I gave birth to our baby girl, Valkyrie, the morning of June 4, 2022. Her due date was June 15, 2022, but I knew she’d be born earlier than that!
The day before I started to feel contractions, I had my 38 week appointment. Leaving the appointment, my obstetrician said, “Let’s have a baby!” Shiina and I didn’t think we’d be having a baby two days after! Continue reading about my labor and delivery experience below!
Feeling Contractions
I started to experience contractions on the morning of June 3. I thought it was only because I needed to use the restroom, but that wasn’t it. I tried to sleep through it, but they got too bothersome. I sat at the edge of my bed and thought about whether or not they could be contractions. I was only 38 weeks pregnant, so I wasn’t sure what they were. I started to time the contractions and they were five to six minutes apart, lasting from forty seconds to a minute.
I woke Shiina up and told him about how I was feeling. He hadn’t packed his hospital bag yet so he got up to do that and finished packing mine. We were supposed to do that the day before, but didn’t get to it. As he packed our things, I called our hospital to tell them that we were ready to go in. The nurse on the phone asked several questions. Did my water break? How often were these contractions and how strong did they feel? Did I have any vaginal discharge? Did I receive a cervix check at my last appointment? I wasn’t sure if my water broke, but I had discharge. That was the reason I was able to go in, otherwise the nurse didn’t think I was ready yet. I would’ve had to wait.
Arriving At The Hospital
We arrived at the hospital in the late afternoon. At our intake appointment, we were told to park and go through the Emergency department. That’s exactly what we did and someone was there to help us. I had to fill out a form, which Shiina did for me. Afterwards, I was wheeled in a wheelchair to the obstetrician department where we were greeted by a nurse. The nurse took us to a room to check whether or not I was in true labor. The first thing I had to do was undress and wear a gown. Next, I needed to pee in a cup and receive a swab to the vagina to test whether or not my water broke. I then laid down on the bed where straps were put around my stomach to monitor contractions and my baby’s heart rate.
Although we thought we were in labor, we weren’t. My water didn’t break and my contractions were mild. Not to mention, my cervix wasn’t dilated and I hadn’t lost my mucus plug. The nurse thought I was receiving contractions because I was dehydrated, so I drank water and walked the hallways to see if my contractions would get better. While Shiina and I did that, the nurse contacted our doctor to ask what we should do. Will we stay at the hospital or will we go home? The contractions started to get further apart and there was no progression. Our doctor told the nurse that it was up to my partner and I if we wanted to go home or stay at the hospital. We decided to go home since there was no progression.
Back At Home
We got back home in the evening. I was anxious and scared. Why? I was still feeling contractions, so I didn’t know how long they’d continue. It was uncomfortable. They seemed to have gotten closer together again. I did my best to cope through them by distracting myself and meditating. Shiina and I watched The Office the entire evening and into the night.
I started to become tired of the contractions around 10pm. I wasn’t able to rest. I wanted to lay down, but my contractions would only worsen. It was frustrating. I decided to get into the tub and let the warm water run down my body. I could barely feel my contractions anymore. They were easy to cope through. I felt better, so I thought it was the perfect time to hop into bed and get some sleep.
I was wrong. The contractions were more intense than before. I needed to talk to someone other than Shiina so I called my mom, even though it was 2am. It felt comforting to talk to her. I felt a sense of relief talking about how I felt. She suggested that we go back to the hospital later that day if I was still feeling contractions. We hung up and I tried to sleep again. However, the contractions became unbearable. I knew this was it. I was having a baby! How did I know? My moans suddenly became louder and longer than before. Contractions were harder to speak through or move through. I was not comfortable in any of the positions I tried. I also felt my cervix dilating.
Back To The Hospital
I told Shiina that it was time to head back to the hospital. There was no way I was not going to deliver a baby soon. I called the hospital again and told them we were on our way.
We arrived at the hospital around 4am. I surprisingly did well in the car ride and got some sleep. When we parked, Shiina asked if I wanted to stay in the car a while longer to continue sleeping. I was fine with that because I was comfortable. I didn’t want to move. Shiina also got a short nap. Once I was ready, we walked through the Emergency department and did the same things we had done earlier. This time, however, everything seemed much harder to get done.
While undressing, I noticed that I lost my mucus plug. My contractions were stronger than the first visit to the hospital as well. The nurses got me ready for delivery and did their best to ensure I was comfortable. I requested for the tub since it helped me earlier. I got into the tub at 5am. While in the tub, Shiina poured water on my back as I was on all-fours. When that position was no longer comfortable, I sat in the tub at an angle that wasn’t too harsh for my back. I started to fall asleep because I was so tired. Suddenly, I felt pressure and contractions worsen. I kept thinking about the epidural, although I planned for an unmedicated labor and delivery.
We called the nurses back in and I told them I wanted the epidural. We moved into our delivery room at 5:30am. I was checked to see how dilated my cervix was. It was about seven to eight centimeters dilated at this point, which caught us all by surprise. After laying on my back for the cervix check, I laid on my right side with my left leg up. At 6am, the nurses asked me again if I was sure I wanted the epidural, especially since it wasn’t on my birth plan. They said I was handling contractions incredibly well and if I continued to do what I was doing, my baby would be delivered within the next two hours. I decided to not go with the epidural as it was not what I originally wanted. I knew I was strong enough to continue and I had an amazing team to help me!
