Disclaimer: This is a birth story. It will talk about birthy things. It’s also an atypical birth story and I want
to be clear to those who are reading, especially those who are pregnant or who
have never been, that what happened is NOT a normal birth. I’ve got a few of those stories on this page. This one was atypical and I have no doubt
that for whatever reason, it was supposed to be. But I don’t want someone to read this and
cause unnecessary fear of something pretty rare. So that’s my
disclaimer…and I welcome any and all questions in the comments! Also, it’s long. Like, really long. Because I like details and it’s my blog. So grab something to drink and get ready to hang out for a bit ;)
The Birth of Benedict Raphael
Exactly one month ago, he was born. My Benedict Raphael, my blessed healing of
God. The most different of my five full
term pregnancies, the most different of my births. The whole pregnancy something felt just…different. I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what it
was but I certainly battled with a lot of fear of the birth and the pregnancy
itself was harder than my others. More
sickness, more fatigue, more swelling, more weight gain, way more emotions. While I
felt the similar readiness at the end to be done being pregnant, it was coupled
with a fear of what adding another baby to the family would mean as well as the
knowledge that there was no way out of the pregnancy than through birth. And some part deep down inside of me knew
that this birth would be different. I
didn’t know what that meant so I just planned as best I could for a normal home
birth.
My inclination that this baby would be born earlier than the
others was wrong, though. I should have known that they would be since all four others were born right in the 39th
week and that this baby would follow suit. But the weekend I reached 39 weeks, I went to bed praying that labor wouldn’t start. It had been an absolutely crazy weekend
filled with a family party, baseball games, and notice that we had to go pick
up our two new hives of bees. I knew
there was no way I’d be able to give birth in the exhausted state that I was in,
weary to the core and not getting to bed until almost midnight. Thankfully, labor didn’t begin that weekend
nor in the few days after. But his head
was definitely down low and engaged and I knew we were both physically ready
and it would be soon.
A few days later I felt him shift a bit and I could tell he
had moved but it simply felt like he was just a little crooked. It was uncomfortable and I felt off but I
wasn’t worried since after a few babies, it becomes more likely that baby
doesn’t engage until right at labor. It
now felt like his head was in my lower left side of my pelvis and his bottom
was diagonal to the top right underneath my ribs. I figured he would settle back into place
soon and smoothly. But it
was extremely uncomfortable and forced me on the couch for most of that
evening.
The next day I had a late afternoon appointment with my
midwife and mentioned how uncomfortable I was and how he had shifted. I was beginning to get concerned (and
therefore emotional) because he hadn’t moved from that uncomfortable position
and it had made it nearly impossible to sleep. As she checked his position, it became increasingly clear from his
heartbeat, her palpitations, and from where I was now feeling movement that he
had flipped breech. Completely footling
breech at almost forty weeks. I don’t
think it hit me when she first said it what that all meant. I was so sleep deprived and emotional that it
truly felt surreal. I didn't even have the emotional or mental energy to grasp it. This would somehow
figure itself out…and besides, maybe we were just making a mistake and he was
totally fine. I left with an appointment
first thing next morning with a Webster chiropractor, some discussion of
getting an ultrasound to verify his position, a plan to work that night with
exercises to help flip him back, and the mention of a cesarean section if he
didn’t flip but that didn't even really click in my brain.
My friend Lori (who is also a doula and my midwife’s
assistant) came over that evening and we did a round of exercises and positions
to try to help turn him back head down. Hanging upside down from the couch, laying on the dining room table, all
sorts of floor exercises that look and feel ridiculous but are helpful in
giving babies room to move themselves into an optimal position for birth. I didn’t feel much. Brian mentioned as I laid on the dining room
table and was questioning everything and especially wondering why a previously
engaged and head down baby would turn so last minute that maybe there was a good reason he had turned. Just maybe he had to unwrap himself from a funny
cord or for some unknown reason he had to be in this position to get out. I wasn’t as positive but it did help a bit to
think of things this way.
I felt a lot of pain that night and barely slept. I was having strange contractions but it
didn’t feel like normal labor, more like my body trying to move him into
correct position. But still he wouldn’t
budge. I tried doing more positioning
and I listened to the Hypnobabies “Turn Your Breech Baby” soundtrack. I finally slept for a few hours around dawn and
woke up feeling more normal. In fact, it
almost felt like he was in a better position! I was slightly hopeful that even though I hadn’t felt a big turn, that
maybe by the grace of God, he had turned on his own. I waddled on downstairs around 6:30 feeling a
growing sense of hope that things were fine and he’d be born that day. I went to the bathroom and had some bloody
show. My hopes surged that the baby was now back in
place, that it had all just been a small bump in the road, and that I would be birthing
him soon.
I called my midwife to let her know what was going on and
wondering if I should still go to the chiropractor appointment that was
scheduled in an hour. She said she would
stop by to check what was going on. She
arrived to our house soon after and to my disappointment my hopes were
unfounded. He was still completely
breech. Because of the circumstances and
needing to know if I was in labor or not, she performed a vaginal check and
didn’t feel any dilation. That was really
hard to hear but at this point, things all just felt so surreal and I almost
felt like I was on auto pilot.
Brian decided that he would take off from work because of
the uncertainty of what was going on and we headed out to the appointment. I felt sure that if baby were to turn, that
labor would be immediate and fast and I wanted him with me. On the way there we prayed a Rosary. The appointment was with a Webster
chiropractor but I was surprised and a bit disappointed that she didn’t do
anything different than she did at normal appointments. Not sure what I was expecting but was hoping
she’d have some fancy moves to help baby flip. Fifteen minutes or so and it was over and we left to go back home to a sort of limbo
mode.
