birth story.

I added a link above to the novel-length version of Chloe's birth story but here is a summary in case you don't feel like you need or want all the details. :P

I started timing contractions at 6:00pm on March 30. I labored at home for 12 hours before heading to the hospital around 6:00am on March 31. My midwife performed a cervical check once we got to our room and announced that I was 8 centimeters!

I spent about four hours total laboring there at the hospital, most of which was in the bath. I agreed to let my midwife break my bag of waters, which was actually bulging out of my vagina! So, of course, I had to reach down and feel it. She broke my water while I was in the bath and noticed meconium in the fluid. Thankfully, this posed no complications for the birth. The baby’s heartbeat was being checked periodically by fetal doppler. I was also able to go without a saline lock.

I was going to have a water birth until the fetal doppler did not pick up the baby’s heartbeat after multiple attempts by the nurse. I was instructed to head back over to the bed so I could get checked with the EFM. Luckily, the EFM picked up the baby’s heartbeat right away and everything was fine. I remained on the bed for the second stage and gave birth to Chloe Marcella on my hands and knees after just two contractions! She joined the world at 10:08am on March 31, weighing 8 lbs, 15oz and measuring 20.5 inches long. All I ended up with was a “papercut” but no stitches. I am barely even sore and Chloe and I are both doing great. :)