Lindsay's Birth of Elias

The Work of Surrender

“We're not getting in the car,” Sarah, our doula, decided for us as we reached the sunlit and toy-littered living room. I had just descended, in stop and start fashion, from our upstairs bathroom, where the previous hour had flipped my slow start, relatively comfortable labor into an I-can't-do-this-anymore affair. Well, apparently, I wouldn't have to do it for long.

Shortly before we parked in the living room instead of the St. Joe's hospital parking lot as planned, Sarah had arrived at the house and made her way up to the tub where she knew I was laboring. My twenty-two month old son was sleeping in the next room, undisturbed by my deep moans. My husband Micah, wanting to complete our departure preparations, was instead detained by my murmuring, don't leave me, don't leave me. Truly, only twenty minutes earlier we thought we had hours and hours to go. Although we had been warned that second births can turn on a dime, we weren't ready to leave. The sitter for Caleb wasn't there yet, our bag wasn't fully packed, and we did not want to be at the hospital for twelve hours before the birth like the first time. No, we were going to wait until the contractions were five minutes apart. And my birth preparations left me feeling comfortable and surrendered in this laboring process—until the tub.

In the cramped bathroom, after sitting with me through a few contractions, Sarah had said “Let's make our way to the car.” As a new crest enveloped me, I leaned back, pushed up on my hands and lifted myself out of the water, then sank with a long, deep moan, willing myself to become limp and small in the rocking water. “Why does it have to be so hard?” I asked. “Having a baby is hard work,” Sarah affirmed. I thought I was not handling this labor well; I thought we were just beginning. How will I get through this? I wondered. But Sarah saw the signs, knew how advanced this labor was, and when I stepped one foot out of the tub—stranded at midpoint during another close contraction—my water broke, splashing neatly into the tub. While Sarah helped me out of the tub, Micah asked a neighbor to be with sleeping Caleb, called the midwife to tell her we were on our way, completed our packing, and pulled the van out of the garage. He was ready.

I first realized this baby was close to coming when Sarah suggested, after I grabbed my underwear, that I just hold a towel between my legs instead. She pulled one from the shelf, and I said, “No, use that other one. We need new towels anyway.” I thought it odd that logical conversation could come in the midst of laborland. I put on my labor dress—the loose, blue print one I bought specifically for laboring in but hadn't worn yet. I didn't want to wear a hospital gown. A few steps down, on the landing where the stairs turn, I had another contraction. “I'm going to have my baby on the landing!” I exclaimed. I thought it just might happen. I told Sarah I could not continue down the stairs. I couldn't stand up and the pressure on my bottom was intense. She insisted I get downstairs, that I should crab crawl backwards down the stairs. The sitters had just arrived and modesty was on my mind. My last statement on the landing was “I don't want everybody seeing my butt.” My husband asked the neighbor to leave and shooed the sitters into the den while we made our way to the car.

But we weren't going in the car. We were going to the living room—and staying there. I was going to have a homebirth, like I wanted. But notjust like I wanted. I had contemplated a planned homebirth, the kind where we hired homebirth midwives, had the awkward discussion with family members who would think we were nuts, and filled a rented birthing tub. I made a pro/con list and waited for the right moment to bring my wishes to my husband. But it was late in the pregnancy, and he was not enthusiastic. Since we had a good hospital option with a waterbirth suite and a small, wonderful midwife group, I didn't push it. We agreed that a freestanding birthing center would be a good option, but unfortunately Minnesota‘s first center wasn't open in time for us.

Once we established that we weren't getting in the car, several things happened in a hurry. Sarah prepped a birth space: the plastic circle under my son's highchair worked well to cover the carpet. Micah told our friends to grab Caleb from his crib and go. (Seems strange now; they could have stayed. But in the sudden change of plans Micah just wanted to clear the house.) Micah called Ann, my midwife, and put her on speakerphone. The nurse stopped filling my birthing tub at the hospital. We discussed whether to call an ambulance right then or wait. I insisted we wait, as I didn't want to be surrounded by strangers and probably be told to get on my back. This pregnancy I'd been delightfully influenced by Sarah Buckley's book Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering. My favorite chapter was the one on undisturbed birth, which I experienced more fully than I ever envisioned. But while I didn't want emergency personnel at the birth site yet, I did acknowledge that we should have help there as near the time of birth as possible in case the baby needed help.

