So, I'm home , and finally awake.
Was birthin' last night- a very sweet mom who was hoping for a VBAC*. I got the call around 9:30, and figured, since this was essentially a 1st baby, that we would have plenty of time. So I took my shower, and got my stuff together, and headed for their house. The plan was to stay home as long as she felt comfortable staying home. I was about 8 blocks from the house, when I got a second call: We're going to the hospital. I got to the house, helped them load the car, and off we went!
The HOSPITAL, bless them, had changed their policy since the last birth I attended: the front entrance is no longer avialable after 8 PM. So we had to find our way to Emergancy, only to discover that the PARKING for Emergancy is over a block away! Dad took Mom in and up to the floor, while I parked my car, and hiked over. I signed in, and headed up, to where Mom was in triage. Mom's contractions when we left home were >3 minutes apart, and long- by the time we got to the hospital, they were pretty much on top of each other, and she was working hard. They assessed her as being well into active labor, and we were assigned a room.
We were lucky- we got the ONLY tub available on the floor, and as soon as Mom was cleared to get in the water, she did. Our nurse was absolutely sweet- I need to remember to write her a note. Mom and dad were both able to climb into the tub, and we got some peace and quiet- I'd bought some LED candles (for some reason hospitals don't like open flame around all that oxygen) and we set them up, turned down the monitor, and turned on her music. She labored like that for a little over an hour, when Mom decided she was done being brave. She wanted the epidural, and she wanted it now. We called for the nurse, and got Mom out of the tub to be checked- It was too late for an epidural. Within another 20 minutes, Mom was ready to push, and all we were waiting on was her OB. whose timing was impeccable- she walked into the room as Mom was asking WHY they didn't want her to push yet!
This OB was great. She was patient, she encouraged mom to try pushing in different posititons, and after 2 1/2 hours, Baby Girl was born! She's Perfect in every way, with APGARS of 9 &9.
I'm so proud of Mom- she was certain that baby was never going to come out, and she DID it. Only another mom or doula understands what I mean, when I say : Moms ROCK.
*Vaginal Birth After Cesearean
