Natalie Jean Martin

Natalie Jean’s Birth Story


The story actually begins on Natalie’s Due Date: May 1, 2010. In an effort to avoid the induction that was scheduled for May 6, 2010, I was willing to do just about anything to get things started. After my appointment on the 29th and there was no progress (2 cm 50% effaced), I started to explore the options so to speak. So off I went to a pedicure to try to get things moving naturally. Hoping that the foot/leg massage would hit the trigger points to induce labor.

Saturday came and went with no sign of Natalie.

Monday morning I went to try acupuncture. Totally cool and amazing experience. The whole thing took about an hour and was relaxing. In theory, if it was going to work, I’d go into labor in 6-36 hours.

Monday came and went with no sign of Natalie.

Tuesday was my last OB appointment before my induction. Not much progress. Still only 50% effaced but 3 cm dilated. She stripped my membranes which would hopefully either jumpstart labor or make my body more acceptable to the induction on Thursday.

Tuesday passed for the most part with no sign of Natalie.

Tuesday afternoon, I was feeling pretty low. I really wanted to avoid pitocin and have the kind of birth story that I dreamed off (you know – last family pics before I go to the hospital, calm and peaceful hospital check-in, drugs to help me stay calm and manage the pain, etc). But it didn’t seem like it was going to happen that way. So I started working on a dance mix for my ipod…and had a dance party. Ever have a dance party at 40 weeks 4 days pregnant? Shorty got low and busted a move…and had a great time doing it. Nothing like a little rump shaking with your 3 year old, right?

I also made plans to go to the mall on Wednesday to do some Mother’s Day shopping and then a playdate with a friend. Figured that I should take advantage of the last day with my son before our daughter joined the family.

At about 10:15 Tuesday night, I decided to test out the breast pump to make sure that it still worked. It had been through three kids and is six years old so I wasn’t really sure it would work. It was an added bonus that the stimulation could cause contractions. I literally could only do it for 30-60 seconds because it hurt too bad (did I really use that contraption for 10-11 months with Ryan????). So I put it away.

About 10 minutes later, I had a couple of very slight contractions – but more the kind that make you think “was that a contraction or was she just moving”?

When I crawled in bed, I hoped that perhaps Natalie would decide that May 5th was a good day to join our family but it was just a hope. I had had a couple of contractions since the pump trial, but nothing significant or timeable. So at midnight I went to bed.

At 3:00 on the nose, I woke up to go to the bathroom with contractions. Nothing painful but decided to time them. So back to bed I went to test out the contraction timing software on my iphone. (Pretty cool and way better than the pencil/paper that I used for Ryan’s birth!) I also sent an email to my two good friends telling them that today might be the day!

At 3:45, they were about the same intensity and were 5-7 minutes apart so I woke up E. We talked about when to call my parents. I didn’t want to call them too early (after all it was 4:00 in the morning) and since my labor was sooooo long with Ryan, I didn’t want to waste anyone’s time. Since they are 2 hours away and would need to get up here, we decided to call them. I also called my sister because I knew she wanted to be here for Natalie’s birth.

Back to bed I went to continue timing them. They stayed at about 4-5 minutes apart but started to get stronger at around 5:00. It was time to get up and get showered and get the car loaded. I figured my parents would be at the house by about 6:00 or 6:30 and wanted to be ready.

Once I got out of bed, the contractions became stronger. I had several in the shower that I actually had to stop and stoop over and breathe to get through.

By about 5:45, the contractions were throwing me to the floor. There was no way to stand (or even sit) through them. But at least they were still 3-4 minutes apart. And my parents had just called and were in Sacramento. I just had to wait another 20 minutes or so until they got there. I could do that, right?

By 6:00, the contractions were 2-3 minutes apart but were super short (maybe 30 seconds long?). They hurt like hell but I wasn’t too worried about them. I figured that I was probably 6 or maybe 7 cm dilated and I just needed to relax through them. I was a HORRIBLE laborer with Ryan and was trying to re-learn all the lessons that I didn’t learn when I had him. (Like: don’t go to the hospital at the first sign of contractions….don’t tense up every muscle in your body when the contractions start….don’t worry about everyone else….focus on yourself…etc.)

By 6:05, I knew I needed to get to the hospital ASAP. The feeling of having to poop (which I had had since 3:00) was super strong and I was worried at this point. My parents weren’t here yet and E was racing around the house to get the last minute stuff in the car. My parents got here at 6:10 or so, and it was all I could do to get down the stairs and into the car.

My water had not broken but if there were ever a way to know that it was going to happen, I knew it. I could hardly sit in the car…I was trying to “hold it all in”….while E raced to the hospital. Me screaming and back seat driving (sorry love)….with my mom crammed in between the infant seat and Ryan’s car seat in the back. E ran just about every light on the way to the hospital. The normally 15 minute drive took us about 7 minutes and it was excruciating. I swore I wasn’t going to make it. The urge to push was incredible…and I really didn’t believe that she would come this fast.   I think I added a status update to my Facebook page that said "it's time" right as we ran a major intersection on the way to the hospital.  I wanted people to know that she was coming!

My mom and E ran into L&D to tell them that I was here and that I needed a wheelchair. The nurse took her sweet time while I very loudly kept saying “I’m going to have the baby NOW”. That nurse pissed me off with her slow pace to bring the wheel chair.

Before I knew it, I had 5 nurses all around me, I was stripped down to my waist and was getting the monitors put on while another nurse was checking my cervix. I was 8 cms but the head was THERE. Everyone wanted to know if my water had broken (it hadn’t) and all I wanted to know was could I PLEASE have my epidural now. Please.

Everyone was bustling around - The nurses didn’t seem like they could find the heartbeat on the monitor and that was freaking me out.

The contractions hurt so bad and I couldn’t catch my breath. I know I screamed – I had been screaming the last 40 minutes or so. The urge to push was so great. I couldn’t not push. As much as I tried to not push, there was no way to avoid it. I really didn’t want to do this without drugs and I made it very clear that an epidural was needed ASAP.

And then my water broke (nothing like the sensation with Ryan) and her head was there. The ring of fire was something I had only had to read about - - - but now I felt it. I couldn’t believe it. She was coming. Where were my drugs? Where was my birth plan? Where was the doctor???? Three pushes (maybe four) and she was out. The doctor came in as her legs were coming out….my mom was coming back into the room as I pushed out her shoulders/torso.

Natalie had arrived. Although she still didn’t have a name at this point. And the cameras and my suitcase were still in the car. Luckily we have a few cell phone pictures of the first 10 minutes of her life…I need to get those off of the phone.

I couldn’t believe it. The nurses couldn’t believe it. E couldn’t believe it. He even said to me later that he thought I was just exaggerating on the ride to the hospital. Until I took off my clothes and he could see her head.

The nurses had to check the monitor times to see how long I was there: 6 minutes. I arrived at 6:38 and Natalie was born at 6:44. Naturally. With no drugs. With just me and my love and want for my daughter.

The doctor joked (or at least I thought it was a joke) that he had to walk up the hall in a towel because he was in the shower – but my mom confirmed that the back of his dress shirt was spotted with water.

I have a 2nd degree tear and the worst part of the whole experience was getting stitched up but I’ll spare you the gory details. 

I was out of L&D by 9:30 and into recovery by 10:00.

And for your viewing pleasure:

Meeting big brother for the first time!  (Check out Ryan's eyes!)

Ryan was so curious about Natalie - I'll have to dedicate a whole post to his questions and cuteness.

Oh what a journey!