Lizzie's Birth Story

This is the birth story of my second daughter, Eliza Noelle Sorensen. Eliza was born, via VBAC, on her due date of Christmas Eve (that’s 12/24) 2003. Her birth proves to be the greatest and most empowering day of my life.

Having suffered negative consequences over my first daughter’s birth (via unexpected cesarean) I was determined not to have a repeat c/section this time. After becoming pregnant in April of 2003, I was excited to know I would soon not only have another child to love, but would also get to try a vaginal delivery again.

I had a great pregnancy. Everything went extremely well. I felt fantastic. I had done my research on VBAC and knew it was the right decision for me. I had found a wonderful, caring midwife who supported and encouraged my VBAC decision. I had read a lot about childbirth and did everything I could to increase my chances for VBAC success. Now, to just wait for baby…

I started having contractions at 1:45am on December 23rd. My husband (Dave) and I waited until 5:00am to start calling people announcing this would be “the day” we would welcome our new son/daughter to this world! My midwife had told me not to call her or consider going to the hospital until I had 3 “killer” contractions in 10 minutes. To this, my contractions started at 15 minutes, then 10, then 8, then 6….then they would go back up to 15. At noon that day, I coincidentally had a routine appt w/ my midwife, so I called her to tell her she may want to cancel her other appts b/c I was going to have a baby. She directed me to come on to my appt, when she would check me (my first check this pregnancy), and we would make a plan. Our bags were packed and in the van, my daughter was delivered to Grandma’s, so my husband and I went to our appt at noon. I got checked and the report was: 3cm! After 11 hrs, STILL a 3cm!? My midwife sent me back home and said to wait until I had 3 contractions in 10 minutes. Day faded into night and my contractions continued to be all over the board. I would have 3 in 10 minutes, but then they would all back off again. At 9:00pm, I took a bath and contractions stopped altogether. (I know now that I should have rested during this lull.) We sadly called people back to report there would be no baby today!

At midnight (it’s now Christmas Eve, my official due date) contractions kicked back in again. This time seeming a little more intense, but still not regular. The contractions continued on throughout the wee hours of Christmas Eve, 5 min, 3min, 2min…then 15. Sometimes in through there, I would get one on top of another, with no rest in between. They were hurting more, but I thought it was because many didn’t have a complete end, only got less intense, before another one kicked in. By the time the sun came up on another day of labor, I was tired, frustrated and discouraged. My midwife, who had been checking in throughout the evening, called again at 8am. By this time, I was an emotional disaster and my midwife seemed frustrated with me. I told her I needed one of three things: 1) The pain to go away 2) Regular contractions or 3) A baby! None seemed to be happening too quickly! My midwife said she would “think of a plan” and call me back. When she called back, around 9:30a, my husband talked to her and I was having more and harder contractions…tho some would still be 5-6 min apart. My midwife said she would make a (rare) housecall. While waiting for her to arrive, I went into the bathroom and noticed my plug had (finally) passed. She arrived at my house around 10. I was having some strong and big contractions by then. She checked me right on our couch…the verdict, much to everyone’s surprise, was 7-8cm!! She said it was time to go to the hospital.

Dave and I went upstairs to change clothes and make a few quick phone calls (one to my parents’ cell phone, who were en route. They live three hours away!) My midwife came upstairs and said no more calling, it was time to go…NOW! She had called the hospital and told them I was in transition and arriving soon, but to get the tub going! (The tub was a request of mine.) My midwife got Dave and I placed in the van (by this time I was in some MAJOR pain), told Dave to “disregard anything I said b/c it wasn’t going to be nice” and she would follow us to the hospital (about 15 min on a non-labor day). I only remember a few things about the ride…the whole trip (I think Dave did it in 10 minutes) seemed like one big, strong, painful contraction. The weather was a beautiful, sunny, warmish winter day. Dave had the emergency flashers on and I thought it was our turning signal. Dave stopped just long enough for me to (literally) roll out in front of the hospital’s birthing unit entry and he then parked the van. Just as he was dumping me out, I had a KILLER contraction on the sidewalk and just keeled over on a parking barrier. Fortunately, a (non labor) nurse who was on her break came over, scooped me into a wheelchair and pushed me into the elevator lobby. I can remember her saying to BREATH and it was gonna be OK. (I think she may have asked what I was at – centimeter wise, but I really don’t remember…things, including what she looked like, are really sketchy now)! While we were waiting for the elevator, both Dave and my midwife caught up with us. I can remember the elevator had to go down before it came up…how awful to see those doors open and close and know I couldn’t go UP!!! Ahh finally at 11am we were THERE!

