All Natural Labor with Pitocin: Stacey’s Birth Story
A Labor and Delivery with Pitocin, that STILL Ended up All Natural!
As mamas to be we make birth plans. We dream about what labor will be like. We research, plan, and prepare our butts off for the big day ahead!
You can choose your doctor. You can pick your hospital of choice for delivery (or no hospital if that’s your choice). Maybe you even already know if you want that epidural or want to breathe it out.
Even with all the preparation and planning in the world, you still REALLY have no control over that big day.
Let’s take a trip into a birth story from the east coast that turned one mom’s plans upside down!
**This post contains affiliate links to items I own and love and am confident will benefit you immensely! You can read the full disclosure here.**
Meet Stacey, Whose Baby Had Birth Plans of Her Own.
Samantha Danielle was born on Saturday, January 8th, 2011 at Trident Medical Center in North Charleston, South Carolina.
I had planned on delivering her at Charleston Birth Place (a birth center), just down the street from the hospital and having a water birth but Sam arrived 3.5 weeks early!
I had to deliver at the hospital for safety measures. My midwife Judy (from CBP) said that if Sam was 3 weeks early instead of 3.5, I still could’ve delivered at the birth center. Sam had other plans!
It all worked out in the end and I couldn’t be happier with how it all unfolded.
The Birth Story of Samantha Danielle
I worked my last shift at Starbucks on Tuesday, January 4th and I pre-closed (famously known to be the hardest of shifts!)
I had two appointments on Wednesday (1 at Charleston Birth Place and 1 to meet the doctor associated with Trident Medical Center, just in case).
The appointments did not go as planned and I ended up having to go on bed rest after discovering that I had high blood pressure at my first appointment. I then went to the next appointment to meet Dr. Martin and proceeded to go straight to Trident Medical Center where they took blood work, checked my blood pressure, and gave me a huge liter jug to pee in for the next 24 hours.
They released me (thankfully) under the presumption that I would return to CBP the next day to get checked out and hand over the jug!
I returned to CBP the next day not knowing if I would need to stay on bed rest or not.
Judy, my midwife, took my blood pressure and ordered me on official bed rest for the duration of the pregnancy.
I was at 36 weeks and thought I had one LONG month ahead. I had to cancel 2 baby showers, cancel all my remaining shifts at work, and lay on my left side as much as possible.
The next day (Friday) I did as I was told – rested, drank lots of water.
I, however, was getting bored already!
I held my head high though because it was all for the good of Samantha being healthy!
I decided on that 1st day that I was going to complete 1 “mini-project” a day and on that day I made out all the envelopes for Sam’s future baby announcements (boy, I’m glad I did – little did I know how soon she was going to arrive — the next day!)
From Bed Rest to Baby Having
That Friday night, Nate got home from bartending at the Mustard Seed. We watched some television and I decided to go to bed early to rest. I went to bed and Nate stayed up watching tv.
I woke up to go to the bathroom around midnight and Nate was still up watching tv and eating cheese, pepperoni, and crackers. I ate a little sandwich of all three and then went back to bed.
At 3 am Saturday morning, I felt a warm trickle down my leg while laying in bed that woke me up in the middle of a dead sleep.
I got out of bed and went to the bathroom to see what was going on.
Immediately upon standing, water kept gushing out. I left a puddle on our hardwood floors in front of our bedroom!
I instantly knew what was happening – my water broke!
I woke Nate up (he was sleeping) and told him what happened. I said “this is it,” Sam’s coming! We didn’t know what to do since it was the middle of the night. I knew water breaking meant the baby was starting the process of labor but didn’t know what step to take next.
Nate and I realized we didn’t even have our bags packed and we freaked out a little.
I had a list of things to pack so 1 by 1 we ended up getting organized and packing in a hustled way. We decided I needed to call Charleston Birth Place and the midwife on call (we didn’t know who that was yet) after I googled “water breaking” and realized it could be an emergency to get things moving along.
Luckily, through CBP there is always one midwife on call who answers the phone 24/7. I called the number for the call service and they said the midwife would call me right back.
5 minutes later, Judy called and I told her my water broke.
She asked if I was having contractions yet and I said no.
She said to go back to bed and call her in the morning once my contractions started.
So We Waited Through the Night After My Water Broke!
Nate and I then went to lay in bed. We both realized that we hadn’t really looked over the notes I prepared about labor.
Before falling asleep, we read aloud through my birth and labor notes. We were essentially “studying” or “cramming!” (I made notes on The Bradley Method Book as well as the Hypnobirthing Morgan Method book)
Nate fell right asleep. I couldn’t on the other hand because I could feel some cramping starting to develop in my tummy.
The next morning I knew Samantha was going to make her presence over the weekend!
We got out of bed around 7:30 and tried to have a normal breakfast. Nate made this typical eggs and turkey bacon breakfast and I made myself eat a smoothie with soy milk and a banana and blueberries.
We started to time my contractions as we ate breakfast. We clocked them at 5 minutes apart and 40 seconds long.
We then decided to call CBP again at 9:00 and got Judy on the phone. She asked about my water breaking and I said that it “stopped” because I didn’t feel any more water gush out recently.
She was immediately concerned that what I felt that night wasn’t the real thing.
She then said to come into CBP at 11 and she would do some tests to check me out.
At that point, we didn’t know if we would be delivering at CBP, the hospital, or delivering at all! We then finished packing up all our stuff and left shortly after that, bringing it all.
Judy showed up right before us and led us in. We were the only ones there.
She checked me and took one look “down there” and saw how moist I was and knew I was going into labor and indeed my water broke.
