened in the first labor, doesn't mean X,Y,Z will happen again. Especially if you change your game plan. Statistics show much better outcomes when labor begins spontaneously rather than when induced (that induction begins a snowball effect of unnecessary interventions).

Multiple c-sections are very dangerous (placenta accreta), but no one discusses those risks with you when they sign you up for this ridiculously routine major surgery.

So..... I am in the process of assessing a supportive birthing team to get the best outcome possible.


2) Ultrasounds:

Among my research of avoiding unnecessary surgery...I have come across many other helpful warnings. Be careful not to have too many unnecessary ultrasounds. This is something else I wish I had known while pregnant with Carson. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing my growing baby, but at what cost? No one really knows...many years ago, women received routine X-rays while pregnant, and they thought that was safe.

Just google ultrasound risks, and there is plenty of info. The FDA said that it is still unknown what effects ultrasounds have on a fetus, they advise against having them if they aren't necessary.

Pushed Birth

Courtesy of the Feminist Breeder blog I follow (also on Facebook). I am constantly reading articles, books, watching videos, etc...about birth interventions and their negative effects. Every time I read or see something that I feel compelled to share, I want to blog about it, I just don't know where to start, or how to tie it all in so that it makes sense to those who are not on the birth knowledge-hungry path I am on.

Anyway, TFB has posted an awesome website that sums it all up. If you are pregnant or ever plan on giving birth, you NEED to read this. Click on every link, it is so interesting and SO TRUE!

http://www.pushedbirth.com/

Laboring before Cesarean

When I initially started my childbirth research, I found that laboring is good for babies (something my Dr. left out when he informed me that I needed a c-section). It triggers needed hormones for bonding, breastfeeding, and breathing to name a few. I had stated in a previous post that even though I am spending so much time doing all of this research to educate myself on my choices, what is it all worth if I just end up with a c-section in the end anyway? Answer: the next time I will KNOW that I did everything in my power to prevent a c-section, and even a labor that ends in c-section is much better than a scheduled repeat cesarean (unless someone has major health issues, for example some people with heart conditions are not advised to attempt labor, or any other extreme situations, etc..). Here is a helpful link to provide more info on this topic:

http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/laborbirth/a/aa042300a.htm?r=et

ALSO: I read the most interesting book last week: "Birth" by Tina Cassidy. Its all about the history of anything and everything about birth from the evolution of the woman's body to how OB's came to be, to the development and use of drugs during labor, to the violent attempts to extract a stuck fetus...you name it. And MAINLY it explained why there is such a FEAR stigma associated with birth. There were so many things that Dr.'s unknowingly did to cause death in childbirth back then....and now society has conditioned us to fear birth. I highly recommend this book for anyone who plans to give birth in the future.

The next book on my list is "Your Best Birth" by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein who produced the Business of Being born documentary.

Business of Being Born...

I realized after I posted my last post, I put the wrong clip of Business of Being Born, the other one is relevant but this one below really compelled me to watch this film. Cory and I watched it together and it changed his entire outlook on the "hospital process" as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwqLrHMbK1g

If you are interested....

This post is not about what I think women "should do"...its about the fact that I wish I was informed before I had my first baby. So here is some helpful information if anyone wants to inform themselves on choices in childbirth.

This is part of my "getting the word out" promise, and to provide some insight as to why I want a VBAC:

Here are a few clips for anyone who is pregnant or who plans to have children....

Trailer for The Business of Being Born documentary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DgLf8hHMgo

*The Business of being born can be checked out at public libraries, or can be ordered off of Netflix if you don't want to purchase it.

Your Best Birth Interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qiYLT5B-pc

More on VBAC

Initial research: saw an ad for a book on TFB radio show website that seems to be very helpful - called the VBAC Companion Guide, I am going to order it from Amazon.

Some other good resources I am looking into include:

• Hypnobabies (they have a VBAC CD)
• Business of Being Born (documentary suggested to me by TFB)
• Birthcut.com
• Birthing From Within
• Your Best Birth

I called my OB/GYN practice an asked if they supported VBAC, answer is yes. I found a Hospital Database on TFB blog from her Cesarean Awareness Month post to find out if my hospital allows VBAC, and it does. However, I saw on TFB blog that it is not enough for them to simply say “yes we support VBAC” b/c they still might oppose me during labor and fish for reasons to perform a cesarean. In addition to asking if they support VBAC, I need to also ask what their VBAC success rate is: very clever! And personally, I want to ask them of signs of fetal distress that might be causes for cesarean and compare with my research and then quote them back on delivery day if they try to mislead me (Failure to progress/dilate is not a medical indicator of needing a c-section, I do know that babies need to be born w/in 24 hours of water breaking…I wonder if that is a myth too?). I am doing all of this research now, before I get baby fever and lose focus, before I get pregnant and exhausted, before nesting becomes insane and before I have a toddler (whoh! that is weird to say)! I am going to read everything I possibly can and memorize as much as I can and maybe print out a type of “manual” to carry with me to the hospital.

