Early labor had gone on long enough, and after walking around and bouncing on my birthing ball, we had gotten pretty far into active labor. (See My Natural Childbirth Story Part 1 of 4)
Around noon, my doula said it was time to go to the hospital. I was fine up to that point, but having to sit in the car for the 15 minute ride to the hospital was excruciating. I was just so uncomfortable having to sit still. I had a birth plan, so I was anticipating being able to walk around again once I got to the hospital, but the hospital wouldn’t be as accommodating as I had hoped.
Check in was a nightmare, and the lady took forever to get all my information. I was very uncomfortable at this point and groaned loudly through each contraction for her benefit. I just wanted to get up and walk.
Instead, I had to be wheeled to the labor room. Once there, they plopped me in the bed and strapped monitors to my belly. When they checked to see how far along I was I had already reached 8 centimeters. You only need to get to 10 centimeters to be able to push, so I thought I would be meeting my baby in a couple of hours. Instead it took another 8!
It was a holiday weekend, so my midwife’s office was on vacation. Instead I had the doctor on call. She was young, pretty, and nice, but not very willing to help me fulfill my birth plan. I was to remain in the bed, attached to monitors.
I didn’t need an IV, but the nurse insisted on inserting a heplock anyway. I had requested that it be done in my arm, but she made little effort to accommodate that, quickly giving up. That little thing aggravated me the entire time, since I was sweaty and the tape holding it down kept coming off. Never ended up needing it either.
I should have demanded to get up and walk, but I felt so helpless at this point. Instead I focused on breathing, and shaking each contraction off at the end so I could start fresh with the next one. I just had to stay calm and get through the next contraction and soon my baby would arrive.
Around 4 p.m. I was thinking that it had to be nearly over. The doctor and nurses stood aloof at a desk in the lobby monitoring my contractions. Occasionally they would wander in to check on me, but for the most part it was just my husband, the doula and me.
I listened to the music mix I had created for the occasion, grateful for the peace, joy, and excitement it brought. The hours ticked by, seeming to take forever.
Read my next post — My Natural Childbirth Story Part 3 of 4 — Pushing!
Or read the book! My Natural Birth Story: The Birthing Book I Wish I’d Read
