Aldo

On July 31, 2012 at 1:06 a.m. Aldo Taylor Aronhalt entered the world, following one good push.

My one good push, and Aldo's entry, were preceded by several days of "early labor" before finally entering "active labor" Monday evening, the 30th.  My water broke on Friday morning at 6 a.m., no doubt from the assistance of a great hike with Sari the night before, up Old Mill Road and into the Nordic Center.  If you aren't aware, water breaking creates an increased risk of infection for the baby after 24 hours (similar to a blister bursting).  I had no contractions, that I could sense.  So on Saturday, Sari joined me twice up Old Mill and for another, though shorter, hike in the Nordic Center.  That night I had contractions.  Nichole, my doula, asked me to rest as much as I could so I went to bed...and slept, and the contractions went away.  Meanwhile, family and other care givers were beginning to worry and express concerns.  On Monday I went into the hospital, driven by my mom, to be hooked up to the fetal monitor, despite my sense that everything was fine - Aldo had been moving plenty, my temps were regular and I was drinking lots of water to keep the sack refilled.  Nichole met us there.  Everything checked out, and after setting a second checkup with Dr. Thompson in the morning, we left the hospital.

I was determined that the contractions had to start that day.  Nichole and I upped the natural means of inducing labor to include...castor oil (2 oz castor oil, 8 oz OJ, 1/4 tsp baking soda) to be taken 3 times in the day, downed quickly.  I did as directed.  My bowels emptied on several occassions.  No contractions.  I added in walking three laps up Panorama Drive.  Mom and I sat down to continue our day 4 scrabble marathon when, a few plays into the game, the contractions began - about 8:30 p.m.  I was in "active labor".

When Nichole arrived at the condo 30 minutes later, I had already stationed myself on the couch so that I could labor on 'all fours' and easily rest on the couch between contractions.  With Nichole's encouragement and soothing pressure to my lower back (and no longer fearing additional bowel movements), I finally gave into the contractions and worked with them to move Aldo "down, out baby, down".  I recall Nichole's hands pressing at a lower point on my back with each contraction and feeling satisfied about this progress.  Taking over for mom's earlier work, Nichole kept a log of my contractions - length of each, and spacing of each - to help her decide when to leave for the hospital.  Nichole and mom notified the hospital we were on our way, around 11:50 p.m.

I went with Nichole in her mini-van, sitting in the middle row, sitting more on my left cheek and bracing myself on the right seat arm.  Mom followed.  The hospital is 16 miles, or 20 minutes, from my house.  Somewhere after Squaw I informed Nichole that with my contractions I was having the urge to "push".  Her response was, "Ok, Nikki, I'm going to need you to breathe through those contractions.  Don't push."  I would guess I had about 6 of those before we made it to the hospital.  The trip took longer than usual because...road construction slowed us down from 55 mph to 25 mph for seven miles.

At the hospital emergency doors I was given a wheelchair and, again sitting on the left cheek, I was whisked to my delivery bed, where the nurses (Sonya and Tamaro) informed me the doctor was on the way, and to "not push".  After getting changed and scrubbed, Dr. Thompson set us down to business, placing my feet in the stirups.  The contraction came quickly, I pushed, and his head popped out.  I was encouraged to add one more push and his shoulder, followed by his body, came out...head facing up.