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She's Here: My Crazy Breech Birth Story
I wasn't planning on posting Baby Girl (BG)'s* birth story. It's the kind of personal experience that we don't normally express on our public blog. However, given the nature of our story and the numerous family members, friends, and co-workers that we know were praying on our family's behalf, I felt like I should share what happened.
As mentioned in our previous post, our baby girl decided to turn breech at about 36 weeks. We decided against an external version because our doctor thought she was too big a baby for it to work, and we didn't want to risk my body or the baby going into shock and end up having an emergency c-section. However, no amount of sitting upside down (seriously!) could get her to turn around on her own accord. Up to this point, we had been planning on a natural, medication-free birth experience, but Brandon and I grudgingly came to accept the fact that, barring a miracle, I would most likely be having a c-section. We scheduled it for a week after my due date.
I tried not to get my hopes up that I might go into labor on my own before the day of our scheduled c-section. I still wanted to achieve as much of a natural birth experience as possible, regardless of having to get a c-section at the end, which hopefully meant going into labor on my own. Our doctor had told us that it's better for babies to experience some contractions because it helps clear their lungs before they're born. As well, I was hoping that BG would turn during labor because I'd heard numerous stories (including one from our OB) about babies doing just that.
Fast forward to two weekends ago and I had a few pain-free contractions during the day. I went to bed, but then woke up in the middle of the night because my water broke. I started having mild contractions within half an hour, which over time gradually got more frequent and intense. I initially tried to go back to sleep, then watched the first half hour of "Walk, Don't Run," and finally took a shower and started to get ready for the day. I didn't want to go to the hospital until I felt I was ready. Also, I thought we could wait until morning to drop Kiddo off at our neighbor's apartment, and still get to the hospital in plenty of time. After about 5 hours of laboring at home, Kiddo woke up and I felt ready to go to the hospital.
By 6:30 am, Brandon and I dropped off Kiddo, drove the five minutes to the hospital, parked the car, and slowly made our way to Labor and Delivery. The nurses seemed unconcerned when we told them that the baby was breech and that we were planning a c-section, until they noticed how frequently my contractions were coming. It was 6:55 or so before they were wheeling my chair into our room to continue registration. As soon as we got there, I had a contraction unlike any of my previous ones. At this point, the nurse realized that the baby was coming soon and things started happening fast. Clothes were stripped off, calls were made for more nurses and for my doctor, and I was put on a bed. With the next contraction, I told them I felt like I needed to push.
If the nurses weren't freaked out before, now they definitely were! Delivering breech babies is no longer very common in this country, and with the baby already on the way, there was little time for a planned c-section. In the frenzied haste to get me situated and into the OR, my IV came out twice, all kinds of doctors and nurses were trying to get ready, and all the while they were telling me NOT to push (which was the most painful part of the entire ordeal.)
Miraculously, the only doctor from my practice that I knew had experience delivering breech babies happened to come on duty at 7 am (she was called away from a scheduled c-section, since I was considered an emergency). Needless to say, she was still putting on her gown when she got to us. Our OB told us that since the baby was already coming, we could try and deliver her vaginally! We unhesitatingly agreed. I finally received the go-ahead to push, pushed through two contractions, and our baby was born!
Butt first, but perfect.
So, in a nutshell:
Water broke at 1:30 am. Labored at home for 5 hours. Got to the hospital at around 6:40. Ready to push by about 7. Baby was born breech at 7:22 am, 8 lbs 8 oz.
Thank you to everyone who had our family in your thoughts and prayers! I have no doubt that you contributed to both BG and me staying healthy and well during her unexpected delivery!
*Just like with Kiddo, I'm going to refrain from using Baby Girl's real name on this blog when possible. If you would like to know the name we finally decided on, shoot me an email or indicate in the comments and I'll let you know. Thanks!
As mentioned in our previous post, our baby girl decided to turn breech at about 36 weeks. We decided against an external version because our doctor thought she was too big a baby for it to work, and we didn't want to risk my body or the baby going into shock and end up having an emergency c-section. However, no amount of sitting upside down (seriously!) could get her to turn around on her own accord. Up to this point, we had been planning on a natural, medication-free birth experience, but Brandon and I grudgingly came to accept the fact that, barring a miracle, I would most likely be having a c-section. We scheduled it for a week after my due date.
I tried not to get my hopes up that I might go into labor on my own before the day of our scheduled c-section. I still wanted to achieve as much of a natural birth experience as possible, regardless of having to get a c-section at the end, which hopefully meant going into labor on my own. Our doctor had told us that it's better for babies to experience some contractions because it helps clear their lungs before they're born. As well, I was hoping that BG would turn during labor because I'd heard numerous stories (including one from our OB) about babies doing just that.
Fast forward to two weekends ago and I had a few pain-free contractions during the day. I went to bed, but then woke up in the middle of the night because my water broke. I started having mild contractions within half an hour, which over time gradually got more frequent and intense. I initially tried to go back to sleep, then watched the first half hour of "Walk, Don't Run," and finally took a shower and started to get ready for the day. I didn't want to go to the hospital until I felt I was ready. Also, I thought we could wait until morning to drop Kiddo off at our neighbor's apartment, and still get to the hospital in plenty of time. After about 5 hours of laboring at home, Kiddo woke up and I felt ready to go to the hospital.
By 6:30 am, Brandon and I dropped off Kiddo, drove the five minutes to the hospital, parked the car, and slowly made our way to Labor and Delivery. The nurses seemed unconcerned when we told them that the baby was breech and that we were planning a c-section, until they noticed how frequently my contractions were coming. It was 6:55 or so before they were wheeling my chair into our room to continue registration. As soon as we got there, I had a contraction unlike any of my previous ones. At this point, the nurse realized that the baby was coming soon and things started happening fast. Clothes were stripped off, calls were made for more nurses and for my doctor, and I was put on a bed. With the next contraction, I told them I felt like I needed to push.
If the nurses weren't freaked out before, now they definitely were! Delivering breech babies is no longer very common in this country, and with the baby already on the way, there was little time for a planned c-section. In the frenzied haste to get me situated and into the OR, my IV came out twice, all kinds of doctors and nurses were trying to get ready, and all the while they were telling me NOT to push (which was the most painful part of the entire ordeal.)
Miraculously, the only doctor from my practice that I knew had experience delivering breech babies happened to come on duty at 7 am (she was called away from a scheduled c-section, since I was considered an emergency). Needless to say, she was still putting on her gown when she got to us. Our OB told us that since the baby was already coming, we could try and deliver her vaginally! We unhesitatingly agreed. I finally received the go-ahead to push, pushed through two contractions, and our baby was born!
Butt first, but perfect.
So, in a nutshell:
Water broke at 1:30 am. Labored at home for 5 hours. Got to the hospital at around 6:40. Ready to push by about 7. Baby was born breech at 7:22 am, 8 lbs 8 oz.
Thank you to everyone who had our family in your thoughts and prayers! I have no doubt that you contributed to both BG and me staying healthy and well during her unexpected delivery!
*Just like with Kiddo, I'm going to refrain from using Baby Girl's real name on this blog when possible. If you would like to know the name we finally decided on, shoot me an email or indicate in the comments and I'll let you know. Thanks!
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