At 36 weeks, I went ahead and got the house cleaned, my toenails painted and the freezer stocked because I just knew we’d be welcoming a baby within a week or two… tops. I felt my body couldn’t stretch any further. I was wrong.
39 weeks hits and I thought, WOW, it’s right around the corner- for sure! But at the doctor I was 50% effaced and though one midwife said I was 1 cm dilated, 2 other doctors assured me I wasn’t dilated at all.
And I stayed that way at 40 weeks, too. At that appointment we had to set an induction date because the doctor wouldn’t allow me to go further than 10 days overdue. How did I get to this point? I thought I’d go early.
At 41 weeks I was a bit softer- 75% effaced and 2 cm dilated! With my induction 2 days away, I had high hopes my body was kicking into gear and we’d have this baby without intervention. I was having contractions and could just feel it!
I was wrong 😉
Wednesday night, September 14th, Hubbs and I headed into the hospital. At 7:00pm they inserted the cervadil, which was going to soften my cervix. I had read that sometimes it’s enough to put you into labor, too. Again, my hopes soared!
Not long after we settled in, mom showed up with dinner- veggie pizza! And mom and dad Dixon came to hang out for a bit, too, and brought adorable pink and blue cupcakes. At this point, no one knew whether Baby D was a boy or girl. The cupcakes got a bit mixed up on the ride over, but they were still delicious!
It was nice to have the company to pass the time and calm the nerves. Hubbs and I were giddy knowing that FINALLY the day had come… even if it needed a jump start to get things going.
I didn’t sleep too much that night for a few reasons. Excitement, nerves, the saline lock in my arm (even though I didn’t need an IV – safety precaution!) and, oh yeah, the pumpkin inside my belly 🙂 At 2:30 am I woke up to contractions that were 4 minutes apart. I also noticed I felt very sore ‘down there’… almost like someone had kicked me between the legs and it had bruised. I played on my phone for about an hour before forcing myself to close my eyes and squeeze in a bit more sleep.
At 5:00am I woke up and was having contractions that were 2-5 minutes apart. I was so excited to be having contractions on my own. They weren’t painful, though I could feel them, and finally understood the ‘wave’ that people describe as contraction as. You can feel it coming on, feel the height of it and then feel the relaxation. It felt like a belt tightening around my middle.
At this point, I was up for the day and hungry. Contractions were still coming often, but ouch, I was more focused on the bruised feeling on my pelvic bone. It didn’t matter too much though, I was excited! Hubbs ran to Starbucks for some coffee (he would need it) and I begged him to bring me a turkey bacon, egg and cheese English muffin. He did, hesitantly, and suggested I not eat too much of it. Even though I could have scarfed it down, I took his advice and only had a few bites. I was glad later!
The doctor came in to check and see if I made any progress. I was a bit disappointed to hear that I was 85% effaced and 2-3 cm dilated. I hadn’t made much progress, BUT I was having contractions on my own.
At this point, the doc said we needed to get things moving. He suggested we break my water and start pitocin. I freaked out. Pitocin? I was contracting on my own! I thought we’d get to wait it out. And I wasn’t so sure about breaking my water and getting rid of the contraction ‘buffer’ right off the bat. However, the doctor said we needed to do something to move things along. My eyes opened wide and the doctor left us alone for a minute to discuss. I frantically started googling on my phone the pros and cons of breaking water, and after reading and talking with Hubbs, we decided it was best. At 7:27am we broke my water. I didn’t feel any pain, just the gush of warm water that was released. It totally feels like you just wet yourself. My heart started pounding knowing that now there was no turning back.
We agreed no pitocin, and I hoped my body would keep contracting. It did! The contractions were a bit stronger, too, which gave me hope.
I made a conscious effort to stay well hydrated and away from IV fluids.
I sat on the birthing ball, which was great. When a contraction came, I would put my head down and David would push hard against my back with counter pressure until it passed. Once it was gone, I could lift up, chat and smile like nothing had happened. I was feeling optimistic that I could do this, even though nurses would tell me that eventually I wouldn’t be smiling through them.
Dad arrived and popped in to say hello.
After a little bit, I decided I need to focus a bit more, so mom and dad moved out and it was just Hubbs and me. The contractions were coming a bit stronger by 11:30am.
The one thing I had going for me is that I wasn’t hooked up to an IV of any sorts, so I could move around freely. That was fantastic, because the only thing that sounded more painful than what I was already going through would be trying to do the same thing strapped to the bed.
I did have to keep monitors on my belly that tracked the baby’s heartbeat and my contractions, but luckily they had one that was portable. Although annoying and I would have much preferred to go without them, at least I could move.
In between contractions I talked to Hubbs, texted, tweeted and snacked on some jell-o.
The contractions kept getting more intense. Hours kept passing, but I had begun to lose track of time. At this point, the contractions were coming quickly and hitting me hard. I realized that when contractions are 2 minutes apart, and lasting for 90 seconds each, that you only get a 30 second ‘rest’, which isn’t much at all.