Instead of getting asked all the questions a laborious woman usually gets asked, I got the express plan of two questions: 1) Do you have any allergies and 2) Who’s the pediatrician?! Whooosh…into my room I went. The nurses were still trying to make the bed and clean the room, so they told us to wait. I yelled, “I DON’T CARE if the sheets were clean!” and then just flopped on the bed. The nurses and my midwife hooked me up to a few things…I am not sure what. My big concern was to NOT get an IV-drip or continuous fetal monitoring. (Because I wanted to be able to MOVE AROUND, which helps all labors.) However, by the time I reached the hospital, deep in the throws of transition, any sort of moving around was beyond question. (However, I could smell the chlorine and knew the tub was full.) My midwife checked me one more time, “Just a lip left, almost there!!” She broke my water and put in an internal monitor. (Neither of which I had wanted, but, again, it didn’t matter by now. Every time, I was on my left side, the baby’s heart rate dropped, but once we got the internal in, everything was fine.) I had a few more hard contractions (I can remember screaming…good thing the hospital was almost empty!)

Another check and I was deemed, “COMPLETE!” My midwife told me to push when I felt the urge, which was almost right away, tho I never really felt a strong urge. I started pushing at 12:15pm (75 min after I had arrived at the hospital.) Pushing gave me some trouble, after two nights of basically no sleep and 34+ hrs of labor, I was tired! I couldn’t seem to get the hang of pushing, was having a hard time telling contractions from just pain, and was just so tired. My midwife also called her consulting physician (Dr. Paula Mahone) to get some advice on what to do with me. Apparently she decided on scare tactics would work best. My midwife sent my husband to get a can of (leaded) Pepsi (for energy), which I can’t stand, but drank anyway. My midwife had no sympathy for me being tired and said if I wanted to sign up for another c-section, to just lay there and be tired. That gave me strength, but nothing got easier! Somewhere in all of this, I threw up all over myself and my midwife found it necessary to point out the toast and jam in there that she had made me eat earlier. (Thanks so much for that!) We tried several pushing positions, squatting, bar, side, etc. Finally, the good old lithotomy (flat on back) position worked best, esp. when they held up a mirror and I could see where to direct those pushes.

At last, a small, grayish head (w/ dark hair and some curls) appeared – ever so slightly! More pushes…My midwife said the head would take two jumps forward and then back one each push. Finally, the whole head was out…then the body and THEN the baby was born! (After one hour, 38 minutes of pushing, she was born at 1:53pm!!) I got a glimpse of “the goods” right when she was pulled out and I declared, “IT’S A GIRL!!!” (I had been expecting a girl, but no one else had!”) Ohhhh….what a wonderful feeling, having that teeny, tiny, pink and blood-covered little girl placed on my chest. She was crying, but it was a calm cry. It was OVER (except for the placenta) and I couldn’t believe it. I felt so awesome already…what a wonderful Christmas Eve gift! I had my beautiful, healthy daughter and a VBAC. The placenta was delivered very easily, I just stood up (I can remember feeling my floppy belly here), squeezed a little, and out it came! I only needed one small shot of pitocin to get all the bleeding to stop. Prayers answered, God is so good.

I had wanted the name Eliza previously, however Dave wasn’t so sure. But apparently, there must be something about watching your wife squeeze a watermelon out a pea-sized hole because Dave looked at me and said, “Well, is her name Eliza??” And I said, “Yes, it is!!” He got the chance to choose between Renee’ and Noelle for a middle name. He said he didn’t care and after some discussion, we choose a Noelle. A baby who was due on Christmas Eve and came on Christmas Eve is meant to have a holiday name! Eliza Noelle Sorensen weighed in at 8lb, .4 oz and was 20” long. Simply beautiful!