Roger Dale’s Birth Story

Early Friday morning, around 4:30 am, I woke up and decided to do my normal middle-of-the-night routine (tums, water, bathroom), but when I stood up I felt a gush of water.

I grabbed the towel that was next to me in bed (I had been sleeping on one just in case for this exact reason) and waddled over to the bathroom.

I discovered more of the “showing” once in the bathroom while I was trying to figure out if I peed myself or if my water had just broken.

After some middle of the night exhausted confusion I decided that it was definitely my water breaking.

I knew labor for a first-timer like me could take hours and hours if not days.

So I headed back to bed to try to get some sleep, but my back was hurting (I figured I had been sleeping in the same position too long) so I took some Tylenol in hopes that I would feel better after a bit and doze back to sleep.

By 5/5:30 it was clear that contractions were beginning so we decided to go ahead and get up.

But figuring it would still be hours, I changed the sheets on the bed, Roger vacuumed, and we both took showers.

By 6:30/6:45 it was very clear that we needed to head to the hospital.

Contractions had sped up surprisingly fast, faster than either of us had anticipated.

As we drove the 30 minutes to the hospital I called to let them know we were on our way between contractions, which were between 3-4 minutes apart.

Roger pulled up in front of the hospital at 7:15 and I was so grateful we had the paperwork already filled out as she basically sent us right to the elevator.

Although that also may have been because I was very visibly and audibly in pain.

Once we arrived in the labor and delivery unit the nurses immediately brought me into another room for a urine sample and to ask the security safety questions (like if I was living in a safe home – or something like that I was a bit distracted by the pain and just wanted Roger and an epidural).

I freaked out when all that came out for the urine sample was blood (sorry, TMI? But I mean this is a birth story).

At this point, I remember calling for help, asking for my husband, and an epidural.

She brought back Roger, checked to see how dilated I was (and I thought contractions hurt! My goodness this hurt!) and she discovered that I was already 8 centimeters.

At this point, I was so freaked out I would have to have this baby naturally.

I didn’t think I could handle much more pain. In between contractions, in which I was audibly in pain (don’t worry, no real screaming, but I’m sure it was enough to scare the nursing students we passed lined up in the hallway), I kept asking for an epidural.

They whisked us into a labor and delivery room and instantly it was filled with people.

I only know this from brief moments between contractions when I opened my eyes to ask for an epidural.

There were several CRNA’s in the room ready to help, but a nurse was struggling to stick my arm for an IV (I have rolling veins – and ended up with a big bruise on my arm for days with how many times she stuck me). I was in so much pain.

Looking back I feel bad about how many times I asked for an epidural (although I never yelled or cursed or any such thing I was basically just begging).

But boy did I need it! A couple of times when I asked I heard someone say “we are going to try” and/or “we are going to do our best to get you one” and I internally freaked out that we were too late.

But once they had my IVs going the 2 CRNA’s came over, asked for me to sit up and hunch over, with Roger holding me in the front, while they worked on getting it in my back.

She kept telling me to hold really still, which was incredibly difficult at this point, but I was determined to behave because I would do anything for that epidural.

She got it in pretty fast, PRAISE GOD, and I was so grateful and relieved when she did.

I had been worried about it working because I have scoliosis and had heard it may not work the first time and may take adjustment.

But I felt relief incredibly fast. I couldn’t believe how fast the medicine worked!

And then I went from repeatedly asking for an epidural to continually thanking them for it and saying how much I love medicine.

At one point Roger said something like “I think we know you like it” because I had said it so many times.

But after all the pain I had been in, I expected some relief, but not instantly gone. (They had increased my dosage or something because I had been in so much pain.)

It was incredible! Our nurse then checked me again and at this point, I was 9 centimeters.

The room had slowly emptied, and I could finally sit back and breathe.

So many people had recommended I eat on the way to the hospital, but I was in so much pain I was only able to eat 2 small clementine slices.

Now that I was no longer feeling like I was dying of pain I asked if I could eat anything, although I knew the answer, I figured it didn’t hurt to ask.

Of course, the answer was no, especially since I was so far along.

So I tried to relax a bit before the pushing part of labor began.

Oh, and I also sent Roger to get himself some breakfast and to bring back pastries so that I could eat once he was born. I was really hungry!

By about 10/10:30 I was at 10cm and it was time to push.

I definitely struggled with the pushing aspect at the beginning.

But after some tug of war with a sheet and the nurse, I started to get better with the whole pushing concept.

My goodness pushing is exhausting.

I knew we were getting close as the pressure to push became more frequent and as she said she could see some hair on his head.

By the time the midwife arrived (our doctor was out of town for fall break) I wasn’t sure how much more I could do.

It wasn’t exactly pain as I was numb from the epidural, but the pressure was intense and I was exhausted by how fast everything had happened.

I had been expecting this to be a whole day process.

I mean when we got up around 5/5:30 I figured it wouldn’t be until the afternoon at the earliest that we would be going to the hospital.

The whole morning had been shocking and once the pushing process began I spent a lot of time watching the clock between contractions.

I kept guessing when he would arrive and telling myself it wouldn’t be much longer.

Once the midwife took over she asked me if I wanted a mirror to watch.

I very quickly and matter of factly said a resounding “no” that caused her to laugh.

If this is something you did or plan to do I commend you for being so brave.

But there was no way I would be able to keep pushing if I saw a 10 cm hole down there, along with everything else.

And at 12:03 pm on October 15, 20221 baby Roger Dale Miller III entered the world and our lives changed forever in the most beautiful way! Praise God!

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With love, Giusti

““But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.”
Psalm 39:7 NIV