I was able to get into a hot bath, which is the only thing that would provide any sort of relief from the strong pressure and pain ramming into my pelvis. However, in the tub, I’d get more a break in between contractions, but when one hit, it was like slamming into a brick wall. I’d breathe deeply and whisper to myself ‘open, open, open’ as if I could talk my cervix into dilating. I spent my time going from hot bath, to walking around, then back to the bath. I couldn’t stand the thought of standing still, and sitting or laying down was not an option. All I could do was try to breathe through the contractions, which I did with some tears and moans.
I have to pause for a second and tell you how amazing Hubbs was. I wouldn’t have made it an hour without him. He never took his eyes off of me. He rubbed when I wanted him to, drew my baths, and would sit and watch me when I wanted to be left alone. I didn’t know it was possible, but I fell even more in love with him that day. I can’t imagine watching someone you love in that kind of pain, but he stayed strong, like I had asked him to, and never left my side.
At 2:00 the doctor came in to check me. The checks were the worst part because I had to crawl into bed and try to handle the contractions on my back while the doctor reached up inside. I thought that surely I had made progress because the contractions were too intense and painful to not have.
I was 4 cm dilated. And I see why people don’t want to be checked. I had hardly progressed at all, despite all my hard work. I must admit, I felt discouraged… until a contraction came, then all I could focus on was the pain.
Leading up to labor, I never referred to contractions as painful. I’d call them intense or powerful, but I tried to switch my language from using the negative word of ‘pain’, but to be honest with you, ‘intense’ doesn’t do what I was feeling justice.
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Part 2, coming soon! With as wordy as I got with this story, I didn’t want to bore you with a novel of a post.
Jen says
Ah way to leave us hanging 😉 I know you were struggling, but you seriously look beautiful! I can’t imagine how discouraged you were hearing you were only 4cm. You poor thing! At least we know this story has a happy ending!
Nicole says
love part 1! thanks for sharing 🙂
Lindsay @ Schnoodle Soup says
Oh my gosh…what a clif hanger! Thanks for sharing this. It’s really great to read along!
Katie @ Healthy Heddleston says
Can’t wait for part 2!!! And do we see pictures of your husband on the blog much?? Didn’t know he was such a hubba hubba!
Brittany says
Haha, I’ll pass this along to him- you will make his day! 😉
Lauren says
Oh my!! Thank you for sharing! It prepares me for when it’s my turn…! You did so well with your entire pregnancy and the birth, a real, true inspiration! Enjoy the little girly 🙂
Lisa says
I love reading your birth story! I also thought I would go early and had to be induced. I can’t wait to read the rest 🙂 Also, you are amazing for being up and blogging so soon after Hailey’s birth–I wish I had your energy, it took me 6 weeks to start posting again regularly!
Heather @ Side of Sneakers says
Ahhh I want to hear more!!! I have to say I’m really excited to see you were eating haha. 😉
blackhuff says
Thanks for sharing part 1 with us.
[email protected], Fitness, and Family says
Thanks for sharing!!
Man, I hope I look as great as you did while I am laboring! Fingers crossed … OB visit today. Hopefully progress. Wishful thinking?? 🙂
Molly @ Duchess of Fork says
The suspense is killing me! 😉 At least I know how it turned out…you ended up with a beautiful baby girl. I can’t wait to read the rest.
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen says
I don’t mind being left hanging like this when we all know the beautiful ending 🙂 If I ever have a kid, I want to look as good as you did in the hospital!
CaitlinHTP says
you are one tough cookie!
Holly @ The Runny Egg says
Brittany I didn’t think it was wordy at all — I look forward to reading the rest!
Holly says
Kind of sounds like really bad period cramps and not taking any ibuprofen?
Brittany says
Oh, I WISH it felt like bad period cramps. More like my hips ripping apart and a bowling ball being shoved into my pelvis and back. 🙂
Brooke @ Veggie Table says
Thanks for sharing! Can’t wait to hear part 2!!
Erin says
Thanks so much for sharing! Looking forward to part two!
Susan @ Real Life Travels says
Labor is no joke, it’s something you have to go through to understand … Reading this is bringing back so many lost memories 🙂 excited for Part 2
Kathryn says
Enjoyed part 1 and looking forward to part 2!!
Kelly says
Loved Part 1, it was like a great novel…it had a cliff hanger lol. Can’t wait for Part 2!
Maria says
This is a captivating story! I was on the edge of my seat reading it and my heart dropped when you said only 4cm dilated. You sucked me right in 🙂
Looking forward to part II!
Lauren says
It has always scared me to hear how long people are in labor for! Can’t wait for part 2.
Karen says
I love how positive you are about the whole experience! I am ~3.5 wks away from my due date and I can’t wait to read the rest of your birth story. Thanks for sharing!
