The Birth of Savannah
Here is what I remember…
Sunday morning at 4 a.m. I woke up feeling period like cramps. I thought it was quite unusual to have that feeling so I grabbed my cell phone to check the time. Sure enough 8 min. later I felt the same cramps. I timed the contractions for the next half hour before waking Gustavo. I wanted to be sure these were the real deal.
At 4:30 I woke Gustavo. We laid there for a bit talking about how excited we were to soon meet Savannah. It was still so early and contractions were steady at 7 and 8 min. apart. We both tried to go back to sleep but I couldn’t. I just laid there thinking that soon I would meet my little girl. Contractions were very bearable at this point especially when I compare them to contractions at 8 and 9 cm.
My mother in-law was flying in at 4:30 pm that day, her timing couldn’t have been better. My father had plans to make pizza so we could all gather for my mother in-laws arrival. All day Sunday my contractions stayed about 7 and 8 minutes apart. I pretty much ignored my labor all day. I showered, ate my Dad’s irresistible pizza, and I went to the airport with Gustavo to pick up his mother. We brought her back to my parent’s house to visit and eat. At around 9 pm we decided to head home which was right up the street. My mother in-law was tired from her long plane ride and went to bed. Contractions were still very tolerable so I told Gustavo to get some rest while my sister stayed up with me to continue timing contractions. At about 10 pm contractions started getting more intense and were now 5 and 6 min. apart. I went from walking around the house to leaning over the birthing ball. At this point I was more vocal but kept my voice deep and breathing very controlled. At about 12 a.m. Monday morning my contractions began at 3 and 4 minutes apart and stayed steady that way until 1 a.m. By 1:30 Gustavo was pulling the car up to the front of the house and we were loading up to head to the hospital.
By the time I was checked in, signed a bunch of consent forms and answered a bunch of questions it was 3 a.m. and the nurse finally checked to see how far I was dilated. She said I was 5 to 6 cm dilated and I could stay in the hospital free to walk around if needed. Gustavo and I never left the room. I continued to labor on the ball for another hour while contractions started to get more intense. At 4 p.m. the nurse checked me again and I was 8 cm dilated. At this point I was starting to feel desperate and contractions seemed to be getting closer together. We didn’t really time them at this point instead Gustavo and I were trying different techniques to relieve pain that moved from my lower abdomen to my back. Massage or touch was annoying. We tried dancing around the room and walking but I was trembling a lot at this point. Even though the shower did not sound soothing at the moment Gustavo convinced me to get in the shower. I continued to tremble uncontrollably and barely had a break between contractions. I could barely stand and I was very vocal at this point. I began getting frustrated in the shower and wanted out. At about 5 a.m. I asked Gustavo to call the nurse so I she could check my cervix again. It was so painful to lie down and let her check. At this point I was praying to God for strength to endure the pain and Gustavo kept reassuring me and reminding me that I was so close. I was 9 cm dilated. When the nurse was done I jumped off the bed and continued to walk around the room with Gustavo, every time a contraction came I had to hang on him because I could barely hold myself up. I was trembling so bad through every contraction and continued to pray. At this point I started to doubt myself and my body’s ability to withstand the pain. I felt so much pain in my lower back I thought I was going to break. I could feel my lower body shifting and expanding. I began to wonder if I should have allowed an epidural and if it was still too late to have one. But then I would hear Gustavo telling me, “you’re doing so good Lorena, you are almost there and I am so proud of you!”
After about 30 min. more I had enough, I started feeling delirious and I wanted her out “NOW!” I told Gustavo to call the nurse. She came in right away and I asked her if she could break my water in hopes that things would speed up. She told me she couldn’t break it but she could check me again and there might be a chance that my water would break.
While checking me I could feel her putting lots of pressure on my bag of water. She also told me to bear down a couple of times. I knew she was trying to pop my bag of waters. It was the most annoying and painful feeling to feel that pressure but I was glad she was attempting to break it. As soon as she broke it she told me I was just about ready to push. She told me to get on all fours and she was going to call the Dr. At this point Gustavo said it was about 6 a.m. The nurse told me I could go a head and bare down when I felt a contraction come. I couldn’t bare the pain while on all fours. I turned around and asked to use the squat bar. She brought out the squat bar and I tried that for a couple a pushes. At this point the Dr. was in the room and getting into position to receive the baby. I told the Dr. I wasn’t liking the squat bar so she suggested I lean back into a sitting position and bring my knees all the way back towards my chest. It was in this position I felt most comfortable and able to push the strongest. Gustavo said it took about 6 more pushes and at 6:15 Savannah was on my chest crying and making all these cute little sounds. Gustavo was crying and I was trying to catch my breath after being blown away at the site of my child in my arms, so alert and beautiful!
I didn’t get an episiotomy but I did tear in two spots. The Dr. sewed me up and my mom and sister came in to meetSavannah. As soon as I saw my mom I started crying with joy. I was so proud to introduce my mom to her first grandchild.
My mother had my sister and me natural. I would always ask her, “Mom how painful is it to have a natural birth?” She always said that it hurt but the pain went away as soon as they place your baby in your arms.
After labor I asked my mom, “When you had us did it ever cross your mind that you weren’t going to make it?” She said, “Of course, but you are my daughter and I could never bring myself to tell you that. Why would I want to instill fear in your head when I knew you wanted this so bad and I had faith you could do it!?”
My mom was my inspiration, I always thought if she did it then so can I. I was so glad she never emphasized on the pain of natural birth. I went into labor with no fear and no doubts. I believe my mind set together with Liza’s prenatal yoga and the Bradley classes helped me to achieve the best birth experience for both Savannah and I.
