Birth Story Part I

Week 39: 

I was truly enjoying the end of my pregnancy.  I was walking and doing the exercises that my Doula*, Jessica, taught me and my husband in order to help our little girl be in the right birthing position and to open my pelvis.  I was also happily cleaning my house, washing and ironing baby clothes.  I was in nesting bliss. Though my husband also wants me to add that I was driving him crazy during this nesting period.  Apparently, I also made him clean and organize too, haha!  Any who, one night I noticed my feet were itching and I later I noticed that my hands were also itching.  I figured I was allergic to something I was cleaning with, so I started switching out soaps and lotions trying to figure out the cause of the irritation.

Week 40:

I met with one of my midwives.  There are 5 midwives in my midwife group. The midwife group I used does not check to see if their patients are dilated or effaced until they reach 40 weeks of pregnancy.  Being dilated or effaced does not determine whether someone is in labor.  My midwives explained that if they prematurely determine how much their patients are dilated or effaced, then their patients often become discouraged if a lot of progress has not been made.  I experienced this firsthand when my midwife informed me that I was only 1 centimeter dilated and 60% effaced.  Upon hearing this information, I became very discouraged.  It didn’t matter what my doula, my midwives and my own reading taught me, I still became stressed and discouraged.  I knew that I would become more dilated and effaced during my labor process, but to me the news meant labor was a long way off and at that point in my pregnancy I was ready to have this baby.  Seeing my disappointment, my midwife asked if I would like to get my membranes stripped (a procedure known to kick start labor).  I declined, because to me this procedure is a form of medical intervention, which I was trying to avoid in my quest for a natural childbirth.  I wanted the baby come on her own time. 

The only thing that cheered me up after my visit with the midwife was my full body prenatal massage.  My doula suggested that I book one on my due date, which was ultimately great advice.  My husband also told me to splurge and go for the longer message.  The message was amazing!!!  It was just what this soon-to-be mama really needed.  My husband and my doula rock!  I went to bed that night with zero stress, but I woke up around 4 A.M. with intense itching on my feet and hands.  Over the last week my hands and feet had been itching, but this night it was much worse then before.  So, at 4 A.M. I went on the Internet and searched Google for “itchy feet and hands”.  I learned that itchy feet and hands is a symptom of a pregnancy illness called Cholestasis.

That Friday morning I called my midwife group and left a message with their nurse.  About an hour later they called me back and told me to come into their office immediately. 

*For more  information about my wonderful doula Jessica:

http://villagebirthworks.com/