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A first home birth

After previous hospital births

My first two births were so intervention heavy that after the birth of my second son I proclaimed to my husband, “I would just as soon give birth in the back of my car, than step foot in another hospital.”

When I became pregnant with my third son, I started really researching the reality of natural birth. I assumed that like 99% of the population I would go to the hospital again. I found some great pro-natural birth web boards, and one woman in particular encouraged my husband and me to look into homebirth. I won’t lie, when she first suggested it, I thought she was crazy. Surely, I would be able to have the peaceful, healing birth I wanted in a hospital setting. With her urging, I watched The Business of Being Born, Pregnant in America, and Orgasmic Birth. I read countless studies on the safety of homebirth, and was shocked to find it was as safe as hospital birth, had enormously lower invasive interventions, and cost less to boot!

So it was a homebirth for me. I settled on a practice of two midwives. In the first 5 seconds I spent talking to one of the midwives, I knew she got me! She was personal and professional at every turn, and was particularly sensitive to my birth histories. Even though I was already 28 weeks pregnant when I transferred care, I always felt at home and at ease with her. Towards the end of my pregnancy it was decided that she would be my primary contact when the big day came—at this point I was wondering if it ever would.

On July 7th, I was a little tired, so I decided a nap would be good. My husband was going for a jog, and both boys were resting (THIS NEVER happens). I woke up at about 3, and came out into the living room and my husband was sitting with his foot in a bowl of ice. He has a severely sprained ankle from his little jog, and in that moment I KNEW it was baby night. I was sure his injury was my first real Labor sign. I still wasn’t having any true labor signs, but with him hobbling around and no longer able to help support my squatting effectively--I just knew. He tried to down play how bad it was and even tried to show me that he could "walk"--men!?!?!

That night I took my contacts out and was getting ready to go to bed when I noticed I had a little blood in the toilet. I decided to watch it the next time I went to the bathroom. I called the the midwife to ask her if this was a concern. She thought probably not, but wanted to watch it to make sure it wasn’t a problem with the placenta. She told me to have a big glass of OJ and make sure the baby was responsive. I did, and sat down to watch Ralphie May on Comedy Central. The baby was super active, and I was enjoying spending some time with my husband. I thought it was probably baby time, I just didn’t realize how fast baby would arrive.

At the end of the program I was having more regular contractions, and they were different than the other ones, much lower, and more intense, but still not very long. I called the midwife back and she said to check back in with her in an hour. I knew this was the beginning, but I thought I might have another day or so of this. At 11:45pm (7-7), I updated her again. She was so calming and supportive and reminded me that labor is natural and progresses on its own time. She really helped keep me relaxed, and I have to wonder if that didn’t help the labor progress. At 12:45 I called again and let her know they were 4 minutes apart. I was using my birth ball, and was comfortable in between them, and TOTALLY at peace. I used my breathing, and focused on each contraction, knowing that it was purposeful and was doing its job to open my cervix, and help me birth my baby. My husband and I had practiced with Hypnobirthing (the Mongan Method), and the breathing and visualizing techniques were incredibly helpful, especially trying to SEE the contractions in colors.

By 1:45 the contractions were 2-3 minutes and I texted the midwife that I was getting in the pool. The contractions were getting super intense, and lasting about a minute now. My husband brought the computer into the room so that I could listen to my birth mix. The music was wonderful, and gave me a great focusing tool.

He was STILL filling the tub at this point, but I didn’t care. (We have a pygmy water heater that cant keep hot water for more than about 5 minutes). He started filling the pool at 10:30 and by 1:45 we were still only 3/4 of the way there. It felt AMAZING--hose and all. I was so surprised at the instant relaxation of the water. I was floating and at that moment I wondered if that is what the baby had been feeling for the last 9 months. I’ve had an epidural before, and I have to tell you I found the water to be a better alternative. I still had use of my legs, and was able to adjust my position at will, which made the contractions seem shorter as it allowed me to find the best position.

the midwife called and heard me in the background (my husband answered the phone) and jumped in the car. This was just before 2 am. At about 2:20 am she got here, saw me, listened to the baby once, and said that I was about ready. I didn’t believe her. I still thought I had a while to go. I went to the bathroom and got back in to the pool. At 2:35 l felt these INCREDIBLE pressure sensations. Seriously, at one point I thought my butt was going to fall out. I moved positions in the pool until I got comfortable. (Apparently I was in transition).

At 2:52am, the other midwife got to my apartment (she must have been FLYING). She looked at me and asked "are you pushing or trying not to push" I told her "I'm not in control, I’m not deciding anything" She said "Great, your body knows just what to do". At this point I panicked. I told Rob—who was so wonderful and was rubbing my back and stroking my hair that I wasn’t ready to push and I needed a break. The midwives were telling me the whole time that I could do it. They were reassuring me in the gentle manner that I needed at that exact moment -- my body would do exactly what it was meant to. At 2:55 am, I felt a dropping sensation, and I no longer got to decide it was break time. The baby was ready. We had beautiful music on in the back ground,( Greg Laswell "what a day") and I felt the baby move lower and lower, and then the midwife said "Reach down and touch your baby’s head". No one was touching me, it was just me and my body and my baby. I reached down and felt the head and then the bag of water broke around him, and really the rest of him kind of just came out like he was riding a water slide. I reached between my legs and picked up my beautiful baby.

I stayed in the pool until the placenta delivered, and I got to look at the cord and the placenta before anyone did anything to it. My husband cut the cord after it was limp. He told me I was superwoman, and in a moment of lightheartedness I informed him "Superwoman doesn’t have shit on me."

I delivered my 8lbs12oz baby boy at home and in peace.

I can’t wait to have my same midwife at the birth of my fourth child, in December.