Bob arrived 5 days after my EDD. I lost my mucus plug on the 16th and started having irregular contractions. I called the birthing center and was told to come in. I was 1cm, baby was still pretty high up so the MW gave me a membrane sweep. After we got home the contractions started getting more painful, about 10 minutes apart. I couldn't sleep and called at around 2am them and they said I should come in.
I was allowed to stay and was monitored. They gave me cocodemol for the pain which helped me catch some sleep. I relaxed in the pool afterwards and was able to catch a little more sleep.
They said baby's was lying posterior, his back to my back, which can make labour excruciatingly long and painful. The MW said most babies turn right before birth. But I was pissed off because I was in so much pain yet I was being told I hadn't gone into labour yet. I was barely 2 cm, so they sent me back home.
When we got home things started to really happen. I was having 2-3 contractions every 10 minutes lasting more than 2 minutes. I decided I'd had enough of the birthing center and went to the hospital near the house. After being poked around and tossed about, we were told they didn't have enough beds and that we'd have to go elsewhere. So we had to go back to the hospital were we would have gone had we decided to forgo the birthing center.
When I got there thankfully I was already 3cm. They only consider women to be in labour when they are 4 cm, but instead of sending me back home they gave me a bed in triage. The MW said the same thing too, that I wasn't in labour and that when I was I would know. So I thought to myself, if I haven't started labour yet and I'm already in this much pain, I don't know how much more I can take. I
The pain woke me up. Crap! I can't describe it. It felt like someone was shoving hot coal into my back and stabbing my womb with prongs. I started screaming with the contractions, which were coming hard and fast. Worst of all the only thing that brought relief was pushing. Which I knew was not a good feeling that early on. The MW checked me out and I was 4cm. She took me to labour ward. The two MW's in charge of me introduced themselves to me and I gave my name as 'Epidural!'.
I got my epidural; which was pure bliss! Was able to rest. At this point I had been having regular contractions for over 36hours. They broke my waters and administered pitocin and there I was for over 12 hours, without progress. Then all of a sudden Bob's heart rate dropped. They got me to change positions when they still couldn't find it they hit the panic alarm. Suddenly about 7 people rushed into the room and before I knew it I was being wheeled into theater. I was scared shitless. I just lay there, paralyzed from my waist down, crying, feeling helpless, thinking I'm going to lose my baby.
One emergency c-section later and Bob was born. When they showed him to me over the curtain, kicking and screaming, all 7pounds 14ounces of him, I was so overwhelmed. Word's can't express how happy I was.
I wanted a natural birth. At the same time I've always prayed for whats best for me and my baby. Only God knows if things would have turned out differently if I'd used the birthing center. After this experience I think I'll stick to giving birth in the hospital. Aside from the lightening quick response time, the care was fantastic. There were one or two nasty MW, you'll find disgruntled workers in every profession. Otherwise, the staff were very kind and reassuring. They literally held my hand through the entire procedure. For me, personally, there is a lesson to be learnt here; which is that labour is unpredictable; anything can happen, even with a low risk pregnancy.
