Baby O's VBAC Birth Story: Part 1

On May 20th (O's due date) I got test results back from one of the group health midwives. Although my urine sample was clean, she wanted me to start bed rest asap to keep it from developing to another case of PIH. I was super uncomfortable and more than that was worried about not going into labor on my own before 42 weeks. I drank RR leaf tea, walked all around Lowes with my family (and was having some serious braxton hicks that night-but nothing real different from before). I woke up in labor before 5am on Thursday morning. I wasn't sure it was the real thing for about 4-5 hours because the contractions weren't super intense and felt more like terrible menstrual cramps. I called Daniel at his break at work at about 10:00am and asked him to come home. M was already staying with a friend so we got ready but didn't leave for the hospital until 1:15pm or so (we live over an hour away though). I was still having enough time between contractions to enjoy life but the contractions got more intense on the 1 1/2 hour ride to the hospital. In Seattle, we met our doula and walked around the neighborhoods near the hospital for 2 1/2 hours. We got some food after awhile and when the contractions were 2-3 minutes apart we headed in to get checked in. I couldn't talk or walk through them at this point.

The doula and I both thought active labor had been progressing well for a number of hours and that we'd see something (I was anticipating at least a 5-6 dilation). Getting checked was SO disappointing when we found out I was only a 3! I began to labor in the hospital and labored through most of the night. I was on my feet walking around, then leaning on the bed or on Daniel, then in the labor tub and again. Around 4am or so they checked me and I hadn't made any progress. We decided on something to help me rest and relax as I was starting to get exhausted. My husband was exhausted as well and starting to get discouraged.

The midwife suggested that we try to get some rest and that maybe morphine would allow for some sleep. I did that and did get sleep between contractions. After I woke up I was checked and had made progress to a 4-5 and was officially in active labor.

To be continued...