Baby Tricycle is here! The Trikester entered the world on Thanksgiving morning at 2:22 AM. He’s a little peanut, only tipping the scales at 5 lbs, 14 ozs. Our new little family of three is so in love. I can’t wait to show photos to Hellobee, but Mr. Tricycle is feeling understandably protective of his new son, so we’re going to wait awhile to share him with the interwebs (it just heightens the anticipation, right?).
I wrote the Trikester’s birth story twice. The first time was a few days ago, when we were only just home from the hospital. It was a very clinical account with a timeline and a play-by-play. Re-reading it just now, I was horrified by the number of times I used the words “painful,” “miserable,” and “awful.” As a whole, my experience was WONDERFUL, and version number one doesn’t do justice to the joy inherent in the process.
No, I wouldn’t classify the experience as “easy;” False labor started on Monday evening, active labor began Tuesday afternoon – and the baby didn’t arrive until early Thursday morning. I was working on only a few hours of sleep over many days, and couldn’t stomach food other than the Chipotle burrito bowl I’d eaten for dinner on Tuesday.
I felt every contraction in my back, and struggled to deal with the pain (okay, I tried to substitute the word “sensation” just then, but I’ve got to keep it real – even if I am focusing on the positive). Mr. Tricycle and my doula were amazing. I felt like royalty – they were at my beck and call, massaging my hands, trying to feed me tidbits of food, coaxing me into sips of ginger ale, and spending every ounce of their available energy focused on me. Every woman in labor should be as lucky as I was in the support team department.
I went into the process with The Plan. Basically, it said zero interventions and a natural birth. At some point on Wednesday evening, we threw out the plan. I was mentally and physically exhausted, and labor wasn’t progressing (later in the evening my midwife discovered that I have an abnormal pelvis which was causing the back pain). I worked with a great midwife, even though she’d just started with my practice last week and I hadn’t had a chance to meet her beforehand. She was the definition of flexible when it came to meeting my needs. Ultimately, I ended up with a couple doses of nubain, artificial rupture of my membranes, pitocin and eventually, an epidural. None of it was part of the plan, and now, after the fact, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
I felt in control of the situation the entire time; I was never pressured to make any decisions, and was always offered three or four choices at every crossroad. Making the call to have an epidural wasn’t easy. Mr. Tricycle and I had a few private conversations about it, kicking everyone else out of the room so we could chat. I remember telling my doula, “But I’ll be your only client who ever got an epidural – I’m ruining your perfect streak!”
Ultimately, the epidural was the right decision for us, at that point in the process. My epidural was perfect – I could still lift and move my legs, and feel every contraction, but the vast majority of the pain was gone. This gave me a couple hours to rest and mentally regroup, and allowed me to actually ENJOY giving birth.
When it came time to push, the environment was super chill and relaxed. The lights were dim, my small group of caregivers were hanging out and chatting, and I felt totally safe and relaxed. No, it wasn’t a home birth, but I can’t have imagined feeling more comfortable in my own bedroom.
Because I could still feel everything, I directed the pushing and just gave the midwife a heads up when I was having a contraction and ready to take another go at things. Mr. Tricycle donned a gown and gloves, and was at the business end when the Trikester arrived – he got to the catch the baby, announce the gender, and place him on my chest.
Giving birth was one of the most mentally and physically demanding things I’ve ever done, but I wouldn’t trade the experience for the world. The prize at the end was worth many long labors, and Mr. Tricycle and I are already looking forward to adding to our little family.
Did your birth experience differ from the plan? Were you happy with it anyway?
pomelo / 5178 posts
Congratulations, momma! And welcome Baby Tricycle! I can’t wait to hear more about him.
blogger / pomelo / 5361 posts
Congratulations! I would kind of like to read both versions of the story, just to know how I might be feeling the first day or two! I’m so excited that your little man is here and that you are doing well and enjoying him!
GOLD / papaya / 10206 posts
Such a beautiful story, thank you for sharing. Welcome to the world and the hive little man!!
grapefruit / 4923 posts
congratulations on your little boy–how wonderful! it sounds like you were educated and flexible about your options–two things i hope to be when the time comes.
grapefruit / 4669 posts
Congrats–that’s a great story! Although I would like to read the painful version as well…ya know, to prep and all. Can’t wait to see cute little Trikester!
grape / 90 posts
CONGRATS!! Your story has a lot of similarities to mine… but I ended up with a c-section. So GO YOU for being able to stick with the big parts of the plan!!
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
Congratulations!!! Can’t wait to meet Lil’ Tryke!
apricot / 301 posts
Congrats mama!
pomegranate / 3225 posts
Congrats! So exciting! You did amazing for having to labor so long!
I have been processing my birth too (looks like our LOs are 7 hrs apart), I wanted natural but was open, ended up with epidural & pitocin. Ultimately I learned you just can’t plan for what’s going to happen. I do think natural is usually best for baby, but what about the mom being so exhausted she can’t properly push and then forceps etc, are needed, shes dehydrated, traumatized, etc?
It’s a fine line and not as simple as natural childbirth classes teach. I think I could have gone natural but in the end I have a healthy baby girl and minimal tearing, I feel great, my LO was alert for nursing, and nothing else matters.
Congrats again!
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21628 posts
Congratulations!
blogger / nectarine / 2010 posts
Ugh, back labor, I can literally feel your pain nearly a year later! So glad things went so well! Congratulations!!!
blogger / nectarine / 2687 posts
congratulations! i can’t wait to see his cute little face!
blogger / pomelo / 5400 posts
Congrats and good for you on being flexible! So glad you’re happy with your experience.
pomegranate / 3414 posts
Congratulations!
clementine / 750 posts
Congrats.
pomelo / 5331 posts
Congrats! I appreciate your story because I, too, have a lot of “plans” but I’m not sure if they’re going to happen the way I want them too, and I need to remember that as long as we have a healthy and happy baby when all is said and done, my goal has been accomplished.
pomegranate / 3388 posts
Congrats!! I had a similar labor experience — long and slow, resulted in pitocin and then an epidural, even though I had planned for no interventions. Also had a wonderful epidural that removed the pain but not the other sensations. I know that’s not how it goes for everyone, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way either. Enjoy these early days with your little one!
hostess / wonderful grape / 20803 posts
Congratulations! My little boy was a peanut, too….I still call him that 6.5 mos later : )
blogger / persimmon / 1398 posts
Congratulations!!!