Henry's Birth Story {the really short version}

Henry William Stauffer

{6lbs 9oz / 19 ¾ inches} 

Friday, September 20^th

Due Date

Saturday, September 21^st

That night Mariah started to have a few contractions.

Around 1 every hour.  Went to bed not exactly sure if it was labor or Braxton hicks. 

Sunday, September 22^nd

Mariah woke up around 1am because she couldn’t sleep through them anymore.

4am she woke up Gabe- Started Timing Contractions

4-7am Contractions were 10 to 11 minutes apart

7:30am Breakfast

8:30am Went for a walk around the block

9:00am Contractions were at 9 minutes

10:30am Mariah took a shower

11:00am Contractions 7-8 minutes

11:30am Contractions 2-4 minutes

12:00 Went and Got Jimmy Johns

12:30pm Called Midwife

1:00pm Settled in for Packer Game

2:00pm Contractions 2-4 minutes - Try to call Midwife, a lot more pain.  Mariah said “I feel like pushing”.  We left.

2:30pm Got to the hospital and to the triage room to check us out

Monitor heart rate and contractions.  Dilated 3cm.  Thin cervix, baby was low, some bloody discharge. 

Got us into a birthing room and put us into the bathtub.  Labored there. 

5:30pm Got out of tub threw up.  Lots of bloody discharge.  Then labored through contractions by standing, swaying, and birthing ball.

6:30pm Midwife came and checked.  Only  4 cm. 

6:45pm Back in tub.  Very strong contraction pain, lower back pain, throwing up in blue bags.  Starting to question the “no medication” decision.

8:00pm Midwife checked, 5 cm.  Decided to break your water. 

8:00-9:30pm Standing and birthing ball. 

9:30pm Got checked again.  7-8 cm. 

9:30-12:00am Labored in bed hook up to fetal and contraction monitor.  Talk her through every contraction.  During the rest Mariah would sleep/zone out.  Heartbeat was soothing.

Monday, September 23^rd

 12:00am Got check, 9 cm. 

2:00am Midwife manually stretched/moved cervix to 10 cm during contractions. 

2:00am-3:30am Pushing in variety of positions.  Squatting bar, side position (both sides), hands and knees.  Most comfortable in sitting upright in bed.  Babies hear rate started to dip, put on oxygen.

Midwife had to leave and check another patient.  Started to push every other contraction because of the baby’s low heart rate. 

3:45am Nurse called a Doctor in because Midwife couldn’t be there, she was uncomfortable with not having a midwife/doctor there, and babies heart rate was dropping after contraction. 

4:00am Doctor assessed situation, advised we use the Mighty Vac.  Just then Midwife came back from delivering a baby.  She hinted towards a faster delivery with Mighty Vac.

4:05am Two-three pushes with Mighty Vac and baby was out, put on chest, mucus cleared, and cord cut. Taken off chest for oxygen and a quick check because he wasn’t immediately breathing.  Baby on chest while Dr. pulled out placenta  -pitocin “recommended” and then tears were stitched up.