I am gonna have to eat a few of my words from this post …(regarding epidural) b/c I have done A LOT of research since then, but I am going to:

• NOT get induced, I want the baby to come when he/she is ready
• Try not to get an epidural (not sure if this is possible for me, I am a wimp, but epi slows down labor and I don’t want to give the medical staff ANY ammunition to suggest a c-section)..I will probably get pain meds through IV (haven't researched that yet)
• NOT get pitocin if I can help it (makes contractions much more intense and can put stress on baby - affecting heartrate, which is also ammunition for them to suggest cesarean).

These are all goals, not written in stone. If I have learned anything this past year its that you can’t write anything in stone when it comes to pregnancy, birthing, babies, and parenting, END OF STORY. But this time, I CAN be informed, and I can state my goals for labor/delivery and correct these “misleading” reasons for unnecessary surgery, should they be brought upon me. This time, I have an opinion and a strong voice, and I won’t just sit back and listen.

  

When I approached Cory about a VBAC (he was very supportive of whatever I want), he said “you are already thinking of #2?” This coming from the man who has the most baby fever of any man I have ever met, if it was his decision alone, we would have been pregnant on Carson’s 6 week B’day….Just kidding, but he has mentioned that he wanted to start trying when Carson is 1…me….not-so-much. Ideally (I know nothing works the way we plan it!) I want Carson to be 2 or 3 before baby #2 joins our family. Anyway, from what I have read so far, everything suggests that you have your plan laid out before you are even pregnant. So I am on the right track.

   

You may be thinking, what is the point of all this research, effort and time spent since you may have a c-section anyway? I read somewhere (I think in a sample paragraph from VBAC companion book) that it is good for babies to be in the birth canal and go through at least some labor. It squeezes fluid out of the lungs, and releases a hormone for alertness which benefits breastfeeding and bonding. MAKES TOTAL SENSE! I did not push AT ALL, I wasn’t even in real labor (I was having small contractions during pre-op), and on top of that I was very doped up, so Carson was not very alert at all the first day. The nurses kept saying “he’ll be a different baby tomorrow” hmmm ya think? I can already tell….they are gonna hate me in the hospital the 2nd go-round!!!!!!

  

I have already done a little bit of research on fetal distress in an effort to not be fooled. Just a basic google search:

http://www.pregnancy-calendars.net/fetaldistress.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetal_distress

http://www.birth-injury-malpractice-law.com/fetal-distress-signs.shtml

http://www.livestrong.com/article/79939-signs-distress-unborn-baby/

The following information is copied from the ICAN website :

   

Research consistently shows VBAC is a reasonably safe choice for women with a prior cesarean, consistent with the recent NIH Consensus Panel findings. While VBAC does carry risks associated with the possibility of uterine rupture, this event is rare ( *I read also that – women w/ out prior c-sections also have risk of uterine rupture FYI). Cesarean surgery carries life-threatening short-term risks, as well as long term risks to future fertility and pregnancies.

Women are often told it is safer, less painful and easier to have a cesarean, even though cesareans are generally shown to have greater risks and have longer recovery times than VBAC. The choice to have a non-medically indicated surgical procedure is based on a false representation of the risks and consequences of a scheduled repeat cesarean and an inflated representation of the risks and consequences of VBAC.

“Women are subjected to a provider’s lowered risk threshold for practice and do not receive complete informed consent regarding the risks of a cesarean delivery,” said Andrews. “Women and their babies are forced to take on increased medical risk during pregnancy and childbirth so that providers can feel they’ve decreased their own non-medical risks in practice.”

For women who encounter VBAC bans, ICAN has developed a guide to help them understand their rights as patients. This resource discusses the principles of informed consent and the right of every patient to refuse an unwanted medical procedure. The guide can be found at http://www.ican-online.org/vbac/your-right-refuse-what-do-if-your-hospital-has-banned-vbac-q.

Women who are seeking information about how to avoid a cesarean, have a VBAC, or are recovering from a cesarean can visit www.ican-online.org for more information. In addition to more than 130 local chapters worldwide, the group hosts an active on-line discussion group that serves as a resource for mothers.

About Cesareans: When a cesarean is medically necessary, it can be a lifesaving technique for both mother and baby, and worth the risks involved. Potential risks to babies from cesareans include: low birth weight, prematurity, respiratory problems, and lacerations. Potential risks to women include: hemorrhage, infection, hysterectomy, surgical mistakes, re-hospitalization, dangerous placental abnormalities in future pregnancies, unexplained stillbirth in future pregnancies and increased percentage of maternal death. www.ican-online.org/ican-white-papers