My Home Water Birth Story
2:38 PM Posted In Birth , Birth Choices , Birth Story , Childbirth , Home birth , Homebirth , Midwives , Mothering , Pregnancy and Birth , Water Birth Edit This 0 Comments »
This is about a year and a half late! But better late than never :D
It was about 10 PM on Sunday evening when I experienced the first trickle of fluid during what was probably the millionth contraction of the previous 3 weeks but because of the incredible pressure in my pelvis I assumed that it was more of an embarrassing incontinence type of accident. When the next contraction came 6 minutes later with another trickle and then another 5 minutes later with a bit of a gush, I decided that I *could* actually be in labour...finally.
By the time 11:30 or so rolled around I was adequately convinced that labour had, in fact, started and having woken Corey and my Mom up just a few minutes earlier I instructed them to start filling the pool! By this time contractions were about 4ish minutes apart and definitely increasing in length and intensity so I called my midwife, who told me she was already up at the hospital attending a birth and would have to find the backup midwife. I was pretty devastated that she wouldn’t be making it to my birth but that quickly turned back into excitement as the contractions brought me closer and closer to my goal.
Heather, my secondary backup midwife, called me shortly after midnight and asked me how I was doing. From what I told her she figured I was in early labour and offered to come by and check me anyways. I told her to come on by...as I knew this would be fast and furious. A half hour later she showed up and I was still pretty comfortable...she probably thought by my demeanour that she came all the way from Paris for no reason at all. When she got down to checking me though, she realised that it was go time. I was already 8 cm! I was ecstatic! 8 cm had been a walk in the park.
After I was checked I got into the pool which was nearly full and soooo warm and relaxing. (I know from my Facebook status this was about 1AM Monday morning.) I started feeling the contractions a lot more in my back at that point and contractions became harder to bear and finding a good position was impossible. After 3 or so of those contractions, I started feeling the twinges of pressure as baby moved deeper and before I knew it I was being told to push with the next contraction. I wasn’t ready! I felt that I hadn’t quite found my element yet and something was ‘off’. As the pressure mounted, I felt my body pushing but I fought to keep my legs closed...I wasn’t in the position I wanted to be in and my backside felt like it was literally going to explode. I pleaded for a towel on my backside at the very least but was just told to push. The midwife listened to the baby and I was told that baby was tired and I needed to push or else...(or else what wasn’t evident at that point but my Momma instinct took over at that point.) Just then, I felt the baby move back into my pelvis and my heart dropped. The babe had been presenting sunny side up and I had just lost all that work my body did getting him that far. With the next contraction, I completely let go. I reached my arms back and grabbed Corey’s shoulders, gripped his shirt and let my body do what it needed to do. With that one push, I not only pushed out the ENTIRE head but I ripped Corey’s shirt in half, Incredible Hulk style. The calm after that was amazing...I waited for the next contraction as my baby waited, eyes shut, under the water. with the next contraction he was out and in my arms. Since he was covered with a towel, I reached between his legs to find out the sex...”It’s a boy”!!!
I stayed in the pool for 10 minutes or so holding my new baby boy and then transfered to my bed, where the midwife began immediately fussing with the cord and placenta. My midwife and I had discussed my plans for the 3rd stages of labour but it was apparent that my backup (secondary backup, actually) missed that memo. I was told that if I didn’t deliver the placenta within 10 minutes she would be giving me a the shot to expel it! Ummmm...really?! I didn’t want to argue though since I was completely blissed out my mind so I had my Mom cut the cord and let her fuss about with the placenta as I nursed my precious boy.
Oh, H-Man and L-Cat had slept through the entire thing and with how quickly everything ended up going it wasn’t until I had delivered that I thought to tell my Mom to wake them up. They came in just after baby was born and once I transferred to the bed they joined me and met their brother. They both went back to bed pretty shortly after that but were in my room bright and early, excited at the arrival of their new brother...especially Hayden who was especially hoping for a brother.
Baby Oliver was born at 1:52AM July 12th weighing 9 pounds, 3 ounces with a length of 22 inches and a head circumference of 14 inches!! He has blue eyes and sprinkling of brown and blonde hair on his head.
