Birth Story: Part Three

(Written by the husband)

It was a full moon that night, and babies like full moons as it turns out. We pulled into the Birth Center, and as we pulled up I saw the midwife outside, which was comforting. But before I could say hello, she got into her car and drove to the neighboring hospital. One of her patients was delivering. We walked inside only to discover another woman laboring in one of the Birth Center’s three laboring rooms. So we were the third couple in active labor at the moment… this is an exceptionally busy night for the Birth Center (they average just 20 babies a month) and the midwife on duty had her hands full. Abby and I returned to the room we had been in earlier that day and made ourselves comfortable. Well, I made myself comfortable, and she continued to pace, and rock, and sit, and soak, and contract. The nurse sat on the floor of the bathroom with Abby encouraging her and coaching her through contractions. The midwife eventually returned to examine her, and said that she was 100% effaced, but only 3 cm dilated. This was discouraging, especially to Abby, who was exhausted from dealing with the pain of back labor for more than 8 hours so far.

Hours went by and the doula and I took turns massaging her lower back. Abby was complaining about getting hot, so we turned the ceiling fan on. Then we turned it on higher. Then opened the patio doors. I was wearing a jacket, and Abby was wearing next to nothing, but it did the trick.

We heard a newborn baby cry from another room and I could tell that it helped to motivate Abby. More hours of laboring went by. At 4AM, the midwife returned and suggested that they give Abby an I.V. with some morphine to help her rest. They would also use the I.V. to hydrate her, as she hadn’t been able to keep down any food or liquid since labor began. We laid down on the bed next to each other, and I watched her fighting her way through contractions as they setup the I.V. The midwife explained that Abby would still be able to feel the contractions with the morphine, but it would be as if she didn’t care. Soon it was working, and Abby smiled at me. We both fell asleep.

To be continued..