B's Birth Story

Brooklynne’s Birth Story

I found out I was pregnant in the beginning of June and couldn’t have been more excited.  We told our families after a few weeks, and didn’t tell anyone else until the first trimester was done.  Matt had to be employed in his current position for six months before he qualified for insurance, which happened to fall on the same week as the end of the first trimester, so once we got insurance I called around for a doctor to go to.  I had wanted to go to Modesto Arts Medical Group after hearing great things about them, and one of the midwives goes to our church, but they didn’t accept our insurance.  So, I asked if they could recommend another office, and they gave me two names, and one of them accepted our insurance, so I made an appointment there.  We had our first appointment on August 26th, and had an ultrasound and got to see the baby, which was pretty incredible. 

Since before I got pregnant I knew I wanted to have a natural birth.  I hadn’t doe much research on either side (natural or medicated), but my mom had five children naturally, my sister had 2 naturally, so I just figured that’s what I would do as well.  I knew I wanted to take a class with Matthew, but the only method I knew of was Lamaze, and I couldn’t find any Lamaze classes in the area.  My friend had given me some information of birthing methods, and it had The Bradley Method listed on it.  So I went online and did some research on it.  I went to the used bookstore and they happened to have the book in stock, and the title practically had me won over and I hadn’t even read the book yet, Husband-Coached Childbirth.  That was the key for me, I so badly wanted Matthew to be in the room, but I also wanted him to understand everything as well so he could be my support, my focus and my coach.  So we started the 12-week course when we were five and a half months pregnant.  One of the assignments is to write out a birth plan, which is the things you want the nurses and doctor to take into consideration when you’re giving birth, so we wrote it out.  One month before we were due we gave the birth plan to one of the doctors at the practice (the only doctor we liked), and he was very rude about it, and had something negative to say about everything on the plan.  This really hurt my feelings (it’s my birth, and we’re paying them), but it really annoyed Matthew.  We both felt strongly about the importance and benefits of natural childbirth, not only for the mother, but also for the baby, and we felt like we shouldn't have to change what we wanted because the doctor thought it would be easier to just drug me and my child up.  Because of that, I checked with my insurance company again and the other doctor’s office now accepted our insurance, so I turned in the paperwork to transfer offices (with only three and a half weeks till my due date), and I was accepted and was able to see the midwife, Irene, who goes to my church.  She was wonderful, and wanted to try to get us a birth like we wanted. 

Now, onto the actual birth.  My due date was February 19th, and by two weeks before I was already very uncomfortable and ready to not be pregnant anymore.  We went to Oregon for my dear friends wedding on January 29th, and I danced a little too much which started Braxton hicks contractions for me.  They weren’t bad, but they were a little painful, and they happened for about 2 weeks.  At midnight on Wednesday the 16th, labor started, and my contractions were 8-10 minutes apart.  Each one hurt, but they were far enough apart that I was able to fall back asleep between each one, so I got a good amount of sleep that night.  I woke up around 9:30 and they were about seven and a half minutes apart, so I took a shower and they slowed to 15 minutes apart.  I took a nap at 11, woke up at noon and they were 5-6 minutes apart.  I went to make lunch and dropped the butter plate which broke, and my dog wanted to get into it, and I couldn’t bend down to pick it up, so hormonal me called Matthew bawling and asked him to come home.  He was in Riverbank that day (5 minutes away), so he came home at 1 and we worked through the contractions together.  I had to be at the hospital earlier than we wanted to because I was Strep B positive, which doesn’t really affect me, but without an IV administered antibiotic it can affect the baby significantly, and has even led to death.  So we left our house and drove the mile to the hospital (nice and close) and got there at 2:45.  They administered us and checked me; I was 4 centimeters dilated and completely thinned out, so I was administered in “active labor.”  We continued to work through the contractions together, and they were a lot harder than I expected.  I knew labor wasn’t going to be easy, and I don’t have a high pain thresh hold, but this is something that women have done for thousands of years, so I figured I could do it un-drugged as well.  But, oh man, it was painful. 

My mom got there at 5:45 pm, and at 6 pm Irene checked me, and I was 6 cm dilated, so she told my mom to go get dinner for her and Matt and Irene went home for dinner saying it was going to be 4 or 5 more hours.  At 6:15 my water broke and the contractions got even harder, and I had a strong urgency to push.  Matt went and told the nurse that my water had broken and I needed to push, and they figured I didn’t know what I was talking about.  So one nurse came in, checked me, and then five or six nurses came pouring in, completely changing the room around, strapping all these wristbands on Matt and me, and calling Irene to come back (she only lives two miles away).  They kept telling me not to push (which is the only thing I wanted to do), and the whole time Matt was amazingly calm and cool, holding my hand, helping me breathe through contractions, and being everything I needed.  Irene got into the room at 6:50, opened my legs and could already see the head.  I pushed 4 times (15 minutes), and then had to stop pushing mid-push because the cord was wrapped around her neck, and she was mega purple.  But once she came out and they put her on my chest she pinked right up and cried a bit, but was just very alert (she wasn’t drugged up) and looking around.  After a few minutes of loving on her they weighed her, measured her and brought her to the warming bed where Matt trimmed her cord and gave her first bath.  She was born at 7:09 pm, weighed 6 lbs, 2 oz and was 18 inches long.


We stayed at the hospital for almost 2 days because they wanted to make sure Brooklynne was okay and didn't have Strep B.  My birth coach had recommended many times that we try to go home as soon as we could, but we had such an incredible experience at the hospital.  Our nurses were incredible, I felt very at ease there, and the food was absolutely amazing!  I didn't have to make meals, or do much of anything for almost 2 days after giving birth, and it was really nice to just relax.  

It all was incredible, and I am so glad I gave birth naturally.  Despite how hard it was, I didn’t put either of us at risk with medication and being able to feel her coming out was completely worth all the pain!  Being able to feel every single part of her birth was by far worth all the pain I went through.  I know you can’t plan births, but her birth went so close to the birth plan, it was amazing!  She is perfect, beautiful and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience, and my recovery has been fantastic.  

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