Birthing in a Blizzard- Danielle's Birth Story

March 22nd-28th is World Doula Week. As part of the celebration, I'm featuring a doula attended birth story each day.

Danielle was so kind to share her birth story with me. Her ability to find peace when she was faced with what she called her 'weakest moment', was so admirable! It shows just how strong she really is to be able to overcome her fears, and move on to accomplish her much desired *VBAC.

Here is Danielle's Story:

We had my 41 wk appointment at 9am for an Ultrasound and Non Stress Test. I made Josh take a half day from work to go with me. Baby did great, we set up an appointment for Thursday for another NST and to talk about possibly inducing around 42+2. Josh and I talked on the way home and decided we wanted to avoid that and would consider castor oil or cohosh over the weekend.

I went back home and settled in for a nap with my 2yr old. Josh headed off to work. We got up and played for an hour or so when I had a pretty strong contraction around 5pm. After about 2 more I realized I couldn't be distracted during them so I called my mom to come pick up my son. My husband came home with dinner about that time, we had previously decided to order pizza, what a blessing! We waited about 30 minutes before calling our doula and midwife. We wanted to labour at home but contractions started at 5min apart and lasting a full minute so the midwife wanted us to come immediately.

We did wait about an hour and unfortunately it was the middle of a stinking blizzard. The drive normally 35 minutes took over an hour. We drove through the worst of it and couldn't see even the car in front of us from time to time. I was praying the entire drive between contractions. Our amazing doula meet us half way through the drive and drove in front of us to make it easier as we had a headlight out. Josh did an amazing job driving while only seeing half the road.

We arrived at the hospital at 9:15. I had to be checked upon admittance, 5cm. The hospital told me I wasn't able to leave the bed because I was a VBAC and they needed constant monitoring. My doula was amazing and had me try different positions and I hardly even noticed that I was stuck in one corner of the room. My husband and my doula pressed on my hips to counter the back labour with every contraction. It was amazing! I had more freedom of movement, everyone was very supportive.

Then it started that I'd have the urge to push with scattered contractions. I was only 8cm. That is exactly what happened with my first and one of the reasons I ended up with a CS. My midwife and doula were so supportive through that rough time. I will call that my weakest moment. Everyone in the room joined together to sing the doxology with me and my husband prayed with me. I cried and basically got to release all the negative from my first labor. Talk about inner healing!!

But I was allowed to push while laying on my right side. My midwife tried to check me but couldn't in my current position so she asked me to move to my back quickly. Once I was on my back I pushed maybe 3 times and his head was right there!!! I got to reach down and feel his hair. It filled me with resolve and determination. I was doing it!! The next 2 pushes were terrible. The "ring of fire" is absolutely no joke!! But then I felt his head come out and my husband rushed from beside my head to catch our son. I will NEVER forget his face as our son glided into his hands. The amount of love, joy, and adoration. He teared up as he present the baby to me and laid him on my chest. We had done it!! I had first degree tears that needed stitched but I was holding my baby and I prefer vaginal stitching to CS! I got to hold baby for nearly 2 hours before they weighed and measured him. 6 lbs 14 oz 20in He was born at exactly 12:00am 2/18/14 only 7 hours after my first contraction.

It was a very emotional and healing birth after the trauma with my first.

*In case you're not familiar with the acronym, VBAC stands for vaginal birth after a cesarean.