UBC Motherhood - Birth, Part 1

You have been patient a reader. Remember, September 16 around 8pm my contractions started.

The geek in me had a stopwatch, a piece of paper and a pen ready, and I took notes while balancing my enormous body on the birthing ball. I also had a towel ready in case my water broke. 

Around 9:30pm the contractions came at shorter intervals, and I called the hospital. 

I was told to come in, considering it was my first baby.

What did this mean? I had no idea, but I was glad to be welcome.

The midwife we had met upon our "getting to know the hospital tour" was on duty. 

She examined me and called my gynecologist. In the meantime it must have been close to 11pm.

He told her to give me drugs to interrupt contractions and call him in the morning.

"Enjoy your last night in feedom" she told me and tucked me in.

She checked on my every so often.

Around 4am my contractions were back, and pretty strong at that.

"Would you like to go in the birthing pool, the water may ease your contractions?"

Oh, yeah!! In fact I wouldn't mind a water birth. Dolphins are among my favorite animals!

There was an immense feeling of immediate relief. I felt wonderful. I felt strong. I could do this! I wasn't even going to need anything against the pain.

Well, after an hour or so, the soothing feeling was gone, and the contractions hurt like a sob.

Still my cervix was only dilated about 6cm I think. Still a long way to go.

The contractions quickly progressed, and I panicked. I didn't want to miss the opportunity to get an epidural.

"It can still be done, there's a catch though" Gina said.

Yeah, somewhere along the process I went from Ms Quartillo to Gina, and the other way round, she started to address me as "Mama" or "Tammy". In Switzerland it is common to keep a polite distance in professional settings. It's always Mr or Mrs so-and-so. Except in sports, and - as I was glad to learn - labor and delivery. 

What was the catch? (I didn't care at this point. I wanted this almost constant pain to go away.)

"You'll have to get out of the tub. Here' let me help you."

I felt like a freaking whale. When did I become so clumsy?

Around 6am they found a resident who performed my epidural.

Just like when I first submerged in the water, this feeling of wonderful relief and relaxation happened.

They buckled a fetal monitor around my belly. That way they - and I for that matter - could see the baby's heart rate. Also I was hooked up to a contraction recorder. It was the greatest feeling to see the chart spiking like crazy without feeling the pain!

Hours went by with some progress, but not much.

Gina's shift was over, and she introduced me to Danja.

I got a light breakfast = a yogurt. Hubby got the breakfast de luxe.

More hours went by. The effect of my partial anesthesia began to wear off. I was in pain.

Hubby got a nice lunch. I didn't get anything since they started to consider the possibility of my needing a Cesarian.

They being the doctor. I felt he got tired of me.

A nurse I hadn't met before approached me. "I'm going to shave and disinfect you" she told me. 

Excuse me, what? Why?

"You're getting a C-Section."

I'm not getting anything, I snapped. Except the baby is in danger, I added.

"I'm calling the doc."

Go right ahead.

He arrived and explained I was not progressing, and this could go on for a really long time. He suggested to relieve me and get that baby out.

As tempting this sounded, I wasn't convinced. I had already come this far and endured all that pain, now they wanted to cut me open? I didn't think so.

Is the baby in any danger? I asked. From what I saw on the monitor everything looked fine.

Not currently, he admitted.

No surgery in that case. I was determined. Maybe I was just plain stupid. Or stubborn.

He left.

Yeah and I leave you hanging, too. Be back tomorrow for part 2 :-)