I found out I was pregnant with my second child one month after we purchased our first home. My due date was exactly two years after my first child's due date, so we had actually accomplished having children two years apart.
This pregnancy was more stressful than the first. We were moving, I was having a stressful year at work and we had a toddler, there was non of the cozy evening with just my partner and I dreaming about the baby, like we had during our first pregnancy. The other stress factor making the decision to have a Trial of Labour leading to a Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) or to schedule a Repeat Cesarean Section.
We had again chosen the care of Midwives and were fortunate enough to have the same midwives that we had had during our first birth. To tell you the truth both birth options terrified me, both were unknown to me in some way. If I had a successful VBAC, I had not experienced transition labour or second stage labour (pushing). I had experienced a very long labour and that didn't scare me in fact, I looked forward to the surprise of going into labour, what I didn't want was a repeat of the results of that very long labour, having my child sent to NICU and not being able to hold the child right at birth. What scared my about a scheduled repeat Cesarean Section was going into surgery without the exhaustion and stress - I know this sounds bizarre but I am incredibly afraid of needles and was terrified of the surgical prep.
So, my partner and I questioned the midwives and started our own research and took a long time to decide. Eventually we decided to go for the Trial of Labour, our research told us that it was better for the baby to go into labour even for a short time and, with the shorter recovery time on a vaginal birth it would be easier dealing with a toddler.
We set limits, I did not want to be in labour for 36 hours again. I wanted to do everything possible to hold my child right away and to begin nursing as soon as possible. My ultimate goal was immediate contact with my child. My other goals included being able to move around as much as possible and staying home as long as possible before going to the hospital.
Now in Toronto, VBAC must be attempted in a hospital, you are supposed to be monitored all the time and have an IV in as soon as you go to the hospital. I refused continuous monitoring and the IV because I wanted as much freedom as possible to move during labour. Movement had really helped during my first labour.
I was still scared of the unknown but was glad I had made the decision to have a natural labour.
My due date was May 1st 2010 and labour began when my water broke at 1:15 am on April 12th. Much like my first birth, my contractions started within minutes and were 5-6 minutes apart right off the bat and lasting about 45 seconds. We were not really prepared for the baby to arrive three weeks ahead of schedule so the next few hours at our house were very comical. My partner was running around packing a bag, tidying up our messy, in progress house and throwing the uninstalled car seat into the trunk, box and all! I spent the time labouring, talking to my midwife on the phone and making a list of meal times and options for my son so that my brother-in-law was not at a total loss.
My midwife showed up with a student in tow at about 3:00am and my contractions were about 2 minutes apart and 45 -60 seconds in length, gaining intensity with everyone. My brother-in-law showed up shortly after and we were on our way to the hospital just after 4:00am.
My contractions increased in intensity quickly on the way to the hospital. When we arrived at the birthing room I was feeling the urge to push. However, when the midwife checked my dilation, I was only 4cm. This was an issue as the babies head was pushing against my cervix and starting to swell. The intensity of my contractions was much higher then I had experienced with my son and it was taking everything in my power to not push at this point. The midwife called in a consult with the OB on call and by the time she arrived, I had dilated to 6cm but my contractions were still too intense for the amount of dilation. So, in consultation with the doctor we decided to try and Epidural to decrease the intensity of the contractions so that I could dilate without injury to the baby.
I was put on the Epidural at around 7am and was given a second dose about an hour later because I was not getting much pain relief. Once the Epidural was in I dilated quickly to 9 cm and then my contractions slowed considerably and in 5 hours didn't dilate any further. So, at about 1:00 pm on April 12th, the decision was made that I would have a Cesarean Section and at 2:06 pm my daughter was born! this time after 13 hours of labour and surgery, I was able to have my daughter brought to me right away and began nursing her in the recovery room (later I did struggle with breast feeding, this story will follow).
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