I lowered myself to the plastic-and towel-covered carpet and declared, with a mix of confidence and surprise, “I am going to have my baby on my hands and knees.” I was following instinct with no outside direction. So ensued my pushing stage, but it wasn't pushing at all. I experienced the remarkable fetal ejection reflex, where the body works the baby out, and the baby cooperates by twisting at all the right times and places. Between contractions I rested on my forearms, putting my head on the floor. When the simultaneous tightening and opening came, I'd lift up and moan “ooooooo” as deeply, loudly, and as long as I could. The length of the moan seemed supernatural to me, longer than I could have ever exhaled my breath in normal life. The longer I moaned, the farther my baby would travel, showing his head to Sarah and Micah. This time on the living room floor took nearly thirty minutes, but I didn't rush anything. I just let him come without any effort from me except surrender.

After several minutes, the midwife urged us to call the ambulance. “Lindsay can push that baby out at any time,” she said. It wasn't until then that it dawned on me that I wasn't actually pushing. I agreed. We should call. This baby was ready to be here. As my husband was on the phone with 911-- “We don't have an emergency. My wife's having a baby.”--Sarah yelled, “Micah, come now!” So he hung up the phone and focused on our big moment: our child's birth. Sarah caught the child, something I had assumed she was okay with without asking, and she and Micah together passed the little one up to me while I sat back on my bottom. I felt no pain, just a rush of euphoria. We rubbed the babe's back and Sarah wrapped us in a blanket. We spent surreal and blessed moments looking into one another's wondering eyes. The baby cried a little bit, settled into my chest and looked up at me and my husband. I scooted back so I could lean against the couch. Then we heard sirens.

My husband was on it. He met the firefighters—the first responders—at the door. They were coming to rescue us at full speed, of course. Micah said, “Take it down a notch. Everyone's fine. I'm Micah. What's your name?” After introductions, he led them in with a “come meet my wife and baby.” The two fireman stood in the entryway, not sure what to do with themselves if they couldn't be put to use. I just told them hello with a big smile. The paramedics arrived and the firefighters left. No need for a crowd.

I must credit the two paramedics—one man and one woman—for their respect towards us and the birth space. They did not rush us at all. After taking my blood pressure and peeking at the alert baby on my chest, they stood back. But they did have some questions for us. Boy or girl? We didn't know. So curious during my pregnancy, I thought that'd be the first thing I'd look for. Now I didn't care. My beautiful baby was here and I was ecstatic, what else mattered? But I beckoned my husband over so we could look together. A boy. I held him tight to me again. Second question: what time was the birth? We looked at one another—did anyone pay attention to that detail? But Micah remembered: “What time did I hang up on 911?” That's the time we give as Elias's birth: 3:17 p.m.

Now the paramedics asked Sarah, “Where's your bag?” They were wondering about cutting the cord and must have thought she was our midwife. Sarah said, “I'm the doula. All I have are two towels and a box of tissues” (my favorite line from the birth). So we used the paramedics' supplies: clamps and a scissors. Surprisingly, they stepped back while Sarah cut the cord. Before I separated from my baby, I wrapped my hand around the cord and felt its weak, slowing pulse. It had been at least ten minutes since the birth; I was thankful my child was able to enjoy this time attached as he adjusted to his new surroundings.

My husband took off his shirt in preparation to receive his son. After I passed Elias to his daddy, I slipped a hospital gown on backwards to cover my behind, held a blanket to my front, and walked out the front door to the stretcher. I lay down, took my boy back to my chest, and was rolled to the ambulance. The female paramedic was the driver, but before she took her front seat she sat by us and said, “Aww. I want to ride with the baby.” We laughed. I continued to have contractions on the way to the hospital as the placenta detached. I was uncomfortable but still experiencing those euphoric hormones that often come with an unmedicated birth. My midwife greeted us, excited to see us all since she experienced the birth via speakerphone.

The next day we were told we could declare home or hospital as place of birth since the placenta came at the hospital. I said hospital since that meant less paperwork for us, but I've since wished I said home. But, of course, we know where our baby wiggled his way into our arms. In the living room at home. In an ecstatic, undisturbed birth.

