Our Home Birth

January 17th Friday Morning at 10:04 am

Blake Matthew Murphy was born

Here is our amazing birth story-

January 2nd I was 2 cm dilated, on the 9th we were raring to go. Surely this baby will be born any day, but wanted a nudge for sure. Aundria did a stretch and sweep and I am at a full 4 cm. Can't be walking around like that long right? That next night I had lost some of my plug and had the shakes really bad (which are hormones kicking in gear) we sent the kids to spend the night with my friend because this is surely the day. Nope.... false alarm. The 16th we did another stretch and sweep. I am at 5 cm. After each of these days I feel very crampy and super tired.

At this point I can't believe I am already at 5 cm. The labor ahead must be super fast. Every night I was ready to wake up to labor pains and begin labor. All of my babies have been over due by two weeks, I really didn't think I would make it to my due date this time with how big I was, but here we are 41 weeks.

Thursday night the 16th went to bed but woke up at 1:12am with first contractions. Contractions scattered about 20-35 minutes apart and only 30 seconds long. Called Aundria Radmacher my midwife to let her know what was going on with me and Holly W. who is going to be my birth coach. Mentally preparing myself for the night ahead. I took a warm shower and woke Matt up. Holly was there when I got out. Called Aundria to come and my mother. Aundria brought a back up midwife to assist her (Jenna). 

Labor was steady, Holly was wonderful about praying and quoting scriptures, night faded into morning and it seemed like things were progressing so very slowly.

It felt better to labor sitting on the ball or standing up or sitting in the bathroom. Day light showed snow had beautifully fallen. In fact Corbin had a snow day from school. My planned childcare fell through this morning and the kids were with Sherri W. Praise Jesus for the church family that jumps in there when you have a need.

Matt and the ladies had been in and out checking on me; Holly never left my side. I really needed her. Just her presence and knowing she was praying and there to rub soar muscles. By 7am it didn't seem like labor was progressing as fast as I thought it was going to be. With Aiden we were in labor from start to finish 5 hours. This time I was already at 5 cm to begin with and now it has been 6 hours and no pushing contractions. 

My sciatic nerve especially in my back and right leg were in so much pain and no position was giving any relief. Alundria rubbed my leg and back several times.

Aundria monitored Blake's heartbeat constantly after checking me and we were still sitting at 9 cm and cervix just wasn't getting up over his head. I laid down in bed and she broke my water and now contractions really started to hit at a much harder intensity. The surprising part was that even with these hard contractions I still was not feeling the pushing contractions.

Again laying down on the bed was terribly painful on my back and right leg. I went to sit in the bathroom again and was so beyond continuing this labor. Holly asked if I could push with the next contraction and I just held onto this idea like a life line. I was very much ready to push this baby out. I was so tired. So that's what we did in the bathroom. I didn't want to move back to the bed. So I balled up, chin down and pushed with everything I had. Such pain.

I did this a few times and then went down on hands and knees. Here came Blake! Matt said the ladies looked at each other like can you believe how big he head is? When I delivered Blake completely I was on the floor on my back. Once his shoulders were born he came out very quickly. I am so glad the ladies didn't say anything about how big Blake's head was.

Blake's face was dark plumb/ almost black and non reactive. The ladies worked on him and he did cry and breath. I was too overwhelmed with finishing my part of this birth to be afraid for Blake. It was so fast but there was definent concern for his limp and not breathing response. 

Miracle beyond belief is that I didn't tear. Everything stretched to allow Blake to pass through. A few attempts to push out the placenta and the energy of the room turned to worry over me.They got me off the bathroom floor and we went to lay down on the bed.

The ladies pushed on my belly gave me two shots of pitocin, Blake nursed. All the things that would cause the placenta to release and push out but it wasn't coming. Now it had been a half hour and no success. Aundria called 911 and EMS came to take Blake and I to the hospital. I was loosing too much blood (hemorrhaging). When EMS came I had already lost 1,000cc's of blood. I felt like I would pass out. Everyone kept saying I was pale as a sheet. EMT's put in the IV and gave me at least 2 bags of fluid and put me on an oxygen mask. 

I had asked what was going to happen when we got to the hospital. What are the options? Everyone was in and out preparing to leave and I was beginning to need emotional support. I needed Matt. He was with me when we loaded up in the ambulance. We decided to have Blake admitted with me in the hospital and he was getting him taken care of.

The EMT's used this tarp with handles to bring me from my bed to the gurney at the bottom of the steps. Two big guys had me and the EMT boss had Blake. I was very faint and not really sure what to think about all that was going on. Pain and fear were starting to build. I trusted God to be with me and that everyone was doing the right thing but afraid of how much more pain was ahead with the placenta and why it wasn't coming out? I was not very aware of my surroundings.... yes you see the lights blurring above you down the hospital hall just like the TV shows represent. While they wheel you to your room.

We get to the labor and delivery ward and the doctor on call treated me. I immediately asked for pain medication but he was not going to give anything till he had asked me questions. With each response the doctor became more and more serious and focused. Matt was by my side the entire time. I could see he was very worried. How old are you? How many pregnancies? Is the placenta planted in the front? Have you had a c-section before? We don't know why the placenta won't release but he was going to manually remove it. There was not time for pain meds only time for action. If that doesn't work we will go to the Operating Room and see about removing it surgically. The worst case here is if the placenta has grown into my  c-section scar. They would have to perform a hysterectomy if that were the case. Prayers and tears were flowing. 

He tries right away, lots of pain a big gush and out it all comes. Another check and sweep to see if it has all come and yes it is done. Praise Jesus! Very mangled placenta he says. I guess we will not do a placenta print. :)

The whole time my mom is with Blake. They are checking him out. His sugars are a bit out of wack and I hear everyone ask if I or he has gestational diabetes because he is so big.  Everyone is in my room-- IV heart beat monitor and blood pressure cuff are all on my arms. Relief and praise is in the air. WE MADE IT! The baby is here....everyone is stable.

Blake Matthew Murphy

10:04am 

Friday, January 17th 2014

11 pounds 5 ounces 23 inches 

My precious baby!

Carolyn was so sweet standing right by me and feeding me ice chips. My mouth was so so dry and I couldn't have anything till antibiotic and fluids went in. So about 90 more minutes.

Blake came in the room everyone oohed and awwwed. My back and belly, chest and legs, everything hurt and was so sore. Plus all the stuff on my arms hurt so bad I didn't want to hold Blake's weight yet.
Blake's blond fuzzy hair was very pronounced against his red skin. Such big cheeks. Matt nicknamed him pork chop. I stuck for the rest of our hospital stay.

So EMS came at house around 11a, Hospital at 12noon. I think I nursed him around 2:30p Nursed very well. Still at this point a bit oblivious to what's going on. Later told I lost 40% of my blood. (2 liters)

Before I fed him the second time (around 5p) they wanted to do another blood sugar test on Blake. They were gone over an hour. Something was wrong. Blake had choked up a lot of amniotic fluid and the found fluid in his lungs.

More on next post....