Birth Story of Alessandra Jeanine Bueti

About three weeks before the expected due date of Feb 18, our dr confirmed that our baby (our first, I'm 36) was breech. He recommended a version, which I underwent after some soul-searching. It only took about 10 minutes for the doctor to conclude that it wasn't going to work. The version wasn't a pleasant thing, but it certainly wasn't the worst thing I've ever been through. I think because the doctor gave up quickly. He said the baby had "settled" down into my pelvis and was unlikely to turn. I half-heartedly looked into home remedies for the situation but didn't really pursue them much. I didn't think the baby was about to turn after I'd been feeling it's little noggin up by my belly button for so long.

The next decision was whether to have a C-section or vaginal delivery. The doc said the baby was in good position (frank breech) and the CT scan showed my pelvis to be large enough for a vaginal delivery. But everybody I told about this looked at me with incredulity because most people seem to think a C-section is automatic with breech babies. I trusted the dr although he did say that if the baby was even one day late, he'd do a C-section, which made me feel a lot better.

My water broke on Feb 12 at about 10:30 at night. We'd just been home 45 minutes and had to drive the half-hour back to the hospital in a snow storm. Our worst nightmare. Luckily, I wasn't in labor (I slept on the way!), and Sam just took his time driving. We got there at midnight and I was immediately tethered to an IV because I'd tested positive for group B strep and needed penicillin.

The dr checked in a couple of times during the night while Sam and I tried to get some sleep. I started feeling small contractions and the first check I was at 1 cm. The dr didn't want a long and exhausting labor because of the membranes being ruptured, the strep, the breech position, etc. so I think they administered pitocin pretty early on. But I can't remember if it was at 1 or 2 cm. Somewhat later they gave me some nubaine to "take the edge off" the contractions. Unfortunately, my husband was having better luck sleeping and wasn't much help at this time (but he's a great dad now!). Around 6 in the morning (I guess, it was kind of a blur), I was only at 3 cm, and I was being a pain wimp, so they gave me an epidural. I have to say the epidural is a wonderful thing when done right. After I had it, I never had another painful contraction. I could FEEL them, but they didn't hurt. The rest of the morning was spent resting (I was still tethered... they had a catheter in me, so I didn't have to get up to go to the bathroom), calling people on the phone, and talking to Sam with nervous anticipation.

The next check, I was all the way to 6 cm, and the doctor was happy. Soon enough, I was at 9 then 10 cm, and the dr's going "here we go". He had me start pushing right in the labor room. I did a few half-hearted pushes before I realized he REALLY wanted me to push. After some real pushing, the dr called Sam around so he could see the tiny butt poking out! Finally, a nurse said "I think they'd better move you to the delivery room!!" and they did.

I was flat on my back, with feet up in stirrups, and every time there was a contraction, they had to take a deep breath and push and push until I had to let it out and then go again. Everybody encouraged me, and I just pushed with my eyes shut the whole time. Between contractions, I'd find Sam and he'd give me a sip of water. At one point, a nurse said "looks like a girl baby to me!" We hadn't known ahead of time.

Finally, the baby's body was born. I think I was doing some screaming, but I was kind of in a daze. It didn't hurt. Then they had to hurry up and get the head out. I could hear the forceps which I knew they were going to use to avoid putting too much pressure on the neck. That was kind of gross. But it seemed like hardly any time passed at all, and she was out. I guess they can't dawdle on that. I don't think I pushed much at all on the head so much as they pulled her out.

I had a second-degree episiotomy which I don't remember them doing. It's been a painful recovery from that, but more importantly, I have a healthy little girl.