Alexander's Birth Story - Part 2

Once we got into our room the "fun" really started. While preparing for labor, I had read about a woman who put a positive spin on her contractions saying "Here comes a good one!" whenever she had a really rough contraction. The idea was that every contraction, and especially the very strong ones, were getting you closer and closer to meeting your baby. So I tried my darnest to say "That was a good one"...and not gobs of obscenities like I really wanted to say!

Part of our birth plan was for me to labor without medical intervention. It was important to me both for the health of our baby but also to manage and not cause any more damage to my hips and pelvis. The recommendation of my chiropractor, physical therapist, and midwife was for me to do my best to labor without an epidural in order to prevent myself from being put in positions that could cause lasting damage. Also, in Norway, it is much more common to have alternative methods of pain relief (i.e. birthing tub, gas and air, changing positions, massage, etc.)

I had been dreaming about the birthing tub for the last few weeks of pregnancy and as soon as the midwife said it was ready I jumped in! I guess I had expected it to totally take the pain away of the contractions...it did not. But it did help me relax a lot! After an hour in the tub I crawled into the bed (a real bed...not a small lumpy hospital bed!) It was large enough that Arthur could lay next to me and give me encouragement every time I had a contraction.

At this point things start to get fuzzy for me. I completely lost track of time and was just trying to deal with the contractions. I felt the urge to push around the same time as a midwife shift change. I could have really cared less about the shift change...I was really to get this baby out! But it was a really good thing because the midwife we had was NOT very helpful or attentive. The one that came after the shift change was incredible.

I began pushing around 9pm...my body was ready! I had Arthur in one ear and the midwife in the other. Both were softly encouraging me through each contraction. It wasn't like you see in the movies with screaming and bright florescent lights. My room was dark and everyone was calm and speaking quietly...I would almost describe it as cozy! I think Arthur must have told me he loved me a hundred times. It felt like I pushed for days...I really didn't know. I do know it HURT! Holy Moly!

And then he was born.

That moment of seeing him for the first time, seeing and hearing Arthur's reaction. I can't put it into words. 

I remember thinking he was so long! They put him on my chest and I had this overwhelming feeling that the three of us had just accomplished something incredible. Everyone left the room for a while and we had this gift of time and privacy with our son. We laid in bed and just marveled at how perfect he was. Arthur said a prayer over our new family. I knew these were moments that had just changed us for the rest of our lives.

Later on they told us that the cord had been wrapped around his neck four times but they weren't worried because they were able to unwrap it super fast before he was even out. The wonderful midwife brought us some cookies, sandwiches, and juice (in champagne glasses to celebrate) and was in and out, quietly, for the next hour or so. She weighed and measured Alexander and told me I could take a shower.

Around 1am, when we were ready, she walked us the short walk to the hospital hotel (connected to the hospital) and we checked into a room on the second floor. It's a floor dedicated to new moms and staffed with midwifes, lactation consultants, and nurses. They made sure we had what we needed for the night...talked to us briefly about what we needed to do as far as feeding and diaper changes and then told us if we needed anything just to call. We were able to stay there for 3 days...what a wonderful experience!

The only one that slept that night was Alexander. We were both too excited and still processing everything that had just happened. We had a son! We were parents! Wow!