 Tags: birth, birth stories, birth stories on demand, home birth, extremely fast labor, quick entrance, positive birth stories, doula, doula stories, birth stories with pictures, natural birth, natural birth stories

Trina's Birth of Alexander

Trina's birth of Alexander

To begin with a bit of history : I had a very traumatic 68 hours birthing my first son, Matthew in hospital I had problems with bonding after as a result of unnecessary interference and didn't want that ever again, So I'd decided to birth unassisted the next time.

Well I thought it would be a long time til I was pregnant again- at least two years.. But when Matthew was almost 13 months old I was in Tasmania for a wedding. Watching two lines appear on a test. An unplanned pregnancy. I had wanted more time than this but was adamant I was still going through with birthing alone.

Mark was VERY unhappy about my free birthing decision and we argued about it constantly until I thought to myself: "do I wanna be rite or do I want a husband?" Deciding I wanted a husband we made a compromise and got a one to one midwife.. a friend of mine already. She knew what I wanted and supported me fully whatever I decided to do. But we also had the back up of a hospital if we needed one.

Pregnancy was pretty hard coz I threw up everyday several times a day and that was difficult. Then at about 37weeks I swelled up and had a massive headache, nausea and aversion to light. All symptoms of pre-eclampsia. (turned out to just be a migraine)

We went to hospital and the Dr scanned me to find I had so much fluid in my womb the baby was traveling up and down like he was in a bath!

My home birth was a no go unless I wanted to risk a dead baby if the cord prolapsed.. so we all agreed I would "free birth" in the hospital so if the cord prolapsed then they could take me immediately for surgery.

I was very unhappy but by now the baby mattered more to me than my fear and I braced myself for the roller coaster of intervention that was sure to happen as the Dr would probably want to rupture the membrane himself at 39 weeks or so to make sure they only trickled out so that the cord would stay put until it was the right time.

But at 38 weeks I got up at 2:03am and sat on the toilet. My water broke.. it gushed. Thankfully most of it went in the bowl. I cleaned up the rest and then told Mark who promptly rolled over and went back to sleep.

Then I called mum and she came over and was immediately unhappy I hadn't called my midwife yet. But I wasn't contracting yet and hadn't wanted to wake her until things where more concrete.
Mum insisted I rang her and so we did and Anne decided to have a shower as did I before she came. I got out just as she arrived and we did a exam and I was 4cm, 80% effaced and stretchy so my body was working it just wasn't painful.

We had a cup of tea and Anne timed my contractions. They where every few minutes but I made little evidence of discomfort.

Then suddenly I decided it was time to leave or stay put. So we got Mark up and left. But the car ride was a bad idea. I was unable to move how I wanted and so it was very uncomfortable.
We had twenty minutes to go when I knew but did not say that I had transitioned.

I didn't want Mark to speed. Anne was following us in her car and mum with Matthew in hers.
I started reciting Dr Suess' green eggs and ham to keep from pushing. I maintained calm by allowing my jaw to go slack and control my breath while not trying to control the contractions.

We arrived in the hospital car park but it was FAR too late.

I didn't get further than the front bumper of the car before I told Anne I wasn't going to make it, knelt down and supported my tissues while he crowned and Anne came to help me as the rest of his head emerged. And then I concentrated on controlling how fast he came out by not pushing.

Anne was one handed as she talked on the phone to the nurses station who where rushing out with hot towels. But he was born before they reached us and so no one ever touched us. It was 5:30am

I nursed him while they got a wheel chair and more blankets and we waited til his cord was white to cut it which was very quick at only about 20 seconds. The placenta arrived 25mins after the baby did and then I had a bath in the hospitals triangle spa bath with both my boys.

Matthew witnessed the birth of his brother from the car and said to my mum "oh look! It's our baby!" He has been pretty besotted since.I stayed in hospital to rest for 2 days and had less than 100ml blood loss and not so much as a graze.

Labor was painless except for a couple contractions around corners which put me at awkward angles. But other than that I did not feel any pain. Only strong sensations

It wasn't what we had planned, but nothing about the pregnancy was either. But it was peaceful and beautiful and I wouldn't change it.

We named our second son  Alexander. despite being early he weighed 8 pounds 5 ounces and was 52 cm long with a 35cm head. Larger than his brother had been on all accounts by 2 ounces and 2 cm for both head and length.

So there you have it. My second birth story.

