We had an unassisted birth with our last child and all went well, though my labor ended up being 40 hours long (position?) and he was 10 pounds 12 ounces and I felt like that was a big baby for me (tore, pelvis really wracked afterwards, etc.) But again, all went well really so we planned another unassisted birth this time around with our fifth baby.
I had been nervous as the baby was in a posterior position and hadn't dealt with that before- he didn't turn prentally despite my efforts. I was also nervous that the baby was going be another huge one as my due date came and went. I was just shy of 42 weeks when my water began leaking one morning. I sent my husband and kids to the store and I took a walk to try and get contractions started as I wasn't having any. Then around 1:30 I began preparing the baby's birthday cake. At some point I noticed I was having contractions that forced me to stop moving but didn't have an "Aha! I'm in labor now" moment. By 3 I was finishing the frosting on the cake and was frustrated, thinking "why am I doing this right now?" Kids were taken to a friend's house nearby and my husband began blowing up the kiddie pool and filling it partially with cold water. At 3:30 I went upstairs to get my birth supplies to bring down and decided to time some contractions. First were five minutes apart and 45 seconds long, then 4 minutes and 1 minute long, then 3 minutes, then I couldn't figure my watch out! I yelled downstairs to my husband to put hot water in the pool! I checked myself and my cervix was oval shaped over the baby's head and so very stretchy- maybe I was 6 or so cm. I was walking around downstairs waiting for the pool to be ready, having contractions by myself in various places, remembering to pee. I flashed on other births I had been at, remembering other women in labor. I was focusing on relaxing my legs, bending my knees. I was handling things really well on my own and had begun to vocalize with the contractions.
Around 4:30 I got into the pool and it felt chilly- was I shaking b/c of that or b/c I was in transition?? I worried that the water lessened the strength of the contractions but really I think it just took the edge off. It felt wonderful to be in the water! I had a bunch of contractions in the pool, moving around. And then I had one of those stronger ones that ends in yelling and my voice changed when I talked, higher pitched and sounding sort of pitiful no matter what I said! I said "oh shit." The baby was coming already?!!! I felt his head move down and he was wiggling a bunch (I think this is when he turned anterior). And I started to push and he started to crown. I held his head through those three contractions and then I pushed his body out with another push. I was on my knees and he came out behind me. My husband was giving me a running commentary the whole time and that was great. I flipped over and there he was, arms and legs outstretched and eyes open. I picked him up and was just ecstatic, I think the happiest I've been after having a baby!! He looked so little and purple and was just perfect! He was born at 5:15 pm- it was about a 3 hour labor.
I had my husband call our kids over while I was inbetween contractions pushing out his head!! So they arrived when he was a minute or two old and still so fresh and new. It ended up feeling okay that they weren't here for the birth even though that's what we had planned.
The baby nursed. After a little while we cut the cord and I got out to find a place to nurse more comfortably and bring the placenta. I finally just sat on the toilet which was the most comfortable place, it turns out, and out it came. Then we went upstairs and settled in with him! We weighed him and couldn't believe the scale- we reset it and tried again- but it was correct! He weighed 10 pounds 8 ounces and was 22 inches long. I just grow them big like that! And I didn't tear this time.
It was such a smooth birth and I feel so grateful to Devon for being such a cooperative baby to birth, and for my amazing body that housed and birthed him so well, and for my husband for his trust and support. This is my last baby and it feels so good to end my childbearing on such an empowering note!
Devon's birthday photos:
Just born-
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...4/IMG_3605.jpg
And more photos here:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php...&id=1295187800
I had been nervous as the baby was in a posterior position and hadn't dealt with that before- he didn't turn prentally despite my efforts. I was also nervous that the baby was going be another huge one as my due date came and went. I was just shy of 42 weeks when my water began leaking one morning. I sent my husband and kids to the store and I took a walk to try and get contractions started as I wasn't having any. Then around 1:30 I began preparing the baby's birthday cake. At some point I noticed I was having contractions that forced me to stop moving but didn't have an "Aha! I'm in labor now" moment. By 3 I was finishing the frosting on the cake and was frustrated, thinking "why am I doing this right now?" Kids were taken to a friend's house nearby and my husband began blowing up the kiddie pool and filling it partially with cold water. At 3:30 I went upstairs to get my birth supplies to bring down and decided to time some contractions. First were five minutes apart and 45 seconds long, then 4 minutes and 1 minute long, then 3 minutes, then I couldn't figure my watch out! I yelled downstairs to my husband to put hot water in the pool! I checked myself and my cervix was oval shaped over the baby's head and so very stretchy- maybe I was 6 or so cm. I was walking around downstairs waiting for the pool to be ready, having contractions by myself in various places, remembering to pee. I flashed on other births I had been at, remembering other women in labor. I was focusing on relaxing my legs, bending my knees. I was handling things really well on my own and had begun to vocalize with the contractions.
Around 4:30 I got into the pool and it felt chilly- was I shaking b/c of that or b/c I was in transition?? I worried that the water lessened the strength of the contractions but really I think it just took the edge off. It felt wonderful to be in the water! I had a bunch of contractions in the pool, moving around. And then I had one of those stronger ones that ends in yelling and my voice changed when I talked, higher pitched and sounding sort of pitiful no matter what I said! I said "oh shit." The baby was coming already?!!! I felt his head move down and he was wiggling a bunch (I think this is when he turned anterior). And I started to push and he started to crown. I held his head through those three contractions and then I pushed his body out with another push. I was on my knees and he came out behind me. My husband was giving me a running commentary the whole time and that was great. I flipped over and there he was, arms and legs outstretched and eyes open. I picked him up and was just ecstatic, I think the happiest I've been after having a baby!! He looked so little and purple and was just perfect! He was born at 5:15 pm- it was about a 3 hour labor.
I had my husband call our kids over while I was inbetween contractions pushing out his head!! So they arrived when he was a minute or two old and still so fresh and new. It ended up feeling okay that they weren't here for the birth even though that's what we had planned.
The baby nursed. After a little while we cut the cord and I got out to find a place to nurse more comfortably and bring the placenta. I finally just sat on the toilet which was the most comfortable place, it turns out, and out it came. Then we went upstairs and settled in with him! We weighed him and couldn't believe the scale- we reset it and tried again- but it was correct! He weighed 10 pounds 8 ounces and was 22 inches long. I just grow them big like that! And I didn't tear this time.
It was such a smooth birth and I feel so grateful to Devon for being such a cooperative baby to birth, and for my amazing body that housed and birthed him so well, and for my husband for his trust and support. This is my last baby and it feels so good to end my childbearing on such an empowering note!
Devon's birthday photos:
Just born-
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...4/IMG_3605.jpg
And more photos here:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php...&id=1295187800
So glad that you had a beautiful, empowering birth! I loved reading your story. Have a beautiful babymoon and ENJOY your sweet baby 
