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Our Birth Story (Colleen & Dave - shared from their blog)
As Miles was over a week late, we had been receiving a lot of inquiries on the status of our baby's arrival. So, when the signs of early labor kicked in Monday evening I figured it was easiest to get the word out to interested parties by posting a simple text message to our blog. After the birth was complete and we took a short nap we were shocked when we logged on here to recall the events of the past 48 hours and saw how many people had been following along as Colleen labored. We were touched by all the words of encouragement, support and, in the end, congratulations!
Using the real-time play-by-play posts as our guide, we have drafted a more detailed and complete version of our birth story for posterity's sake. We look forward to sharing this story one day with Miles.
Monday 12.13.2010
Colleen started having contractions late Monday evening. We were sure the birth was imminent and started preparing things. Around midnight we tried to go to bed but sleep wasn't happening as contractions seemed to be getting more intense and closer together. After a phone call to Grandma Karen, we decided to head to the sofa where I could time things and help ease some of the pain Colleen was experiencing.
Tuesday 12.14.2010
After a few hours my contraction phone app showed the average time between contractions at around 7.5 minutes although they ranged from as close as 4.5 minutes to as much as 15 minutes. By around 6:15 a.m. we were tired and frustrated that things hadn't "normalized" as so often described.
Unsure and sleep deprived, we called our good friend and doula, Vivian Sovran, as a sounding board. After describing what was happening, we were encouraged by her to check in with our midwife, Bev Schubert (Rainy City Midwifery). We called Bev on her cell at 6:30 a.m. and she came by our house at 8:30 a.m.
It was a huge relief and comfort to have her here. She brought replenishing drinks to keep (nauseated) Colleen nourished and a new energy and sense of assurance that things were okay. We were encouraged to learn that Colleen was dilated to 4 cm but also encouraged to get some rest and allow ourselves to fall asleep so we could save/gain some energy for more active labor. With that, Bev headed into the clinic and we went to bed for a few hours which yielded some short naps between contractions for Colleen.
I started timing contractions around noon as they once again got more intense and closer together. Colleen was in significant pain at this point and I was starting to feel like I needed some help getting her food, hydration, comfort, and coordinating with the labor tub delivery and checking in with Bev. I called Vivian and the tub folks at 12:30 p.m. and they were on their way. I also spoke with Bev who was planning on coming over at 5:30 p.m. unless we called and needed otherwise.
Team Colleen began to assemble at 1:45 p.m. when Vivian arrived. Vivian was awesome and stepped right in to massage Colleen and help her through contractions as I made "breakfast" and continued to boil and add hot water to the tub. This was pretty much the story until 5:30 p.m. when Bev and her assistants, Megan and Cassandra, arrived.
With Team Colleen officially assembled, it really started to look like something was about to happen. Bev, Megan, and Cassandra staged supplies in the back room near the tub, which Colleen was real eager to get in at this point. Prior to doing so, Bev examined Colleen and we fed her snacks and got her well hydrated. Although her contractions were still irregular and all over the place, her vitals were good and she was measuring 6 cm around 6 pm.
Getting in the tub was great for Colleen. It helped with her comfort and ability to work through contractions, which also became more regular while in the water. Another exam at 8 pm showed her to be at 8 cm. Now if she were only so lucky to have her measurements continue to follow the hours! (No such luck.)
As the night wore on, the contractions continued to intensify and, to make an already exhaustive and lengthy labor worse, back labor set in. Not sure I totally understand what that means, but all I know is it is something Colleen continually said she hoped wouldn't happen and, when it did, she was in severe pain between contractions and therefore never got a break. In spite of the pain and exhaustion, Colleen continued to move around the house in an effort to open things up and get our little guy to drop. After several hours of no real consistency with contractions, it was time to get back in tub.
After spending another hour or so in the tub, we were all certain that great progress was being made. While in the water, contractions appeared more regular and Colleen was able to move and work through them well. So, after getting out of the tub and having another exam around 11 p.m., it was surprising when we learned she hadn't dilated beyond 8 cm. Discouraged, exhausted, and in pain, Colleen wanted to know what her options were. Bev did a great job explaining to Colleen that she and the baby were doing well and that she was capable of having of our baby at home, but that she would have to do so on his time. Amidst a very heavy situation, we all took comfort in light hearted jokes of how it would take Colleen and our boy 4 hours to walk around Green Lake because he'd be stopping to smell the flowers, play with the dogs, throw a rock in the lake, or chase the birds. It is this sort of bed side manner that made Team Colleen so perfect for us. As Bev also explained the option and realities of transferring to the hospital under non-emergency circumstances (meaning that it would still take quite a while to get there by car, check in, and get set up for any sort of epidural), Colleen's resolve to continue at home was reinvigorated.