I can’t say even now what my state of mind was during all
this and for the majority of this day. It was part surreal, part exhaustion, part robot-mode. Brian took care of the boys while I spent
hours alternately resting and trying to get the baby to turn. As the boys played and laid mulch with Brian,
I did more of the positioning exercises, took a bath (while contorting myself
into all sorts of strange positions), listened again to the Hypnobabies audio,
prayed, rocked on the birth ball, put ice and peppermint high on my belly to try to motivate him to turn, and even manually tried moving him myself (he
would only move the tiniest bit but then wouldn’t budge past a certain spot). I made an appointment for the next morning at
an acupuncturist. I emailed a couple
friends asking for prayers. My appetite was
nonexistent and I barely ate. In the
early afternoon I realized that no matter what happened, I probably wouldn’t
have the chance to do some of the birth things that I had planned. If baby did turn, I knew it was going to be
fast and furious. If he didn’t, I knew I
was destined for the hospital. It was
just a matter of when. So I decided to
take out a puzzle I had made (yes, I did end up making one!) and did it while
sitting on the birth ball or doing my different positions. I listened to Colleen from Marian Grace, the
music I wanted to have with me during birth. I began to pray for all the intentions on my list. The day was so emotional and utterly draining. I left a message that afternoon for
my midwife that nothing had changed.
In case you wanted to see my fancy birth puzzle. I was kind of proud of it…it's a St. Brigid's anemone flower opening (patron of midwives and newborns) and the prayer is this prayer for expectant mothers.
The Birth
A short while later, at 6:13 p.m. to be exact, my midwife called and said she wanted to come over to talk about our options. My stomach sank and I could tell from the
sound of her voice that she was going to recommend we go to the hospital. While delivering a vaginal footling breech
baby happens, there are risks involved that make it current practice to
recommend the hospital and most likely, a cesarean section. The primary risk is that mom’s water will
break and since the cervix is not “sealed” by the baby’s head, the cord can
slip down and get pinched as baby descends and cut off baby’s oxygen
supply. But a vaginal delivery is certainly possible
for a frank (bottom first) or footling (feet first) breech. In fact, in Canada, they now recommend a vaginal birth over cesarean and are
requiring that obstetricians be once again trained in safe and healthy breech
birth as preferred to an automatic surgery. Unfortunately here in the United States, most providers are not trained
at all to handle a breech vaginal
birth and the skill has been mostly lost, making cesarean birth almost the only
viable option.
I got off the phone with her knowing that my options
were limiting themselves by the minute. Several minutes after
getting off the phone with her, I suddenly began to shake and felt extremely
cold. That trembling shake that you
can’t stop. At first I thought it was my
nerves knowing that it was almost inevitable that we’d be going to the hospital
soon. That sometimes happens to me when
I get nervous. But then a contraction
hit…a crazy hard stuff-is-getting-real one, the kind that drop you to the floor. And I knew instantly that it wasn’t nerves at all but transition. This baby was coming and very, very soon.
I had two or three more of those crazy contractions before
she got there and when she did I was having another on the toilet. You know things are getting real when you no
longer care and invite someone right in to the bathroom as you’re sitting there. One look at me and she could tell
what was happening. As she sat on the
bathroom floor, she checked his heartbeat (it was perfect) and went over our
options, asking which hospital I preferred. I told her which one I would rather go to and asked if Lori could
come. She called Lori who then
called our friend who is an obstetrician. While she wasn’t available to come in, she
did say she would phone Dr. P., the head of obstetrics at the hospital, part of
the same practice, (and a Catholic homeschooling dad and friend) and ask if he
could come in. He graciously agreed. She
told Lori that they could try an external version (the manual turning of the
baby) and if it worked, that I could then go home to have the baby. I don’t think she realized how close I was…if
baby did turn, there was NO way I was going to be able to go anywhere and he'd be coming quickly. But I
still appreciated that consideration.
Lori headed over to meet us and Brian called my mom to come
over to watch the boys. In the meantime,
I somewhat randomly wandered around the house trying to figure out just what the
heck I was supposed to bring to the hospital. Brian grabbed some extra clothes while I made sure we had phones, my
crucifix, a few of my prayer cards, the camera, and I had brushed my
teeth. I can’t even remember what other
random things I threw in that bag. I
said goodbye to the boys and I think that was one of the hardest parts of the
whole day. Knowing how much they wanted
to be at the birth and knowing it wasn’t going to happen while making sure they
weren’t scared (they weren’t). They said
they would pray. Lori and my mom got
there around the same time a few minutes later. I don’t remember much from those few minutes except Lori saying, “right
now, every step you make has to be towards the car.” And I remember as we walked outside getting
the reminder that if my water did break, I needed to get on my hands and knees
with my head down and bottom as high in the air as possible to avoid a cord
prolapse. I think that’s when the potential seriousness of the situation hit me.
This birth was happening and it was happening very differently than
it ever had before. We decided to take Brian’s
truck since I could have the whole backseat and the van is filled with car
seats. He threw a blanket down, Lori
got in the backseat with me, my midwife followed us in her car, and we headed
out. I think I had a contraction on the
way and then about half way there another one hit, and then I felt the pop. My water broke.
