Tri Cities AP Miracle VBAC Birth Story

Hi folks,

A woman in the TriCities AP playgroup that Monika belongs to just had what
can only be called a miracle VBAC. She posted the story to the AP playgroup
mailing list, and I asked permission to post it here. I think it speaks
for itself.

Here it is:


Hi everyone,

I'm back from a treacherous 5 days in the hospital, but with good news.
I had a miracle VBAC and a precious girl.

If you all have a minute i wanted to share my story....

As you all know i tried every natural method known to start labor without
much success. The doctors scheduled me for induction Nov.7th. I went in
and luckily we were blessed with a wonderful oncall doc who felt confident
that if i just waited a few more days maybe that would help.

By Tuesday Nov.9 still no sign of labor, i was asked to come in to start
the induction early in the morning with a more natural method using a foley
bulb in the cervix to assist in dilation. The hopes was that as my cervix
dilates, my body will spontaneously go into labor.

18 hours later, i dilated only 2 cm and 50% effaced.

Wednesday, Nov 10 the another on call doc while checking me out decided to
break my bag of waters. (Not quite sure how he got consent from me because
it happened so fast). Now the clock begins. I have 24 hours to deliver
naturally otherwise C-sec is immenent.

At that point the anesthesologist who has been a thorn in my side insisting
on a cesarean came to visit me and encourage me again to consider a c-sec.
I could not believe it...i'm in the process of induction, ready to labor
and she comes in and says that. I was determined now to prove her wrong.

I wasn't contracting by the water breaking so they started Pitocin. (my
nemesis) My contractions hurt so bad. On one hand i wanted to feel what labor
was like, but on the other hand i realized that THIS was not natural labor.
I fought those contractions for 4 hours with each 1/2 hour of the nurse
increasing my Pitocin until i finally could not take it anymore. My
contractions were 1 1/2 minutes apart, extremely intense and i was dilated
about a 3-4. I asked for an epidural. The epidural was horrible on its own.
It only blocked the left side of my body with my right side feeling every
excruciating contraction.

Thursday, Nov. 11 I was dilated 7-8 cm and 100% effaced. It was about 4 am
and the doc wanted to deliver me by the time her shift was over at 8 am.
(All the docs wanted me to deliver on their shift so they can take credit
for the "heart patient" delivery).

The baby was very high in my canal but like i said, she was in a hurry.
I pushed for 4 hours. Of course not really feeling what i was doing because
of the epidural. By 8 am she decided to use vacuum, even if the baby has not
decended much. She vacumed 4 times!!! the last time the vacuum pulled off and
splatted blood on everyone. ( sorry so graphic). Finally, she said there was
no hope and i needed to have a C-sec.

I completely lost it. I cried so hard, begging her to give me more time to
push... but she said that she has done everything possible and that there was
really no way that the baby can come out naturally. I asked the nurses to
find my specialist, Dr.Edwards ( the one that has been on my side fighting
for a VBAC).

When he arrived, i begged him to let me labor by myself here and i bring the
baby down. I told him i will push all day if i have to and to give me a chance.
I have come this far and i was not about to just give up and have a C-sec,
there has to be another way.

He agreed to give me 20 minutes of hard pushing and see how far i can bring
the baby down. Luckily, my epidural was wearing off and i could feel the
sensation to bear down. That assisted me in knowing WHAT i was pushing
instead of waiting for the nurse to tell me it was time.

He came back and said that there was a fair chance the baby can come out
naturally but there must be a limit due to my water breaking so early,
I did not have all the time in the world to push. I was running close to
the 24 hour mark of my water breaking. He said he would give me two really
good pushes, he would try the vacuum two times and if it did not work i need
to consider C-sec.

The first push i pushed with all my might, my back hurt immensely but i did
not care. He tried the vacuum and said the baby was stuck at the pelvis.
(this was where the baby was stuck the first time around with the other doc).
My specialist said that if we cannot get past that point we would have to
give up. He said to try one last time.

Finally, this was my last chance, a contraction came on and i pushed so HARD!!
when i tried to take a breath, all i remember was everyone yelling at me to
keep going and don't stop!! so i didn't and out came my baby! I swear i pushed
her and everything inside of me out.

It was truly a miracle. On Nov.11 at 11:05 Laila was born 7 lbs 10 oz, 20
inches long.

The entire staff cheered! people from everywhere wanted to come and see the
"heart patient" who delivered vaginally and her heart did not explode. :-)

The funny thing was that i did not even know that the epidural wore off
about 1/2 hour before i started to push. That was what helped me. The baby
was sunny side up, which explains the horrible back pains and why she did
not come out easily. But those wonderful pains allowed my body to do what
I was suppose to do- Labor naturally.

I look back and can't believe how close i was to a C-sec. I thanked my
specialist numerous times but he said that it was my persistence that
inspired him to give me another chance. I guess any other patient they would
have called it a loss and do a c-sec, but i told him that if i have to I will
go in and get the baby out myself. (Maybe that scared him a little :-) )
My hubby called me his hero that day.

The only complication was fever that developed during labor so i had to stay
in the horrible hospital for 2 more days after birth with antibiotics for a
total of 5 days at the hospital.

The baby and i are doing well. The baby looks like Laith but with my eyes
(i got my Chinese baby :-) ) i'm recovering but on Motrin round the clock
because i have horrible back pain from the epidural and of course my
floorboard is all messed up.

I miss you all and hopefully soon will be back and running again. thank you
everyone for your support, friendship and advice. I never would have gone
this far without all of you there on my side. Joining this group is one
of the best decisions i have ever made.

it was a lovely birth story I dont usualy comment but i will since it
means so much to you It is amazing what our bodies will let us do even
when the drs think it is impossible.

Tori

--
Bonnie 3/20/02
Xavier 10/27/04
"Larry McMahan" wrote in message
...
Larry McMahan writes:

[what he thought was one of the most astounding birth
stories he had heard in a long them]

Are you guys comatose or what? I still think this is one
of them most 'wow' birth stories I have heard, and I haven't
seen a single comment.

Wondering

Larry McMahan wrote:
Larry McMahan writes:

[what he thought was one of the most astounding birth
stories he had heard in a long them]

Are you guys comatose or what? I still think this is one
of them most 'wow' birth stories I have heard, and I haven't
seen a single comment.

It *was* a great story, Larry. I just didn't comment because it wasn't the
story of a group regular, so there didn't seem to be anybody to congratulate
g!
--
Be well, Barbara
Mom to Sin (Vernon, 2), Misery (Aurora, 5), and the Rising Son (Julian, 7)

Tolerance, equality, and personal liberty *are* moral values!

All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful.
Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its
other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a
fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman