A Naturally Twisted birth story.....Opal's Birth Story

At 32 years old, after 11 years with my husband and after having a 7 and 9 year old, we were done having babies by our 10 year anniversary.

 Never in a million years did we think we’d be doing it again this year. 

My first delivery was a cake walk at 39 weeks and 3 days I labored at home for 12 hours and got to the hospital only to push for 13 minutes and pop out a gorgeous 6lb 14oz perfect baby girl. My second experience just 2 short years later would later become part of the reason I would decide not to have anymore children. At 39 weeks I was medically induced with Pitocin and an epidural Pitocin started at 7:30 am and epidural at 10 am by 1:30 pm, I was fully dialated and effaced yet she was still high, I pushed for 2 hours after they turned off the epidural to only deliver her head and find out she had shoulder dystocia, My midwife performed an episiotomy and whisked my pepsi can blue baby girl away to the neonatology team that had been called in. She was 7lbs 11 0zs and as blue as a pepsi can but some how managed 9, 10 apgar scores. I wouldn’t hold my daughter for an hour after that. It was so traumatic on both my husband and myself we vowed to never be put in that position again. 

Well then 7 yrs later we found out we were expecting once again, and this time it was FINALLY a boy. We decided to stay with our amazing midwife, Robyn and under the care of our OB/Gyn. But, this time we were going to take a different approach and be in command of our pregnancy and our delivery. At 10 weeks pregnant just like my previous pregnancies I had a cervical cerclage placed due to a short and incompetent cervix. Well once again plans changed at 19 weeks I was diagnosed with Hydronephrosis of the right kidney and at 24 weeks had a nephrostomy tube place through my back into my right kidney to drain the fluid to a bag, after 3 different procedures to replace the tube and a picc line in my arm to treat a growing infection of said kidney, I was in hell in the form of kidney issues and had almost forgotton about my impending birth. We decided to Hire our amazing Doula Chrystin Pflum of Serene Birth Services (https://www.facebook.com/SereneBirthServices?ref=br_tf) after we had 2 meetings with her to talk about our hopes and wishes of this birth being a healing experience after our last birth. At 35 weeks I started contracting uncontrollably despite Procardia or nephedipene to stop them so the cerclage had to be removed a week ahead of schedule, my midwife removed the cerclage and immediately I was at 2 cms dialated. Where I would sit until 37 weeks when I was 3cms and 60% effaced, I continued to contract uncontrollably. The day I turned 38 weeks I went in to labor and delivery for a labor check due to severe contractions and was found to be at 4cms but still 60% and was sent home once again. Well needless to say I was at my wits end with the contracting. It turns out my cervix had a large band of scar tissue and was having a hard time changing with the contractions so it was decided that I would be induced a week later on the 39^th week due to the kidney issues as well as the contracting and scar tissue. I was not happy with this due to not wanting any medical intervention but knew it was what had to be done, so I reserved myself to the fact that Pitocin and possibly an epidural were in my near future. So that evening I gave up! Literally said Im not pregnant, Its not happening on its own Im unpacking the bags that’s it Im done……….

Welllllll 6 am the alarm went off to get the older kids ready for school and the hubby out the door for work, and like it was scheduled, I rolled over to turn the alarm off and heard and felt a “pop” in my belly, as I sat up I thought I couldn’t control my bladder as I felt a gush I ran to the bathroom to make sure I made it in time…..as I stood over the toilet I realized and yelled aloud to my husband “MY WATER BROKE!!!” He was clearly still asleep and started to get out of the bed and made coffee for both of us. I wandered to the table to have coffee with him and call my Midwife. She returned my call promptly and asked me to go straight to labor and delivery as the baby was still high and there was a risk of cord prolapse. So we woke the girls and dressed them comfortably and we left for the hospital, with a towel between my legs I waddled to the elevator and up to the 5^th floor of Mease Countryside hospital. We got to the admitting desk as a huge gush soaked me and the towel. Instead of triage they admitted me straight to room 5104 

 and got my vitals and baby’s and we were off and running. 

The contractions started coming hard and fast and I was pretty uncomfortable but was still adamant to stick to my birth plan of no intervention by epidural or Pitocin. So my Doula Chrystin, had me get up and out of the bed and use the pilates ball as well as gravity to help move my baby down my birth canal.