At that moment, I can’t even tell you the amount of peace that flooded me. At what should have been a scary moment, I just felt peace that no matter how things played out, it was as it
was supposed to be. I wasn’t afraid and
I felt completely present to the moment, differently and with more clarity than I had felt in the last few days. I told Lori and right away I got on my hands and knees on the back seat
of the truck, head laying on the seat, as she helped me out of shoes and pants and
checked for a cord. None. (In hindsight, yes, I’m very very grateful
for dark tinted windows, though at the moment I didn’t care much at all. She called my midwife who was right behind us
and gave the status and who then called ahead to the hospital so they
could have a stretcher ready at the entrance to take me back to the operating
room. Through all of this, Brian drove
fast but didn’t at all panic.
We pulled up to the hospital doors a few minutes later and
there was a stretcher and a few people waiting. Khristeena came to the truck and checked me to again make sure there was
no cord (still none) and said she could feel a foot. She checked his heartbeat and again, it was
perfect. He was healthy and constant
during the whole birth. I was told I
needed to back out of the truck on hands and knees and climb onto the stretcher
which was quite…amusing? Fluid leaking,
people watching…I remember climbing up onto the stretcher and looking up at all
the faces (while still on my knees with head low) and saying hello to
everyone. They thankfully covered me
completely with a sheet while wheeling me down the halls. I remember tracing and following the path to
labor and delivery, a path I had walked myself many times before for doula clients, while I kept my head down and peeked at the rolling wheels
of the stretcher. I heard my midwife giving all the stats and information that they needed. When we got near the operating room, I looked
up to see them holding Brian back which panicked me for a moment and I asked if
he was coming in. The nurse reassured me
that he was, he just needed to get the surgical gear on. My midwife also was able to come right into
the room with me as well which was such a huge blessing. I wish Lori could have come in, too.
A lot of things began to happen at this point in the space
of a few minutes. I remember an I.V.
going in and asking what was in it. I
remember the resident in the room checking me (I wish he hadn’t.) I remember asking if I had to get
antibiotics. I think people thought I
was in denial about what was going on or was even being stubborn or idealistic
or something with some of my comments and questions, but I was completely aware
and at peace with what was happening, enough to be able to not be freaking out
and to ask what was happening and why they had to do certain things. I remember someone telling me my scapular was
beautiful and asking me where I got it. I
remember them saying they were giving me terbutaline to stop the
contractions. I remember Brian pressing
a rosary into my hand. I remember my
very first ever catheter going in (OUCH). I remember thinking about all the intentions I had been given for this
birth. I remember them telling me I had
to flip over and get on the operating table and me laughing. (I still can’t get over how they call that
thing a table! It’s like two inches wide.) Somehow I managed to flip over and do it
despite me thinking they were obviously joking. I remember the anesthesiologist asking me
questions about when I had eaten. I
remember asking if I really needed to have my arms strapped down (that freaks
me out). I remember my midwife walking
me through what they were going to do. I
remember how ridiculously cold the room was. I remember looking up while on my back and seeing a whole slew of people
staring at me. (Weird.) I remember the obstetrician on call getting
in. Dr. S...I didn’t recognize her.
My midwife told me later that when Dr. S. came in she asked if I knew I was getting a cesarean and she replied that I did. The doctor told me she was going to do another check
to see how dilated I was. She did and
then, I think to everyone’s shock, she pulled out a foot. Then she reached in and pulled out
another.
Suddenly, I was being told to push.
I don’t think I’ve ever pushed as hard in my life. No contractions, no urge, flat on my
back. Exactly how you aren’t supposed to
push a baby out and pretty much the hardest way to do it. Nurses were pushing my knees back by my face
and I pushed. I felt a bottom come out
and with the next push the shoulders and arms. Then they reminded me that I still had to get the head out. Yikes. With my other babies, once the head was out, the rest sort of slipped
out…this time I was going easiest to hardest. And this is where a footling breech can also have some risk. If mom is not completely dilated at this
point, the head can get stuck. But I
pushed with everything in me and I did it, his head was born! He (another he!) was born!
I remember my midwife saying his apgars were
9, 9 (near perfect…very few babies get a 10) and her telling them to hand him
right to me. And they did. He was brought right up to me and I took him
while doing the post-labor uncontrollable shaking thing and overhearing the neonatologist someone had called in berating
her for not giving him the baby. I love that she was totally respectful and professional but completely
assertive. The baby was fine and there
was no need for him to intervene in any way so he stayed with me. There was a
feeling of awe in the room and I don’t think it was just me projecting. Most all the doctors and nurses in that room had never
seen a breech vaginal birth.
We arrived to the hospital at
7:56. He was born at 8:08. All of this happened within a crazy whirlwind of twelve minutes. I don't really know how to count actual labor. I feel like it only makes sense to count when those hard contractions hit so that would be about an hour and forty minutes or so? (I think those dates and herbs actually did make a difference! I wonder how fast it would have been had he been head down...)
One of the only pictures in the O.R. So many wires! But so grateful I could have him right on me and try to nurse as awkward as it was lying flat on my back!
Dr. P. came in shortly after he was born and I think was
surprised at the outcome. He took over
from there and Dr. S. left and I didn’t get
to see her again. We waited a little bit
for the placenta to come out and the whole time the cord was left intact to
finish giving our little boy his blood. I was still shaking and could barely push out that placenta but I
did. (And they saved it!) They finally cut the cord and it was
ridiculously long since he was still on me and the cord and blankets and sheets
were all tangled up all over me and rather than disturb us, they cut it down
low.
