The main reason I’m writing this is because I will discuss my birth plan for Baby Bean in my next pregnancy update. Those details will make more sense in the context of my experience with giving birth to Meghan.
Another reason, perhaps just as important, is that every birth is a story worth telling. We all enter the world differently. Every person has a story of how she made her appearance. This is Meghan’s.
The weeks leading up to her birth were an exciting time. Everything was ready–her nursery had been painted and decorated, clothes washed and hung, my house, thanks to the nesting instinct, was cleaner than it’d ever been. We were ready to meet our little girl.
I loved my doctor. He was the type of doctor who talked for me to at least 20 minutes during my visits, explained everything so well, and made me feel comfortable. At the end of each appointment, he hugged me like we were old friends.
Because of this relationship, I trusted him. It was my first pregnancy and I mostly listened to what he said without much question. I was only on the beginning of my journey to a more natural lifestyle, so I didn’t even consider a natural birth. I followed the status quo.
So when he told me he wanted to “strip my membranes” a few weeks before my due date, I figured it was standard procedure and said okay, sure, why not. He did, and it was tremendously painful. It was the beginning of a list of things I’d do differently if I had the knowledge I have now.
The Saturday night before Meghan’s birth wasn’t unlike a lot of Saturday nights in Tim and my married life. We had plans to meet up with friends to celebrate a birthday. After a long work week, however, I was tired. My body was telling me that it didn’t want to leave the couch that night.
So we cancelled our plans and stayed home. When you are one week away from your due date, you have some leeway to cancel plans. People understand.
I was in bed early, but sometime between deep sleep and dawn, I was awake. A contraction. Was that real? I’d been having Braxton Hicks contractions on and off that week, but this felt different. This hurt.
A while later, another one. They kept coming. It was the middle of the night. Of course it was the middle of the night; doesn’t everyone seem to go into labor in the middle of the night?
I’d been waiting for this so my excitement trumped the pain. I was dilated 2 cm for over a week and hoped it meant Meghan was coming early.
I didn’t want to wake Tim, so I endured the contractions secretly, in the silence of the night, for about four hours. They were still not alarmingly close together or something I needed him to help me with, so I let him sleep. I did not sleep.
A little after 7am, I went downstairs and started writing down when the contractions were coming. 10 minutes apart, 8 minutes apart, 10 minutes apart, 5 minutes apart, 7 minutes apart. They weren’t regular yet, and while they were painful, they didn’t make me drop to my knees in anguish.
After almost five hours of this, the contractions finally started getting closer together and more regular. I called my doctor and he advised me to head to the hospital. Looking back, I was anxious to get to the hospital, but we probably went too early.
We arrived at the hospital around 12:30 and I was sent to the Triage Room to be checked. Somehow, once we got there, my contractions stopped coming close together. They were barely registering. The nurse informed me I was only dilated 3 cm and would likely be sent home.
Check back for part 2 tomorrow.
I love hearing birth stories, it reminds me of my earlier days (11 years ago) of working in the nursery and mother baby unit and of course my own birth stories.
The whole stripping the membranes thing had me so freaked out, I did it for one of my pregnancies but not the other two. OUCH!
I will NOT be doing that this time. I think that pain was worse than any of the contractions I had. Seriously. I don’t know why, but that hurt me like nothing else!
I’ve been so interested in birth stories lately. Especially after watching “The Business of Being Born”. I highly recommend it if you haven’t seen it. Can’t wait to read more!
I haven’t seen it. I’ll have to check it out–thanks for the recommendation.
very excited to hear part 2!
I bet it will be sooo different with your little baby boy and I really hope you will have a wonderful birth experience!
I’m on the edge of my seat! Can’t wait to hear the rest! I’ve never had a baby but the whole process intrigues me.
Ooooo I had my membranes stripped too and it was awful!!!
Ooooh, I love birth stories 😀 Can’t wait for the second part! I know exactly what you mean. I only wish I was more informed the first time around. I’m very lucky things went so well but I should have known way more than I did. I always tell new moms, do your research!
I always hear about women talking about having their membranes stripped as such an awful experience. I’ve had no problem with it before, but my Dr waited till my due date the first time around so maybe that made a difference? The first time I had it done it sent me into labor a few hours later and I had my son that night. It was uncomfortable but didn’t hurt that time. The second time I had them stripped a few times and it didn’t do a thing and my daughter still came late but it still didn’t bother me at all. Funny how two can be so different.
I went into labor with my son in the early afternoon and had him in the early evening. My daughter, I had at 10:30-ish at night after a really short labor even though I was having contractions on and off all day. I hear of so many going in the middle of the night.
Sorry for writing such a loooong comment. This post has me super excited because I’m expecting again! I’m working on a post to share the news right now but I just couldn’t help myself and had to share with someone 😀
Congratulations!! I’m so happy for you!! 🙂 Can’t wait to read your post.
I love baby stories!
I always thought I would be like everyone else and go into labor in the middle of the night…But around 2 in the afternoon I started getting contractions. My husband was like an hour away at work, and my GRANDPA was visiting! it was a fun day. definitely memorable hahah
I can’t wait to read the next installment. I love birth stories. I would love to write Isabel’s sometime too!
I would love to read Isabel’s!
Everyone has a story and every mom has a story to share, glad you’re sharing yours! …I’m very curious to hear all about your first birth! The ‘stripping your membranes’ doesn’t sound fun and I wonder why he did that? I have a slight idea on what that is, but not full knowledge….. You sure did get a wonderful gift at the end 🙂
Stripping the membranes is a way to induce labor. The doctor basically uses his fingers to separate the bag of water from the uterus. I didn’t even know what it was when he suggested it; he just said it could help move things along so I agreed.
can’t wait to check back for part 2!!
What does strip your membranes mean? I am kind of clueless to baby stuff.
Oh, now that you ask I realize I should have given a description. I sure didn’t know what it was when the doctor suggested it–I just went with it. It’s a way to induce labor. Basically, the doctor uses his finger to separate the bag of water from your uterus. This is supposed to release hormones and cause contractions to start.