Our baby girl Linnea is here! Birth Story in post #10

[Fly Girl]

Just a quick note to say that our baby girl Linnea Mae is here! She was born in our bed after a very fast labor! 8lbs 3 oz and 21 inches. She is beautiful and perfect and looks just like her big sister. Story and pics later...

[Coco_Hikes]

Congratulations on your new little girl. Love, love the middle name too (it was on our list if we'd had a girl). Cheers on achieving your homebirth.

[Bubblette]

Welcome Linnea

Congratulations mama!!! I LOVE the name Linnea btw

[Crispie]

Congrats! Enjoy your baby moon!!!

[Tenk]

Congratulations Maegan and Linnea and family, welcome to the world little one!!!

[Chalex]

Congrats! Now...how fast was that labor?!!? LOL

[SaraMum]

Congratulations Enjoy your babymoon!

[Starfish11]

Welcome to the world, baby girl!!!

[elyag]

CONGRATS! Can't wait to hear the birth story!!

[Fly Girl]

Linnea's Birth Story--

Linnea’s birth story really starts the morning of her birth day. My day started with a walk on the beach with my Dad, Madeline and a friend and her baby girl. It was a beautiful day and we walked a little more than 2 miles, breaking in my double Bob stroller. I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions for a day and a half and I had to slow down once or twice as I had a couple during our walk.

After our walk, we headed home for lunch and a nap and on the drive home I had 2 contractions that felt a little different. These contractions were mild, but noticeable and felt more like real contractions, starting low in my belly and wrapping around to my back. At this point I thought that maybe my labor would be starting soon! I gave my dad a few Madeline instructions, made myself a sandwich and then went upstairs to take a nap. Unfortunately I had so much running through my mind that I wasn’t able to sleep. So instead I ran myself a bath and soaked in the tub. Heavenly!

At 2:30 pm I was hanging out in bed watching tv when I felt a contraction that was so intense that stand up to deal with it. I think this was when my labor turned on. I called Erik at work and told him that I thought things were going to be starting soon and I wanted him to come home. I also called my midwife and doula to give them a heads up. Erik got home at 3pm and found me in the bathroom vocalizing though a contraction. I was so happy to see him because in the last 15 minutes my contractions went from irregular to every 4-5 minutes, lasting over a minute and very strong. Erik freaked a little seeing how hard I was already working. I really wanted some counter-pressure on my back but Erik was busy trying to get the bed ready and putting some plastic and towels down on the floor.

My labor was really moving fast and by 3:40pm, Erik called my midwives and doula and asked them to come over. Everyone arrived about 4pm as I stepped in the shower to try to get some relief from these crazy contractions. After only a few minutes in the shower I wanted to get in the bath to try to relieve some of the pressure in my back. I told my doula that my contractions were way too intense for this early in labor. I had been a little worried about how I would handle labor this time around and I thought I was just being a weeny about the pain. I realize now looking back at it that I was in transition and everyone knew it but me. I was only in the bath a few minutes when I started to feel pushy. So I got out and made my way over to the bed. Standing next to the bed leaning on a big stack of pillows my water broke. Fluid was clear. Yay! My midwife checked my at this point and I was 8 cm. I climbed on the bed and spent the next 20 minutes on my side vocalizing very loudly through my contractions while my doula gave me counter-pressure on my back. I loved her for that! Then all of the sudden my body started pushing at the peak of each contraction. I asked if it was okay that I was pushing. I was reassured that it was fine and just to follow what my body was telling me. After a few contractions like this, my body was pushing full out and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I was absolutely amazed with the power of this involuntary pushing. I could feel my baby moving down with each push. 10 minutes and 3 contractions later I birthed my 8 lbs 3 oz baby into my midwife’s hands and just as quick she was placed on my chest. She was so big and beautiful and had tons of vernix on her back. Linnea Mae was born after a crazy and intense 2 and a ½ hour labor at 5:01pm.