Holly's Birth of Zachariahs

Holly's Birth of Zachariahs

This birth story was used by permission from: The Nurtured Family

http://thenurturedfamily.blogspot.ca/

The Fast and the Furious-Zachariahs Birth Story

On this the evening of my firstborn's 4th birthday, I am again reliving the wild ride that was his birth. When he woke up beside me this moring, we snuggled with his new baby sister and I told him his story once again. And again, I found I could laugh at even more of it now, instead of the feelings of shock and denial. So here is my short/long story :)

At 10am on my due date, I went for my second accupuncture appointment in the hopes of reducing the duration of this my first labour. An hour later, while having tea with a friend in Bolton, I began having very strong but short cramps, which I chose to ignore, because I had LOTS of time I knew. My husband called me and I told him I was having mild contractions but it was nothing to worry about, things probably wouldnt pick up until that evening or into the night, if it even continued at all. Looking back now I can safely say those were strong contractions for my body's way of labouring. When I could no longer focus well on our conversation over tea, I decided I better drop in and see my sister/doula. We were planning a home birth at my sister's home in Bolton with the York Region Midwives (because at the time there were no practises that would deliver in our area) She and I walked my little niece to the school bus at noon for her half day of school and she was so excited that when she got home she might be able to see her cousin being born.

While standing at the bus stop I was swaying back and forth with the cramps but still calm on the outside because of course, I had LOTS of time. I told my sister that I would drive (45 minutes) home to pick up our bags and come right back, since I probably had many hours still to go, and I still had to stop and pick up some homeopathics for labour. What I didnt tell her was that contractions were coming about every 7-10 minutes, and getting quite uncomfortable. So many details after this...On the drive home I called my dad at work to let him know his grandson would be making an appearance soon. He suggested I go to their house and get Gabe to meet me there instead so I wasnt driving further than I had to. Their house was conveniently located across the road from Headwaters Hospital. I declined and told him it was ok, I still had a long way to go for a first time labour I was sure. I stopped in orangeville to eat lunch at subway and when I realized I was audibly breathing through contractions while trying to eat, I figured I should head home. But not before I ran into Harmony Market to pick up a remedy I might need later, you know, in case labout didnt progress :) While in the store, I found myslef squatting with every contraction, carefully studying everything on the bottom shelves, until a sales person asked me if I was ok. I quickly made it out of there and into the car. Down the road was my parents house and across the street from them was the hospital. But I had LOTS of time. So I headed to Shelburne.

By the time I reached the lights 5 minutes from home, contractions were coming every 2 minutes, lasting at least a minute, and I was lifting my bottom off the seat to relieve the pressure in my bottom, while pressing the gas pedal. Once home I almost crawled into the house. Again, so many funny, small details...I took the time to heat up my rice pack to put on my lower back because with each contraction it felt like my spine was being ripped in two. I crawled up the stairs to my bed, got on all fours, and called my sister to tell her that if early labour was this painful I would surely need an epidural. She laughed and said Oh No! She suggested I try the hot shower for my back so I crawled my way there. Into the shower to try and stop the crazy back pain, my husband was driving home from a meeting in toronto, and checking in with me I assured him I was fine but that he might want to go faster since this seemed to be going a bit quicker than I had expected. I still hadnt called my midwives. Or 911. I had LOTS of time. Another call from my sister while I was in the shower crying because of the contraction pain, as soon as the cramo would release I could talk like everything was hunky-dorey and seemed fine to people on the phone. Until a contraction hit while I was talking on the phone with her and spontaneous pushing began. With two words, "I'm pushing!!" I hung up on her and paged my midwife. Then with another overwhelming contraction, my water broke with an audible gush and a rainbow of color. Then I panicked. I thought my baby was not going to be ok. Reality hit like a truck load of fear. I was praying at the top of my lungs, please let him be ok, please let him make it through this. My midwife called within 2 minutes, and the only words I could get into the phone were "I'm pushing and there's mec (meconium in the fluid) and I cant stop this!" I ended in a whimper and I remember hearing an Oh Sh*t come from the phone. She called 911 for me from another line, and at the same time started giving me instructions. Get out of the tub, on the floor, bum in the air, head to the ground. She asked me if I could check and feel where baby's head was if in the birth canal. I checked. I didnt have to go far. He was crowning. She calmly told me she would walk me through how to deliver my own baby. I told her I was about to throw up.