Dr. P. checked and not surprisingly, I had a second degree
tear. Before he could fix that, he said
he wanted to check my cervix for tearing since I wasn’t completely dilated when
he came out. Out of all the parts of the birth, this was the part that still leaves me feeling a bit of trauma. It was
horrifically painful and I couldn’t help but scream. I just remember
locking eyes with Brian and trying to “blow” like they said and feeling like
this would be how it would all end. I've actually had moments in the middle of the night panicking thinking about that exam. Thanks be to God, there was no cervical tear but the checking was
awful. I wish that at least they could have waited a bit but I'm not sure that's possible. The stitching up of the
exterior tear was also rough. If you can avoid tearing, please please do so. There should be a better process
to all that, I think, but I'm grateful that I at least I got to
hold my little one through all of it.
Dr. P. thought I was bleeding too much and recommended a
Pitocin drip to which I agreed. It
wasn’t worrisome, but he said if I had that for a few hours and the bleeding
was controlled then I’d be able to leave the next morning as soon as the
pediatrician gave clearance. I didn’t have much energy or desire to argue
especially since he had come in to help anyway.
Who needs fancy birth photographers when you can get swollen faced gems like this all on your own?
We were brought to a normal birth room and finally it was
just us again – Brian, my midwife, Lori, me, and our new little one. I think my midwife's first words were a
stunned, “Mary! You just had a footling
breech vaginal birth!” And I had. It was all still sinking in and it felt amazing to finally be in a quiet room and to have him here. To know what that "different" feeling had been all about and to be at peace. He wasn’t wanting to nurse until then and I
got him latched on and he nursed off and on for most of the night. The nursery nurse came in and weighed him and
measured him. Seven pounds one ounce,
though I'm absolutely certain that with the crazy long cord and the bracelets
and monitors and stuff already on him, that his true weight was six pounds 15
ounces just like three of his older brothers. Twenty inches long. He got the
vitamin K shot (required in NY) and the nurse was very kind and “missed” his eyes with the eye
ointment and I rubbed the tiny little bit off his skin right away anyway. (In New York state, you can’t refuse the eye
ointment in the hospital without a call to CPS. It's pretty ridiculous.)
First, the face one makes when in the midst of a postpartum contraction. Second, CHECK OUT THAT CORD. I told you they left it long!
My midwife and Lori made me eat and drink and we chatted a little bit about how everything happened. We made a few phone calls and let family in on the news of the newest little man. They left soon after and we were brought up to the maternity floor for the night. While the hospital is not my ideal place after having a baby and there is SO much I would change about how they do things, I have to say that everyone minus that one neonatologist was incredibly respectful and helpful. There were lots of the routine interruptions but the nurses I had were friendly and kind and the overnight nurse was even a woman I knew from birthy circles who had had two home births herself!
Still laughing about that ridiculous cordage
Welcome, sweet baby!
In the morning, we waited two hours on the phone to order breakfast and still didn’t get any (seriously. NOT OKAY.) but the pediatrician did come in by ten or so and did a quick check of the baby. Once I told him that my midwife would be doing the PKU and heart check in the next few days he gave us clearance to leave.
No, nurse, of course he wasn't sleeping while holding the baby.
Dr. P. came in a few hours later for the final check and we chatted for a little bit. I tried to make sure he knew that we weren’t trying to have a breech baby at home and that labor had started that crazy quickly prompting the rush to the hospital. I wanted to make sure none of this was misinterpreted and that no one would be thinking this was a home birth “failure” but rather an appropriate response to an atypical situation. He let us know that had he been there when we arrived, he wouldn’t have done what Dr. S. did. Apparently, she is the only doctor old enough on their entire staff to have been trained in breech birth and with the experience to do it. I have no doubt that God’s hand was in that. Apparently, when she went to check me she was assessing dilation and determining whether or not she thought I could get the baby out. My midwife had also told her in the room that I had four previous full term vaginal births so that also played into her quick decision to go for the vaginal birth. I’m so thankful that she happened to be there at exactly the moment that I needed because that split second assessment and decision was the difference between a surgical birth (with the risks and recovery of such) and not.
His Name
We left the hospital about 2 p.m. after finally making the agonizing decision of his name. We were literally filling in the birth certificate paperwork with the final decision as the man was waiting with the wheelchair to bring me down. Benedict was never even remotely on the radar for a boy name this time. When I was holding him in recovery, though, the name Ben popped into my head and seemed just…right. Raphael has been a patron of our marriage and family for some years now and it’s been a name that was always in the back of my mind. Together they mean Blessed Healing of God, which seems appropriate in so many ways for our family this past year. I know there are people who think it’s a bit weird (they’ll get over it) but I feel so much peace that this is his name. The boy name I had been rooting for all pregnancy was Augustine, though Francis (Frankie) also had some discussion. A girl would have been Brigid or Therese, with Mary or Marie/Maria as a possible middle name.
After he was finally named, we headed home to my relief and to the welcome of four very thrilled and excited older brothers. This boy is pretty blessed to have so much love.
