My Experience

I saw my OB throughout my pregnancy, had regular checkups and sonograms. This was my third childbirth, after a healthy low risk pregnancy.

I arrived at the hospital on a Wednesday evening, with regular contractions about 5 minutes apart. I arrived at the admittance counter and since I had mailed in all my paperwork, I was sent to the ward rather quickly.

My OB who had cared for me throughout my pregnancy was on call and I was very excited to see him. He checked me about 20 minutes later (I waited with my husband in the waiting room) and told me I was only dilated 2 cm. I am a die-hard “go natural” so my doctor agreed that it would be OK for my husband and I to walk around and return within 3 hours to get checked again. I was told to return if anything major changed – if my water broke, bleeding, intense contractions, lack of fetal movements, etc.

When we returned 3 hours later and barely 4 cm dilated, I was admitted to the labor and delivery department. I was asked if I wanted Pitocin to speed things up, but I declined. I received antibiotics intravenously since I am a Group B streptococcus (GBS) carrier (bacteria). (My doctor explained that GBS is often asymptomatic for the mom but there is a small chance of it harming the baby during birth, so antibiotics may be given within 4 hours of delivery to decrease the risk of passing the infection to the baby).

I asked not to be in bed, and to be monitored sporadically (10 minutes every hour). In order to go through contractions without the use of painkillers, I found movement crucial. My husband and I walked the ward basically the whole night. I also spent time on a physio ball, leaning on the side of the bed and in the shower — anything to help conquer the pain.

About 11 hours after my arrival, I was only 7 cm dilated and anxious to deliver. I agreed to let my doctor rupture the membranes (“break my water”). He left the room afterwards and I could feel the baby coming out. My husband called the nurse who ran out to get the doctor. I was in a sitting/half lying position on the bed. In my view, natural childbirth is not about lying flat on your back, and yet the nurse started to decline the bed. I told her to stop but the doctor insisted that she continue. My son was born within several minutes, beautiful and healthy. I nursed him right away while the doctor professionally and quickly gave me a local anesthetic and a stitch. He gave me a list of prescriptions that he said “the nurse upstairs” would explain, and then he left the room.

A lovely nurse took over since the shift changed over to the morning crew. She cleaned me up and took me to the maternity ward. I never separated from my baby, my husband was allowed to stay with me as long as we wanted and the staff was great! I recovered the fastest of all my births.