I had been having contractions off and on for a week, and started on January 4th, 2011 at 5:45 AM to have them again. It was the day after my EDD. I had them fairly steady, but far apart until 9 AM, then they were sporadic at best until 4 PM. At that point I was having them at 6-25 minute intervals, not intensifying or steady. At 9 PM we went to bed, thinking it would be a long night and maybe it would pick up. They were still sporadic and I dozed here and there, and breathed through the contractions and focused on staying relaxed.
I was using the breathing I had trained with relaxation CD's, prenatal yoga, and the books I had read. I was also using visualization and working on keeping my face and shoulders completely relaxed. I kept waiting for it to get regular and intense, like you hear about and like my first labor was. I had one bad one around midnight and decided to get in the bathtub to relax, so DH Stefan filled it and I got in. Then after about a half hour the bath wasn't helping much and it was starting to hurt, so I decided to call Sofia, the doula we had hired to help us for the birth, at 12:48 AM. Right after that I decided it was time to go in to the hospital soon, so Stefan called them to warn them that we would be on our way.
Stefan tried to help me out of the bath, and dry me off, but suddenly I was having intense contractions and we didn't get much done between each one. He told my parents that we would be leaving and tried to dress me. Sofia came and at the same time she walked in, I started feeling pressure and nausea. I told them to call an ambulance because I didn't think we were going to make it, but Stefan said that it would be faster if we went ourselves. Everyone made a mad rush to get us out the door. Sofia supported me, Stefan packed the stuff in the car, my dad shoveled and started the car, and then they got me dressed somehow and out the door. I managed to walk to the car between contractions and ended up in the passenger seat, facing backwards with my head in the backseat.
We took off as fast at Stefan could drive during a bad snowstorm, with Sofia in the backseat. I was pushing and yelling during each contraction, whether I wanted to or not. I still had pauses between contractions and breathed through them with some reminding from Sofia and Stefan. He drove all the way to Visby in 4th gear since my leg was in the way of 5th. I was crowning as we got to Visby, and the head was out on the way down the hill to the hospital. The water broke at the same time. Stefan parked right outside the labor and delivery entrance, mostly on the sidewalk, and Sofia rang the bell. Stefan said they came with a wheelchair but he told them it was too late for that.
I told them to take my pants off because the baby was out, so he pulled them down, and Sofia caught the baby during the next contraction. She was born at about 1:40 AM. Stefan rushed to get a blanket from the trunk and the nurses came with some towels. The midwife cut the cord there in the car, and they brought the baby in. Then I got out and onto a gurney and they wheeled me in too, into the same room where we had Haylie.
The staff all expected us to be shocked, but I was just totally relieved that everything had gone so fast and so easily. I never thought I would be glad to give birth in the front seat of a Saab. I felt great right away after, had no tearing or stitches, and Alice started nursing almost right away (after she warmed up a little). A totally different experience than when Haylie was born. We went home again at 6 PM the same day.
The whole thing was amazing and wonderful, a complete contrast to my first labor and birth, which I perceived as horrible and agonizing without support. I have felt great afterwards!
Shared by Mamma_A on Babies Born in Weird Places
I always remind my clients and expectant parents that giving birth is NOT a medical problem. Women have been giving birth for centuries, long before there was induction drugs and epidurals. There are so many stories like these that we just do not hear about.
A great help to this couple in particular was their Doula. The Doula was able to give Mom support and undivided attention while Dad could focus on getting to the hospital safely. Could you imagine the drive to the hospital- had it only been the husband and wife?
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