Within 5 minutes, 6 of our towm's finest paramedics were standing in my hallway introducing themselves to my very naked self, while on my hands and knees holding my sons head from crowning. "Nice to meet you, I'm Holly, and I'm sorry we have to meet this way" is what I managed to say in between trying not to push. Now, my hubby's last conversation with me was before pushing started. My sister, unable to get me back on the phone, called him and told him I was pushing and at home alone. Needless to say there was some panic happening, poor guy. He then called our 80+ year old neighbor Bessie to ask her if she could look outside and see if there was an ambulance in the driveway. She said there were two ambulances. She then came over to see if she could be of any help, bless her soul. So there I was, still naked, now on the living room floor, in front of my neighbor and 6 strngers who were helpful enough to keep telling me to NOT PUSH. Right. Since they couldnt imagine me finishing this birth at home or without and episiotomy, I was loaded into the ambulance as my hubby pulled into the driveway and saw our baby crowning. Hi hunny, how was your day?...Down the street, around the corner, and POP! I swear thats what I heard when my son came flying out on his own, making an entrance that to this day has his personality all over it. The ambulance pulled over on Main St. to check on baby, and Gabe took the stop as an opportunity to run over to a police car nearby and ask permission to speed. Lol. He didnt know why we stopped. In the 7 minutes it took us to get to Orangeville I noted the time, 3:10pm, and had a nice chat with the two men in the back with me. they had a good laugh when they discovered I was a doula and childbirth educator. One even said, "You must have thought you had LOTS of time..." So when we arrived at the hospital and they opened the ambulance doors, there was my sweet, anxious husband waiting for me, and I introduced him to our happy, healthy first born. They wheeled us directly into labour and delivery to save us from going through the ER, naked momy and baby swaddled in ambulance blankets. 4th degree tearing, many stitches later, and a good case of post tramautic shock, we went home a family of three the next day. In my bare feet I might add, in the snow, because I arived there without shoes and no one remembered to bring me any with my bags. It made for great coming home pictures :) 

Tags: birth, birth stories, birth stories on demand, quick entrance, natural birth, fast labor, extremely fast labor, ambulance birth, midwife, 

Scarlett's Birth of Aminah

September 21st 2011 I was through being pregnant this was my fourth and I thought I would of went into labor already I was 40 weeks 5days. I heard from someone that if you did squats it would put you in labor so I was doing squats throughout the day. I was ready for my husband to get me castor oil but he wanted me to wait because he had been sure for weeks that September 22nd was the day I would have her. So we went to sleep and I woke up sometime after 4:30am having contractions they were coming every 5 minutes.

Ismail (my husband) was calling everyone trying to get someone to watch our 3 other children no one would answer. He finally got a hold of my little brother and his girlfriend but they didn't have a car do my husband would have to get them. I argued with my husband that I didn't want to get my brother til after the kids woke up. He finally talked me into  it so he left to get them while I called my mom my contractions were so close together and I felt the urge to push I told my mom I wanted to get in the shower she told me no honey your about to have your baby you better get dressed and go downstairs before your not able to so.  I told her I would and I hung up the phone while I got dressed and before I went downstairs I went into my oldest sons room and told him I was going to have his sister. Then I finally went downstairs.

I went on facebook even though I was in a lot of pain. Then I sat on the floor next  to the couch and called my mom I was freaking out because I knew it was time to push her out and my husband wasn't back yet. Then I felt my water break at 6:04am right away I heard my husband pull up so I hung up the phone with my mom. My brothers girlfriend came in and started rubbing my belly and after a few minutes I asked her where is ismail and trevor she said they are cleaning out the van I told her to go tell my husband there is no time my water broke and I don't think I can make it to the hospital. I already felt the urge to push for a long time. So she goes and tells him and he comes running in in a panic (I've never seen him like that) and he goes running upstairs I tell I'm already down here.

He comes over helps me up I go to walk to the car and I get a huge contraction and he is trying to force me to walk through the contraction poor guy did not understand that that wasnt possible. I finally get to the van and he rushes to the hospital which is like 15 minutes away he got there in 7 minutes the whole time I'm holding her back. They rush me up to labor and delivery and she wheeled me right to a room striped me down and they tried calling my doctor they told me I had to wait to push til my doctor came. no way I'm already 10cm.  She didn't set up the bed or nothing my husband had to yell at the mean nurse.

