Unassisted Hospital Birth

Saturday, August 25, I started having a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions but they weren't very strong or consistent and then they just stopped. The same thing happened on Sunday night and all day Monday.

I had a doctor's appointment Tuesday. He checked me and I was 4 centimeters dilated, 80 percent effaced and the baby was almost at 0 station. He went ahead and stripped my membranes and sent me home.

After I got home I walked and walked and walked some more. At about 8 o'clock my contractions were coming pretty steady but they still weren't intensifying and were only lasting about 30 seconds. At midnight they started getting a little stronger, so I started debating on calling my mom to come watch the kids. I waited about an hour and then they started slowing down and I fell asleep.

I woke up at 6:15 a.m. to get the kids ready for school. I was still contracting but again nothing strong and nothing consistent. I told Scott not to go to work because I was afraid of my labor hitting hard and fast and him not making it home in time. At 11 a.m. I decided to call my doctor to see what he thought. He told me to come into the office so he could check me and see what if anything was going on.

I went straight over and found that I was now 5 centimeters and the baby was at 0 station, so he sent me over to the hospital to be monitored. I had to go back by the house to get my bags; then we got checked in at 12:30 p.m.

My doctor came in at 12:45 and said he didn't think it would be wise to let me go home so he suggested we break my water to get things moving along. I agreed. Scott and I then started walking around the hospital.

At 1:45 p.m. my doctor checked me and I was 6 centimeters. My contractions still weren't painful at all so we walked some more. At 3 p.m. my contractions started getting more uncomfortable. We called to make sure the kids got off of the bus OK, then headed back to the room.

At 3:15 p.m. I got in the whirlpool. I was half afraid not walking would slow my labor down but I really wanted the opportunity to use the bath this time. With Jacob and Summer I didn't have time.

Before I go on I want to tell a little about my birth plan. I went natural with Jacob and Summer so I knew I would with this baby. But their births were so alike I really wanted a unique experience this time. I decided I wanted to catch my own baby. My doctor was very supportive of this, which I thought was amazing in itself and everyone at the hospital was completely on board.

Now back to the story. While in the tub it got to where I couldn't talk or listen though a contraction. Then at about 4 p.m. I had two really painful ones. I started to feel a little nauseous and told Scott to call for my nurse. I had two more before I could get to the bed. I could handle them OK while I was standing but when I had one lying down when she was getting ready to check me I thought I was going to die! I was thinking I was probably just now hitting transition and I was going to be about 8 centimeters. I was complete with a little anterior lip.

The nurses all rushed out to call my doctor. When the next contraction hit I told Scott to tell them I was pushing and I couldn't stop! He hesitated for a second, not wanting to leave me, then ran out, told them and ran back. As he came back in the baby started to crown. I had rolled over onto my left side and was birthing my baby all by myself. I reached down with the next contraction and supported him as I pushed. The nurses came in when the head was about half out. Once I delivered the head one of the nurses reached in to do something – I'm not quite sure what – but then the next contraction came and she backed off as I pushed him the rest of the way out.

As soon as I started pushing that time we noticed the cord was wrapped loosely around his neck so as he came out I held his head and shoulders in my left hand, let his body slip onto the bed and removed the cord with my right.

Ronan Elliot Fertig was born on August 29 at 4:18 p.m. into his mommy's loving hands. How awesome is that! He was three weeks and two days early, weighed 5 pounds, 14.5 ounces and was 19 inches long!

The nurses just handed me blankets to dry and stimulate him with. He cried right away. They offered for me to suction him but I was afraid of being too timid to get him cleared out good and he sounded a little gooky. So the nurse did it while I held him. We waited a good five minutes or so for the cord to stop pulsing before they clamped it and Scott cut it.

My doctor arrived at a little after 4:30.