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My Kind of Natural Childbirth: Part Two
When I got pregnant with my second baby, I had absolutely no illusions about natural childbirth.
I had experienced labor without drugs and I had experienced labor with drugs. And I had learned a very important lesson.
Drugs are definitely better.
So when my water broke at 6am on April 25, a full 10 days before A.J. was due, I went to the hospital feeling completely calm and relaxed.
I was going to have an epidural. I was going to spend my day of labor napping peacefully and watching TV. And I was DEFINITELY going to make sure that epidural kept pumping until Baby #2 was in my arms.
Everything was going to be fine.
When we got to the hospital, the doctor decided I needed Pitocin again, since I wasn’t dilating. But I didn’t worry. I was going to have an epidural. Everything was going to be fine.
I let the doctor know I wanted drugs right away. Actually, I had let the doctor know I wanted drugs during every visit since I first found out I was pregnant.
So when the contractions started coming fast and furious, I breathed through the pain knowing that it would all be over soon. I was going to have an epidural. Everything was going to be fine.
There was just one small problem. No one on the hospital staff seemed to remember this fact.
Hours passed. I breathed. I focused. I think I probably swore a lot.
Then nurse came in and apologized. There was an emergency c-section in the other room and the anesthesiologist was busy. But it shouldn’t be too much longer…
At around 4pm, I started feeling nauseous. Ohmigod, I was transitioning! I was going to have to start pushing without the epidural, and there was NO WAY I was going through that again!
At that moment, the anesthesiologist finally showed. The nurse asked if I wanted to be measured first to see how far I had dilated. I knew this would be the kiss of death. They’d see I was ready to push and it would be natural childbirth for me.
So I very sweetly said, “No, I’ll have the epidural first.”
Almost instantly, the pain was gone. They measured me and, surprise, surprise. It was time to push.
Was it weird pushing without being able to feel it? Absolutely.
Would I have the epidural again, even though I have now, technically, made it through an entire labor without it? Even though I have proven that I CAN do it on my own, with no drugs, just like those low-maintenance women?
Absolutely.
But if I ever have a baby again, I’m doing it at a hospital with 2 anesthesiologists.
