Pregnancy Birth and Motherhood: the Oliva Family

The Birth

Giada Marie: born one minute after my admittance to the hospital

Around 8 pm on Christmas, I started feeling crampy every 15 or 20 minutes. It was very mild, but had a noticeable pattern. I passed the time sewing diapers after dinner, but the cramps didn't go away. I didn’t mention it to anyone until about 11 when Leo and I went to bed. I told him we should get some sleep because it seems like the cramping is not letting up. We called our doula to let her know there could possibly be an early morning call, as this might be the start of something.

The cramping continued in the night, with cramps slowly turning into what I would call contractions. I slept through most of them, but around 3 or 4 they started waking me up. I moved to the rocking chair, hoping that would be more comfortable (I had heartburn and needed to be upright). I couldn’t sleep there, but I did time the contractions and they were 5 to 7 minutes apart. They weren’t painful yet though, or increasing in intensity.

We called Susan, our doula, at 4:30 and asked her to come over. I was managing fine, but wanted her here with me. I took a shower and put on some makeup.

Susan arrived about 5:00 am, and the three of us sat on the couch and worked through the contractions. Some were more intense than others. I know now that when I had a couple bad ones, we should have left then. But I really, really wanted to labor at home as long as possible, and one strong contraction would be followed by a mild one, still 5 to 7 minutes apart and only lasting about 20-30 seconds. We all thought we had several hours to go, and wanted to wait until the contractions were closer together, longer and more intense. So, I ate a banana, sat on the couch, and Leo & Susan coached me when I needed it. I was feeling the contractions all in my hips and upper thighs, and no where else.

About 7:00 Rosie woke up so we moved to the other room on the other couch (she normally plays where we were before). After a few contractions like all the others, suddenly the labor got really intense. At 7:15 I told Susan I was ready to go – I knew it was going to get more painful and that was all I could tolerate. I wanted an epidural. I was feeling a ton of pressure in my pelvis and felt like the baby was “right there.” I know now, that feeling was the baby descending and I was fully dilated. I wish we’d have left that very second.

But, it took us a few minutes to get going… despite the intensity of labor, I had to say goodbye to Rosie first. At 7:25 we left the house. The pressure was building and I was starting to get a little worried. Every. Single. Stoplight. Was red. At the first light, I had a massive contraction, only at that point, there was no more pain; only massive pressure. It felt like the baby was going to come out. My whole body began shaking. I had to squeeze my legs together. For some reason, I didn’t say specifically to Leo what I was feeling. I just said, “You need to hurry.”

On the freeway, another strong urge. This one had me screaming and panting. YOU HAVE TO HURRY!! He’s trying to coach me through, weaving in and out of traffic.

Back on the city roads, more lights. PLEASE GOD PLEASE HURRY. More pressure, more urges… I had my legs squeezed tight. I was really scared.

Finally at 7:40 am we arrive at the birth center. Leo pulls up, and asks, “should I park?” I scream, NO!!! and practically leap out of the car. At the nurses’ station, I can’t even speak. I’m panting and moaning, and leaning on the counter. Leo gives them my name. He has NO idea I’m so close. Honestly, I didn’t either. So he runs out to park the car.

And in the following minute:

I’m standing there at the nurses’ station, and I felt “something” down below and all the sudden, I had to go to the bathroom really bad! I told them, I need to use the bathroom before I get into the bed. They put me in a wheelchair and took me 10 feet over to the nearest empty room.

I walked to the toilet and sat down. The nurse prepared the room. Susan went into the bathroom with me. As soon as I sat down I lost total control of my body and everything just started happening. I started screaming, “The baby is COMING!!! It’s coming out and I can’t stop it!!” I’m sure I was crying at that point. Susan reached down and caught the baby’s head! Over the toilet! I’m totally freaking out, screaming, “Please help!!” Susan is yelling, “I have its head! HURRY!!!!” The alert code goes off in the birth center, and the bathroom is suddenly filled with nurses. I am totally panicked and freaking out, screaming, “Where’s Leo!? Please, GET LEO!!!” I didn’t realize I had already pushed the baby out, I was just crying and screaming. I had an unassisted birth! No doctor is listed on Giada's birth information. Susan said, “Look Trista, it’s your baby, she’s crying!! She’s ok!!” The nurses were saying, “It’s ok, it’s ok! The baby is beautiful” I looked down to see that it was a girl, and then someone said, “Leo’s right here! He’s here”

Giada was born at 7:41 am. One minute after I walked up to the nurses' station!

While all that happened … as Leo parked the car, he quickly grabbed a few things, and ran into the birth center. He was running because he thought I needed help, not because he thought the baby was being born! Or he would have just left the car. I didn’t know, I really didn’t. He runs into the center, hearing the alert code and he knew right away it was for us. The nurses yell, “She’s delivering!” “Where?!” he says. “Room 139!!!” So Leo runs to 139 but there is no one in bed. He turns and looks into the bathroom. He sees a dozen nurses, baby Giada covered in blood and gore, being held upside down over the trash can. Me, half standing, half sitting, having just delivered, with my pants at my knees, covered in blood, the umbilical cord coming out of me and connected to the baby. Blood all over the toilet and spattered on the wall. A nurse was getting ready to cut the cord, but she could not reach it with her right hand. She yelled, “I’m not a lefty!” But she had the scissors, so she cut.

He wove his way through the nurses, and we were both so shocked and panicked. I don’t remember what we said to each other. Something about it being a girl. He missed the birth and didn’t get to cut the cord, but I’m not quite sure THAT was the birth I would have wanted him scarred with! The scene he entered was bad enough.

I ended up with a 2nd degree tear, and Giada had bruises on her face from the speedy delivery. It was totally insane. Not something I would want to do again! But thankfully, the baby and I were just fine and there was not a single complication. Welcome Giada, we love you baby girl!!!

The Photos

Giada Marie Oliva
Born December 26, 2005
7 pounds, 5 ounces. 19 inches long