Shelby's Birth

Looking back two weeks later, I am glad that I had the medication-free birth experience that I wished for. I had said all along that I had wanted a medication-free birth and did lots of reading about it, but when it came right down to it, I wasn't so sure I could handle the pain. I told myself that I would get the epidural if I wanted to but I ended up really not having time to even think about it!

I was dilated about 5 centimeters for about a week before Shelby was born and I had not been experiencing any contractions or false labor. On Monday morning, I woke up at about 5 a.m. with contractions that were about 30 minutes apart. Once they got to about 7 minutes apart around 8 a.m. I called my doctor's office and they said to go ahead and go to the hospital since I was pretty far advanced with dilation.

We finished putting a few things in our bag and off to the hospital we went, in Monday morning rush hour traffic! Luckily we live close to the hospital so the drive was not that bad. We got checked in around 9:45 and I was now 7 centimeters dilated - I had to decide NOW if I wanted the epidural. Honestly, up to that point, I did not think the contractions were that bad and I seemed to be progressing pretty rapidly, so I declined.

The contractions continued to get stronger and closer together, and by 11:30 I was ready to start pushing. I will always remember my "friend" on the ceiling... the fire sprinkler head. During the "count to 10" part I'd concentrate SO hard on staring at that fire sprinkler head. Scott said he'd never seen my face so beet red. I pushed for about two hours and she was born at 1:34 p.m.

Yes, it was intense. Yes, there was once or twice where I was cursing myself for not getting the epidural. But I just wanted to see her so badly, it didn't seem to matter! Honestly, I think I remember the worst part being afterwards, when the doctor was pushing on my abdomen to get my uterus to contract. That part was pretty painful, especially since I thought my hard work was done... I just wanted to see my baby! For about 2 or 3 days afterwards, I remember my arms being outrageously sore. I could hardly straighten them. That's how hard I was gripping the bed rails!

I don't feel like some hero or warrior woman or "better" than anyone else for having a medication-free birth. I respect every woman's right to have the birth experience that she wants. We all have the same end result - we are all mothers. That one day is special, but it's the days, months and years afterwards that really count.