Anastasia says
I can’t wait for part 2! I can’t imagine how labor feels and how to get through it. I am trying to prepare myself for when my husband & I start family but I have a feeling there’s no preparing when it comes to labor. I can’t imagine how you felt when you were only 4cm dilated.
Pure2raw twins says
oh man, what a journey you had! cannot wait for part 2
Tara says
Hurry and post the rest. Can’t wait to hear 🙂
Kristen @ The Concrete Runner says
Ah! I am officially scared out of my mind and trying to hold back tears. Could you wait another week or 2 to post these so I can experience myself first?! Just kidding! I’m interested to hear the rest of your story, although I know I shouldn’t read it, but I need to hear someone’s “normal” birth story instead of all the crazy ones people would rather tell!
Brittany says
I’ll give you a hint… Hailey was posterior facing and came out sunny-side-up. It’s supposed to create more painful labor. I’m convinced if I could have waited a few more days for when my body was ready that I could have handled it better, but we’ll never know 🙂 I still think natural child birth is totally do-able and you’re going to be fabulous in labor- no worries! And no matter what, you’ll be holding your precious baby at the end of it and it’s so true… all the bad memories fade immediately 🙂
Danica @ It's Progression Not Perfection says
You should be so proud of yourself for staying so positive! (amongst many of other things of course : ) I can’t wait to read part 2!
Tiff @ Love Sweat and Beers says
It’s wonderful that you had such a supportive network of people there for you. Sounds like hard work!
Megan says
Definitely can’t wait to read part 2 of this! It will help me when my turn comes in April/May next year to know what others went through.
Alyssa @ Life of bLyss says
I totally remember tweeting you during those moments. AHH! and does it feel like it was forever ago, now? 🙂 I bet it was alll worth it.
Heather says
no! you cant leave me hanging lol! I am loving all the details, but so glad it was you and not me. I don’t know if I would have handled it as gracefully as you did!
christina says
Awesome post. And seriously, you look so good for being in labor! Geez!! 🙂
sarah (the SHU box) says
SO NOT BORED! i can’t wait to hear the rest!!
Shayla @ The Good Life says
Wow you look so beautiful and so strong! Awesome post and I can’t wait for Part 2, you had me on the edge of my seat! 😉
Ashlee says
You look absolutely beautiful in all the hospital pictures. Most people look like they are in labor, but you didn’t 🙂 Can’t wait for Part 2!!
Mandy says
I saw this come up today at work and couldn’t wait to read it. The water breaking part brought back memories of when my water broke at home. It is just like you described a gush! My husband just thought I was peeing since I was almost a month early. Silly husband…
I am excited for part two. 🙂
Heather says
You looked so great in the hospitaly, you didn’t even look like you were in labor. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us. These are things our parents never tell us or can’t remember because it was so long ago. I can’t wait to read part 2.
Jen says
brittany – post part two! this is a cliffhanger. i want to hear the rest of the story! 🙂
Christine @ Oatmeal in my Bowl says
I was asking myself, “how does she look so happy while she is in labor?” Then I saw a couple of pics that said otherwise. Congratulations on the newest edition to your family. 🙂
Christie says
I can tell that you had Hailey at the same hospital we had Riley- hope you had a great overall experience and can’t wait to read more. We loved the nurses and doctors there- will definitely go back with… when… there is a baby #2!
Paulina says
Brittany thanks for sharing. I’m 39.4 weeks and at my checkup yesterday, I haven’t dialated or effaced at all and my doctor is already talking induction! I have been freaking out a bit since because I thought that discussion wasn’t even necessary until past 40 weeks. My Doctor thinks that the baby is on the big side around 8lbs and I’m on the small side and she (baby) can’t drop far enough into the pelvis to start contractions on their own. He left me with the feeling that I’m almost guaranteed to have an induced labor and because of the size issues, may end up with a c-section if I don’t open up enough or something….I’m scared, I’ll admit it. I don’t like feeling like this is beyond my control, or that the doctor is rushing things along to keep on his schedule or something…But I kept thinking of you and how you wanted to avoid induction as well, but you ended up with it anyway and so first thing this morning, I logged onto your blog to re-read your initial post about it. I can’t wait for part 2 to see how the rest of your labor/delivery went!
Ashley M. [at] (never home)maker says
Hey, Girl! I don’t know how I’m JUST reading your post now — been out of it obviously — BUT I wanted to say how much I am enjoying reading your birth experience. 1.) I love how happy you look in these photos — gives me hope. 2.) THE FOOD you ate — incredible 🙂 3.) Great tip on staying hydrated to stay off the IV. I could keep going, but I’m going to wander to Part II!!!
Erica says
So I’ve read your birth story about 15 times and this time it really resonated with me. My due date is in 5 days and my midwife already brought up an induction to be scheduled within 10 days afterward, just to get it on the calendar. I am slightly scared of the idea of it, but reading this again has settled my fears. I really don’t want to do pitocin, but am comfortable having my water broken, so reading your perspective is really helpful!