Thomas was Born

(Warning if you hate to hear birthing stories... Don't read this Post)

I was 39 weeks 5days along with my pregnancy. The ultrasound Doctor had been barking up my tree and had my nerves frayed to no end! She was convinced that the baby was growth restricted. The OB sided with me right up until the end when she insisted I go in for NST three times a week and scheduled me for induction on my "due date". I was infuriated! I trust my body and had no reason to believe that anything, short of technological mismeasurment, called for growth restriction.

photo taken at 37 weeks

When I went to schedule my next appointment I found out I was not going to be able to see the same Dr. again so I set up random appointments and prayed for the baby to come before they drugged me with false hormones for induction. I am a huge proponent for natural birthing. Having given birth to Angelo naturally, at home without trouble, I was fully ready to do it again.

The 38&5 appointment was scheduled with a wonderful Dr who finally checked me (Note, no Doctor had checked me since week 8 with the incident that sent me to the ER.) I was at a +1 and dilated to a 2.5. He stripped the membranes a bit to help me avoid drugs and wished me luck.

Three AM the next day, neither Will nor I could sleep. I posted about it on facebook, then stood up to walk around and my water broke. So Will insisted we go straight to the hospital.  Ironically while seeing a Dr. for admission to L&D we were met with a familiar face. The same Dr. who treated Will in the ICU after his stroke admitted me to L&D :)

The night nurse was fantastic! He explained his way of doing things which fit perfectly into my preferred method because he was hands off unless asked to be otherwise. I was doing great with my plan and method and Will was able to get some sleep in the corner from 3am to 7:15am when day shift took over.

By that time day shift took over I was in a good meditation with each good contraction. So when they came in and didn't even check me but announced that I was "stuck" and they would be PIT-ing me, while I was contracting I was not happy. I couldn't fight it either since as I was being told, the nurse had hooked up the IV! I reminded them that I have several forms of anxiety disorder and don't react well to false hormones, so if they really felt the need I would need an epidural. The Dr. looked dumbfounded and replied "but I put in for IV drugs." I was livid, but trying to keep my cool. How dare she make so many important decisions without ever even meeting me, let alone talking to me, or even checking me!

Several hours later I was in so much pain I literally couldn't see straight, from my body's violent reaction to false hormone. I did my best to keep meditation during these times. I calmly pushed the call light and asked them to order the epidural, so I could have it before the pain was unbearable. An hour later I called to check on it and was told they still hadn't ordered it, that I could only be given IV drugs. (Once again I'm livid but trying to remain calm for the benefit of everyone.) When the epidural arrived they kicked my husband out of the room (note: that wasn't in the briefing they gave at admission, nor was I okay with it.) He kissed me goodbye and told me he needed to get lunch before the cafeteria closed anyway, so I regrettably let him go. When I woke up I couldn't feel my right leg. Will was asleep again in the corner so I began throwing ice chips at him because the nurse had moved my call light out of reach! (Anyone in healthcare knows that's a HUGE no no!) I personally think she didn't like me because she refused to let me get up and walk to the bathroom and it was morning time so I required a bed pan a couple times.

At some point the Dr.came in and announced that they were losing the baby's heart rate so they were going to put the monitor on his head. This too was done while I was contracting so I couldn't argue. Though the reason they were losing the heart rate was because I had moved. They never bothered to check the positioning or move the belly monitors.

At any rate, by noon it was time to begin pushing. Since I couldn't feel my right leg my preferred full squatting position was not going to happen. The nurse insisted on controlling MY bed position at this point so when I said 45° angle for a phony squat she put the bed at 90° and insisted I was going to sit on my baby! I was then made to lay on my back high in the air with my legs in stirrups while I pushed for 4 hours and 20 mins! Here I thought I was giving birth in a state of the art Army medical women's center in 2012. It appears the staff handling my birthing experience wanted to pretend it was 1930!

At 16:20 in 20 April 2012, Thomas Jonathan Jackson Cowell arrived entirely OP. He had been sitting there with not even his ears out when I pushed once really good and the sweet soldier at the bottom of the bed (who had been playing tug-o-war with me to help me push through all the drugs I never wanted.) Let go and caught my sweet boy.

The nurse held him on my COVERED abdomen (barely) for half a second then cut the cord before he could get all his cord blood as we had requested, and quickly took him to be cleaned off. At this point I was done being nice but the 20 people now in the room couldn't have cared less! I kept repeating "I'd like my son back now!" Over and over! Finally after what felt like forever I got him back and could nurse him. The LC however decided that she only wanted him to show good latch and that she didn't want him to eat for real,  because she got in my space and took him off the breast and sway from me so that they could put him under the "fry warmer" which if I'd been allowed my method would have been unnecessary!

After that Will held him for a bit, then I got a turn, then he was taken again so that I could take a shower. As we packed up to move to the Mother/Baby Unit I still couldn't hold him because hospital policy insists on pushing him in the bassinet for "safety".

Finally! My little man and I were alone! I held him, nursed him, and loved every minute of it! The hospital has a strict no co-sleeping policy, so I didn't sleep much, just held him all through the night so we could have the benefits.

In the end the experience of giving birth at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center (CRDAMC) Women's Heath Center was a phenomenal let down. After having given birth to a still child at home. I still prefer home birth! But coming home with a strong healthy little man was what made it all okay.