My Birth Story
Taking a break to talk about pelvic floor physical therapy and share my birth story with you. I know some people are crazy like me and enjoy reading birth stories! :)
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I went to my 40-week prenatal appointment at the Charleston Birth Place (CBP) at 2 pm on April 3, 2024. I was 39 w 5 d pregnant. I had my first cervical check performed where I was told that I was 1 cm dilated, 50-60% effaced, and -1 station. I had some light spotting from the exam that afternoon, but I dismissed it due to no other symptoms. That evening, I had Braxton Hicks contractions around 8-9 pm but that was usual for me on a daily basis my last month of pregnancy. I decided to go to bed at 9:30 pm that night, joking with my husband that he better pack his hospital bag because it could happen "any day now!” He did not pack of course :)
At 12:34 am on April 4, 2024, I had a sudden, strange urge that woke me up from my slumber. You know that feeling you get when you are about to puke? It felt like that sort of but without the nausea. As soon as I stood up from bed to run to the restroom, fluid started running down my legs. I grabbed a beach towel from the linen closet immediately because I had realized that my water broke! I on April 4, 2024 my water broke. I was one of the 5% of people whose water broke first! I knew it was rare and was even told in a birth prep class that it is always shown in the movies but rarely does labor begin with such an obvious sign. I felt a slight bit of panic in that moment realizing I had taken a Unisom (sleeping pill safe during pregnancy) prior to bed since I had been struggling with insomnia for a few weeks and was still working full-time. I texted my boss that I would not be able to make it to my last planned day of work. Then, we called the midwife at CBP at 1 am who advised I labor at home a little longer until my contractions were more intense and closer together. Since my mother and sister have experience as labor and delivery nurses in Chattanooga, TN, I called them quickly with hopes that they would make it to my birth in time.
Unable to go back to sleep, I began doing some gentle pelvic exercises on my yoga ball, performed the Miles Circuit, and did lots of yoga stretches to help open up my pelvis and provide relief. Around 9 am Thursday morning, my contractions were getting more intense. It was at this time that my parents and sister arrived at our home. We decided to make the trek to the CBP around 10 am since rush hour traffic was through. We made it by 11 am, and my second cervical check was performed. To my disappointment, I was only 2 cm! My husband and I decided to go on a walk on the little trail outside of the birth center to calm my nerves and help progress my labor. I performed abdominal scoops, pushing baby lower into my pelvis during each contraction (as recommended by my midwife). I remember it was a beautiful day—sunny and 70 degrees!
At 4 pm, I felt like I had reached transition since I was experiencing intense pain. To my dismay, a third cervical check revealed I was only 4 cm at 4 pm on April 4, 2024! I was exhausted by this point after getting only 2 hours of sleep the last night. I found out later that my husband teared up and left the room for a brief moment to collect himself after hearing that I was only 4 cm as well. He came back in shortly after and held my hand as I labored on my side with a peanut ball in the bed. At 5 pm, the midwife checked me again since I was reporting a lot of pressure. We were all relieved to hear that I was 9 cm dilated! I was not expecting to jump from 4 to 9 cm in 1 hour! It brought me great relief to know that my labor was not in vain! Around 6 pm, my husband assisted me into the birth tub because wanted to see if the water would provide some pain relief, and I was open to the idea of a water birth. However, I felt very uncomfortable in the tub, slipping and sliding with difficulty regulating my body temperature. I recall getting hot flashes during contractions and then cold chills in between them. I could tell I was unable to push in the tub, so I climbed out around 7 pm and began pushing in side lying with the peanut ball in the bed. After about 1 hour of pushing, my son—Gabriel Lucas Flores— was born at 8:09 pm on 4/4/24! He was 7 lb 6 oz and 20 inches long. Unmedicated birth was the hardest thing I’ve ever done physically, spiritually, and mentally but the Lord was so present with me the whole time. Charleston Birth Place provided such an amazing prenatal, labor & delivery, and postpartum experience for me! I would 10/10 recommend it!