I started pushing she saw my face but ignored it so with my legs barely open I gave just one big push and out she came onto the bed my husband almost caught her I felt her tare me. Then the nurses ran over to clean her up. Ismail cut the cord, they put her in my arms for a little bit then put her on the warmer. Then finally the on call doctor came and said oh she already had her. He stitched me up I tore bad right by my pee whole. Then like 45 minutes a hour later here comes my doctor.  Ya and the nurses expected me to wait for her they are crazy.

I had Aminah September 22nd at 6:31am just less then two hours that I went through labor. She weighed 7lbs 2oz. 19 3/4 inches long.

Tags:fast labor, quick labor, extremely fast labor, short labor, birth, birth stories, birth stories on demand, birth stories with pictures, positive birth stories

Brittany's Birth of Gabriella Jo

Brittany's Birth of Gabriella Jo

The whole 9 months of this pregnancy was completely opposite from my first pregnancy. With Christopher I felt great the whole time until the morning I went into labor. With this little one I had it all - morning sickness, heartburn, back aches, head aches, acid reflux, and I was a little moody...just a little bit though :) I was pretty sure that Christopher was getting a little sister but we would be happy with a healthy happy baby - boy or girl. My EDD was Nov. 5th and although I was hoping to be early with baby #2, I figured I would be late like I was with Chris (who was 12 days late). Thats why I let my husband, Joe drive the 29 hours to Colorado on a elk hunting trip from Oct. 21st - Nov. 1st. Everyone thought I was crazy to let him go away so close to my due date but I just knew our baby would wait until daddy got home. After Joe got home from Colorado, I was ready to meet my baby. Christopher told the baby everyday that we were ready for him/her to come out now! But my baby had other plans....

 

I woke up every morning hoping for some sign that I was going into labor. I had my 41 week appointment with my amazing midwife, Jen and she told me what I already knew....our baby would come at the perfect time for him/her...whenever the little one was ready. I was anxious to meet my baby but at the same time I wasn't that uncomfortable and I was enjoying the last few days as just being Christopher's mommy. I knew these last moments as a family of 3 were precious. A few nights in a row I had a couple "practice contractions" but I knew they were not the real thing. I told myself I would not be pregnant forever and tomorrow may be the day and then fell asleep...

 

On Tues. Nov. 15th I woke up with still no signs of labor. My husband took our son hunting for the fourth day in a row and I stayed home to relax. The house was spotless, birthing supplies had been ready for weeks, fridge and cupboards were full of food, nursery was ready...nesting was done! I was officially bored waiting for this little one! I decided to read some birth stories online and wondered about how my birth would be. Around 11 am I received my moms daily text asking how I was feeling (her way of asking if we were gonna have a baby that day without really asking lol) and texted her back the usual "nothing exciting....still being patient :)" I went back to reading birth stories and then something exciting actually did happen!! I went pee for what seemed like the 45th time that day and there it was....my mucous plug! WOOHOO!! Something was finally starting to happen. With my sons birth almost 3 yrs ago I lost my mucous plug 3 days before I went into labor so I still figured I had a few days to go. I decided to keep this little discovery to myself until something a little more exciting happened. This was at about 11:30 am. At noon I got my first "real" contraction! Maybe this little one wasnt going to make mommy wait 3 days like his/her big brother!

 

I wrote the time down and waited for another one. Twenty minutes later I got another one and I called my husband to tell him what was going on. He was on his way home to get Chris lunch and give him a nap before going back in the woods. I made lunch and contractions came every 20-25 mins for the rest of the afternoon. They were very mild and Joe didn't even know when I was having one unless I told him. My contractions were exactly 3 minutes apart for my whole 10 hour labor with Chris and they just got more and more intense. I knew all labors were different but didn't know just how different my two births would be!

