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Megan shares her HBA3C birth story. Thank you for sharing your story for all to read!

William Tyler was born after 40 hours of labor at my midwife’s house. He was my first vaginal birth after three Cesareans!

On Wednesday the 6th, my husband had left town for work. I felt like I should tell him to stay but nothing was happening so he had to go. Then, of course, as the evening progressed, I kept having the occasional, strong contraction. I knew this baby was gonna come soon, so by 9 that night I made the decision to drive the two hours to Spokane and stay in a hotel for the night. I knew I didn’t want to be in active labor in the car. An hour into the drive, my contractions started coming 10 minutes apart and I was starting to vocalize a bit through them. (I am not the silent labor type, haha.)

I stopped by my midwife’s house to get a quick check before heading to the hotel. My blood pressure was still high (it had been for a few weeks but labs were clear and everything else was fine and it was stable) so I made sure to get my electrolyte drink to help control it. She sent me off with her peanut ball and after a quick stop at the store I made it to my hotel by midnight. With contractions 10 minutes apart all night I didn’t sleep. At 6 am on the 7th, little man’s due date, I got breakfast, took a shower, then left the hotel around 7:30. At this point I called my birth team to head to the midwife’s house. (My husband and birth photographer were 2 hours away while my doula was an hour away.)

I have to say that whole first day was pretty enjoyable. Contractions were between 6 and 10 minutes all day though they did increase in strength. My doula and photographer and husband made it a fun day. We were laughing and watching movies between contractions and having a good time. 

I found that the birth pool was my saving grace. When I got too tired or the contractions were coming too fast and strong and I needed a break, if I got in the pool they would space out so I could rest and even get little micro naps. By that evening my birth team needed to sleep so I labored throughout the night, laying down when I needed to. I don’t know how anyone slept through my yelling!

The morning of the 8th came and things were getting quite serious. (I was disappointed he didn’t come on his due date!) My husband got breakfast from Denny’s and it was a strawberry crepe. It was seriously the best thing I’ve ever eaten.

At 6:30 that morning I got my one and only check. I was 5-6 centimeters and felt like I had so long to go since I’d already been in labor so long already. My team assured me that that was great and I was doing great.

At this point I felt like my contractions were on top of each other and I was starting to lose a little control and panic at how much they hurt. I did a little crying and needed to get in the pool to gain control again and rest. After I got out, I decided next time I got in, I wouldn’t get out until the baby was born. 

For the next few hours or so I was having to bear down during contractions. I was excited cause it meant baby was coming down and would be born soon. When I couldn’t take it anymore, I knew I needed to get back in the pool. I was actively pushing during these contractions. I was starting to get scared at the force of my body and feeling like I couldn’t possibly do it, but also knowing I was way past the point of no return. In between one of those contractions I remember asking my husband if we had told anyone to feed our dogs.

My water broke during a contraction and immediately after I was taken over by the fetal ejection reflex. Let me tell you, I didn’t think it was possible for the body to handle that level of intensity and pain, and the sounds that came out of me were ones I didn’t know I could make. After several of these contractions, he started to crown. Ring of fire, baby! I held his head as it was born. Feeling his body wiggle and rotate while still inside me was such a strange feeling! I was kneeling while pushing but pulled up one leg after his head was born. One final contraction and his body slid out. I pulled him onto my chest then helped back into a sitting position. He cried right away. His back was covered in a thick layer of vernix so I sat there and rubbed it in while he cleared his lungs.

The placenta detached within minutes and the pressure was awful on my tailbone so I got out to deliver it. I sat on the birth stool and guided it out myself. It was such a relief! After I got settled in the bed and William was latching, I slept. I didn’t know I slept until they told me he had been born for 2 hours and I couldn’t believe it! We got a few pictures with the placenta and then my husband cut the cord so we could do measurements. 7 lbs 9 oz and 21 inches. Everyone was surprised at how big he was! (I had two previous IUGR babies)

Looking back I can say it was a beautiful, incredible journey. It wasn’t peaceful and calm. It was raw, and primal. And that’s ok. Because while birth looks different for everyone, it is still beautiful.