Trace's Birth Story

I've already blocked out exactly how long my pregnancy was... I think it was 41 wks 4 days. Eithe r way, Trace was born 9 months to the day from his conception... maybe he will be the only punctual person in the family. Of course, depending on who you ask, he WAS 11 days late. lol

The day before my sweet boy decided to finally make his arrival was a Thursday. B and I got up early to gert her off to preschool and I hung out at the IL's waiting for her to get out. I had a few random contractions and was texting my doula, but really wasnt expecting much. After all, by 41 wks 4 days I was convinced that I would be pregnant forever. But, they were a bit uncomfortable and I had also had a few the night before so I went ahead and picked B up a few minutes early and we headed home for lunch and a nap.

About an hour later, I had a pretty intense contractions that woke me up and lasted about 3 minutes! ( yes, 3 minutes... did I mention labor with a posterior baby sucks? just wait) I sat up a few minutes later to go to the bathroom and felt an odd sensation. It funny because when my water broke with B I thought the exact same thing.... " Did I just pee on myself?" After a way TMI phone call to my ( awesome, wonderful, fanstastic) doula we decided that I probably had an amniotic leak and things would get going. Called the hubby to  let him know and told B that the baby was FINALLY going to come out!

Things progressed slowly, contractions were random, my dad picked B up at about 4:30 and Nathan was home already, but nothing was really happening. Finally at about midnight things started to get organized, within about 30 minutes I was having contractions 4 minutes apart and they were getting really uncomfortable. I woke Nate up and called Melissa, my doula. She arrived a few minutes later and we all just hung out for a while. At some point, maybe 3 am? I started shaking and vomiting with contractions and we talked about how posterior babies can cause a sort of false transition at about 5 cm. That passed and I continued to work thru contractions, things changed, I started to get quiet, tried to rest and then the vomiting started again, contractions were suddenly one of top of the other and I was shaking. I was wondering if we should go in to L&D, meanwhile Melissa and Nathan were already loading the car!

At 5am we were in route to the hospital.Now I should probably throw out there that I wanted a natural birth. I had fought long and hard and my OB was completely on board. My daughter was only 6lb 7 oz and I had the utmost faith that my body could do this. When we got to the hospital it was still really early and we had to go in thru the ER, the triage nurse who took me up chose the WORST elevator ever, it was full- with an orderly and a huge cart of laundry. She tried to cram the whelchair in the elevator. It wouldnt fit. The orderly offered to get out with is cart, but that would take too long. I literally jumpd out of the wheelchair, said "Fold it up and get in!" and jumped on the elevator.

Once we got upstairs the fighting began. I knew all about what not to sign and was on my hands and knees, laboring, fighting with the nurses about signing paperwork, crossing thru stuff and complaining about the IV ( although I settled with a heplock). I mean, REALLY? Why did I fill out all the pre-admit junk if you are going to insist on asking me when I am in labor all the same questions?

Once that was over with I stripped out of the stupid cumbersome gown they had put on me and put my sports bra BACK on and got in the tub. I'm not going to lie, I had way too much faith in the damn tub working. I am a water baby, always have been. I love it, it relaxes me. I was going to have this relaxing, not too painful because I was in the tub labor... HA! Oh and did I mention, I was only 4cm? All those transition symptoms... I didnt want to get checked.... stupid nurses. I was doing great until then, and when I heard 4, FOUR! I felt so defeated, I wasnt even halfway there?!?!?! I was going to need that epidural.... and thats how it began. I had been doing great, and that ONE word, FOUR and that did me in. I was in the tub, not feeling any sort of relaxed and telling Melissa, I want the epidural... no response. Ok, so maybe I needed to say it when I WASNT having a contractions. I tried again.... a call was made. 

My OB was on his way and he wanted to see me before I got it. I knew he would try to talk me out of it, He had listened for 9 months about how strongly I wanted a natural childbirth... ok whatever, get him here.... and I waited. And then something changed. I felt all this pressure, and then my body started pushing...was it possible I moved from 4 to pushing that quickly? I honestly didnt believe it. There was a reason for that.... I had lots of pushing contractions. I had no control over it, but nothing was happening. At some point Melissa ran to the restroom and left me alone with Nathan...I dont know if it was because she was gone or if I just panicked but without going into detail, things changed and when she got back she and Nathan both thought the baby was coming right then.

The nurse came running in and when she checked me I was only about 6-7cm. And she realized what I had known for a month.  He was posterior. Sunny side up. My OB was called. He said give me the Epi, it was going to be a while.

It took a while, WHY ARE ANETHESEOLOGISTS SO SLOW?(And how do you spell that anyway?)  I was 9cm dilated by the time the guy decided to grace us with his presence! But once they gave me the epidural I was able to rest for a bit and the uncontrollable pushing stopped. Then the aching began first in my right hip, then my right thigh, deep in the bone, it burned and it ached. They tried turning it up, moving me, no luck. it didnt take on my right side.

At some point I started to feel pressure again. After a while I finally told Melissa that I didnt want to admit it, but I thought it was time to push. I was SO exhausted and I knew my break was over, that I was about to have to start working again. I pushed for what felt like forever, they tried turning the epidural up again, no luck. With Bella, I couldnt feel a thing, I could feel this, epidural or not, and it hurt like hell.

I was laying on my back, which I hated. I knew it wasnt the most productive position and I wasnt getting anywhere. I wanted to flip over on all fours, but the nurses woudnt let me because I had the epidural and "couldnt control my legs"..... wanna bet? Over I went, all on my own. I'm still not quite sure how I managed it, but I did. I've been told not only was it awesome but that the nurses faces were hilarious. Yes, I am proud of that moment. Unfortunately, the position didnt do any good and I went back to my back.

I pushed for about an hour, finally my OB came in ready to go. I've been told that even though my amniotic fluid was leaking all day and night, it broke right as Trace crowned and ruined my doctors shoes. He was posterior and my OB was able to turn him at the last minute ( thank goodness for a double jointed doctor)  but he also had the cord around his neck 3 times and his shoulder caught on my pelvis. This kid just did NOT want to be born. All that said, he was born, not by cesarean, but vaginally, with a failed epidural, and since I didnt even get that until 9 cm, I'm calling it natural, for all intensive purposes.

Ethan Trace Nichols was finally born at 11:55 am on Feb 8th, 2013.He weighed 9lbs 2 oz and was 21.5 inches long.