I didn't sit and write it down immediately after it happened because I was really quite "high" on life for a good while and could not see it for it what really was.
My daughter's birth ended up in me being transferred to the hospital for some extensive placenta/hemorrhaging issues where I was treated awfully, accused of wanted to leave my daughter an orphan (for not accepting blood transfusions), and more. It left me physically torn up, and emotionally a mess. I went into a deep dark depression that I will never forgive myself for not getting help for before I did.
By the time that I got pregnant with Calvin I was still having physical pain from my tears and I would tense up everytime we had sex or I got any kind of exam done. I looked forward to this upcoming birth and new baby but in my mind I still had the emotional and physical scars from my last experience. I still knew that I wanted another homebirth, because my homebirth was what saved me from a certain c-section last time. I was over 3 weeks overdue and was in labor for 3 days.
I was again over 2 weeks overdue. I was still working and going about my life like everything was ok and normal. I had plans to meet with a builder of a new construction that my company was thinking about moving into on Friday morning but Thursday evening I started feeling regular contractions. I ignored them and decided that I was not going to cancel the meeting but I slept in the extra bedroom to let Michael get some more sleep with Kate in case I were to make noise.
Thursday night the contractions got really strong and I opened up a bottle of beer that I had saved for this occasion. It helped me relax and it took the edge off. I knew I needed to rest and was able to sleep a bit for a few minutes at a time between contractions.
Around 7 am I called the builder to reschedule our meeting because I could no longer walk for more than 3 steps without falling to my knees.
I called the midwife and she made it to my house around noon on Friday. My mother had come earlier that day to help me clean up for the event. Mike took the day off of work too and got the pool ready, filled it, got out our supplies, and brought us food.
My brother and father came over as well and we all sat and watched movies while I walked around the house.
We watched "Talladegha Nights" like 400000 times. This led to my son's nickname being "Shake and Bake". Our nanny came over to help wrangle Kate because she was getting bored just sitting around watching mama make noises. She knew we were having the baby soon but wanted to go outside and play. I went outside for a bit so that the sunshine should give me some energy but it was over 100 degrees and it was HOT.
Friday came, and Friday went. I moaned and showered. I got in the tub and got out. I used the pump, took tinctures, and walked around my house and block. I refused checks but when I checked myself I was around 6 cms with my waters still intact.
Friday we were all tired and tried to get some rest. I took some Rescue sleep and tried to relax a bit to gather more strength. It helped some, I was able to get some rest but between contractions that made me howl it was hard. This went on all night and into the next morning.
My father came back the next morning (Saturday) with a bowl of "Caldo Tlalpeño" which is a chicken soup with chipotle chiles in it. Very spicy but nourishing, full of veggies and good homemade broth. I ate it and instantly felt better. Labor was still going strong and I was not able to walk around anymore. My upper legs were shaking and aching. I got into the pool and stayed there until it was cold, then my husband gave me the hose so that I could put it over my body and stay warm.
I was in so much pain and so exhausted I was losing it. It was around 3 pm on Saturday and I had not had real rest in a couple of days and I was tired and aching. I took a shower and sat on the birthing ball and cried. I cried for such a long time, or so it seemed. I asked Mike why it took so long. What was wrong with me? Why does my body not work like it is supposed to? I was so upset and wanted it all to end.
I knew I did not want to go to a hospital but had to wonder if I was meant to do this again.
My midwife came in with Rescue Remedy and gave me some which helped me calm down a bit. I then went into the pool again and my daughter joined me. She loved being in the pool with me and having her kiss me and caress me made me feel infinitely better. She gave me the strength that I needed to go on. I ate some while in the pool and then asked for my midwife to check me. I had regathered all of my strength and needed to know what I was facing.
She mentioned that I was at 9 and stretchy, she also felt the building bag of waters and said I was ready and close. I then asked her to pop it and as she went in to do it I felt a huge gush. I was pushing with that contraction so either she broke it or I broke it myself... either way I suddenly felt a change.
This was the beginning of the contraction that didnt end until Calvin was born. I screamed and screamed and my body pushed and pushed. I did nothing but sit there and surf the waves that overcame me. I got on all fours and felt the ring of fire. His head was emerging. It had been less than 3 minutes since my water broke. I couldnt stop it and felt his head sticking out half way it was amazing. Then it all kind of stopped. He was stuck and was not coming out. I heard my midwife start counting out the seconds that were passing while my son was sitting here sticking out of me half way. I moved around while the midwife did some maneuvers and he came free and slid the rest of the way out. It had been almost 2 minutes since the head emerged and he was white, pale and not crying. The cord was wrapped around his neck and his body repeatedly. One of his arms was across his head and the other was up in another weird way that really made sense as to why he got stuck.
I saw him, kissed him and rubbed his back. Towels were put on him and I told him to please wake up and cry for me. I rubbed him and asked please baby... please breathe and please cry for mama... then he opened his eyes and took his first breath and let out a little yelp.
His apgars were 5 and then 9.
I stayed in the pool until I passed the placenta and then the cord was cut. He nursed instantly and I was up and walking around like nothing had happened within minutes. I got myself out of the pool while holding my baby and went to bed and had some dinner. It was roughly 5:30 in the afternoon.
My inlaws, my parents, friends, and others came to visit. The afterpains were bad but afterease helped a ton. I did not lose a great deal of blood at all and I was literally back to life as normal within a few minutes.
This birth was healing both physically and emotionally for me. I did not tear and I did not have any other problems afterwards. He has been a beautifully wonderful little boy and I am blessed to have him.