 About 10:30, I asked for a bolust of staydol to help take the edge off of the pain of contractions, by this time I was 5 cms and 60% effaced. HALLELUJAH!!!!! I had broken the scar tissue on my own without medical intervention.  About 20 minutes later I was really uncomfortable and my nurse Cheri checked me to find I was at 6cms and 90% effaced. They called my midwife, Robyn to make her appearance and a baby nurse was put on call as I was flying to transitional labor fast. Robyn came in just in time for me to be checked again at 8cms and 100% effaced I was offered my epidural or another shot of staydol as this would be my last chance for the epidural. I remember everyone getting quiet in the room as they waited for my response. I thought long and hard for a moment. My doula, Chrystin and my husband both encouraged me and said that I was doing great without the pain meds and they supported my decision either way.  I said  “No epidural by the time I get it, It will be time to push, I can do this on my own, I will take the staydol please.”  I was given the staydol which kept me in the bed for another 30 minutes due to the hospital policy of the drug, But after that I was really uncomfortable and asked Robyn to allow me to get in the shower to allow gravity and my body to take over for transitional labor. She allowed me to do so and my husband joined me to support my body and mind through the transition. 

The hospital team left us to labor alone together only coming in to make periodical checks. By this point the contractions and the intensity of my baby trying to move down my birth canal had me in a trance like state. I retreated back to the bed where it was already broken down and ready for the impending arrival of our first son. Robyn checked me and I was fully dialated and effaced my cervix just had a small lip left to get past. A few minutes later the urge to push came over me like wildfire. It was 12:30 pm and I had gotten all this way in 6 hours on my own accord with my AMAZING birth team beside me every step of the way. My Husband, My sisters all standing by my side, Lindsey my best friend of 19 years, Meghan my best friend of 13 yrs, My sister in law Jessie and My mother in law Karen. My Doula Chrystin, My Midwife Robyn, My Nurse Cheri, a team of nursing students as well as a baby nurse team!  The delivery room was packed but by this time I had no clue.

It was time to push this baby boy down and out. He was still high in the birth canal so I had a lot of work to do to bring him to light. So we started, we pushed on my back for a while, we tried to push on my side which I didn’t like at all and was intensely too painful. Then someone recommended a tug of war sheet with a nursing student. I was slowly losing my energy and breathe so the tug of war allowed me to pull myself up while pushing the baby down. About 1 pm I had lost all energy, I would push 3 times and then fall back into the bed and try to sleep between contractions.

 Finally Robyn recommended my husband, Chris get in the bed behind me and feed me his energy and help push for me. It worked beautifully, I had his energy and spirit and raw emotion tangled in mine as we pushed our son to light. At 1:17 pm we welcomed our first born son and our third child, Memphis Cayde Renaud was 7lbs 9ozs and 20 inches long with apgar scores of 8, 9 and he was absolutely perfect!!! 

While Memphis was still attached to the umbilical cord I asked someone to please get my daughters quickly so that they could meet their baby brother first before anyone else. In they came wide eyed in amazement and they both were nervous. Aysia my oldest daughter at 9 years old could only stare with tears and amazement in her eyes that he was finally here. Addyson my middle child at 7 yrs old was very nervous but excited that she was now a big sister. They loved their baby brother immediately and that love showed in their eyes and faces. Aysia’s eyes filled with tears as she said to me “Mommy these are tears of joy I am so happy you and Bubba made it and he is finally here I will be the best big sister I can be” The tears flowed and I responded how blessed I was to be her mother and what amazing little girls her and her sister were!

I laid back in the bed with my son on my chest and my husband and daughters flanking us and just reflected on what had just happened.

I did it, I delivered my son into the world the way God intended, NATURALLY!!!!  I may have screamed and yelled and scared some nursing students half to death as well as used many expletives. However, I DID IT!!!!!!!

This natural child birth would have never been possible without the support of my team so with that, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for keeping me focused and encouraged to have the healing birth experience I so desperately wanted and needed. It couldn’t have gone more according to God’s plan!!!!

I highly recommend hiring a Doula but more so I highly recommend Chrystin Pflum of Serene Birth services.
 https://www.facebook.com/SereneBirthServices

All Pictures used are courtesy of Chrystin Pflum of Serene Birth Services please visit the link above to visit her page.