My Unmedicated Birth

I am so thrilled to announce that our second baby made his way into the world on December 14th 2022 at 2:36pm. My due date was December 19th and I always had a feeling he would be here before his due date, and I am glad he did as he weighed in at 9lbs.

My pregnancy was pretty textbook, except for a few minor things. My blood pressure was always a bit elevated, but nothing to be concerned about. I chalked it up to the fact that I was busy working, studying and we were also in the middle of searching for a house to buy. (Anyone trying to buy a home in Toronto would also have an elevated blood pressure)

At my 38 week appointment, my blood pressure was high, in the 150’s even after a few readings. My OB then asked me if I wanted to have a baby the following week. My response was that I did not want to be induced.

My first birth was an induction and I did not want to do that again, I wanted to go as naturally as I possibly could. I knew then that if I wanted to have the birth I wanted, I needed to do everything I could to get him out by myself. I had until the following week, at my 39 week appointment to get him out, or we’d be doing a membrane sweep.

The things that I did to try and induce labour was to go for walks, which, with my toddler always on the go, it wasn’t that difficult to do. I ate dates, drank a lot of water, saw my chiropractor, and moved on an exercise ball.

I also manifested that he would be here on the 14th. Side note: my husband & my daughter share a birthdate, so I figured it would only be fair that I share my birthdate with my son.

On Tuesday December 13th, I decided I needed this baby out. I told my husband that after the hockey game – we’re a Toronto Maple Leaf family so that was important- he was going to shower with me, give me a massage and somehow, someway, have sex.

That seemed to work, because at 2am my waters broke. I vividly remember thinking in my sleep, that I was peeing, and that is when I opened my eyes wide, and got out of bed as fast as I could. When I did that, the water kept gushing and I knew it wasn’t pee. I woke my husband up so he could get me a towel so I could make it to the bathroom,

The man got me two small microfibre towels.

I called L & D to see what they wanted me to do as I had no contractions at the time.  We arrived at St. Joe’s hospital at 4am where they determined that my waters did break and that I was already 4cm dilated.

They decided to admit me.

My OB checked me around 930am and I was still at 4cm.  My contractions were also 6 minutes apart and they weren’t consistent. I also wasn’t feeling them. Now I do have a high pain tolerance, but seeing them on the monitors I should have been noticing them.

My nurse asked me if I wanted pitocin to get things going but I declined. I wanted to see if I could get things going myself. I bounced and moved on a birthing ball, walked around and rocked my hips back and fourth every time I had a contraction.

Around 1130am, my OB came in to discuss options as my contractions weren’t getting any closer, nor were they getting stronger. She was wonderful and did not push me to get the Pitocin but we discussed my options. Because my water broke at 2am, we were on a time crunch, as after 12 hours there is risk of infection. She said she could check to see how far along I was and go from there, but I told her to just order the Pitocin. To me there was no point in checking. Either I’d progressed or not, either way, I was ending up with the Pitocin.

The Pitocin was administered at noon, I had a nap for about an hour and a half. I slept sitting up, with the peanut ball in between my legs.

When I woke up I was feeling the contractions, but they were manageable. I walked round some more, and then sat on the ball again, every time I’d feel a contraction I’d move my hips side to side or bounce.

And while they were getting stronger and more consistent I kept singing Whitney Houston’s ‘I’m Every Woman’. No clue where that came from, but I just went with it. There was no point in trying to figure out why my brain came up with that particular song. I moved from the ball to standing and leaning against the bed. Thanks to my wonderful nurse she moved the bed to my height and I was able to rest my arms and head on it while rocking my hips side to side. 

The contractions were intense, but not what I had imagined they would be; it wasn’t sharp pains radiating all over my body, it was more of an intense pressure low in my pelvis. I would breathe through each contraction and hum my song. I had Andrew rub my back for me, and put pressure on my hips. When that didn’t feel good anymore I asked him to stop. I had felt immense pressure in my butt and said out loud that I felt him coming. I was told not to push. I was checked again to see how far along I was, and I was at an 8. It felt like minutes later that I said I’m pushing and you can’t stop me. But according to my husband it was 20 minutes. But who’s counting, I was the one about to push a baby out. haha

I was checked again and was told I was at a 10! It was just about that time to start pushing. While the team was getting prepared, I was squeezing my husband’s hand while he’d squeeze back. I tried to focus on my breathing and what my body was doing. I was trying to relax my legs and arms as much as possible and to keep my jaw from clenching. I found that if I could have my body as relaxed as possible, I would be helping the contractions instead of fighting them. 

I did not want to push on my back so I laid on my left side while my husband held up my right leg for me. Eleven minutes later and a “holy shit I did it” Taylor was born. 

The feelings that came over me was incredible. They say that you fall in love instantly and I did. I kept saying that “I did it! I did it!” I was all smiles and laughing, and a few joyous tears. 

I was then able to cut the cord after we delayed clamping for a minute. That was an epic & badass woman moment. I figured, I should be the one to do that seeing as I grew him, birthed him and will feed him from my body. 

My recovery from this birth was the complete opposite to my first. This time I was up and walking within a half hour or so because I had to pee so badly. I felt great, I wasn’t in pain or felt like I got hit by a truck. I was also mentally prepared this time around, and had an idea of what to expect. But this was better than what I thought. 

I am now 8 weeks postpartum and feeling amazing even with the lack of sleep. 

They say that no two children are the same, and in our case that is 100% correct. 

But we wouldn’t have it any other way.