She asked about my beta strep test performed that Wednesday and I said I hadn’t gotten the results back yet. She said she’d meet us at the hospital and for us to grab something to eat because it was going to be a long day.
I asked what a good “pre-labor” meal was and she said anything!
We went to the Dunkin Donuts right by the birth center and each got a bacon egg and cheese English muffin sandwich and some orange juice. We went to the hospital and knew exactly where to go since I was just there the Wednesday before.
Once we Finally Arrived at the Hospital
Shannon, a nurse at Trident and also from CBP, led us into our room. I was immediately pleasantly surprised. It was large and private. I was worried though – Judy came in and said the strep B results came back positive so since my water broke they needed to speed things along with Pitocin.
She said if I was at CBP they would do it with herbs, but they can’t at the hospital.
It was kind of like my worst nightmare come true because I really wanted a natural childbirth but I knew that Pitocin made contractions stronger and more close together and most people who have Pitocin end up with epidurals – everything I didn’t want!
I knew I had to be strong.
She told me not to worry and that if it was too intense and I needed drugs to not feel like a failure. I told her I understood. I was then ready to get to work and help Samantha make her presence in this world!
They put an iv in my left hand and started a saline drip. They also hooked me up to a fetal monitor and a blood pressure cuff.
The fetal monitor ended up being such a pain because I had to stay in ONE position otherwise it would fall off my belly. With my right knee raised – left leg down. I started breathing techniques and could handle it so far. Nurse Shannon commented on my breathing so well.
They started the Pitocin drip at 1:00 pm. Nate had to help me go to the bathroom and move the whole iv station with me. I got it tangled and we tried to time going to the bathroom between contractions.
Once Pitocin started – it was getting more uncomfortable in the one position. I complained. Judy mentioned putting the monitor on the baby’s head. I definitely agreed to it.
An hour later – they did it and checked my status for the first time – 4 cm dilated! She said that was good because I probably started out at 0cm that morning.
Once they put the monitor on the baby’s head I could get in any position I wanted – it was really helpful.
Nate gave me sips of water from my Venti Starbucks cup between EVERY contraction – so helpful. All I wanted was water.
As labor got more intense, I started moaning, panting and making weird noises. I never thought I would do that but I couldn’t hold back.
I tried to relax during contractions but it was getting hard to. They got stronger and more close together.
- I went into my own world that was surreal.
- I knew exactly what I was feeling but was unaware of time and who was present in the room.
- It helped that I had my contacts/glasses off so I couldn’t see too much around me.
- It helped me focus and stay “in the zone.”
As contractions were getting stronger, I didn’t know what positions to get into to help.
They brought a birthing ball to help. With every contraction – I’d get into a new position.
They finally took me off the Pitocin and then I was free to move entirely. But then everything got really intense.
Then Shannon mentioned getting me in the water (deep tub) when they knew I was reaching transition. I welcomed the idea. The water couldn’t run fast enough to get me in.
Once I got in the water – I felt instant relief and the contractions felt less painful.
I still felt them but they were less intense.
Every so often Shannon would have to come in and get a fetal heart reading and as soon as I got out of the tub, the contractions would intensify. I never wanted to get out!
I must’ve been in the water for over an hour. They said to let them know when I felt like pushing but I didn’t want to ever tell them because I didn’t want to get out!
Two minutes later – I felt like pushing! I got out and they checked my dilation – 9. I thought I’d be at 10!
No position felt comfortable. With each contraction, I grunted and couldn’t help pushing a little.
I peed and poop and couldn’t help myself.
We were experimenting and trying to get me comfortable in different positions.
Nothing worked!
After awhile she checked my dilation again – 9 ¾! A little lip of the cervix was holding me back.
On the next contraction, Judy reached in and tried to push the lip back (it hurt SO bad). She did this several times. FINALLY – all dilated and ready to push.
- First I tried on my hands and knees – I didn’t like it.
- Then on my back which I liked better. With each contraction, I put my knees into my chest and held each foot. I put my chin into my chest and pushed. I made ungodly noises with each push. Judy (and new nice nurse Michell) coached me through it and gave me encouraging words with each push.
Each contraction I’d push hard about 3x. I got better and better at pushing but it hurt more and more.
As Sam’s head moved closer down – it burned with each push – even between contractions – (ring of fire!)
I was sweating and at one point asked how much longer? How many more pushes? I can’t do this much longer!
Judy responded by saying a few more contractions. Nate was standing by Judy so he could see my progress. They asked if I wanted to see her in the mirror but I didn’t because I thought it would distract me from pushing.
I could tell by Nate’s face my progress. His eyes would get big anytime something was happening.
At one point they said they could see her light brown hair. Nate said he could see her head move around as it was poking through!
I never pushed or worked so hard for anything in my life.
I didn’t think I could do it at some points.
I doubted myself on more than one occasion.
Everyone with me supported me through it. Nate finally got behind me for the final pushes – it hurt moving him into position!
The push where the head came out stung and burned.
I pushed for 2 hours up to that point.
Then the next push the shoulders came through and it felt like such a relief after! They laid Sam right on me! She was covered in vernix but was so beautiful!
Those moments were the most magical of my entire life. I started crying and then Judy took our picture of all three of us.
Michelle helped me to start feeding. She latched right away!
Nate cut the umbilical cord after it stopped pulsating a few minutes.
After snuggling awhile – Michelle showed Nate how to give Samantha a sponge bath.
They then laid her in her hospital bassinet. Nate’s parents came in and brought food.
I ate a sub (with tomatoes and I didn’t care I was so hungry!) and a frosty from Wendy’s. Sam stayed in the room with us the entire time in the hospital.
Our first time as a family! Nathan, Stacey, and Samantha!
