Mary Kate: First time birth during hurricane ian
I was approaching 41 weeks of my first pregnancy. I was scheduled to have a chiropractic appointment that day, and I was hopeful that an adjustment would help my baby get into a better position for birth since she was suspected to be OP at that time. There was also a category 5 hurricane (Ian) hitting the gulf coast side of Florida that day, and it was expected to come across the state right over Jacksonville the next day!
The next morning I woke up at 5am to some sporadic cramping, nothing like I expected a contraction to feel like. My first thought was that I ate some bad food the night before, not that I might be in labor. Around 8am I started to think that I actually might be in labor, so I called my doula, Dallas Arthur. By the sound in my voice, she knew that I was in the early stages. She was attending another birth, so she sent a backup doula to provide support at my home. I labored there all day while the wind and rain from the hurricane roared outside. Thankfully the storm wasn't as bad as expected!
My contractions weren't regular still and they came in varying intensities. I could only describe it as being uncomfortable and I felt a lot of pressure in my back. We spent most of the time at home doing the Miles Circuit to help the baby get into a better position. By 3pm, things started to pick up, and I felt like it was time to move to my birth location. When we arrived, I was so excited to find I was in active labor. I was 7 cm and 90% effaced. I was really encouraged that I had made it this far already!
Once we got situated in our room, Dallas arrived. She brought a calming presence, and helped me get into a rhythm with my contractions. They were regular and predictable now. I learned quickly that whenever I felt a contraction begin, I would count in my head 6 slow breathes-- in for 4 and out for 7. Once I got to 6, it would be over and I could rest. Having control over my breath was by far the most helpful tool when it came to pain management. I truly felt like 90% of labor was mental, and 10% was physical.
Within a few hours of being admitted to the hospital, I was fully dilated. Even though I was complete, I didn't feel like I was ready to push. I wanted to conserve my energy and wait for the urge to push, so I just continued to ride the waves. After several hours, the urge never came, but the baby had descended much lower. Pushing was much more physically demanding than I anticipated. I feel like pushing was by far the most difficult part for me. After 4.5 hours of pushing, I didn't think I could keep going much longer. I was nearing the 24 hour mark of my labor, and I felt completely drained of energy. I had really hoped for a totally natural birth, but I started doubting if this baby would ever come out!
I started asking my doula for options. Dallas reminded that the vacuum was an option
for me, but I had to have some energy left which I did at that point. Dr. Adams arrived, and she used the vacuum for 2 contractions. The baby was finally near crowning! I pushed the rest on my own, and our baby Sara was finally here!
Dr. Liron came to our house the day after Sara was born, and she was adjusted at just 36 hours old! She has been getting adjusted ever since, and loves her chiropractor appointments. I sought out chiropractic care early in my pregnancy because I was already dealing with SI joint pain during exercise, and I knew it would only get worse as my pregnancy progressed. The ladies at Revolution always listened to my concerns and adjusted me for exactly what I needed that day. My body felt better, my mind felt clearer, and I had more energy to keep with my workouts. Overall I had a fairly comfortable pregnancy all the way to the end, and Iām certain it was due to my weekly adjustments! I loved having Revolution as a part of my birth team!