Gross, but funny story. My water hadn’t broke, so we were all waiting for it to happen. I felt the need to vomit, so I did in an emesis bag. Shiina was holding it, but the smell was too strong so I pushed it away. That’s when I felt another urge to vomit. Shiina turned to his side to grab another bag. Luckily he did, because I puked on the floor next to him. He would’ve had it all over him. Everyone quickly turned their heads in my direction, thinking my water broke. Remember how I tried to stay hydrated that day? It was mostly water that I threw up! There was also watermelon pieces, which my nurse thought was funny. Everyone had a good laugh about it.
Getting Ready To Push
I switched over to my left side with my right leg up because I felt too much pain on my back and right side. I had Shiina massage my lower back while my nurse massaged my calf muscle on my right leg. Throughout my pregnancy, my calf muscle would tense up and that’s exactly what it was doing. The back pain felt worse than my contractions at times. I was thankful for the support from my nurse and partner.
At some point, my doctor came in to check on my progress and broke my water. I felt a rush of warm water and this is when contractions became harder to deal with. Once they started to get closer together and I was nine to ten centimeters dilated, my nurse directed me to push when I felt like it. She said that this would help stretch my lower region and get my baby lower. I think pushing and having my nurse direct me helped me prepare for the next part of my labor and delivery process.
I started to feel pressure in a different spot and that’s when I knew I was close to delivering. I breathed through each contraction and counted to four. Every time I got to four, the sensation would slow down. My nurses encouraged me by telling me how well I was doing and reminded me to continue breathing through the contractions. Shiina continued to massage me and patted my head with a cold towel. My doctor came in and that’s when I laid on my back with my legs up. She said my baby was so close she could see all the hair Baby V had! Without thinking about it, I pushed while tightly grabbing onto the bed railings and felt Baby V enter the world!
The intense sensations of the contractions and back pain went away as soon as Baby V was delivered. I didn’t expect that, but it felt relieving. It was like a light switch that turned off. Nonetheless, I still felt everything else that happened afterwards. Although I had to deliver the placenta and get the umbilical cord cut, the only discomfort I felt was receiving stitches for a second degree tear. My doctor applied something that would numb the area, but I still felt every part of the procedure. I got through it because it wasn’t anything compared to what I had just done. Plus, I was finally holding my baby girl!
The “Golden Hour”
My baby was handed to me directly after delivery. As mentioned in the paragraph before, I had to deliver the placenta, get the umbilical cord cut and receive stitches for a second degree tear. After all of that, it was nursing time! Baby V knew exactly how to latch. I didn’t have any worries about breastfeeding. She fed for about an hour with thirty minutes on each breast. Shiina was next to us the entire time, simply watching us.
My nurses and doctor said that I was made for having babies. I did amazing throughout the labor and delivery process. I breathed through it well. I was so relaxed that it looked as though I was sleeping through the contractions. I only pushed for about fifteen to twenty minutes too, which they found outstanding for a first timer. (Honestly, I didn’t realize when I was pushing to deliver. No one was telling me to push like in the movies, so it all felt natural. Next thing I knew, my baby was here!) Additionally, I had a supply of breast milk ready for my baby and she fed incredibly well. This was encouraging to hear, especially after giving birth.
After feeding, Baby V went through the newborn routine like getting measured and weighed. (She received her bath the next morning to keep the vernix on. Other tests were done the next day as well.) As she did that, I used the restroom and showered. Before I showered, Shiina went to the car to get our bags. This way, one of us was with our baby.
Our Hospital Stay
We enjoyed our overall experience. Our nurses were extremely helpful and knowledgeable. I don’t think I could’ve gone through labor and delivery without them. Even after the delivery process, our nurses continued to support me in ways I needed. For example, our nurses assisted in drying my body with towels after my shower. I was surprised by this and really appreciated them. The nurses knew what to do and when to do it. I felt well taken care of and trusted their care for my baby.
The hospital was very accommodating. I was on a specific diet, per cultural traditions, and the hospital prepped what I needed for each meal. I felt heard and again, well taken care of.
We stayed for two nights to make sure we were safe. Shiina and I were learning how to be parents as well, so it was nice having a support system on hand. If I were to give birth again, I’d love for it to be at this hospital!
Recap
My labor and delivery experience was amazing. I felt prepared to give birth and the process of doing so was what I expected it to be. Throughout my pregnancy, I exercised, stretched and meditated. I watched many of Bridget Teylor’s videos to train my mind and body for birth. I also looked into medical interventions, routines and birth plans. I truly think my experience would’ve been different and harder if I hadn’t been prepared. That’s just me though. I like learning about what I’m getting into. I’ll share how I prepared for birth in a separate post!
Everyone’s experience is different. This is mine. I hope you enjoyed reading it just as much as I enjoyed sharing it!
