Okay, this is just turning into my birth story, I can feel it. Well here is what I looked like BEFORE my dreams of having a natural childbirth were shattered.
36 weeks.
SO, my birth story goes a little like this.
On the afternoon of the 22nd of March I went in for my weekly doctors appointment. It was the second time that the doctor was going to "check" me - like, my dilation and stuff because I was 37 weeks along. 4 days before this appointment I was at 1 cm and at this appointment I was 3 cm and *probably* would have had the baby at 38 weeks IF the doctor didn't accidentally strip my membranes (aka break my stinking water). So we went home a little frazzled calling our parents to let them know I was going to have the baby sooner than we all expected. (Slash give our moms time to fly out here to help us out for a couple of weeks). Six hours and one tasty Mexican meal later we arrive at the American Fork hospital to have our natural hypnobirthing childbirth. But I was having some high blood pressure, and that was just the beginning of our misfortune. Because of my blood pressure they wanted me to stay laying down in my bed hooked up to this machine constantly. And to make things better I was told that if my blood pressure got any higher that they'd have to put me on some "nasty" medication to keep me from having seizures. Boy, that totally just helped my blood pressure stay exactly where it was, high. So in an attempt to lower my blood pressure, Joseph and I did a hypnosis (I DO NOT RECOMMEND DOING A HYPNOSIS TO LOWER YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE, YOU WILL JUST STOP YOUR CONTRACTIONS COMPLETELY), while my blood pressure remained at "high" levels my contractions stopped all together! That's not really something you want to happen when you're trying to have a baby. So 3 hours later I was induced with Pitocin - a horrible drug. Did I mention that it's horrible? 6 hours after that I'm having my drug induced contractions that feel about as natural as eating pennies for nourishment. Aaand I get an epidural - because Pitocin is evil. 3 hours after some glorious drugged sleep plus 1 more hour then I feel pressure, down there. And I just can't help but push. And when the serious pushing comes, it only lasts for about 10 minutes and there's the baby! Oh and who was it that delivered my baby? I can't remember his name because it WASN'T my doctor - he had to go home after being at the hospital all night. When it comes down to it, the only thing that was actually successfully followed on my birth preferences list was the "please do not cut the cord immediately, once it begins to kink then it can be cut" part. Other than that, I did not receive an episiotomy (like my birth preferences requested) but I DID tear in 4 places. If I actually had my doctor deliver my baby like he said he was going to, then he would have given me an episiotomy, like he said he would if I was going to tear in several places.
*ugh*
My suggestion for a happy, comfortable, ENJOYABLE birthing experience? Have your baby AT HOME using the Hypnobirthing method with a midwife who will not touch you. Hospitals are whack - and I didn't get anything I wanted all because my doctor stripped my membranes.
I guess I should clarify that my experience was not the worst thing ever, I did come out of there with a 7 lb 7 oz baby who was healthy. But next time, I plan on having a birthing experience that is natural and normal and what a birthing experience should actually be like.