Gone less than 18 hours but I still got a banner :)
The Agnus Dei
I can’t end this birth story without mentioning a gift
someone had given me that week which I feel strongly played a part in Ben’s
healthy birth. A few months before I was
due, I was chatting with a fellow homeschooling, home birthing friend at our
learning center. I was telling her about
all the inexplicable fear that I had surrounding this birth. She is one of the most sincere, generous,
kindest women in the world and she stated that I had to have an Agnus Dei and
that she would get one for me. I had no
idea what that was but she explained that it’s a long forgotten sacramental of
the Church. It’s a piece of wax from the
Easter Candle in the Vatican and is blessed by the pope and imprinted with a
stamp of the Lamb of God symbol. (You can read more about it here.) One of the
uses is for protection and blessing during childbirth and our local cloistered Carmelite
nuns had a supply. As my
due date approached, I thought maybe I wouldn’t get it in time or that it had
been forgotten. I saw her two weeks
before and she remembered and said that it had been ordered and “don’t worry,
you’re not going to have the baby before we get it to you.” The next Tuesday evening (just a few short
hours after I think he flipped but didn’t know it yet) her husband made a
special trip out to drop it off to my house. And that’s when everything sort of started. I wore that Agnus Dei around my neck from
that evening until a few weeks after the birth. I can’t explain it but I truly feel like the grace given through that little
object (through God's power, of course) made a difference in the outcome of this
birth.
I’m so so grateful for the gift of our Benedict
Raphael. He is beautiful, looks just
like his brothers did as newborns, and is so loved by everyone in our
home. His life and even his crazy birth
are a gift to our family and we feel so very very blessed to have been given
this precious boy.
Benedict Raphael
Born May 22, 2015
8:08 p.m.
7 lbs. 1 oz. 20 inches
Lastly, a few of the frequent
comments and/or questions I’ve had surrounding his birth:
(She’s
really not done yet!? Almost. Don’t worry ;)
This is why I could
never have a home birth…something like this could happen.
And that’s why we didn’t ;) I honestly feel like this is a home birth success. An atypical situation was identified and the
appropriate measures were taken to account for that to give both the baby and I
the safest birth with the knowledge that we had. I’m incredibly grateful for a humble and
capable midwife who, once we presented a situation beyond her scope of
practice, was able to help us have the best birth we could have given the
circumstances. But I also know my midwife has done a lot of training and research into breech birth (more than most doctors now) and had he come even faster, would have probably handled it just fine.
Do you wish you had
had a planned hospital birth?
I actually wonder what would have happened had this been a planned hospital birth. Would the breech position have been
identified? If my appointment had been
before he flipped and I went into labor without that knowledge, things could
have been different. I’m not sure I
would have gotten to the hospital in time without my midwife and Lori coming to
my house and moving me along and then we would have been dealing with a breech
birth on the side of a busy city highway. And if the breech presentation was
identified with a planned hospital birth and while I was prepared to have a
cesarean when we did go in, I don’t think that the vaginal birth would have
been even remotely a possibility. Honestly, there’s just no way to know what didn’t happen and I’m very
very grateful things happened the way they did and I have no doubt that God was
a part of all of it.
Do you feel like you
failed or are you disappointed with this birth?
No, I'm really not. I mean, I wouldn't want to do it again but for whatever reason, he was born the way he
was supposed to be born. If there was
something I could identify as having been done wrong, I might feel that way,
but this was just a weird situation. I
mean, there are things I definitely wish hadn’t of happened at the hospital
(catheter, vaginal check by the resident, arrogant neonatologist, etc.) but in
the situation, the staff was doing what they felt was merited given the
circumstances and I had a lot of peace about it all. Brian was a little disappointed he didn't get to cut the cord or catch the baby like he has with the others. But more than anything I just feel blessed to have had such a weird situation turn out the way it did and that I was still able to give birth naturally, have the cord clamping delayed, and not have my baby separated at all from me. Oh, and I never had to have those antibiotics despite being GBS+ so I was glad of that, too.
Would you ever plan
another home birth?
I don’t know. There’s
no guarantee I’ll ever be giving birth again but if I do, this certainly didn’t
scare me out of home birth or change any of the evidence of its safety. So I guess, yes, if I were to ever be pregnant again a home birth would definitely still be an option. I’ve been around birth enough to know that
far more complications happen as the result of unnecessary interventions due to
hospital protocol and lack of evidence-based practice. With birth (heck, with life) there are no guarantees. For us, the small (but relevant) risks of a planned home birth are far
less weighty than the much more common risks of a hospital birth.
Has the recovery from
a breech birth been different?
Not really. The only
thing identifiably different was oh my, were my upper legs sore for three
full days afterward! I realized that it
was because of the crazy way my legs were positioned while pushing so hard flat
on my back at nine months pregnant. That
position is just not right pretty much ever but especially when you’re hugely pregnant, out of shape and
pushing your brains out. My leg muscles
were so so sore, like I had done the thigh workout of all thigh workouts,
enough to even keep me awake at night. Other than that, pretty much the same. Oh, I have had crazy itching spells that I never had before, especially in the week or two after. But that's not breech-related. Just weird hormonal stuff, I guess.
So why did he flip?
I don’t know. There’s
no way to really know why his birth was the way it was. For a little while I questioned whether I had
done something wrong. I can't pinpoint anything that I could have done
to make him turn that way at almost forty weeks. But I have such an overwhelming peace and
confidence that he arrived exactly as he was meant to. Perhaps Brian was right that this was the safer way for him to come
out. Perhaps his cord was funny before
and this crazy birth spared us from something awful. Or perhaps he just is meant to be our unique
little Ben and started life making sure we knew it ;)
Okay, now I'm done. If you made it this far, thanks for reading and thank you so much to those who were praying for us. I have no doubt that it made a difference.
Love every bit of this blessed story, Mary! Thank you for sharing it! And happy 1 month birthday, Ben!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing birth story to read. It left me in tears.
ReplyDeleteThis is an amazing story - I'm glad you took the time to write it out and share it with us. Can't wait to meet this special blessing!
ReplyDeleteWow, wow, and wow. You are amazing. And he is precious. And that was a long cord!!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteseveral things-
ReplyDeleteI giggled at the visual of the exercises in your house!
