Elian's Birth Story

On Monday, March 12th we welcomed a new member to our family, Elian Guido Gonzalez. My birth experience with Elian was by far the best experience yet. It has taken me 5 times to give birth to finally understand the process of natural childbirth. And unfortunately, it wasn't completely natural as I was once again induced.

Prior to the birth I watched an amazing video about a natural reflex that infants have to find and latch on to their mother's breast.  I have never known about this reflex, and no o.b., or nurse has ever shared this information.  So I wanted to experience this at this birth.  I asked my nurse if the baby could be placed on my belly directly after he was born - skin to skin.  She said of course and by golly, the boy crawled up to my breast and latched on!  It was so beautiful.

covered a little to take a picture, but soon after we were skin to skin

Induced labor pain is much more intense than natural labor pains I've heard.  The medicine Pitocin makes  contractions stronger.  When Olivia was born, I did a lot of  yelling and crying as it was my first labor without drugs.  Eva's birth was really intense because the hospital staff didn't let me move around in my labor so my pain level was off the chart.  With Elian's birth, things went much more smoothly.  I knew that as intense as the contractions became, if I could breath properly and not focus on the pain, the sooner I felt relief.  No yelling or crying.  In fact one of the nurses said that in her 5 years in Labor & Delivery she had not met such a calm mother in labor.

However, the last 2 cm of dilation (8-10cm), also know as the "ring of fire" came and oh does that hurt!  I calmly told my mom that I was not brave enough to do this naturally and asked her to call the nurse to get me some drugs.  My mother looked at me and said, "you're so close, you can do it"  and proceeded to ignore my repeated attempts for medication.  At the time it didn't seem funny, she was in fact a great advocate for me and knew that I would indeed regret the drugs, but I got so mad at her!  But what could I do but grim and bear the pain.  The sensation to push came so fast and the URGENT need to start pushing came faster, and once again a nurse almost delivered the baby.  (I love it when you have a baby's head hanging out of you and the nurse says, "now don't push - just breath until the doctor comes".) 

Elian came out yelling loudly.  A beautiful, hearty cry that made me weep.  The nurse left him on me skin to skin for a good 45 minutes and he suckled for most of that time.  He was soft and warm and my body was just flooded with love for this new life and the bond between my husband and I.  

Elian bathed and screaming with all his glory

My mother hasn't missed a birth, this is her 10th grandchild