Alitza was my most overdue baby. She was due February 25 and didn’t arrive until 8 days later! I was able to give birth at the birth center this time using the same midwives. I almost risked out because I was 41 weeks pregnant with no labor symptoms in sight, and they only allow to go to 41 weeks. At my 41 week prenatal appointment, they told me that unless something starts happening, I won’t be able to deliver at the birth center. I was determined to have that experience so I asked the midwife what I could do to get things going. She suggested all the usual natural induction methods and I decided to start with black and blue cohosh drops. I went home and started alternating those. I also went on several walks, but to no avail.
I called the office to ask what else I could try, and they suggested I have my water broken. I went into the birth center and the midwife broke my water and I began circling the buildings in the plaza in hopes of inducing contractions. LITERALLY NOTHING was happening. The midwife kept reminding me that if labor did not begin soon, we would have to transfer to the hospital. That was not the news I wanted to hear, but I kept at the different ways I could help things progress. I bounced on a ball, used the breast pump, did squats and lunges, and…..STILL NOTHING! My mom, my mother in law, and my oldest child, Justyce were present at this birth. My mother in law gave me a massage to relax me a bit because I was so stressed out at the prospect of not being able to have the water birth I had dreamed of. And the midwives reminding me repeatedly of the impending deadline did not help! I think it actually made things go even slower, in my opinion.
It was after they gave me a boxed enema, (which I administered myself), that I started feeling some little contractions. Sorry if that’s TMI, but isn’t pretty much anything delivery and birth related? This was around 11:30pm on the day of week 41. This little girl was pushing the envelope on her time limit for sure! At least we were making some progress, but the midwives were not as optimistic as me and were still letting me know that things needed to speed up. They would give me specific times too, like that would somehow motivate my unborn child to hurry up. This time, they told me I had to be in full blown labor by midnight. I was starting to get even more stressed because the chance of a C-section was even higher now since my waters were already broken. So, what did I do? We PRAYED, and then prayed some more! And of course, once again God was faithful and came through right when it looked like there was no hope. Exactly at midnight full blown labor gripped my body like no other! I found myself, for the first time during a natural labor, (I was very loud with Justyce, which was strange since I had an epidural), making noise. I wasn’t screaming, but I was moaning loudly. All three of my support people were passed out on the queen sized bed that was in the room. It had been a long day, they were pooped, and honestly that bed was super comfy so I totally understood.
I wanted to get in the bath because I knew the time was near and didn’t want to miss the opportunity to give birth in the tub. The hot water felt so good, and it really helped ease the pain of the contractions as well. I told the midwife that I felt like I needed to push and she said “ok, go for it.” And she settled in for a long winter’s wait on the side of the tub, thinking it was going to take a while. My mom had woken up and was taking some photos. GUYS! This girl FLEW out with the first push and slid across the tub!!! The midwife jumped up and scrambled to get a towel while my mom yelled into the hallway for the nurse to come in and help. My mother in law and Justyce woke up from all the commotion, and came over to see Alitza. It was crazy! I was not expecting that AT ALL, and neither was anyone else apparently.
Alitza Malaya was born at 1:50am weighing in 6lbs12oz and 21 1/2in long. She still has a broken blood vessel on her eyelid from the super powered slide she did coming out! The birth center was an AMAZING experience! Alex came right after her birth and chilled in the bed with Alitza and I for a few hours before we were discharged. I loved how intimate the atmosphere was!
Thanks for reading this birth story, and I hope you enjoyed it! Tomorrow will be Alayna’s story. Until next time, Beloved…..
BE BLESSED!
