My Birth Story

Everyone’s birth story is different. Even the two births of my sons were drastically different! Almost polar opposites actually. One was a c-section and the other was a v-bac. Here is my birth story of my second born!

6/29/2019

I went into labor on my last day of work before maternity leave, I was 38 weeks and 1 day. When I went into labor with my first I was 38 weeks and 3 days so both were very close in gestational age. I had been trying all week to naturally induce labor, bouncing on a birth ball, eating pineapple, even a 4 mile walk one night! You name it and I tried it. Couldn’t tell you for sure if anything worked or not, but I did go from 0 dilation and not effaced to dilated to 3.5 cm and 80% effaced in one week.

Earlier in the week I had been having a lot of Braxton Hicks and thought I was going into labor multiple times. Nothing that I ever went to L&D for but enough to make my husband stay home from work. So when I started having real contractions I didn’t think much of it and still went to work. By the time I got to work my contractions were consistent enough to be time them 6 to 7 minutes apart this was at 10 a.m. I worked though my client since I only had one, I’m a hairstylist. However, by the end of doing her hair I hurried and cleaned my station and told myself I need to get out of here before I have another contraction.

Once I was at home I’m pretty sure my husband didn’t believe I was actually in labor since I had thought so many times during the week. We went to Home Depot to buy flowers for our garden. Once we got there, I was in pain and couldn’t walk through contractions. I told my husband it was time to go home. This was around 1:15 p.m. We called my doctor on the way home and she instructed me to not take my time getting to L&D since my pervious labor had gone so quickly. I went from a 3 cm dilation to a 10 in 1.5 hours.

We got home and had to get our oldest son squared away with lunch and his sitter, my brother-in-law, and load up the car with our hospital bags. By the time all of this was done and we got to the hospital it was 2 p.m. and I was not handling my contractions well. Triage seemed like it was taking years! I was already dilated to an 8 and having contractions every 2 minutes.

Finally we were admitted and in a room. I am a baby when it comes to pain and was begging for an epidural or anything to stop the pain at this point. Well, unfortunately for me I was almost dilated to a 10 and the epidural wouldn’t be effective in time. I also couldn’t get fentanyl in my IV because I was too close to pushing. Fentanyl crosses the placenta and goes to the baby so you cant have it close to the time the baby is born to keep them from being lethargic at birth. I was able to get an intrathecal, which is a one time shot in the spine that lasts about 2 hours. This was supposed to kick in in 15 minutes but mine did not for about 30 minutes! I commend you moms that give birth without any pain medication! You all are superwoman! Like I said I don’t handle pain well and was making my husband a little nauseous with my screams.

Before my pain meds kicked in, it was time to start pushing. I pushed for 2 hours with my first and he didn’t budge past my pelvic bone. Once I had a c-section with him it turned out his hand was in the way and his shoulder was blocking him from passing the pelvis bone. I was determined for a v-bac because of how hard the recovery was for me from the cesarean. Between the pain and not being able to do stairs while living on the third floor of my apartment complex it caused me to have some minor postpartum depression. Luckily I had an amazing L&D nurse, a very supportive OBGYN, and husband, and step-sister in the room to support me. after about 30 minutes of pushing my baby was placed onto my chest. Silas Jordan Juarez Galan was born at 3:47 p.m.

During the birth of our first son I felt so out of control and was young so I didn’t feel like I could ask for what I wanted my birth to be like. My husband was able to cut the cord this time after waiting for the cord to stop pulsing. Both of which we didn’t have last time. I was able to do skin to skin and start breast feeding right away. Last time I didn’t even get to hold my son until he was about 2 hours old. The best part of my delivery was the support that I felt and the control I felt.

Since I didn’t have the epidural I was able to get up and shower shortly after. We ate dinner and my son came in to meet his baby brother all before heading to the mom baby unit. My oldest meeting his little brother was one of the happiest moments of my life. My heart definitely grew a few sizes in that moment.

I am so happy to be home from the hospital and enjoying our time as a family of four. How many are in your family and their ages? Let me know in the comments below! and thank you for reading my birth story.