Thursday afternoon at 1:59 pm , just one day before C’s expected due date I received an unexpected text saying her water just broke!  She reported a pop and a gush while resting in bed after a trip to the park.  She was pleasantly surprised that contractions were not coming hard and fast like last time! I suggested letting Emory nurse to try and stimulate her contractions to get in a stronger pattern before she heads to the hospital but Emory was too excited Grandma was there, who can compete with Grandma?!  C tried to take her time showering and gathering her things, letting contractions build before leaving but ultimately didn’t feel comfortable with being at home any longer knowing she needed antibiotics for GBS and she was still losing fluid.  At this point her contractions were 7 minutes apart, she followed her gut and went on in so she could get monitored.   When we talked on the phone it was clear she was struggling, reliving Emory’s birth, though she worked so hard during pregnancy to let this birth be its own experience.  The seeds of fear and trauma just kept sprouting up every time she felt a similar sensation. It was tough to discern when it was starting nearly identical to Emory’s birth!  

I met mom and dad at Miami Valley Hospital, room 2014 around 4:38 pm. They were excited and skeptical of what lay ahead, taking every contraction head on but not knowing how much longer labor would be allowed to progress without medical intervention.  Every gush or trickle of fluid would remind her of needing amnioinfusion with Emory but her nurse was good to ease her fears and validate that there was no concern and that was a very normal occurrence.  C relaxed into a rhythm and by 4:55 her contractions were coming every five minutes and she was 4 cm dilated.  She was contemplating nitrous oxide for relief but was distracted enough to get her through for a while longer when we played 60s music for her at 5:35.  She would smile and laugh in between, maybe it was sarcasm 😉 but came back to her breath with gentle prompts and quietly sang some lyrics of familiar songs.  By 6:51 she had started using the nitrous, it was a bit of a learning curve, she did not like the mask and would say that it wasn’t working and she didn’t like it but she kept grasping for the mask as a contraction would build, her hands and body would relax back as she paused in between.  After a few intense contractions with it she was well in the zone.  At  6:57 she was asking her mom and Jason not to talk and  requesting the music be turned off.  Every few contractions or so she would ask about the epidural but then drift off into a deep state of relaxation, never opening her eyes and just deeply breathing in the mask to get through, squeezing it with all her might.  Dad finally passed on her epidural request to her nurse as C’s pleads were more serious and not impulsive.  We tried to encourage her to get a cervical check before the epidural thinking she may be closer to birth than she thinks but she was adamant she did not want one.  Only after, she says she knew she was far enough along they may refuse her the epidural had she gotten checked, good thinking!  At 8:30 the epidural was placed, however she had no relief, she was unable to get comfortable on the bed, lying back but not physically able to reposition herself to a better spot once one was suggested.  The nurse seemed taken aback by this, fussing with her monitors, cords and fluids without really knowing how to assist C but once she started shaking and puking at 8:52 the nurse and I both looked at each other wide-eyed…are you thinking what I’m thinking?! She then asked for a doctor to come in and check C’s cervix-at 9 pm she was complete! Almost instantly two residents, a medical student, an extra nurse,  the respiratory and NICU team was in the room! Clara was still -1 station but they instructed C to start pushing while they attempted to place an external monitor on babies  scalp, repositioned C on her left side and gave her a large dose of fluids through her IV in between pushes.  C was pushing with all her might, so brave and strong, never asking questions about all the commotion or the rapid progression of her labor with her mom on her right and dad on her left.  After a few huge pushes, orchestrated by a resident, the doctor started telling C about a forceps delivery and affirmed that it was the best way for baby to be born vaginally with heart tones that were not where they’d like them to be. With the doctor instructing the resident on technique Clara was born at 9:15 pm, pink and screaming! She was taken to the warmer and checked out but soon was placed on C’s chest where she met her Mommy and Daddy for the first time.  Mom, Dad and Grandma had ample time to familiarize themselves with all her tiny features and newborn sweetness, she was finally here-perfect and healthy! Finally the resident and student team stitching C finished at 10:05 and oh sweet relief, C was able to reposition and get cozier with baby all while the epidural was keeping her from feeling the brunt of the forceps and those afterpains ❤