I love your answer to 'this is why I would never'...
I adore the name and I am kind of funny about names. So perfect.
This is a pretty incredibly birth story and I am glad you told it all :) I mean, I was pretty amazed by the whole thing. And, of course, very curious to see what type of little guy Ben is gonna be.
This is beautiful and so are you all!!!! Blessings!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a crazy, amazing birth. Praise God everything happened so perfectly. I'd never heard of an Agnus Dei. I'll have to keep that in mind for future pregnancies, God willing.
ReplyDeleteWow. Just wow. I have never read a birth story like this. Amazing! What a miracle.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! He looks so sweet and precious! God bless you and your family!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing! I am so glad you weren't traumatized by his birth, as you very well could have been. I was crying because my last little guy had to be a stinker, too (transverse at 38 weeks), but my story didn't go as well as yours, sadly.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry. Transverse is the only breech presentation that most definitely HAS to be a cesarean but I'm so sorry that you were traumatized by it. That must be so hard. <3
DeleteMary, that was an incredible story -- one for the ages! I'm sure your little man will enjoy hearing (most of) his birth story all his life! I have to thank you for your prayers. I asked you to pray for my son and his (at the time) future wife for their wedding. They were married Saturday (see my blog for a peek) and it was a glorious Mass and the most beautiful start to a beautiful life. Thank you for your prayers! The grace poured down (with a lot of rain!).
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy for them!! Isn't rain supposed to be a good sign? At least that's what they told me when it rained a bit on our day ;)
DeleteWow, what an amazing story. He's beautiful and so are you!
ReplyDeleteMary, you rock!! This birth story is so amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing. Blessing to you all!
ReplyDeleteNice story! I agree with your opinions on what happened. I'm sure it all happened for a reason and it seems like having a midwife checking on you often helped. Ps. My name is Brigid Marie. Lol
ReplyDeleteI just love your name! Ben's Godmother (my sister) is also Bridget but spelled the anglicized way :) Such a beautiful name!
DeleteBeautiful birth story!!! Your hospital sounds a lot more 'friendly' than mine. I always have to stay two nights (which I hate) and the pediatricians will only examine the baby in the nursery, so the nurse comes and takes the baby for an hour or two until the doctor finishes his exam. I really do not like that part. I wish the pediatrician would come to the room like they did for you.
ReplyDeleteI was also curious why you needed a catheter? Was it because they thought they would be doing a C-section?
Eh, not really. We had to be really really assertive to get all those things and part of it was because they knew I was a home birth transfer and wasn't going to be doing things the "normal" way ;) We consented to him going to the nursery for the hearing test (which in my opinion is one of the silliest tests they make you do at that precious time!) but they did the shorter one and Brian went with him. Taking them for an hour or two, though, is unacceptable. I wouldn't be afraid to fight on that one if you have to!
DeleteThe catheter was because I was being prepped for the cesarean and that's what everyone in the room (including myself) was preparing for until the doctor pulled that little foot out! Wish they had waited on that, though, because, ew. For some reason that feels particularly violating! (Obviously if it's necessary then okay but still not something you want to have done!)
I had to be hospitalized three different times for Lucia because labor started around 30 weeks. The first visit they gave me a catheter because I wasn't allowed to get out of bed, but it hurt so much (and about three nurses were present 'to watch' so yes very violating!) that the next time I had to be in the hospital I requested a bed pan. The nurses hated it and tried to fight me about it, but I refused that awful torture device again. Of course like you, I understand if it is necessary and for something like a cesarean I understand, but just bed rest? I don't think so! I wish I could fight against the nursery thing, but it's the hospital policy that the pediatrician goes to nursery for all the new babies. I really hate it, but I don't think it's something I could win. Usually John Paul is home with the kids when it happens, but maybe this time I could try to have him there, so he could go with the baby at least. Please pray he's able to be with me :)
DeleteI will. That is so messed up! I can barely let someone else hold them those first few days…even with the weighing and stuff, my arms are just aching to take them back! I hope they change that policy soon…keep asking because that's how things around here get changed. The more moms ask for something the more they realize that it might be an issue.
DeleteWow, I usually feel like I'm the "bad guy" working at a hospital, but it's nice to see that we are doing some things right here. We never separate Mom and baby except for health reasons. Hearing screen--in the room, lab tests--in the room, baby bath and exam---in the room, and yes, the pediatricians complained about that one but they have all come around. And times are changing--if a hospital would even try to put a catheter in for bed rest these days, they could lose their license, and we take them out less than 24 hours after a c-section. And Kari, I hope there isn't a next time, but you have a right to refuse having 3 people watch!! Sure hope your hospital catches up with the times soon!
DeleteWow. Just wow! I am so glad everything worked out well, and you had the right doctor for a breech delivery!
ReplyDeleteThis is so unbelievably epic!!! Question though - did they not inject a local anesthetic when they were stitching you up? Even when I had a natural birth they still gave me a local anesthetic when they stitched up the tear!
ReplyDeleteThey do every time but it's usually 3-4 needle injections (ouch) of lidocaine but they never work to completely numb it. I wonder if there are different options because women I've been with doulaing also have the same pain during it. But even just the checking…*shudder* There really should be a better way to do it…I have no idea what but whew, that is rough.
DeleteThat checked happened to me after a couple of my births, and it is horrific. I know I had a shot of painkiller and it didn't help much. So bad.
DeleteSame here. I have been stitched up 5 times and the lidocaine never takes completely. So painful!