 

The contractions stayed 20-25 mins apart until Joe left to go back in the woods and I put my son down for his nap. I called Jen to tell her I lost my mucous plug and was in early labor. She was so excited for me! She told me to let her know when things changed and call her whenever I needed her to come over. I knew it would be a while and tried to lay down to nap while Chris was napping. As soon as I layed down the contractions got closer and I knew I wasn't taking a nap.... 3:38.... 3:54.... 4:03.... 4:12.... 4:23.... 4:33.... 4:41.... 4:51.... 5:00.... 5:11.... During these contractions I was on the birthing ball rotating my hips and reading some more birth stories. They were still very mild and I was just relaxing, hoping they would get closer together. Christopher woke up from his nap and I stopped timing the contractions but I knew that they had gone back to being 20-25 mins apart. Joe came home from hunting, I made dinner and we enjoyed what I figured was going to be our last night as a family of three. I texted Jen after dinner and told her about my contractions getting closer together when Chris was napping and then farther apart after he woke up. I told her I was guessing they would probably get closer again once he went to bed and I would call her when I needed her. Chris sat on the birthing ball with me for a while and thought it was funny that I was rotating my hips in a circle to encourage the baby to move down. Then for the most exciting thing for a 3 year old that was going to be a big brother soon....we blew up the birthing pool!! Chris wanted to go swimming but we explained that it was for mommy to have the baby in and he was fine with that. We had been watching water/homebirth videos and we had a couple homebirth childrens books that we would read frequently. I told him that his brother or sister would be here soon and he talked to the baby and told him/her to come out! So precious! My husband and I read Chris books before bed and cuddled extra long. We talked about how this would be the last time tucking our boy into bed as a family of three. Tomorrow he would be a big brother and wouldn't be our baby anymore :'( We went downstairs and heard Chris get out of bed (which he usually doesn't do). Joe went to investigate and came downstairs laughing - Christopher had taken his blanket and pillow into our bedroom and was laying down in the birthing pool! HAHA! That's my silly boy!!

 

Sure enough after Chris fell asleep, my contractions got closer together. I decided to call my mom to tell her that I might be calling her tonight or early in the morning whenever I went into "active labor." She told me to let her and my midwife know right when the contractions got closer or stronger and not to wait too long. I told her I was still planning on a 24 hour labor and thought I had a long ways to go. My husband fell asleep on the couch and I tried to lay down too. That wasn't happening so I timed contractions instead.... 9:05.... 9:14.... 9:26.... 9:34.... 9:46.... 9:54.... Contractions were still very mild but I had to start standing up when I had one....sitting or laying down was just not effective....

 

10:02... 10:10.... 10:17.... 10:25.... 10:33.... 10:40.... 10:50.... 10:57.... My husband wakes up to see how I am and I tell him the contractions either need to get closer and stronger or they need to stop so I could sleep - having contractions 7-8 mins apart was just annoying! I was laying down and resting between all the contractions and then standing up and rocking my hips during each one - visualizing my baby moving down....

 

11:05.... 11:12.... 11:18.... 11:26.... 11:34.... 11:41.... 11:48.... 11:55.... 12:02.... ok....those last two were a little stronger. I had to breath and focus to get through them. I still feel like this is just the beginning but knew today would be my baby's birthday....Nov. 16th.....my best friend's birthday...how exciting! My husband was still asleep on the couch and my mom and midwife were the only ones that knew I had been laboring all day. At this point I was doing great laboring on my own and knew I didn't need any support yet. When I was in labor with Chris I labored for the first 3 hours on my own before I felt like I needed the extra support of my husband, mom, and midwife. I still thought I had a while to go....

 

12:07....that was only five minutes!

12:12....and that was too!! With every contraction I'm getting closer to meeting my baby....

12:15....3 minutes?!?! Maybe things are really getting started! I wake up my husband to tell him they finally started getting closer together and were gonna have a baby today!!

12:18....wow! that was a strong one!! The first one that there was no way I could talk through. I decide to call Jen and my mom to come over. I still think its a little early because my contractions just started to get closer and stronger but both of them warned me not to wait too long....

 

Right after I hung up the phone I got another strong contraction and I decided it was time to focus and forget about the time. I got a little nauseous and ate a couple crackers and had some water. I asked Joe to start filling up the birthing pool. He said "already?!?" and I said "yes!!" At this point in my labor with Chris I felt nauseous, got in the birthing pool shortly after and labored there for the next 6 hours. I still thought I had a ways to go....

