A Baby is Born!
INTRODUCTION: This is the PART FIVE in a series of blog posts about my pregnancy and birth experience with a j-pouch. Please keep in mind that I’m not a healthcare professional (read my disclaimer for details). I cannot advise you on your medical care. I only write these blog posts to share my own experience and show that you can have a successful pregnancy and childbirth with a j-pouch. Please consult your healthcare team to find out if a natural childbirth is safe for you. Then get a second or third opinion! Do your research. NEED RESOURCES? ASK ME! I’m a firm believer in women being allowed to choose how they want their pregnancy and childbirth to go. If you’re in good health, then I don’t see any reason why you cannot give birth naturally and using the healthcare team that best suits you.
WARNING!!!
THIS IS THE MOST GRAPHIC PART OF THE STORY. If you have a weak stomach, I would not recommend you reading any further.
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Saturday, August 19
I had been at the Birthing Center since 10am that morning. Dave and his family were taking bets via text messages on when Baby Ninja was going to be born. I told everyone, in between contractions, that the baby wasn’t going to be here until 10:00pm. It just felt like it would be a while to me. I told Mom and Dad they might want to start heading our way.
Kristin, my midwife went over different laboring techniques with me and had me do a few exercises. Most of the time I sat on the bed working through each contraction with Dave by my side. I brought snacks with me, but didn’t feel much like eating (NOTE: Many midwives encourage you to eat and drink during labor). I did, however, drink as much water as I possibly could.
2:50pm
Dave got hungry and went to the grocery store located across the street. I didn’t like him being 
gone, but he had to eat! As I was laboring in the bed, my water broke. It was nothing like I had expected. You see it happen on TV…
“Oops! Haha! My water broke! Let’s go to the hospital!”
You read about other people’s experiences…
“Yeah, it’s more of a trickle than it is a big gush.”
But no one can prepare you for the actual experience. For me, it felt like a huge explosion of water. I couldn’t stop it even if I wanted to… far from “a little trickle!”
“Oh, no! Oh, no!” I said in a panic, “Kristin! My water broke!”
Kristin rushed into the room, “Already!? Let’s move you to the shower and get you cleaned up.”
So she helped me to the bathroom and I texted Dave before I got in the shower and waited for him.
My mind was rushing. I didn’t want to be alone. I was so afraid. This meant it was for real! I mean, Kristin told me it was. But oh my goodness!!! This just made it more real. Not only did I start panicking, but the pain of contractions, which felt more like the most intense menstrual cramps I’d ever felt in my life, got even worse. Shortly after I got in the shower, Dave came back from the grocery store.
“I can’t do this by myself! I’m scared,” I told him.
“It’s going to be ok, Amber! I’m here.” He said very sweetly.
I WANT MY MAMA!
I don’t know what time it was, but my Mom finally got there and I talked to her for a few minutes in between contractions. Everything started getting blurry at this point. Thankfully, Dave wrote notes and I was able to pick it all up from there. I know at some point I started dry heaving, but I never actually threw up. Fun times! After a while, my Mom went back to the waiting room and eventually my Dad joined her there.
7:30pm
According to Dave’s notes, I was only dilated about 5cm at this point. Kristin and the other midwife, Portia, filled the birthing tub and I got in. I immediately began to shake violently.
“Wh-what’s going on!?” I asked, “Wh-why am I shaking?!”
The shaking frightened me. But the warm water of the birthing tub felt SO amazing.
“This,” Kristin announced, “is what we call the midwife’s epidural. You’ve been laboring long and hard. Your body is exhausted. You’re shaking from the relief.”
Slowing Down
The birthing tub started slowing my labor down, so Kristin and Portia had me get out. I immediately collapsed on the ground with another contraction. Because of the Midwife’s Epidural, I’d forgotten how intense the contractions were. I was wrapped in a towel and escorted back to my room.
8:49pm
I remember feeling dazed. Like I was doped up on some powerful medications. In reality, it was only my a hormonal cocktail of oxytocin, endorphins, adrenaline and prolactin that women’s bodies naturally produce during labor. I remember being on the verge of sleep between each contraction. I also remember calling out Portia’s and Dave’s names with the start of each contraction. Kristin came in after a quick nap and checked me for dilation. I was at 9cm. “You’ve been busy while I napped!”
10:25pm
Finally, I was dilated 100%. It was time to start pushing, so we moved to the birthing tub (because I wanted to try for a water birth). While the water felt amazing, I couldn’t get into a comfortable position while pushing. During contractions, I held on to the edge of the tub. Kristin coached me on how I should be pushing. I got out of the tub and we went back to the room. We tried several “pushing positions.” But Baby Ninja was being stubborn. Mom and Dad were still patiently waiting in the waiting room, Dave was doing his best to support me. He offered me water and a protein drink in between contractions.
12:30am
According to Dave’s notes, his mother called and he told her he had to call her back. Kristin checked Baby Ninja’s heart rate after each contraction. Dave dutifully gave me water and protein in an attempt to keep my energy up. Kristin discovered that the reason things were not progressing quickly is because I have a narrow arch in my pelvic bone making childbirth a little more difficult. Kristin told me I needed to push as hard as I could to get the baby out. “We’ve got to get her out!” I pushed and pushed for three hours. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do.
1:16am
Finally, at 1:16am on Sunday, August 20th, with one final push, Baby Ninja was born and I waited with bated breath to hear that first cry…