The whole experience was incredible. I may not have handled myself the way I imagined I could have, but in the midst of a fast and furious labour I was able to let go of myself and really discover what I am actually capable of. I am amazed in myself and IN LOVE with the boy who gave me the experience of a lifetime.
It was about 10 PM on Sunday evening when I experienced the first trickle of fluid during what was probably the millionth contraction of the previous 3 weeks but because of the incredible pressure in my pelvis I assumed that it was more of an embarrassing incontinence type of accident. When the next contraction came 6 minutes later with another trickle and then another 5 minutes later with a bit of a gush, I decided that I *could* actually be in labour...finally.
By the time 11:30 or so rolled around I was adequately convinced that labour had, in fact, started and having woken Corey and my Mom up just a few minutes earlier I instructed them to start filling the pool! By this time contractions were about 4ish minutes apart and definitely increasing in length and intensity so I called my midwife, who told me she was already up at the hospital attending a birth and would have to find the backup midwife. I was pretty devastated that she wouldn’t be making it to my birth but that quickly turned back into excitement as the contractions brought me closer and closer to my goal.
Heather, my secondary backup midwife, called me shortly after midnight and asked me how I was doing. From what I told her she figured I was in early labour and offered to come by and check me anyways. I told her to come on by...as I knew this would be fast and furious. A half hour later she showed up and I was still pretty comfortable...she probably thought by my demeanour that she came all the way from Paris for no reason at all. When she got down to checking me though, she realised that it was go time. I was already 8 cm! I was ecstatic! 8 cm had been a walk in the park.
After I was checked I got into the pool which was nearly full and soooo warm and relaxing. (I know from my Facebook status this was about 1AM Monday morning.) I started feeling the contractions a lot more in my back at that point and contractions became harder to bear and finding a good position was impossible. After 3 or so of those contractions, I started feeling the twinges of pressure as baby moved deeper and before I knew it I was being told to push with the next contraction. I wasn’t ready! I felt that I hadn’t quite found my element yet and something was ‘off’. As the pressure mounted, I felt my body pushing but I fought to keep my legs closed...I wasn’t in the position I wanted to be in and my backside felt like it was literally going to explode. I pleaded for a towel on my backside at the very least but was just told to push. The midwife listened to the baby and I was told that baby was tired and I needed to push or else...(or else what wasn’t evident at that point but my Momma instinct took over at that point.) Just then, I felt the baby move back into my pelvis and my heart dropped. The babe had been presenting sunny side up and I had just lost all that work my body did getting him that far. With the next contraction, I completely let go. I reached my arms back and grabbed Corey’s shoulders, gripped his shirt and let my body do what it needed to do. With that one push, I not only pushed out the ENTIRE head but I ripped Corey’s shirt in half, Incredible Hulk style. The calm after that was amazing...I waited for the next contraction as my baby waited, eyes shut, under the water. with the next contraction he was out and in my arms. Since he was covered with a towel, I reached between his legs to find out the sex...”It’s a boy”!!!
I stayed in the pool for 10 minutes or so holding my new baby boy and then transfered to my bed, where the midwife began immediately fussing with the cord and placenta. My midwife and I had discussed my plans for the 3rd stages of labour but it was apparent that my backup (secondary backup, actually) missed that memo. I was told that if I didn’t deliver the placenta within 10 minutes she would be giving me a the shot to expel it! Ummmm...really?! I didn’t want to argue though since I was completely blissed out my mind so I had my Mom cut the cord and let her fuss about with the placenta as I nursed my precious boy.
Oh, H-Man and L-Cat had slept through the entire thing and with how quickly everything ended up going it wasn’t until I had delivered that I thought to tell my Mom to wake them up. They came in just after baby was born and once I transferred to the bed they joined me and met their brother. They both went back to bed pretty shortly after that but were in my room bright and early, excited at the arrival of their new brother...especially Hayden who was especially hoping for a brother.
Baby Oliver was born at 1:52AM July 12th weighing 9 pounds, 3 ounces with a length of 22 inches and a head circumference of 14 inches!! He has blue eyes and sprinkling of brown and blonde hair on his head.
The whole experience was incredible. I may not have handled myself the way I imagined I could have, but in the midst of a fast and furious labour I was able to let go of myself and really discover what I am actually capable of. I am amazed in myself and IN LOVE with the boy who gave me the experience of a lifetime.
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