Emmalina's Birth Story by Hannah Williams
Born on February 27, 2008

Monday morning, the 25th, at about 6 a.m., I woke up with more intense contractions than before. I could feel them in my back and in the front like menstrual cramps but they were only happening every 30 min or so. I told work that this could be it, but I'd come in anyway because I wasn't sure and I'd see how it went.

I ended up leaving work by noon because they were definitely more intense than regular BH contractions and I was feeling really antsy and spacey and couldn't be there anymore. So I went home and did all the final touches on our house and her room pausing at all the contractions then continuing with excitement, yet trying to remain calm because what if this was just another false alarm? By the afternoon, I definitely couldn't speak through the contractions. I was closing my eyes and letting them pass, then snapping back to me and continuing on with my conversations or actions.

I went to bed that night and woke up at midnight unable to sleep through the contractions. At 1:00 a.m. I called my doula and told her the news so far and asked if this was really labor. "When can I call my mom and tell her to hop on a plane?" Now was the time. She said to let Damon sleep as long as he could until I really needed him and call her when I need her. At 2:30 I needed Damon to get through the contractions. I mostly needed him to just press on my sacrum and hips. My back was killing me. I knew it couldn't be back labor because she had been LOA the whole time. I did everything I could to keep her that way at all times and I thought this was just how regular labor felt.

At 4:30 a.m. the contractions were 3-5 min apart and lasting at least a minute, it was time for the hospital. We met our doula there, lugged all our bags and checked in. When they checked me out, I was sure I was at least 4 cm but, I was only 2 1/2 cm dilated and they suggested I go home. My Doctor was actually there on call and she agreed. She knew I wanted to do this naturally and suggested I be in my home environment. I thought they all might be crazy and this was about to go very fast. My mom had two very quick labors and I was sure that would happen to me, HA! Well, we decided to go home, I told our doula to get some rest and we'd call her in a couple hours. When I got home it quickly got more and more painful, especially in my back. I could hardly feel my cervix or uterus contracting, it was all in my back. At noon our doula came to the house and was helping us out. My mom also arrived from L.A. By 4:30 in the afternoon, I was in the bath in excruciating pain. Nothing helped. I felt like I was in hell and told them I really didn't think I could do this. They said I'd be fine and take it one contraction at a time, which I did, over and over again!
We went back to the hospital at about 6 p.m. the contractions were really painful and about one to three minutes apart lasting at least a minute, this baby was on her way!....so I thought....

We checked in again and I was in way worse shape that the earlier check-in. When they checked my cervix, it was only 4 cm dilated and I really didn't think I could do this anymore. The Dr. came in and confirmed the baby was OP and I was having major back labor. Ugh! I couldn't believe it, but really I could because the pain was ridiculous. I kept pressing on, but as time went on, I just wasn't really dilating much. Because of her position and her size, she was having a really hard time descending. I felt like I was going to die, it was too much to handle, but I kept on doing it. I was so darn stubborn. Damon and Karina (our doula) kept encouraging me and saying I could do it.

At midnight, we decided to break my water hoping that would move things along. At that time the nurse offered me a shot of a pain killer and said it wasn't as good as an epidural, but it'd take the edge off a little I was all over it. I was all over an epidural, too, but Damon and Karina believed in me so much and kept encouraging to stick to my plan, I didn't want to let them down or let myself down.

They checked me again at 1:30 and I was only 7 cm dilated, it was just not happening and they were concerned I was going to have to have a c- section. (which was NOT going to happen) The nurse was about to leave for the night and said she was going to ask only once what I really wanted and made me look her in the eye and tell it to her straight. I desperately said I wanted this to end, I couldn't go on. I was ready for an epidural. I looked back at Damon and Karina and they thought that was best for me at that time. I needed rest, it had gone on already 26 hours not counting the early labor.

Once they administered the epidural, I was able to sleep for a good few hours. They also gave me pitocin to get things moving. It was still going really slow. I was a whole new person once I go the epidural, I was able to relax and focus on the birth instead of the pain. At 6 a.m., I was finally ready to push. Luckily I could still feel my legs and my contractions and I wasn't totally numb. I was able to push really well. All the nurses were "impressed" with my pushing.

BUT! After 3 hours of pushing, they were starting to get nervous again. My Dr. was back on call, yay, and she came in and said, we need to get this baby out. I was getting so close!!! After 15 more minutes she looked me straight in the eye and said "Hannah, I know you don't want any interventions and definitely not a c-section, but that's where this is going if you don't get this baby out in the next 15 minutes. I need you to push double what you've been doing before." Oh, my God, I had been putting EVERYTHING into it already! But there was no way I wasn't going to get this baby out. I pushed with all my might and at 9:32 a.m. Emalina was born. She was really big and that's what had made it so hard for her to rotate back and to descend in the OP position. I tore pretty bad. A 3rd degree tear almost to the rectum, but I was o.k., Emalina's beautiful and I got her our without any interventions. Damon was amazing. He never left my side. He never ate or peed, he was so supportive. Karina was also such a trooper. That was a really really long labor!

I am so grateful for my Bradley and yoga training. I know it helped in so many ways, but I am also grateful that I was at the hospital so that I could get the relief when I needed it. Without it, I probably would've ended up with a c-section because I would've given up all my strength before the pushing.

I am healing extremely well. It's such a miracle, this birth process. And, so amazing how resilient our bodies are! I have a huge baby. 90th percentile in height, weight and head size. But she's an angel and lets us sleep 4 hour stretches at night. I'm not sure how I grew such a big baby, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Maybe it was all that protein and DHA supplements!

Thanks for reading my book of a birth story. I knew it would take a while, I'm glad I finally got a chance to write it! It's so healing writing and talking about it. So far, my spirits are very high. I've been getting enough sleep and breast feeding is going great. A little soreness, but that's to be expected. This has certainly been the best thing that has ever happened to me. It's so amazing!!
I can't wait till you all get to meet Emalina Moon. She is a true angel.

Much love to you all,

Hannah

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