Piper's Birth Story

Piper's birth story really begins March 2, 2008 - the day her sister was born. You see, Layla was born via c-section and I was determined to not have to repeat that for my next pregnancy. Thus began my research into VBACs (vaginal births after cesarean).

My research was sporadic during Layla's first year of life. However, my mental determination was there and growing stronger. Each month that passed meant another month of my scar growing stronger and lessening my chances of the uterus rupturing during delivery.

Once I found out I was pregnant, I began calling around to find a doctor who would allow me to try for a VBAC with this pregnancy. I was even looking into hospitals in Indianapolis...that's how determined I was!! My doctor with Layla's pregnancy used to do VBACs all the time. He stopped once he moved his office out of the Professional Building and a mere 3 minutes down the road. Legal jargon is what prevents most doctors from performing VBACs. Ugh! That doctor did attempt to persuade me that a repeat c-section wouldn't be too bad b/c he would perform a little tummy tuck while he was at it. Tempting...but not enough! Luckily, I found a local doctor who allows patients to attempt VBACs. Woohoo!!!

Let's move ahead to about 31 weeks into the pregnancy. We had our 3-D ultrasound and it was wonderful. We did, however, discover that baby Johnson was in a breech position. A week later, at my normal check-up, she was still breech. What a way to ruin all my hard work at preparing for a VBAC!!

For the next month or so, you could often find me with my head down and butt up - techniques to get that baby to flip. I also began going to the chiropractor again and had him use the Webster Technique on me as well.

At my 37 week appointment, I asked my doctor to see if she could tell if the baby had flipped. I know I hadn't felt anything that would warrant a flip and wasn't too positive that she would give me good news. She went ahead and did an internal exam....and felt a head!!!! I was so overcome with joy that my eyes teared up! Who knows how many times I asked her if she was 100% sure. It was the end of the day, so she took me to the ultrasound machine to show me visual confirmation. Baby Johnson had indeed flipped!!!!

At 38.5 weeks - Friday, November 6 - my Braxton Hicks contractions changed. They now started feeling "crampy" as opposed to simply a tightening of my stomach. They were still very irregular but continued the entire weekend.

39 weeks - Tuesday, November 10 - I had my appointment (2cm & 50% effaced) and was discussing with my doctor what would happen if I went into labor the next day (she was going to be in Chicago!). She informed me that the doctor on call that night was not a fan of VBACs and would do his best to tell me I need a c-section. She did tell me I can always refuse to sign the paperwork. She didn't say too much about the doctor on call during the day on Wednesday. I had planned on taking the afternoon off and doing tons of walking and other things to get labor progressing. The news of these doctors on call changed my plans and I instead went home and just relaxed. The last thing I wanted was to be in labor and have the stress of a doctor trying to convince me to have a c-section.

Tuesday night around 10:00 my contractions kicked it into high gear! Jeremy & I were up ALL night! It was not fun at all. I kept watching the clock, wondering what time the doctors switched shifts. I was determined to stay home as long as possible to at least avoid the first doctor on call!

Wednesday morning around 7:00, the contractions quit almost entirely! Are you kidding me?!?! What is that all about! Oh well, I can now relax (Veteran's day = no school) and keep this baby in me until my doctor returns.

At some point I told Jeremy that I would not consider an epidural until I was at least 7cm and baby was obviously descending into the birth canal. Layla was a c-section because I was induced and she simply would not come down. There are a lot of factors I blame the c-section on - being induced early, having my water broken manually after just an hour on pitocin, being stuck in bed for the entire labor, having an epidural slow things down even more. I was determined to do the opposite of all these things with this pregnancy!

Wednesday night, the contractions begin again. By 3:30am Thursday morning we decide to head to the hospital. They examine me and see that I'm still 2cm & 50% effaced. What?!?! All that pain Tuesday night did NOTHING!! I was in shock. They hook me up and monitor me for an hour. Examine me again - no change! I get orders to walk around for an hour so off we go through the halls of the hospital feeling as though we're walking through places we shouldn't be. Jeremy sneaks off and gets us breakfast. Since I'm not officially admitted I haven't been told I can't eat. :-) After the hour is up, we head back. No change!! You have got to be kidding me! I honestly can't believe these contractions are doing nothing! I break down and cry (emotional me) and they send me home. My doctor tells me to take some Tylenol PM and go to sleep. The nurse leaves me with some positive thoughts saying she doesn't think I'll make it through the day before coming back. I nod & smile, realizing she's most likely just trying to cheer me up.

