Birth story - Sheneik and baby Kingston

Baby was due January 1st but my doctor's appointment that week showed I was not yet dilating. However, I developed some itchy hands and feet and so, due to fear of cholestasis, I was put on the induction list 2 days before my due date. We waited for a call from the hospital to let us know when to come in. New year's rolled around and still no call. I didn't plan to stay up until midnight this year because I was exhausted during week 39 of pregnancy. I went to bed around 11pm just to be woken up at 12:10 to contractions. After some timing of contractions we decided the best idea was for me to get some sleep since they weren't that unbearable and see in the morning how I was doing. The next morning I wasn't having contractions anymore but the hospital finally called us in for the induction.

The assessment at the hospital showed I had started dilating so we skipped the Foley bulb plan and I was admitted. They started me on oxytocin and then contractions started up again. 2 months before giving birth I found out I wouldn’t be able to have an epidural because of a previous car accident years ago that caused injuries to my back. When contraction pains got worse and deep breathing wasn't cutting it I was given morphine.

After 4 hours of labouring, when they checked dilation I hasn't progressed. I was so devastated because I felt I was going through pain with no results. The doctor decided to break my waters and then things got REAL. Contractions came on hard and fast. My partner was so supportive during every contraction.

My new night nurse saw I was struggling and took charge telling me if want this baby to engage she could help to coach me through steps to take to help me progress. She coached me through the miles circuit, helped me refocus my body to stop tightening during every contraction and instead envision him descending down. At one point at 3am during some squats and hip thurts I told her "I couldn't do it anymore, but I knew I had no choice so what else could I do?"

At times I hated her for telling me "let's do that for 4 more contractions" but in all honesty she was the biggest help to us that night. I was on a fentanyl drip for pain but every contraction after 14 hrs of labour started becoming too much. She helped instill mental toughness in me while still being supportive. By 5:00am I was almost ready to push. After checking they determined I was finally at 10cm but I wasn't effaced enough. Again I was hit by devastation. But again my nurse, partner and I worked as a team to help me continue on.

By 6 am I was told it wasn't time yet, but I was READY. I'd had the urge to push for over an hr and I couldn't bear it anymore. I looked at her and advocated for myself and my body and said, ‘I am ready to push I need the doctor now I can't wait any longer.’ Minutes later the doctor came in. They got my feet up in the stirrups and she looked at me and said okay push.

My first push I let out a big yell, the doctor right away said "No noise! Don't waste your energy with noise I want you to focus it all in your attempt to push.” My next push I did just that. My partner looked over and said to me " he is almost here! You are so close". With that motivation I pushed 3 more times and then he finally had arrived! I started pushing at 6:05 am and Kingston was born 6:11 am.