zoe's birth story

I went into labor with my daughter on 10/3 in the wee hours of the morning. My contractions were pretty spaced out and irregular, but I knew that I was in labor nonetheless. My contractions were all in my back, which I knew signified baby was more than likely in a weird position or posterior. I spent some time walking around and following the instruction of my doula to do different positions, miles circuit, etc to try and kick my labor from early to active.

At one point my contractions were pretty regular so I headed to the birth center. When I arrived things almost completely stalled. Contractions were anywhere from 10-8 mins apart. After talking to my doula and my midwives I decided to go back home and labor there. 

When I got home, I continued to do all the things to help encourage my contractions to become more regular and also change from being in my back to being in my abdomen. 

With no luck, after nearly 15hrs of laboring I decided I was in need to some help and told my midwives I thought I needed to come back to the center. 

When I arrived, they were blowing up the birth pool and getting things set up. I continued to labor all night there at the center. My contractions started picking up, however they were still all in my back. 

After laboring for nearly 24 hours, and out of pure exhaustion, I made the conscious decision that I needed to transport to the nearest hospital to get some pain intervention or I worried I wouldn’t have the energy to push. 

Upon arrival at the hospital, I was met with kindness and support from the L&D nurses. They weren’t judgmental or fear inducing as I worried the L&D would be after I had labored for so long. 

I received a light epidural and continued to labor with the peanut ball and position changes for another few hours. Next thing I knew, it was time to push. My daughter was born at 8am the morning of 10/4 (one of 3% born on her due date!) at a hefty 9lbs 7oz. No tearing, no complications. 

While I am disappointed in the fact that I had to transfer, I am thankful I had the support of my midwives both prenatal and postpartum, my doula, and the L&D during that trying time to help bring baby into this world. 

Me and baby were both perfectly healthy and are a shining example that not all transfers have to be seen in a negative or traumatizing light.