He is now a year old and he is my last child. I sometimes mourn that but I could not have asked for a better final birth for me.
My daughter's birth ended up in me being transferred to the hospital for some extensive placenta/hemorrhaging issues where I was treated awfully, accused of wanted to leave my daughter an orphan (for not accepting blood transfusions), and more. It left me physically torn up, and emotionally a mess. I went into a deep dark depression that I will never forgive myself for not getting help for before I did.
By the time that I got pregnant with Calvin I was still having physical pain from my tears and I would tense up everytime we had sex or I got any kind of exam done. I looked forward to this upcoming birth and new baby but in my mind I still had the emotional and physical scars from my last experience. I still knew that I wanted another homebirth, because my homebirth was what saved me from a certain c-section last time. I was over 3 weeks overdue and was in labor for 3 days.
I was again over 2 weeks overdue. I was still working and going about my life like everything was ok and normal. I had plans to meet with a builder of a new construction that my company was thinking about moving into on Friday morning but Thursday evening I started feeling regular contractions. I ignored them and decided that I was not going to cancel the meeting but I slept in the extra bedroom to let Michael get some more sleep with Kate in case I were to make noise.
Thursday night the contractions got really strong and I opened up a bottle of beer that I had saved for this occasion. It helped me relax and it took the edge off. I knew I needed to rest and was able to sleep a bit for a few minutes at a time between contractions.
Around 7 am I called the builder to reschedule our meeting because I could no longer walk for more than 3 steps without falling to my knees.
I called the midwife and she made it to my house around noon on Friday. My mother had come earlier that day to help me clean up for the event. Mike took the day off of work too and got the pool ready, filled it, got out our supplies, and brought us food.
My brother and father came over as well and we all sat and watched movies while I walked around the house.
We watched "Talladegha Nights" like 400000 times. This led to my son's nickname being "Shake and Bake". Our nanny came over to help wrangle Kate because she was getting bored just sitting around watching mama make noises. She knew we were having the baby soon but wanted to go outside and play. I went outside for a bit so that the sunshine should give me some energy but it was over 100 degrees and it was HOT.
Friday came, and Friday went. I moaned and showered. I got in the tub and got out. I used the pump, took tinctures, and walked around my house and block. I refused checks but when I checked myself I was around 6 cms with my waters still intact.
Friday we were all tired and tried to get some rest. I took some Rescue sleep and tried to relax a bit to gather more strength. It helped some, I was able to get some rest but between contractions that made me howl it was hard. This went on all night and into the next morning.
My father came back the next morning (Saturday) with a bowl of "Caldo Tlalpeño" which is a chicken soup with chipotle chiles in it. Very spicy but nourishing, full of veggies and good homemade broth. I ate it and instantly felt better. Labor was still going strong and I was not able to walk around anymore. My upper legs were shaking and aching. I got into the pool and stayed there until it was cold, then my husband gave me the hose so that I could put it over my body and stay warm.
I was in so much pain and so exhausted I was losing it. It was around 3 pm on Saturday and I had not had real rest in a couple of days and I was tired and aching. I took a shower and sat on the birthing ball and cried. I cried for such a long time, or so it seemed. I asked Mike why it took so long. What was wrong with me? Why does my body not work like it is supposed to? I was so upset and wanted it all to end.
I knew I did not want to go to a hospital but had to wonder if I was meant to do this again.
My midwife came in with Rescue Remedy and gave me some which helped me calm down a bit. I then went into the pool again and my daughter joined me. She loved being in the pool with me and having her kiss me and caress me made me feel infinitely better. She gave me the strength that I needed to go on. I ate some while in the pool and then asked for my midwife to check me. I had regathered all of my strength and needed to know what I was facing.
She mentioned that I was at 9 and stretchy, she also felt the building bag of waters and said I was ready and close. I then asked her to pop it and as she went in to do it I felt a huge gush. I was pushing with that contraction so either she broke it or I broke it myself... either way I suddenly felt a change.
This was the beginning of the contraction that didnt end until Calvin was born. I screamed and screamed and my body pushed and pushed. I did nothing but sit there and surf the waves that overcame me. I got on all fours and felt the ring of fire. His head was emerging. It had been less than 3 minutes since my water broke. I couldnt stop it and felt his head sticking out half way it was amazing. Then it all kind of stopped. He was stuck and was not coming out. I heard my midwife start counting out the seconds that were passing while my son was sitting here sticking out of me half way. I moved around while the midwife did some maneuvers and he came free and slid the rest of the way out. It had been almost 2 minutes since the head emerged and he was white, pale and not crying. The cord was wrapped around his neck and his body repeatedly. One of his arms was across his head and the other was up in another weird way that really made sense as to why he got stuck.
I saw him, kissed him and rubbed his back. Towels were put on him and I told him to please wake up and cry for me. I rubbed him and asked please baby... please breathe and please cry for mama... then he opened his eyes and took his first breath and let out a little yelp.
His apgars were 5 and then 9.
I stayed in the pool until I passed the placenta and then the cord was cut. He nursed instantly and I was up and walking around like nothing had happened within minutes. I got myself out of the pool while holding my baby and went to bed and had some dinner. It was roughly 5:30 in the afternoon.
My inlaws, my parents, friends, and others came to visit. The afterpains were bad but afterease helped a ton. I did not lose a great deal of blood at all and I was literally back to life as normal within a few minutes.
This birth was healing both physically and emotionally for me. I did not tear and I did not have any other problems afterwards. He has been a beautifully wonderful little boy and I am blessed to have him.
He is now a year old and he is my last child. I sometimes mourn that but I could not have asked for a better final birth for me.