DeleteWOW!! What an amazingly awesome birth story. It moved me to tears! Praise God! He is SO good! So happy both Mom and ben are okay. God bless, Sonia
ReplyDeleteThis is probably my favorite birth story ever. What a gift. He is such a beautiful baby.
ReplyDeleteWOW!!! That is such an exciting birth story!
ReplyDeleteJust for the record, there were no breech births out of my four, but there were two out of my mother's four.
I was born breech (vaginally) 59 years ago.
My sister was born breech (vaginally) 67 years ago.
And I *think* my mother was born breech (vaginally) 95 years ago.
So yes, it's certainly possible. And it is a darned shame that they don't train US OBs to do routine breech deliveries.
Exactly! Even if they don't want to do them for a known breech, they should at least know HOW to handle them for cases just like mine. It's so strange that birth practices and protocol is so very different between countries, especially first world countries where it is now so easy to get the information and share the best evidence-based practices.
DeleteWhat an amazing story Mary! I think it was a successful home birth too. Although it is a big shock to the system having so many people and so many things happen to you so quickly when you're used to a home birth. Things are so different at home! But I think you're amazing, what a birth story! He's a beautiful, precious baby - I'm so glad he's here!
ReplyDeleteWow! It is a homebirth success story and I'm so glad it ended so well for you all. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your miraculous story. I, too, had an amazing, but not as eventful home birth the day before yours. To be brief (because it's your blog!): I never went into active labor but, after hours of light contractions, my waters broke and I had an unusually tough time pushing this one out (though I usually enjoy the pushing stage). It turns out his cord was wrapped around his body and had to be cut before he could come out fully. My midwife later told me that if I'd had strong contractions, he could have been seriously deprived of oxygen. I'm certain it was the daily prayers of the women at my church that made it happen!
ReplyDeleteAnd, btw, I think Benedict Raphael is a beautiful name. Raphael was the name my girls were calling the baby before he was born, and I would have chosen Benedict but my American husband (I'm British) told me no one did that here because of Benedict Arnold - guess he was wrong! Anyway, we now have Alcuin Edward St John (the British pronounce that Sinjun), named for the 8th century scholar, the blessed Alcuin of York.
Congratulations!! So glad he's here and healthy! So funny, I didn't even *think* of Benedict Arnold until a couple people said it! #catholicproblems My first well known Benedict I thought of after the saint/popes was Benedict Cumberbatch…British! ;)
DeleteThis is an amazing birth story, I feel like I went through it with you!! I think it's so cool that as a doula, you have a hospital birth plus a breech birth under your belt. How reassuring for your future clients!! Ben is adorable, and I'm so glad he's here and you are all happy and healthy.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a story! Praise God for a beautiful healthy little boy! The whole story is amazing, but I was particularly struck by the fact that you had the doctor you needed at the right time. I thought it would be such a blessing to have a doctor you knew and trusted, but to be even more blessed to have a doctor you'd never met before, but was uniquely qualified for your situation! God is good.
ReplyDeleteAmen! I thought the same thing!
DeleteBeautiful. Congrats!!!
ReplyDeleteHooray! I've been waiting to hear Benedict's story:)
ReplyDeleteOh my! oh my!! All the amazing moment along the way and your incredible sense of Peace, and the right doctor, and a wonderful outcome!
I was particularly struck by Brian's reasoning, it hadn't occurred to me but yes, with the cord so long it could have been around B's neck or any number of reasons as to why turning was actually perhaps good. Still..well you had that blessing of Peace:) xxx
Congrats! What an exciting birth story, I love how you guys can see God's hand clearly throughout. I especially relate to the fear you struggled with before his birth. Maybe it's a 5th child thing? I struggled with fear of labor for my 5th, which I found strange because I had given birth multiple times without pain meds. I thought that maybe it was because my 4th had been born so quickly and we were rushed to get to the hospital. But the mental battle was very real. Thanks for the info on Angus Dei.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely is real! It was really comforting to me when I talked with other moms of more than a few children who experienced the same. We women are strong :)
DeleteStill amazed by the story of Ben's birth and how God's hand directed every detail. How good and merciful you are, Lord! I wanted to mention that at probably the exact time you were arriving at the hospital, your 4 little boys and their grandma were kneeling in your front room saying the rosary for you and baby- a very profound, blessed moment and I believe, totally spiritually connected to you and baby Ben. Awesome...beyond words
ReplyDelete<3 Thank you <3
DeleteI am sitting here with my 6th baby born last week in tears from this amazing story. This was my 5th birth (we've had twins) and this time I also spent a large part of the pregnancy in dread of labor. All natural births but this time I just knew all too well what was coming! And yet I didn't really...labor was so quick I barely had time to register that it was happening. I also ate the dates--and I might not eat so many next time around!
ReplyDeleteBut this was so beautiful--thank you for sharing it. And I love the names. I have a Benedict and a Marie Therese.
Congratulations!!! Yeah, those dates definitely work, I think! Good for most labors but women who have a history of quicker/more intense labors anyway may need to be careful!
DeleteThis is just about the most exciting birth story I've ever read. All the wonderful things. The first time I read it I thought it was the midwife who pulled out the foot and I was just floored in disbelief at her...assertiveness...to do that in front of the doctor haha. Anyway that made me smile, but it's a good story the other way too.
ReplyDeleteI know you're enjoying your baby snuggles. It's such a fleeting time.
