Ten Days Perfect
Ruby's birth story by Holly
Born on August 16, 2009

Ruby Ann Odom was born on August 16th, 2009, weighing 7lbs, 5 oz and 19.5" inches long. As this was our first baby, Mark and I were trying very hard to “just relax and stop thinking about it” as everyone was suggesting since she was late on arrival. After we passed the 40 week and started closing in on 41 weeks we (or, rather, I) changed tactics. Spicy foods, mall walking, love making, acupuncture and balsamic vinegar (mom heard that helps) were all tried. Finally nine days after my due date on Saturday, August 15th, I started to feel uncomfortable….all day actually which was a nice change from feeling pretty good despite the basketball belly.

At 3:30am I woke up with my first contraction and thought that was interesting. 7 minutes later there was another and I excitedly told my husband if there was another one I was getting the stop watch! Of course there was another one (this is the birth story) and got the clock going. He and I lie in bed until they moved closer to 6 minutes apart. We debated on when to call the doctor and I apologetically called around 4:45am (I felt bad to wake him) and got his voicemail. As they continued, I got in the shower and Mark started getting ready. I knew this was the big day when I had to start taking breaks from what I was doing during contractions. Yes, when you are in labor you know it (I was always asking women what it felt like and they said "you’ll know when it’s happening").

We left the house and headed to St. David’s hospital just before 7am and I was giddy as I called out the contractions and took splits on my watch (my swim coaching watch really helped). I also decided Mark and I needed coffee. This is embarrassing but I’ll admit I told Mark to go to the Starbucks on North Congress. He protested but I was in labor and hard to reason with. He put the flashers on and went inside and I remember thinking if the police came over I clearly had a good reason to be there and we couldn’t get in trouble for our parking.

We get to the hospital and onto the labor and delivery floor. They were expecting us (we got in touch with our doctor on the way) and Mark requested a room with windows and next thing I am hooked up and high fiving in the labor room. I was having fun and our nurse Leah was skeptical about checking me in because of my good mood. Fortunately I was 4 ½ centimeters dilated and then officially admitted. Our doctor (Dr. Love) had been on call the night before and stopped by to say hello and let us know he would call in and try to get back in time to deliver later that day.

At this point Leah wanted to know my birth plan. I told her I was comfortable and wanted to try to go natural but was open to an epidural if things got unmanageable. The morning continued and I was still doing good but not great. I felt back pain on my left side and thought it was cramping so Mark started rubbing and I started stretching. At this point I was thinking I can do this, I can have a natural delivery as I was getting through the contractions okay and every time they checked my cervix I was progressing.

Then I threw up.

My back pain was more knife-like and constant which made getting through the contractions harder as I had no break from the pain. This got me thinking about pain med options. Leah said I could do a sedative or an epidural and explained the difference between each. I opted for the sedative as I thought I could use a break and hopefully get to 10 centimeters and then be able to feel everything for delivery (I was 7 ½ centimeters when she gave me the sedative). This was my mistake and only blip on my labor day. I had never had anything more powerful than novacaine at the dentist so I wasn’t experienced with drugs and their affect on me. I immediately felt drowsy (good) and then quickly started hallucinating (bad). I kept feeling like I was falling off my bed and that I was stopping breathing, neither were true of course, but that didn’t stop me from saying that over and over and freaking Mark and Leah out.

The next three hours were a blur. My water was broken by the doctor. I threw up. I still felt the back pain and contractions and in my drug stupor asked for the epidural. Got the epidural and then got another one because I still felt everything sharp as a knife on my left side. Finally I was numb from the waist down.

Then the doctor comes in and says good news, you’re 10 centimeters! You can push now. This is when I looked at Mark and Leah and said what is he talking about? What happened? Fortunately the sedative was finally wearing off...

I pushed for about 50 minutes on command (all my breath work in yoga and prepping went out the window as I had to simulate taking a poo!) and couldn’t feel a darn thing. Luckily it was working, I am very coachable! Dr. Love showed up. Leah stayed an extra hour (she was on the 7-7 shift that day) and then a team of people in blue arrived. Mark was steady and strong the whole time holding my hand. It all happened pretty quickly….Ruby arrived via the twist and shout. She slid out and proceeded to scream her head off from the moment she arrived. She was loud and gooey and perfect.

We now know a love like no other and life just keeps getting better.

We invite you to share your Birth Story with us!
Email us at prenatal@yogayoga.com.