The Mallory Birth Backstory

Since Mallory's birth was completely 100% different and wonderful compared to the traumatic birth and C section of sweet little Maddox I thought I needed to document it for myself and for others who have had a C section and want to try to avoid one in the future.

A little background on Maddox's birth.  We lived in OK and our OB was going out of the country around my due date.  He gave us the choice of inducing or waiting and having someone we did not know to deliver with.  Being a same sex couple in OK we didn't know how a stranger would be with us so we choose induction.  Mistake #1.  So we were induced on the 28th of May 2008...all day...no action.  That should have been a clue he was not ready but we did not listen.  Started pitocin again on the 29th.  Kept increasing it, finally some action.  I got an epidural bc of course pitocin contractions are way worse than natural ones and finally by like 9pm or so I was ready to push.  I pushed on my back for about 2 1/2 hours and he just would not come out.  I remember feeling like I needed to change position but of course with an epidural I could not.  So buy about 10:30pm I was declared failure to progress and take in for an urgent C section.  I remember feeling more than what I should have when he was being born and after I was so doped up that I saw 2 babies (bc of my blurred vision) and then I passed out for 45 mins and missed out on the beginning of his precious little life.  After the C section my recovery was long and hard.  I slept on the couch for 2 weeks because it was too painful to get into bed and I wound up with an infection in my scar that caused me to have to go to wound care for about 2 months and we think eventually caused the problems with getting pregnant the second time.  (That was a 3 1/2 year journey)  So basically, for the me, a C section was no bueno and definitely not something I wanted to relive once I got pregnant again.

Fast forward 4 years later and we are pregnant again.  I knew I wanted to have a VBAC this time and go as natural as possible but Julie thought I was a little crazy and of course she was worried about safety.  I told her one day that I wanted to have a doula at the birth.  Even though she did not know what one was, she said no, "why do we need someone else there?" I explained they are a labor support person and why I thought we should have one.  She didn't think it was a good idea and told me so,  being crazy emotional I cried and told her how upset I was that she would not hear me out.  She then realized that she may need to rethink her position and she was a little more open minded.  I think the crying sealed the deal for me, even though I did not plan it, but I am not a crier and so she knew I meant business.
I also was going to an OB here in Park Ridge and I was asking them about VBAC's and doulas and they said yes I could have both but would always change the subject and they just seemed kinda dodgy about the issues that were important to me.  As I started to interview doulas I found out that the hospital I was planning to deliver at has a very high C section rate and do not typically work with doulas.  This did not sit well with me and I knew my goal of a VBAC was not going to happen there.  I found out about West Suburban Midwives and dragged Julie there for a consultation.  They were very laid back, non clinical, personable and took the time to really sit and talk with us.  I knew right away this was a better fit for us.  So we switched to the midwives a few months into the pregnancy and hired a doula.  I was feeling like I was stacking the chips in my favor for the birth I wanted.

The actual birth story to come soon.....gotta go feed a sweet baby girl.