 

I walked around downstairs for a few more contractions and then joined Joe upstairs in our room. They were very strong now and there was no break in between them - I REALLY wanted to get in the pool. I remembered how relaxed I felt in there through my labor with Chris and started to feel like I was losing control. I started pacing back and forth in the bathroom and wished the pool would fill up faster! My husband was supporting me by making sure I was ok but I didnt want him touching me anymore. I started to feel a lot of pressure but ignored it. There's no way I could be ready to push yet. I just called my mom who was fifteen minutes away and my midwife who was an hour away - and neither of them were here yet. I pushed for an hour and a half with my son so I just kept breathing and pacing in the bathroom - ignoring this "pushy" feeling that I was having. I think Joe knew I was farther along than I thought I was but he just stayed calm and close to me. I kept asking about the pool but it wasn't even close to being full yet. I was thinking if I could get in the pool then my contractions would be much more manageable and all this pressure would go away. (HAHA!! wishful thinking!!)

 

Finally Joe tells me that my mom is here and I stopped fighting it..."I have to PUSH!" I yell. Joe calls the midwife and yells downstairs to my mom that I have to push. My mom comes into the bathroom and I'm leaning over the bathroom sink. She asks how I'm doing and I say "I'm pushing!" She tells me "No dont push" and I tell her to shutup - here comes the baby! I squat down and push and there is the head! The midwife says over the phone to check for a cord but before my mom had a chance to she had a baby in her hands!! My mom looks at me yells its a girl and shes beautiful and she has hair! Our baby girl started crying as I brought her to my chest so we knew immediately she was alright. My son came out of his bedroom which was right next to the bathroom to meet his baby sister. WOW! We were all in shock! And so in love with this beautiful baby girl - our Gabriella Jo! Daddy comes behind me to meet his daughter and we have our first picture together as a family of four....in the bathroom :) Gabriella kept whimpering but decided it was too bright in the bathroom to open her eyes and look at the world. Christopher was so excited he had a sister and wanted to see her umbilical cord. He knew it was his job to cut it but was ok with waiting until Jen got there. I was amazed at how great he did - we had never talked about the baby being born in the bathroom without our midwife there! My sister, Jocelyn was quick with the camera and caught pictures of Gabriella right after she was born but we definitely didn't have time to videotape the birth like I planned. After 10-15 minutes in the bathroom I got uncomfortable, so we set up a path of towels to the bed and I walked into the bedroom. We all sat there and stared at our new baby in amazement while we waited for Jen. Nobody could believe how fast our little girl had come! I kept telling them I really didn't think I waited too long - I actually thought it was a little early!

 

Jen arrived about 20 minutes after Gabby was born and said we both looked great and Gabriella was beautiful! We figured out with Jen's help that Gabriella made her entrance into the world at 12:55 am. Once my baby girl decided to come out she wasn't waiting! My first contraction that I felt like I really had to focus on because it was much stronger than the others was at 12:18 am.... so about 38 minutes of active labor!! And that is the first contraction that I felt like I needed support and called my birth team. It never even occured to me to call anyone before that because the contractions were mild up until that point.

 

The cord had stopped pulsating by the time Jen got there so Chris (with a little help from mommy) cut the cord. I pushed the placenta out and felt instantly like my body was my own again! Daddy held his baby girl for the first time and we got some precious alone time with our new family of four. Grandma held her new granddaughter for the first time since she was born into her hands! We took a few more pictures and then it was time to get cleaned up. Daddy took Gabby downstairs to meet Grandpa Rusty, Aunt Bri, and Aunt Jocelyn and they took turns holding her. I took a fast bath because there was not much hot water left after we filled the birthing pool up halfway....for nothing!

 

Downstairs Jen did the newborn checks on our baby girl. She weighed 7 lbs 10 oz and was 20 1/2 in long. She was perfect! Mommy got her dressed and Chris held his baby sister for the first time - he was amazed and instantly in love! What a great big brother!

 

Jen finished cleaning upstairs and we talked about how amazing the night had been. Everyone left and it was time to put Chris back to bed and try to get some sleep. It was 3:30 am. We couldn't believe that less than 4 hours ago I was thinking that I had many more hours to go. What a birth story little Gabriella has to tell!

 

Gabby is now 2 weeks old and the perfect addition to our family. She sleeps and nurses great and never cries. Her big brother loves her, she already has daddy wrapped around her finger, and mommy just cant imagine how life was without her! Thanks for choosing our family Gabriella Jo!

Tags: birth, birth stories, birth stories on demand, birth stories with pictures, quick enterence, home birth, unassisted birth, accicental unassisted birth, free birth, positive birth stories