Birth Story-Part 3

Tricia arrived at about 5:30 pm. She said that she thought active labor officially started at 5 pm when I had spoken with her on the phone. At that point in time King Squishy was still positioned with his back to my back known officially as posterior position. Since this is the main cause of back labor, (something you want to avoid like the plague) I spent some time in a hands and knees position to encourage him to move. I was not experiencing the pain of back labor at this point in time though, which was a miracle, so I hear.

God must have a sense of humor because my labor never seemed to be quite predictable, which does not jive well with my ability to control my situation. Since Tricia was unsure about where my labor was by watching and listening to me she asked to check me. I was 3 cm and completely effaced. I must admit this was exciting and encouraging to me. I was not aware that women with their first labor often efface completely before dilating. I thought the two progressed simultaneously all the time, so I felt quite accomplished to have one complete.

    Unfortunately though, Tricia said the contractions I was having were not long enough for how close together they were and for how far along in labor I was. So, Tricia gave me two homeopaths-one to make contractions further apart and the other to make them stronger and more effective or otherwise known as longer. “You are going to love me for this,” Tricia jokingly stated. I continued the hands and knees position while David and Tricia went upstairs to set up the birthing tub and fill it up. Soon after that Tricia said I should get in. The birthing pool felt so relaxing. I still did a lot of hands and knees to encourage him to turn over. Tricia encouraged me to try some other positions as well and I tried laying on my side and having David hold me during contractions so I could let my body float without having to worry about drowning. Tricia left us for awhile and I just kept riding the contractions. I had heard it said that that was the best way to cope with labor. Just ride the contractions. Finally I was beginning to understand what that meant. As each one comes you just take that one as it is and don’t think ahead. Then you take the time in between as best as you can allowing yourself to relax, not dwelling on the next contraction to come but just being in the present.

For those of you who had no pain killers in birth, how did you deal with the contractions as they came? Or even for those of you who had pain killers but not until later...?