Diana's Birth

Vaginal Birth After Cesarean

Diana Marlies was born at 3:12 a.m. on September 25. Via VBAC.

Preface: Diana is such a sweetie, really good natured. Dark brown hair and blue eyes. Still a little squished puff-ball, looking like she went through a lot more than my son Michael did to get here. No womb with a view for her. :) We all adore her. :)

My first baby was born via c/section after 40 hours of hard back labor. I went 37 hours, 7 cm all natural and then had an epi so I could lay down. I got to 10/100% but he never came down. I was crushed, although he's been the joy of our lives for 2.5 years.

Now for my daughter's birth and the VBAC......... I had visited an acupuncturist at 2:30 that afternoon, for induction because she was already 8.5 lbs. and I really wanted a natural birth. The contractions started on the table at the acupuncturist's office! It could be a coincidence, but I certainly recommend giving it a try if you're ever anxious to induce - I mean, it was instant!

By the time Peter got home, I was in full-blown labor, and we still had to wait for my mom and then drive an hour to the hospital. I kept thinking we had plenty of time because it took SO long last time, but I was wrong... I mean, we had enough time, but I was way too far along for long rides in a car!!!! I have to admit, it was the drive from hell... I was in the back of our minivan screaming at the absolute top of my lungs, and Peter was in the front, yelling at God not to let the baby be born in the van! :) By the time we got to White Plains, he was running red lights. People in the hospital lobby were scared when they saw me coming in... I was yelling, crying, stopping for contractions... lol!

Anyway, when we got there I was already 8 cm. It took another 3.5 hours to get fully dilated and get the baby turned around so I could push, which took 2 more hours, and then she arrived. I was not the crunchy mama that I would like to have been. First of all, I screamed and screamed and screamed. Secondly, I begged for pain relief. All they would give me was a shot of morphine in my back when I reached 10 cm. and wasn't allowed to push yet. I had a lip. They said, this will last about an hour, then we need you to be able to push. I was pissed at the time, but they knew I wanted a VBAC and they just weren't going to do any more than that.

We didn't need any interventions and there were no complications, just my screaming... I didn't scream last time much, but this time I was non-stop. I felt sorry for the birth team but, honestly, they had a much much easier time than my last one did! I used a TENS (electrical impulse) machine for pain, and all Peter and the doula had to do was hold heat on my front and back.

Those things helped, but honestly, the whole thing hurt like hell. It really did. Last time, the pain was just as bad, but it was totally different. Had I been more experienced, I would have known the baby was not in the right place at all, because it was all in my back. This was all up front, AND in my butt and pelvis - incredible pressure. I never had that last time. The pressure is what made me have to YELL!!!

Peter was SO EXCITED to get to see the baby come out. I was excited too, but more so an hour after the fact, just because I was still having contractions and in pain for a while... I thought the baby would pop out and my pain would be over. No... I had several little tears that needed stitching, and I kept having strong contractions... so it was a good hour before I stopped crying and was out of pain.. Peter sat next to me holding her and I breastfed her when I was finally OK. She latched on like a champ (my first had lots of trouble because of the drugs).

I'm really happy that I got my VBAC!! There were moments when I didn't know if it would happen (mostly at the pushing stage... I just could not imagine pushing that big baby out... and she WAS the biggest out of all the babies I saw at the hospital!). There were also, frankly, moments when I wondered WHY I ever wanted to put myself through this--lol! But of course, that was just the labor pain talking. I'm thrilled...

We're home from the hospital. :) Our main challenge now is that Michael wants to hug, kiss and be all over Diana every minute and it's sweet as pie, but very overwhelming.