Sunday morning at 4 a.m. I woke up feeling period like cramps. I thought it was quite unusual to have that feeling so I grabbed my cell phone to check the time. Sure enough 8 min. later I felt the same cramps. I timed the contractions for the next half hour before waking Gustavo. I wanted to be sure these were the real deal.
At 4:30 I woke Gustavo. We laid there for a bit talking about how excited we were to soon meet Savannah. It was still so early and contractions were steady at 7 and 8 min. apart. We both tried to go back to sleep but I couldn’t. I just laid there thinking that soon I would meet my little girl. Contractions were very bearable at this point especially when I compare them to contractions at 8 and 9 cm.
My mother in-law was flying in at 4:30 pm that day, her timing couldn’t have been better. My father had plans to make pizza so we could all gather for my mother in-laws arrival. All day Sunday my contractions stayed about 7 and 8 minutes apart. I pretty much ignored my labor all day. I showered, ate my Dad’s irresistible pizza, and I went to the airport with Gustavo to pick up his mother. We brought her back to my parent’s house to visit and eat. At around 9 pm we decided to head home which was right up the street. My mother in-law was tired from her long plane ride and went to bed. Contractions were still very tolerable so I told Gustavo to get some rest while my sister stayed up with me to continue timing contractions. At about 10 pm contractions started getting more intense and were now 5 and 6 min. apart. I went from walking around the house to leaning over the birthing ball. At this point I was more vocal but kept my voice deep and breathing very controlled. At about 12 a.m. Monday morning my contractions began at 3 and 4 minutes apart and stayed steady that way until 1 a.m. By 1:30 Gustavo was pulling the car up to the front of the house and we were loading up to head to the hospital.
By the time I was checked in, signed a bunch of consent forms and answered a bunch of questions it was 3 a.m. and the nurse finally checked to see how far I was dilated. She said I was 5 to 6 cm dilated and I could stay in the hospital free to walk around if needed. Gustavo and I never left the room. I continued to labor on the ball for another hour while contractions started to get more intense. At 4 p.m. the nurse checked me again and I was 8 cm dilated. At this point I was starting to feel desperate and contractions seemed to be getting closer together. We didn’t really time them at this point instead Gustavo and I were trying different techniques to relieve pain that moved from my lower abdomen to my back. Massage or touch was annoying. We tried dancing around the room and walking but I was trembling a lot at this point. Even though the shower did not sound soothing at the moment Gustavo convinced me to get in the shower. I continued to tremble uncontrollably and barely had a break between contractions. I could barely stand and I was very vocal at this point. I began getting frustrated in the shower and wanted out. At about 5 a.m. I asked Gustavo to call the nurse so I she could check my cervix again. It was so painful to lie down and let her check. At this point I was praying to God for strength to endure the pain and Gustavo kept reassuring me and reminding me that I was so close. I was 9 cm dilated. When the nurse was done I jumped off the bed and continued to walk around the room with Gustavo, every time a contraction came I had to hang on him because I could barely hold myself up. I was trembling so bad through every contraction and continued to pray. At this point I started to doubt myself and my body’s ability to withstand the pain. I felt so much pain in my lower back I thought I was going to break. I could feel my lower body shifting and expanding. I began to wonder if I should have allowed an epidural and if it was still too late to have one. But then I would hear Gustavo telling me, “you’re doing so good Lorena, you are almost there and I am so proud of you!”
After about 30 min. more I had enough, I started feeling delirious and I wanted her out “NOW!” I told Gustavo to call the nurse. She came in right away and I asked her if she could break my water in hopes that things would speed up. She told me she couldn’t break it but she could check me again and there might be a chance that my water would break.
While checking me I could feel her putting lots of pressure on my bag of water. She also told me to bear down a couple of times. I knew she was trying to pop my bag of waters. It was the most annoying and painful feeling to feel that pressure but I was glad she was attempting to break it. As soon as she broke it she told me I was just about ready to push. She told me to get on all fours and she was going to call the Dr. At this point Gustavo said it was about 6 a.m. The nurse told me I could go a head and bare down when I felt a contraction come. I couldn’t bare the pain while on all fours. I turned around and asked to use the squat bar. She brought out the squat bar and I tried that for a couple a pushes. At this point the Dr. was in the room and getting into position to receive the baby. I told the Dr. I wasn’t liking the squat bar so she suggested I lean back into a sitting position and bring my knees all the way back towards my chest. It was in this position I felt most comfortable and able to push the strongest. Gustavo said it took about 6 more pushes and at 6:15 Savannah was on my chest crying and making all these cute little sounds. Gustavo was crying and I was trying to catch my breath after being blown away at the site of my child in my arms, so alert and beautiful!
I didn’t get an episiotomy but I did tear in two spots. The Dr. sewed me up and my mom and sister came in to meetSavannah. As soon as I saw my mom I started crying with joy. I was so proud to introduce my mom to her first grandchild.
My mother had my sister and me natural. I would always ask her, “Mom how painful is it to have a natural birth?” She always said that it hurt but the pain went away as soon as they place your baby in your arms.
After labor I asked my mom, “When you had us did it ever cross your mind that you weren’t going to make it?” She said, “Of course, but you are my daughter and I could never bring myself to tell you that. Why would I want to instill fear in your head when I knew you wanted this so bad and I had faith you could do it!?”
My mom was my inspiration, I always thought if she did it then so can I. I was so glad she never emphasized on the pain of natural birth. I went into labor with no fear and no doubts. I believe my mind set together with Liza’s prenatal yoga and the Bradley classes helped me to achieve the best birth experience for both Savannah and I.
Thank you Liza for sharing all you know about pregnancy and childbirth. I admire your passion and dedication to touch peoples lives during this most important event.
All our love,
Lorena, Gustavo and Savannah
