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Shilo

Look at that perfectly round belly!  Adorable Shilo!

Colleen Newman and her adorable book:

Near Mamas Heart

http://www.mybabyandmore.com/NearMamasHeart.html

Jenny's Birth of Temperance

Monday, March 7, 2011 at 4:58PM

My name is Jenny and I began labor on January 9, 2008, with my first child. I had planned a natural birth at a local birthing center. I had midwives and could deliver in any manner I chose, including a tub. My pregnancy was normal except for depression, which I have a life long history of. I wasn't in love with the 3 midwives in the practice but my husband wanted a birthing center not a home birth, so I accepted them for who they were...

My water broke at approximately 2:15. I was awoken just a moment before by my dog's howling and jumped out of bed just in time because I had the big gush type of water breaking. Prior to going to bed, I had been having cramps and my mucus plug had been leaking but that could still mean up to two weeks, so this was a surprise! I was only 38 weeks along.  Also because this was my first baby, I knew this could be a long ordeal. Well, that's NOT how it happened. Things moved very fast. My husband called the midwife, explained my water broke and she said I had hours and to just labor at home, as we had planned. My husband actually went to the office to finish some things up so he could be home for the next few days. While he was gone, contractions got intense! I lay on the couch alone, timing things and pretty much wanting to die! This was very painful, especially being alone and this being my first, I had no idea what to expect. My hubby returned by about 5 am and we went upstairs to labor in bed. At this point I couldn't talk during my contractions but phone calls to the midwife went unsupported, they kind of gave me the impression I was being a wimp and I could not possibly be far enough along to be in this much pain! They also told us not to leave until 8 (we believe that was shift change time and the midwife on call  didn't want to deliver me), but living where we live, we would have been in total a total traffic jam but I had no choice I felt ...so I sucked it up as best as I could. I had borrowed a hypno birthing CD and book, so i popped the CD in and that honestly saved me. I hadn't planned to use it, but so glad I had it!! It gave me strength I didn't know I was going to need.

So by 6, I was totally in transition but I didn't know it. I still thought I was being a "wimp." I got in the shower to try to gain some control while my hubby called the midwife to ask if I could labor in the tub she said, "If you want to waste the water!" (Bitch.) So we filled the tub, still thinking we could do nothing until 8 am. Well by 7-ish, I was screaming for 911 to be called. He tried to calm me and him being him, he was actually on the phone with his job! UGH but what can you do, right?  My honey finally went to move things from our huge truck to a smaller car because I could not walk at that point and he couldn't lift me in the truck. Well, we have a 2 story house and while he was downstairs, my only assistant was my dear cat! She sat on the side of the tub trying to comfort me! So during this, I was basically in a "coma" for lack of a better word, I reached between my legs and felt her head! I had never pushed! Well, I don't remember how, but a few seconds later her head was out! At that point I was calm; the pain was gone and I just yelled, "HER HEAD IS OUT." Well, dear husband ran upstairs about to jump in the tub, but we had just bought him $300 boots so I yelled, "Take off your boots, first!" Like I said, the pain was gone(which was like a bowling ball hitting my pelvis) and she was underwater so she would not take a breath yet and she was safe there. By now, I was clear headed and the "coma" like phase had passed. So he did, then he guided her body earthside, removing her cord which was looped loosely only once, the he handed her to me. I gently stimulated her to breathe, which she did and was very pink! During this, 911 was called and they arrived about 5 minutes after her entrance. I was peaceful, but in some shock then, and her apgar was perfect, so Jason was able to cut her cord (in hindsight, I wish we had not, but this was a shocking birth, sooooo what can you do?) and off to the hospital we went (also wish I hadn't gone there, but what can you do?)

 She rode on my chest, but I didn't put her to the breast, wish I had, but the point is moot, she was a champion nurser from the start and for 28 months!

So that is how Temperance Elizabeth came earthside, and I would not change it for the world! She did that her own way and has done everything since her own way! I thank the universal spirits every day for her blessing in our lives!!

One other funny note: we built the house she was born in and when they installed the tub, I told my hubby I would have a baby in that tub; he laughed said, "No, a hospital birthing center was better!" Funny how 6 years prior to her arrival, I knew she would be born there!

Tags: unassisted home birth, unassisted home water birth, unassisted home birth stories, unassisted water birth stories, natural birth stories, unassisted birth stories, quick labor stories, fast labor and delivery, birth, birth stories, natural birth stories, natural homebirth stories