We had a successful vbac after 2 cesarean births - in
the hospital - on July 24, 2003. It was so the fastest labor! I was 37
weeks, 6 days and had been having what I thought were just more
sporadic Braxton Hicks the last few days. Not increasing in frequency,
not increasing in intensity. I took my 5-year old and the little girl I
watched at the time to playgroup that morning and ate cupcakes that my
friend made for my birthday (coming up on that weekend). We went to
Walmart and picked up my belly pictures, then we were home for the
afternoon - nothing too exciting. We ate a nice dinner and went for a
swim and around 8:15 p.m.  I laid down in bed to do a hypnobirthing
relaxation tape. Suddenly I felt this popping feeling and rolled out of
the bed just as I started to gush. At 8:40pm, my water broke.



         I figured we had plenty of time since there were no real
contractions, so we puttered around for a bit, packing the bag, getting
stuff into coolers, etc. I jumped online to let folks know what was
happening and to email my friend/doula/coach . Everyone pretty much
agreed it was early on in the labor  - I should take a shower, listen
to more hypnobirthing, try to rest. Well, I tried, but my body had
other ideas. I started contracting harder and faster. I called my doula
friend back at 10 pm and since I couldn't talk through contractions and
they were coming 4-5 minutes apart, she decided she was on the way. By
the time she arrived at 11 pm, the shower didn't work, the
hypnobirthing tapes had been tossed and I was being extremely vocal
about the intensity of the contractions and how much they SUCKED.



        After I had 3 contractions, 2-3 minutes apart lasting 55-60
seconds and me telling her "I think I might get an epidural after all,"
we all decided it was time to go to the hospital. We drove down to the
hospital with me dealing with fierce contractions - I scared the
bejeebers out of my 5-year old a few times. Of course, the exit ramp to
the hospital was blocked off for construction - lol. It kind of freaked
my husband out, but luckily the next exit was open, so we got there by
11:20 p.m. The nurse checked me and I was dialated to 4 - 5 if she
stretched me. I almost died.  I told them, "Hell with it -  they're too
close together, too strong and I'm ONLY AT 4-5???  Get me an epidural."
About 15-20 minutes went by - contractions so hard and fast I couldn't
walk, squat, move - I just was hanging onto the bed rail for dear life
and breathing heeeeeeeee heeeeeeeeeeeee hooooooooooooooo and low moans.
I did cuss a few times too, telling them it had to stop. I probably
screamed a few times, too. My support team was amazing, though. My team
stalled the epidural,  knowing it wasn't really what I wanted. We did a
hep lock IV though - mostly, I think in retrospect, to make me think I
was going to get pain relief (he he he).



        Finally, the anesthesiologist showed up, but it was too late,
and I was telling them I needed to push. I flipped from my back onto my
knees and my husband began to rub my lower back. Then I was shaking and
I remember someone telling me I was in transition - he was almost here.
I flipped back over onto my back and the nurse checked me and I was at
8-9 with a bit of a "lip". She told me she was going to push the lip
aside and have me do a push. I pushed through the lip to 10 and moved
him down (she said afterwards) 2 inches or so and she said, "Ok,
stop... I feel his noggin. We need to get the midwife. " I looked up at
Tom and told him, "Go get Chelsey now (our teenager)." He looked at me
like I was nuts and I reminded him, "I promised her she'd not miss it.
Please go." He got her into the room while my folks stayed with Zoey.
They were telling me to breathe down or pant and wait because my
midwife wasn't in the door and needed gloves, but I told them, "There's
no stopping him!!" (a line dh uses now that Roman is 28 months old and
well... "There's no stopping him."  lol)



        I told the midwife to get her glove on because, "He's coming on
the next push."  My coach says it was only one big push, but I think it
was really 3 pushes and he was out. First push and his head was halfway
out, second push and his head was all the way out, and third push he
was all the way out. He was born at 12:54pm, 4-1/2 hours after labor
started. The midwife put him on my chest and they wiped him down. After
the cord stopped pulsing, big sister Chelsey cut it - a big moment for
her. He honestly looked like a truck hit him, lol.  He was purple as
hell and his eyes were swollen and bugged out and bloodshot. But still
so cute. My first and only son. His Apgars were 8 and 9, even with the
trauma of such a quick birth. He nursed immediately and got pink right
away. The hospital staff totally respected all our wishes. They left us
alone. It was wonderful. After dad, sisters and grandparents held him
and we took a zillion pictures, I sent everyone home and Roman and I
cuddled, nursed and slept for a few hours.



        I have to say that after 2 cesarean births, the recovery from
the vaginal was CAKE. I was walking, eating, talking, playing - the
uterine contractions/cramps were sometimes pretty heavy, but I could
cope, lol. I was home 12 hours later (just had to wait for the
pediatrician to see my son). I had a really wonderful vba2c experience.
The only thing that could have been better was if it had been just a
little slower, lol. My vba2c experience was empowering, amazing, life
affirming and fulfilling. I was 38 years old and folks pretty much had
told me I was crazy for even WANTING a natural vaginal birth. But I did
it and I'm so glad I did.