Giving birth without an epidural was my biggest goal of my last pregnancy. When I gave birth to my oldest son, I was inexperienced and convinced to agree to the epidural because it would help me relax. When I gave birth to my daughter I was given pitocin to prevent hemorrhage, since I had a history. Once the pitocin kicked in, I asked for the epidural. Even while I was in labor with my youngest, I was screaming for the epidural because I was in so much pain. If I had known how much easier recovery would have been without the epidural, I would have tried harder to forgo them for my first two deliveries. Hiring Lauren as my doula made it possible.
I went to bed that night and kept getting up to use the restroom. Once I was waking up every two hours, I knew it was time. I got into the bathtub to see if my contractions would stop but they didn’t. That’s when I called Lauren but she didn’t answer. Then I called her husband but he didn’t answer. I was starting to freak out a little but that’s when Lauren called back. She told me she’d be in Madison within the hour. I woke up husband and told him to get the kids ready because I was in labor and Lauren was on her way. He left to take the kids to his mom’s and I labored at home alone for the longest half out of my life. While I was waiting for them, I would run from the tub to the toilet and back. He and Lauren arrived at my house at the same time and I remember never feeling so relieved. Lauren told me to get out of the tub and try to labor for a while on the toilet. At this point I was in transition and I started screaming about how I couldn’t do it and I needed to get to the hospital for the epidural. They loaded me into the car and I rode to the hospital while holding on the back of the seat. We made it to the hospital and admin was trying to get us to fill out paperwork, someone stepped in and said it would be taken care of later. We made it up to the room and I was screaming and begging for the epidural but I was already at 8 cm so I was told there wasn’t time. I ha was using a labor comb and I was gripping it so hard, that I broke it. The doctor walked in and said as soon as my water breaks, that baby is coming. I told her to go ahead and break it. I felt every single movement. After that I remember screaming that I felt like I had to go, so everyone told me too and I did. As soon as I evacuated, I started to feel the ring of fire. I remember starting to panic because I thought it was going to last forever but I soon as I started pushing, I finally met my sweet Jonah Ray in three pushes.