ABC, D, Episiotomy... My birth story pt.1

Nov. 28th was our due date... but every part of me knew if wasn't going to happen just yet. I spent the day making tiny leisurely preparations and watching movies and then I headed to bed early. As I was reading a book to wind down, my little bean started her nighttime tumblesault routine and I remember rubbing my belly and whispering 'Ready when you are, Little One!' before falling asleep.
Around 7a.m. I woke up because I felt different. Not bad, just different. I kept trying to fall back asleep but it was fitful at best and at around 11 I was pretty sure that my water broke. Not in that TV or Hollywood movie gush of water on the floor, let's rush to the hospital way, mine was more of a leaky faucet which made me a little unsure... so I went about my morning, had some coffee and breakfast and started packing (that's right... started) by the time my roommate came home around 4 I figured it was a good time to head to the hospital. Once we got there I discovered that your water breaking does not make you a priority. We waited about three and a half hours before someone saw me to confirm what I already knew. Let me preface the rest of this story by explaining a few things...

1. I had switched from my OB to a midwife practice with the intention of using The Alternative Birthing Center. I was determined to try natural childbirth, the idea of constant medical intervention (including the possibility of an episiotomy- AaahhhhhhhhH!!!) and being hooked up to monitors the whole time was a terrifying thought to me. Plus... being able to soak in a whirlpool tub during labor was pretty appealing.

2. I didn't want anyone to come in the delivery room with me... I know it sounds strange but I have always been a pretty private person. I also really wanted to be able to concentrate on what was going on and getting the baby out without the distraction of someone else being around. If I was actually still involved with her father things may have been different but honestly, I doubt it. I don't regret the decision to labor alone at all and if I ever have another child I'll probably opt to do so again.

OK... where was I? The nurse confirmed that my water was broken around 8 o'clock on The 29Th. They hooked me up to the monitor and saw that I was having minor contractions but I wasn't dilated at all and I couldn't feel them. Regardless because my water was broken I couldn't go home so they found me a huge awesome room in the antenatal unit, I wish I had taken pictures but I had bigger things on my mind. Once I had been there for a couple hours I spoke to one of the midwives who informed me that the birthing center would probably not be an option for me since my water had been broken for so long... This also put an end to my warm whirlpool bath dreams. Nothing to do but wait until my labor progressed. I was finally given a gross and boring turkey sandwich after 6 hours of assuming I wasn't allowed to eat. My best friend and the baby's dad and I hung out and watched TV until about midnight when I sent them home so I could shower and try to get some rest (fat chance)... I started feeling a little cramping around 3a.m. nothing bad but enough to prevent me from sleeping so between that and being anxious to get the show on the road, it was a long night of crappy TV. The next morning I was told that they had gotten my a regular labor/delivery room and they moved me down to it at around 10, once there they hooked me up to a monitor and we pretty much waited for things to happen. I was super hungry but they wanted to avoid feeding me in case things went quickly... well, the opposite happened. We ended up watching television... the live coverage of the tree lighting in NYC to be exact. At around seven o'clock on the 30th, about 36hrs after my water broke, they told me that my labor wasn't progressing the way they wanted it to and they would have to give me Pitocin to induce stronger contractions...
So ended my hopes of an all natural birth.