My baby is here!!! *Updated w/ birth story in #14

[bright_eyes]

I had my baby yesterday, a day shy of his due date. He was born on 09/19/09 and he weighed 9 lbs 1 oz!!! It was a beautiful home birth and I can't wait to share the birth story- something I'll do when I'm feeling less tired. I've still hardly slept because I am so excited about the whole thing!!!

[KikaKika]

Congratulations!!!

Have as much rest as you can, we'll be patient and wait for the birth story!

[2boyzmama]

Lots of these late-monthers are BIG babies!!

Congrats, and I'm looking forward to your story!

[kismetbaby]

Congrats!!! Sounds like you had a great birth!

[Katica]

Yay Welcome little baby and congrats Mama

[PurpleMonkey]

can't wait to hear about the birth! CONGRATS !!!

[schoolmom07]

Congratulations to you and baby, Mama! I can't seem to keep up with all the new baby's being born each day! I am enthralled to hear each and every birth story and am looking forward to my day...But for now, I am content to hear about all of yours! Rest up and we don't mind waiting...After all, what do many of us have to do right now besides wait? LOL!

[weliveintheforest]

Wonderful, congrats!

[mamamia10]

congrats!!!!

[Dmitrizmom]

congrats!

[StrongFeather]

great news~
congrats on your home birth!

[GiantGi]

Congrats! I envy your homebirth. cant wait to read all about it!

[josie143]

Congrats! Welcome baby!

[bright_eyes]

I finally have a moment where I feel like I can write out my birth story!

My due date was Sunday and I was totally expecting to go at least a week over like I did with my son. So I was surprised when I woke up to go to the bathroom at 6:30 Sat morning and discovered I'd lost my mucous plug with a fair amount of blood. Two hours later I was still was bleeding a bit so I called my doula and she thought I'd probably have the baby that day because of the amount of blood. This made me feel super excited and stressed out at the same time because there was so much dh and I had planned to do that day to get ready for our home birth. And I was really upset because the midwifes had a birth pool that I had signed up to use (and bought all the stuff I needed for it) and the lady who currently had it was done with and still hadn't called me to let me know where she lived so I could pick it up. She had been given my number earlier in the week and was supposed to call me right away. I tried to get her number from the midwives but was told that they had talked to her that day and she had said she had the pool ready for me and was going to call me that day (which was 3 days ago!!!) So I was feeling so upset that now I was potentially going into labor and I wouldn't be able to have my water birth.

Contractions started around 10:30 and by 1:30/2:00 they started coming about every 2-3 min. I lied down for 40 min, which slowed my contractions down to 10 min, but the two I had lying down were really intense. I got up again and they started coming 2-3 min apart again and lasting a min. long. I called my midwife and she said she'd be right over. I called my doula as well. Everyone arrived about 3:30/4 pm and shortly after their arrival I climbed in the bathtub. Midwife checked me shortly after and I was 7/8 cm dilated. The water felt so amazing but I felt annoyed at first at the lack of space and was really wishing things had worked out with the birth pool. But then I found a comfortable position and stopped thinking about the pool.

At 5:10, things suddenly changed as they baby started crowning. I immediately flipped onto my back and stayed there with my head against the side of the tub, in a semi sitting position. When I first felt the sensation of crowning, I freaked out and lost control. My doula quickly helped me calm down and breath. Once I remembered to breath, I regained control and everything was okay. He was born 17 mins later, right in my tub. So I did get to have my water birth, after all! Although next time I will definitely buy a pool- my back is still sore from birthing in the tub!

What was so amazing about the experience was that the midwife let me have complete control over the pushing stage. She didn't have her hands in there, she didn't tell me when to push or how to. She let me know I could slow things down if I wanted and reminded me to keep myself fully under the water so that baby could be born completely submerged in the water. When I felt ds crowning, I instinctively put my hand down there and kept it there the whole time. I focused on breathing and didn't try to push- I just went with the natural urges I was feeling. And as baby's head was coming, I would stop it if it came to fast and slowly push it back in, if it hurt to much, until it was at a place were it felt okay. It was so amazing to be able to be in control. With my first son, the doctors had complete control and just gave commands the whole time. It was so amazing to be given control and to have the people around me trusting me and my body and letting me listen to my body and guide my baby out.

I am so amazed at how wonderful and empowering natural childbirth is!!!! I was induced and had an epi with my son and so this was a completely different experience and so amazing!!!!! I still can't believe I did it and am actually feeling excited to do it again some day!!!

[robbins611]

What a beautiful birth! You are a blessed and powerful mama!

[PurpleMonkey]

tears in my eyes from how inspiring this story is !!!!

[ryleeee]

YAY! this is so funny, i saw phil walking with c. and b. last night and was thinking to myself "hmmm...i bet renee is writing out her birth story right now!!!" hahaha...
oh and on his birthday i remember around 4:30/5:00 h. and i were leaving the house and i saw all the cars out front of your house and thought "YAY! she must have had her baby or is having him/her!"

very excited for you guys and would like to come over and check him out but want to give you some space too. if we can take c. for a couple hours or an hour or something - even if you need a daily break, let us know. h. and c. can play in the yard!

(side note, h.'s 4th bday is on sunday and i realize you guys are probably not venturing too far from home but we're going to do a pinata and cake in between all the other activities around 4:30 and want c. to come...the pinata is the shape of the very hungry caterpillar. then again, it's full of tons of candy so if you don't want c. to have candy then i understand! let me know)

so happy you had him and that it was so peaceful for you guys.
sorry i have been reclusive lately...so so so busy with school and h.'s dance and preschool and blah blah blah. let me know if you need dinner made or cameron watched or anything.

much love from us to you! welcome baby b!