Breech

Weight: 6 lbs., 12 oz.

Length: 50 cm (20 inches)

Head circumference: 35 cm

Mother's Height: 5' 7"

Birth location: Hospital – note that in Germany, the birth is attended by midwives in hospitals unless there is a need for intervention. I didn’t meet a doctor until about 10 minutes before the birth. She was only there as a backup incase there was a complications in getting the baby out.

How was your pregnancy?
My pregnancy was excellent. I was active all the way through, and there were no complications other than the breech presentation. I was definitely tired at the end, but with 35 extra pounds and not a lot of sleep, it was to be expected.

How did you feel about your upcoming birth?
I was quit relaxed. I did a lot of meditation and yoga practices focused on being open to the experience. I was comfortable with the choice we made regarding the hospital and midwives. Though I really wanted a natural delivery, I was also open to the reality that having a breech baby automatically increased the chances of complications. I was prepared to do whatever needed to be done to bring her into the world.

Description of your birth experience:
Light contractions started about two days before the birth. About a day after they started, we went to the hospital. I was only 1 cm dilated, so we went back home to labor. A day later, the contractions started coming much closer together and they were getting a bit stronger. We went back to the hospital, and I was 2-3 cm dilated, and they suggested that I stay since the ammonic sac was under pressure and could break. Given that she was breech, it was better to be there.

Shortly after arriving at the hospital, the contractions began getting stronger. My husband and mother were in the room with me the entire time. I labored in a very comfortable room. I spent most of the time on a mat on the floor. Every time a contraction came, I would lean on a big birthing ball and make a sound, usually ‘haaaaa’. My husband massaged my back through most of the labor because it helped ease he pain. My mom supported him. The midwife was with us most of the time but gave us space. AT one point, she asked if I wanted and enema, and she also asked is I wanted something the help the pain at one point. I old her that if I can keep yelling, I would be OK, and she told me to feel free to make as much noise as I wanted.

As the pain became more intense, the midwife helped keep me calm and focused on using sound. She also began to jiggle my hips gently (I learned later that this was to help the baby descend). I was only monitored periodically, and the baby’s heart rate was strong the entire time. As I became tired toward the last hour of the 7 hours of hard labor, I was drifting to sleep between contractions. The midwife suggested that I lie on my side on the birthing table so I could rest more easily. I slept momentarily between contractions until my water broke (about 30 minutes before the birth). I was already fully dilated at this point and we were just waiting for the baby to descend. The midwife thought it would still be a few hours at this point (though she didn’t tell me that at the time), but my water burst and things began to move forward.

After the water broke, the contractions became much stronger, and I was screaming with each of them. I was starting to get the urge to push. The doctor came in around this time and introduced herself but understood when I just stared at her. The midwives were discussing the best way to have me deliver while I was screaming. As I started feeling the pressure on my bowels from the baby descending, the midwife told me that they would like me to come onto my hands and knees after the next two contractions. Once on my hands and knees, the baby came out in two contractions. The doctor was down by my feet observing but did not take part in the delivery at all. There was no episiotomy and no tearing.

The baby was perfectly healthy. The midwife cleared the fluid out of her face, and I sat back on my heels. They left her on the table for me to pick her up. I held her against my naked chest, and they wrapped us up and helped me lay back down. We stayed like that for over an hour. The midwives cleaned up and then left me, the baby, my husband and mother alone in the room. About an hour or two later, the midwife came back and did the first exam of the baby and also let my husband hold her (again, with a naked chest). We also tried breast feeding in this time.

My hospital offers an out-patient option for delivery. Since we had a very smooth delivery and we were all healthy, I asked if we could go home. The midwife recommended staying at least 4 hours after the birth. I cleaned up in the shower, and the midwife used that as a chance to see how mobile I was to see if it’s Ok to go home. So, my girl was born at 5:00 AM, and I was home in my bed by 10:00 AM. The midwife came the next day, and every day for the first ten days, to check on us (that is something typical in the German system).

How did you feel after the birth (first month)?
I was surprised how good I felt the day of the birth and for the first week. I was definitely weak, but the only pain I felt was in my throat on the first day from all of the screaming. My perineum felt weak but not sore. About five days later, I felt terrible and tired, but the next day, that was gone as well.

How did you feel six months after the birth? One year? Now?
I’m not there yet, we are only at 6 weeks.

What did you learn from this birth?
I learned that the whole birth experience is so far out of our control! I was truly blessed to be able to have the birth that we had. Everything went just right. However I can see how if it didn’t I would have definitely needed help with the pain.

I can see how important it is to have a trusted team for the birth. The midwife gave me some homeopathic tablet to help regulate the contractions, but at the time, she just told me to stick out my tongue. I did so and took whatever she gave me even though I had no idea what it was. I trusted her completely and did whatever she asked me to do. She also respected my wishes for a natural birth and she supported that.

Any words of wisdom to impart?
Your birth story is yours to cherish and learn from. Whether ideal or not, it is yours to carry and learn from. It is something you will share with your child forever.