Wednesday 12.15.2010
The next several hours were much of the same, working through contractions and moving around to help bring the little guy down. Another dip in the tub again seemed to be helpful but yielded very little measurable progress. Colleen and baby continued to check out great, but our boy was simply taking his own sweet time while mama was paying the price. As we passed the 24 hour mark from when contractions began and with little to get excited about for the last several hours, things began to drag and everyone had to dig even deeper for the energy to continue. It was then that we decided to have Bev break Colleen's water in the hopes that it might help things to progress. I still have no idea how Colleen was doing it.
After a long rally by the entirety of Team Colleen, we decided to switch things up a bit just before 2 a.m. and have just Colleen and I to work together in the living room. With everyone else in the back room, I spent around an hour helping my superhuman wife through back labor and contractions the best I could. As I began to doze off next to her, I realized it was probably time to get Vivian to step in and for me to take a nap if I was going to be fully present when this guy finally did decide to arrive.
Although I only intended to rest my eyelids for 20 minutes or so, everyone let me sleep for around an hour and a half. When I awoke and saw the clock, I jumped up and ran upstairs to find Colleen walking around with Vivian and Cassandra. While I slept, she had been climbing stairs, doing lunges, squats, and whatever else she could to make some progress. Now, at around 4 a.m., it was clear that she had found something deep down that was not going to let up until our baby was delivered, an amazing transformation to witness.
As I relieved Vivian, allowing her to get in a short nap, Cassandra, Megan, and Bev rotated in to continue working with Colleen. As her superwomaness took over, Colleen began leading the charge. Following her own instincts, she began to do lunges, climb the stairs, and find positions to help move things along. Again, amazing.
Just before 5 a.m., Bev and Megan gave Colleen another exam. PROGRESS! She had made it to 9-7/8 cm so she was truly almost to the final stages. With the positive results and Vivian back in the mix, we began pulling together again to help work towards getting her fully dilated and ready to push. I will spare all of the painful details here, but just know that, as Bev confirmed, Colleen has an unusually high tolerance for pain that allowed her to become fully dilated with unbelievable grace.
Now fully dilated, we waited for the urge to push to set in; it never happened. The strange thing about this labor, relative to "normal" ones, was that contractions never became regular, dilation didn't follow pace, the little guy wasn't dropping down, and Colleen never got the natural urge to push. Rather, Bev kept close watch on Colleen's contractions to see how she was reacting to them and at around 7 a.m. began coaching her on how to ease into pushing.
As the morning sun arose, the whole team was once again gathered around Colleen. With Bev coaching, Megan and Cassandra checking the baby's heart beat, and Vivian and I doing what we could to comfort her, Colleen began working her way into more active pushing through sporadic contractions. It was clear Colleen was fully "in the zone" and ready to do whatever she could to to bring our boy home.
After all of the many hours of effort and calculated pushing, the top of our boy's s head finally appeared. Colleen's strength was never more tested than when she began to lose contractions altogether and had to push all on her own. She did it though and, with all the quiet strength that defines Colleen, she pushed Miles Daly Knight into our lives at 9:03 a.m.
Miles was quiet, aware, and beautiful. As Mama held our son close, I cut his umbilical cord and held him skin-to-skin to my chest. As Bev, Megan, Cassandra, and Vivian attended to Colleen for the remainder of the birthing process, I took Miles to the back room and sang to him as we had throughout the pregnancy. I'll never forget the deep, wide-eyed look he gave me; priceless.
As Bev finished up procedures with Colleen, we all gathered back in the living room for his newborn exam. Bev gave him the full body search, measured and weighed him, showing him to be a very healthy 8 lbs 2 oz and 21" long. Making sure too that Colleen and I were fully taken care of, Vivian, Bev, Megan, and Cassandra pitched in to clean up the house, cook some food, make up Colleen's bed, and start the laundry. This was just another testament to how amazing Team Colleen was. Each member played an important part and we couldn't have asked for more. Bev's knowledge, skill, and bedside manner was impeccable. Megan and Cassandra were always right there when we needed them offering support in so many ways, and Vivian was there for Colleen in ways that only a Bastyr classmate, fellow naturopath, best friend, and downright cool lady could.
After a few photos and lots of hugs, everyone gathered their things and were on their way. I will never forget as the front door closed behind Team Colleen and I sat on the sofa with Colleen holding our new baby in silence only three hours after he was born thinking, "Was that real? Is this real? I hope so..."
Because everything needs a song, I thought I'd end with this Cloud Cult song and video sent to us after Miles' birth by our friend, Maya, who we are proud to say will be a midwife soon.
Colleen & Dave
