Having gone through one labor and delivery already, I constantly compared what I thought the second time would be like to the first. The two pregnancies were very different too. I knew the two labors wouldn't be anything close to the same.
With Gunner, I had a very easy pregnancy with little to no complaints until the last few weeks. (Towards the end, no one is comfortable and everyone is ready for it to end!) I chose the traditional hospital route with all the things that come along with it, including the epidural. It was the exact right choice for me at that moment in my life. The labor was long (18 hours) and we were in the hospital for two nights and nearly three days. I hated every moment of that hospital stay after he was born. I was miserable, uncomfortable, exhausted, annoyed by everyone and everything, and didn't feel like I was able to bond with my child like I heard everyone talk about. Once we got home and more used to having a newborn, things seemed better and life took on a new "normal". My second pregnancy was much more uncomfortable. I started feeling aches and pains much sooner. I had morning sickness more, though thank goodness it only amounted to lots of nausea. I started showing sooner. I was more moody and irritable than the first time. It was a lot more exhausting too. Very different!
As we started discussing baby #2, I had a few more opinions on how I wanted things to go the next time around. I was toying around with the idea of delivering at a new birthing center just minutes from our house. I didn't know a lot about how that would work, but I knew two things. 1- I would have almost complete control over everything that happened during labor and delivery, within reason. 2- I wouldn't be able to have a pain free labor. The first point was super appealing. The second, not so much. As we weighed our options, the birth center seemed like a really good choice. We started doing our research and preparing for a totally unmedicated birth.
For the people in my life that know me well, this seemed like a terrible idea. I do not deal well with pain or being uncomfortable. This was going to be a mind over matter task, and I needed support from those who knew how to handle me. Those two people were Daniel and my mom. We all started watching lots of videos regarding natural childbirth and ways to cope with pain. Daniel and I took a class which really helped, and I got a lot out of hypnobirthing videos on YouTube. (It sounds hooky, but it's actually pretty interesting and informative) We all took turns reading The Birth Partner, which was really good at breaking down labor into detailed stages. We took a tour of the birth center and decided this was the way we wanted to go. (If you haven't heard of it, check out their website! http://bcnwa.com) They accept several of the major insurance providers in this area, and when it was all said and done we paid a lot less than we did with baby #1! Along with arming ourselves with information, we took lots of walks for a while. There was a span of several weeks where I didn't get in many walks because I was having a ton of lower back pain. Towards the end of the third trimester, we made a point to take one long walk every evening. It was NOT fun. I was waddling down the walking trail just aching and whining the whole way. I'm quite sure it helped with getting the baby down in the right position though. I walked a ton the first pregnancy, and Gunner was born on his due date! Levi ended up being born the day after his!
A little about the birth center...
This birth center is not physically attached to a hospital, but it is right across the street from Mercy. The main concerns that were raised in the beginning all involved the safety of the baby and myself in the event of an emergency. They have many ways to deal with different emergencies at the center, and if they determine that a transfer to the hospital is needed, the ambulance can zoom over quickly. The thing that keeps them from having too many emergencies is the fact that they only accept very low risk mothers. They are very particular about who they will see, and that is in the best interest of everyone. I was lucky enough to be low risk and a perfect candidate.
Instead of seeing a doctor for my prenatal care, I saw certified nurse midwives at the center. They were wonderful and I really felt like we got great personal care with each of them.
The facility looks and feels like a high end hotel. The rooms are so nice and comfortable. (Check out the photos on their website!)
You do not have to wear a hospital gown or have an IV there. I was able to move around and labor like I wanted, which is not usually something you are free to do at a hospital. I was also encouraged to eat and drink during labor.
I had regular appointments, just like I did at the hospital. They post everything from each appointment online under your secure file so that you can log in and see it if you want. I had direct contact with everyone there (including the midwives) through email, and they always replied very quickly. I really loved that, because if I had any questions or concerns I could get in touch with someone fast.
Probably my favorite thing about the birth center was that they let you go home within 4 hours of delivery, as long as mom and baby are doing well.
Throughout my pregnancy people would ask me where the baby was going to be born or which doctor I was seeing. I would say that I was seeing a midwife at the birth center. I got a few funny looks when I would tell people that, and often they would ask why I wasn't seeing a doctor and why I would ever want to have a natural childbirth. I can very much relate to that question, because that's exactly how my mind worked when I was getting ready for the first baby. I never even entertained the idea of a non medicated birth. It was epidural all the way. It would have been AWFUL if I had attempted a natural birth the first time around. I was in no way mentally ready for something like that, so I am glad we didn't try it. I'm pretty sure it would have ended up with an epidural anyway! There are several factors that went in to the decision the second time. The first time around, I wasn't really allowed to be mobile in the hospital to help things progress. I was more encouraged to stay laying down in the bed. This kept things from progressing much, slowing down my labor. The second time, I was encouraged to labor at home as long as I could and to be up moving around. At the hospital, I had to get an IV for fluids and medication. Unfortunately, the nurse who gave me the IV ended up busting the veins in both of my hands before finally getting it set up in the vein on my thumb! Ouch. I think I complained about that in between contractions the most. No IV needed at the birth center. They actually don't hook you up to anything, and use a little Doppler to monitor the baby's heart rate throughout. You aren't supposed to eat or drink anything at the hospital, but at the birth center they want you to eat (nothing too heavy) and drink water during labor. The main points that drove me to choosing a natural birth had to do with things after the baby was born. I had a difficult time coming off all the drugs after the first baby. It gave me a terrible headache and made me feel all around bad afterward. I didn't have that natural high you are supposed to experience immediately afterward. I couldn't move my legs for about 4-5 hours afterward, so I couldn't get up for quite some time. I didn't get the chance to breastfeed until more than an hour after he was born, and at that point he was entering the deep sleepy phase that babies hit shortly after they are born. We continued to struggle with that for the entire ten months that he nursed. At the birth center, I wouldn't have to worry about the side effects of any drugs. Also, one of the things they really encourage immediately after delivery is skin to skin with the mom and breastfeeding as soon as possible. Something I had requested at the hospital was delayed cord clamping, but they didn't seem too concerned with making that happen. We were able to delay any cord clamping with Levi for 8 minutes!
There were lots of things that made me want to completely change things up the second time. I am totally happy with how it all went! If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't change a thing.
Stay tuned for Part Two - Levi's Birthday!
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