I FINALLY got to this and it was well worth the wait! I'm crying, of course. What a beautiful account. I can see how your awareness of your body and of birth brought you to that blessed delivery. Most others would have had a cesarean well before that day. Your innate trust of the process combined with your attentiveness to the well being of your baby both led to that miraculous delivery. And of course, all the details that were so much grace and blessing from God's providence. He is beautiful. Praise God!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Mary for sharing this most beautiful story! I've been pondering it for a few days and the same two scriptures keep coming to mind: Luke 1:38 "...let it be to me according to your word." and Luke 2:51 "...and his mother kept all these things in her heart." Thank you for imaging the Blessed Mother for us, it is such a beautiful image of trust.
ReplyDeleteThe person that first comes to mind for me is our beloved Pope Emeritus Benedict (-:
And on a human (nurse) level, I hope you have the opportunity to write a note of thanks to that OB. I'm thinking that at some hospitals she could lose her job and in some states she could lose her license---I truly believe that she was being open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit at that moment.
May God continue to richly bless you and your family and thank you again for sharing your story with us.
You know, that word "fiat" was on my heart for most of the pregnancy (and continues to be) so I love that you said that! And yes, I keep thinking I should write her a note and let her know how much it meant and how thankful I am. Thank you for the push!
DeleteSuch a great birth story! Beautiful mom beautiful baby!!
ReplyDeleteOh my WORD! I read this with my jaw dropped half the time and tears in my eyes at certain moments.
ReplyDeleteMy main takeaway is that Khristeena is THE WOMAN! How just absolutely awesome that she did that. Just went for it. So awesome.
And awesome that you had the proper state of mind, it seems, through all those crazy stages!
Congratulations! He is beautiful - super cute! - and that is an awesome story.
Have I mentioned awesome?
The biggest thing I related to here is the checking afterwards/tending to the tears. With my first, the checking/stitching went on for a full 1.5 hours I think, and I *didn't* have my baby in my arms, as she'd been whisked to the NICU (somewhat unncessarily, in my opinion). Yes, I too let it rip and yelled and screamed like never in my adult life. Whereas with my home birth (with significantly larger baby) I barely tore and my skilled midwife had me stitched up in just a matter of minutes.
Oh my. An hour and a half?!? I am so so sorry! For that and that your baby went to the NICU. That must've been so hard.
DeleteThank you so much for your kind words. The story is pretty awesome, I agree :)
Thank you for sharing your birth story! Just last week I had my surprise footling breech baby born at home! He is Benedict Joseph and was my 5th too! Great name choice by the way! An ultrasound at 38 weeks showed him head down but the whole pregnancy was different kicks and bumps than the other 4 and his heartbeat was always difficult to obtain, and I always measured 2 weeks ahead via fundal height measurements. He came at 41 weeks with a foot first. His other foot ended up stuck. I had to turn to all fours and was really glad then that we hadn't been able to fill the birth pool up even half way because I was ready to get in before I knew it. My midwife had to help get his other foot out and I had to push as she had to help manuever each arm out as they were stuck as well. And the the head which was crazy hard to deliver as I pushed through no contractions as advised to make sure he made it out in time. I pushed for 3 minutes total and after a few pushes his head was finally out. He had no pulse and was limp. I had to breathe deep to help him get oxygen via his cord as my midwife resuscitated him on my back and my husband emergency baptized him and got the homeopathic remedy for revival to home. All the while I was praying to St. Benedict, St. Joseph and God and Our Lady and talking to our baby too. One minute after he was born he was breathing. His cry was pure joy to my ears! After that the paramedics arrived. My husband had called them after the first foot came out and my midwife thought we may need to transfer to the hospital. But all was well by then and after I delivered the placenta we had them leave. I am very grateful to my midwife for believing in my body and her skills, though have it she had never delivered a breech before. And I am thankful to her backup midwife who was to assist the birth and was on her way(who was my midwife in the past but closed ger practice to be a nurse practicioner and who has delivered 8 breech babies) as she was on the phone reassuring and guiding my midwife as needed. We were all in shock but now feel so blessed to have our Benedict and that God saw to every detail that could have potentially changed the outcomes drastically. Benedict was 9lb. 5oz. and 22.5 inches long. I am glad that your birth went so smoothly. Thanks again for sharing your inspirational birth story.
ReplyDeleteOh wow!!! That is amazing. I'm so glad for the skill of your midwives and for Benedict's birth. That must have been very scary in the moment but God clearly was taking care of all of you! And another breech Benedict! What is up with these boys?? ;) That is so awesome! Thank you so much for sharing your story, Amy! Congratulations!
DeleteI just remembered that I never commented on this post - I think this is my favorite birth story ever, and ...well...I've read a lot of birth stories :) I had a surprise frank breech delivery and these breech stories are near and dear to my heart!! I'm loving all the comments - it's crazy that there are so many breech babies, and awesome that so many people were able to deliver them without having to do the section! Also loved that Canada is now recommending the vaginal deliveries for breech babies....very cool!
ReplyDeleteAnd also completely forgot to include...congratulations!!! He is a beautiful!!!
DeleteThank you! It's funny how I feel a sort of 'bond' with other breech moms now! Like there's just something different about those babies :)
DeleteWow! And I thought my sunny-side-up birth was hard! You take the cake - in all the best ways :) I got to this page by reading your birth annoucement - so, also, Congratulations on #6! Prayers for a healthy and safe pregnancy and delivery.
ReplyDeleteHa, not a cake I want to eat again but definitely - weirdly - the way it was supposed to be, I think! But I'd be thrilled to have a much more normal birth this time around! Thank you for the prayers!
Delete