I take Tylenol PM and get very little sleep. I'm awakened every few minutes groaning in pain.

We sit down to watch some Tuesday night shows and at some point my contractions get considerably harder. We were told not to come back until the contractions are 3-5 minutes apart for at least an hour. Earlier in the day they were, but that was only if I was up and moving around. Now they were about 4 minutes apart no matter what I did. We made it 45 minutes and I had had enough. We were heading to the hospital.

Around 10:15pm we were back at the hospital. They examined me...4cm!!!! Woohoo!!! I was admitted and we were off to begin this journey!

Now keep in mind that we had been up since Tuesday morning. We were both exhausted to say the least.

I changed up labor a bit by rotating between sitting in bed, sitting on the birthing ball, and walking around. The contractions were quite hard, but that didn't stop my eyes from crossing from sheer exhaustion in between each one. I would be sitting on the birthing ball and almost fall off from falling asleep in the couple of minutes I had between contractions.

I finally realized that I was going to have absolutely no strength or energy to push when it came time for that if I did not get some rest now. I called in the nurse and asked her to examine me.

7cm!!! Baby was at the 0 station!! Progress was being made!!! After a somewhat lengthy conversation with the nurse (her name was Jessica and she was 6 months pregnant), I decided that an epidural wouldn't be the end of the world. She was convinced that I would continue to progress. She actually told me that being able to rest would most likely speed things up. I was at the minimum requirements I had set for myself before getting an epidural. I went ahead and decided to get it.

Around 4:00am, I had the epidural. I didn't get the great sleep I was hoping for, but I was able to doze off here and there.

Around 7:00am I started to feel more pressure. I was asked if I would mind having an EMT-in-training guy in the room during the delivery. I said no. *As I think back on my answer, I really don't know what frame of mind I was in. I don't regret having him in there...it just strikes me as odd that I would allow a stranger in there. He walked away with some excellent visual images to assist him should he ever have to deliver a baby while on the job!!

Around 7:30am I was feeling even more pressure. The nurse had me do a few practice pushes during contractions to see how the baby moved.

A little after 8:00am, the doctor came in and I began pushing. The nurse asked if I wanted a mirror in there so I could see what was going on and I said yes. She walked in with a full-size mirror and I was able to watch the entire delivery!

My eyes continued to cross between pushes because I was still so stinkin' tired. At times I had 4-5 minutes between contractions and had a little time to rest, which was nice.

There were times when Jeremy & the nurse would comment on how much the head moved when I pushed. From my angle I could see the head, but I couldn't see much movement with each contraction. I just took their word for it.

The head seemed to come out so quickly! I was ready for some major pain & pushing and that just didn't happen. She just popped her cute little head out. Of course the resident doctor stepped in front of the mirror at that exact moment and I didn't get to see it all happen! I don't believe he realized what he did, and I started waving my hand saying "you're in front of the mirror." He finally stepped aside and I saw the most amazing thing ever! I couldn't believe it!

The doctor then apologized and told everyone "this is going to be messy." Everyone took a step back (except for Jeremy). Next thing I know I'm being sprayed with liquid. I had no idea what was going on...I thought it was amniotic fluid or something. Come to find out later, the baby's cord was around her neck (not tight and life-threatening) just enough that the doctor couldn't pull it over her head like she needed to before delivering the rest of the baby. She had to cut it right then...so the spraying liquid was actually blood! Jeremy describes it as a scene out of a movie and it all happening in slow motion. All I know is that when it was all said and done and I looked around, there was blood on the bed, on Jeremy's shirt, and apparently on my face. Oh well, such is life! :-)

Once she cut & clamped the cord, the baby came out in no time flat.

9:11am - Baby Johnson is born!!

She is immediately placed in my arms and I am overwhelmed that it has actually happened....I had a successful VBAC!!!!!

Holding her in my arms was such a blessing! Being able to see & feel everything during the entire delivery was amazing!! All the things that sent me into floods of tears the weeks after Layla's delivery (regrets of having a c-section) were accomplished with this one!! It was everything I could have hoped for and more!!

Giving birth is such an amazing process! I can't truly put into words the excitement and joy I felt having been able to delivery naturally.

Piper Marie Johnson was born on Friday, November 13 at 9:11am. She weighed 8lbs and 8oz, was 22" long and had a head covered in dark hair!

Layla has the privilege of being my first pregnancy, and Piper has the privilege of being my first delivery! Both are such a blessing in my life!! I am excited to see what the future has in store for my family of four!