Well, we HBACed again!
I woke up Sunday the 12th at about 1:30 am, in labor. The first two contractions were five minutes apart, and I was so glad. I'd had several bouts of contractions that were ten minutes apart, and lasted for about an hour or two, before stopping, for the previous four days. This was IT...baby was on it's way. My DH had told the older children they would know the baby was coming when they heard Mama singing. Well, I was singing by the second contraction, and DH woke up. I was going to send him to buy my wine coolers and pudding at the local grocery, but changed my mind with the next contraction. I didn't want him out of my sight.
We called the doula, and told her to get hold of the midwife and head our way. I called my dear friend, who was coming to help the doula set up the birthtub. Then my oldest son came into our bedroom, to tell me he was really stuffy, and coughing, and could I get him a rememdy, please? Thankfully, he was willing to lay down in our bed and go back to sleep! Ryan called his mother to come get the older children (they tend to get worried at about the point when I can't "get happy" between contractions, and would be needing breakfast about the time I thought the baby would be here). As I was crawling down our hallway, tears squirting out of my eyes, it dawned on me that these contractions were not five minutes apart...I kept being surprised how quickly they were coming.
Ryan sent me to the shower, and phoned my parents, and checked to make sure the doula was on her way. With my other births, once I'm in the shower or tub, I can be alone for five or ten minutes at a time, because the hot water really really helps me relax. I couldn't figure out why Ryan kept checking on me everytime I made a noise...Didn't he need to be helping the doula set up? Where was the doula?
Soon I was despairing, not singing. This was the most pain I'd ever experienced!!! Did it always hurt this bad? Ryan reasured me that indeed, it did. I told him I thought I was really wacky to keep having babies... He gently reminded not to screech - "make it a strong productive noise, honey." I got so darn mad at him. I banged my fist on the side of the tub, and told him I would scream if I wanted to, because it felt good to scream. Then back into despair. I thought I've only been awake for twentyfive minutes...I can't do this for three more hours... I can't bear this pain...I want to push! Push? OH!!!
Ryan encouraged me to not give up. "Our baby will be here in a minute, just hold on, you can do it." That got my attention - "I hope you don't really mean a minute?" "Well, Me too. But soon." The doula called to check on us. She called the midwife and told her I was pushing. Ryan called our friend, the retired missionary nurse, who lives across town.
He wasn't far off. He put his hand between my legs, and I asked if he really had to do that - I hate that part. Yes, honey, I need to be ready to catch the baby. I felt like I couldn't get me knees far enough apart while on my hands and knees in our bathtub. So, I stood, and then squatted. A few growly contractions later, the baby's head crowned. The next contraction and the head was out. Ryan checked the cord, and gently slipped it over the back of the baby's head. The next contraction and my little one slipped into this world! It was 2:15 am. Talk about overwhelming....
WE HAD OUR BABY, AT HOME, BY OURSELVES!
Jadon came into the bathroom, when his daddy called him, to see his new brother. He was just filled with awe, and a little dissapointed that he couldn't hold the baby, till the cord was cut.
I was so excited, and Ryan said it was the most fun he's ever had. The doula, our nurse friend, the midwife, Ryan's mother, and my dear friend arrived, in that order starting about five minutes after the baby was born. The doula fished the placenta out of the tub, and carried the baby and the bowl into our bedroom. The midwife clamped the cord, and Ryan cut it. His mother wanted to know if we had done everthing "right" LOL. I took a shower, and had a quick check of the pertinent regions. No tears, no hemmorage, a nice complete placenta. Joel weighed 7 lbs, 2 oz, and was 19 inches long. He was a soft velvet head of light brown hair, and blue eyes.
We didn't plan an unattended birth, but this was sooooo cool...I may not be able to talk Ryan into having anyone with us the next time.
I woke up Sunday the 12th at about 1:30 am, in labor. The first two contractions were five minutes apart, and I was so glad. I'd had several bouts of contractions that were ten minutes apart, and lasted for about an hour or two, before stopping, for the previous four days. This was IT...baby was on it's way. My DH had told the older children they would know the baby was coming when they heard Mama singing. Well, I was singing by the second contraction, and DH woke up. I was going to send him to buy my wine coolers and pudding at the local grocery, but changed my mind with the next contraction. I didn't want him out of my sight.
We called the doula, and told her to get hold of the midwife and head our way. I called my dear friend, who was coming to help the doula set up the birthtub. Then my oldest son came into our bedroom, to tell me he was really stuffy, and coughing, and could I get him a rememdy, please? Thankfully, he was willing to lay down in our bed and go back to sleep! Ryan called his mother to come get the older children (they tend to get worried at about the point when I can't "get happy" between contractions, and would be needing breakfast about the time I thought the baby would be here). As I was crawling down our hallway, tears squirting out of my eyes, it dawned on me that these contractions were not five minutes apart...I kept being surprised how quickly they were coming.
Ryan sent me to the shower, and phoned my parents, and checked to make sure the doula was on her way. With my other births, once I'm in the shower or tub, I can be alone for five or ten minutes at a time, because the hot water really really helps me relax. I couldn't figure out why Ryan kept checking on me everytime I made a noise...Didn't he need to be helping the doula set up? Where was the doula?
Soon I was despairing, not singing. This was the most pain I'd ever experienced!!! Did it always hurt this bad? Ryan reasured me that indeed, it did. I told him I thought I was really wacky to keep having babies... He gently reminded not to screech - "make it a strong productive noise, honey." I got so darn mad at him. I banged my fist on the side of the tub, and told him I would scream if I wanted to, because it felt good to scream. Then back into despair. I thought I've only been awake for twentyfive minutes...I can't do this for three more hours... I can't bear this pain...I want to push! Push? OH!!!
Ryan encouraged me to not give up. "Our baby will be here in a minute, just hold on, you can do it." That got my attention - "I hope you don't really mean a minute?" "Well, Me too. But soon." The doula called to check on us. She called the midwife and told her I was pushing. Ryan called our friend, the retired missionary nurse, who lives across town.
He wasn't far off. He put his hand between my legs, and I asked if he really had to do that - I hate that part. Yes, honey, I need to be ready to catch the baby. I felt like I couldn't get me knees far enough apart while on my hands and knees in our bathtub. So, I stood, and then squatted. A few growly contractions later, the baby's head crowned. The next contraction and the head was out. Ryan checked the cord, and gently slipped it over the back of the baby's head. The next contraction and my little one slipped into this world! It was 2:15 am. Talk about overwhelming....
WE HAD OUR BABY, AT HOME, BY OURSELVES!
Jadon came into the bathroom, when his daddy called him, to see his new brother. He was just filled with awe, and a little dissapointed that he couldn't hold the baby, till the cord was cut.
I was so excited, and Ryan said it was the most fun he's ever had. The doula, our nurse friend, the midwife, Ryan's mother, and my dear friend arrived, in that order starting about five minutes after the baby was born. The doula fished the placenta out of the tub, and carried the baby and the bowl into our bedroom. The midwife clamped the cord, and Ryan cut it. His mother wanted to know if we had done everthing "right" LOL. I took a shower, and had a quick check of the pertinent regions. No tears, no hemmorage, a nice complete placenta. Joel weighed 7 lbs, 2 oz, and was 19 inches long. He was a soft velvet head of light brown hair, and blue eyes.
We didn't plan an unattended birth, but this was sooooo cool...I may not be able to talk Ryan into having anyone with us the next time.
Hooray! What a great birth!
