Everett's Birth Story: Part One

One week old

Today my little Everett turns one month old. He made his world debut just before midnight one month ago today. I am not over the fact that he is one month old by the way. But since he is, and there is nothing I can do about it, I guess it is high time I record all of the details leading up to this long awaited arrival. So if you don't want details, don't read on.

First, A little background.

I believe in natural, unmedicated childbirth. I believe that the human body is capable of incredible things and that a woman's body in particular was designed perfectly to give birth without much intervention in most cases. I believe that, while medical interventions have their place, they can sometimes cause the need for more interventions and even cause unnecessary complications.

So going into this pregnancy, I really wanted to do everything I could to have a natural, unmedicated childbirth. I wanted to learn to think positively and how to relax so that I could let the birth happen without letting fear and worry make things more difficult than they needed to be. To help in this effort, Justin and I took a Hypnobabies class. As well as being a regular childbirth preparation class, Hypnobabies teaches self hypnosis for childbirth and gives you many tools to use during your birthing experience to help you relax so your body can do what it was designed to do.

Well, my due date (December 31) came and went. Six days past my due date was Friday, January 6th. I had a doctor appointment that morning around 11. Justin was able to leave class and meet me at my appointment. While there, we were informed that I was scheduled to be induced the next eventing at 5:00. Now, for someone who wants minimal medical interventions, being induced is not a good start. We were also told that since I was past my due date I needed to have a non stress test done as soon as possible. In a non stress test, they monitor the baby's heart rate for 20 minutes or so and check fluid levels around the baby. (This was actually suppose to be done earlier in the week but never happened.) They were able to schedule this test for 1:40 that same afternoon.

An induction was not the path I wanted to take, to say the least, but I knew it would come down to it if baby Everett didn't come on his own in time. Although I was bitter about the situation, I found myself feeling hopeful that it could still be done with minimal interventions. And I still did have one more day for things to get started on their own, and that also gave me reason to hope.

Justin and I went and got some lunch at a nearby Denny's and killed some time walking around a furniture store while we waited for our second appointment of the day. When the time came we went into the special room complete with reclining chairs for the mother-to-be to sit in while they monitor the baby's heart rate. Before that though they did an ultrasound to check for fluids. There were none. None that the tech or the Doctor could see anyway. This was bad. When this happens they send you up to labor and delivery. I was no exception. Of course I wanted to do the best thing for my baby and did not want to put him at risk, but I was still devastated.

At this point all I could do was cry. Justin had to speak for me and tell the doctor why I was upset, when most people would be excited to get their baby out a day early. I just so desperately wanted things to happen naturally, and I felt like my dreams were being shattered. All we could do then was slowly make our way up to labor and delivery. Part of me didn't want to go. Part of me wanted to run right out of that hospital. But I think I knew deep down that this is what needed to happen.

More details to come . . .