This was written while I was sitting here remembering everything I could. I didn't want to make you guys wait any longer to hear his birth story. 
I waited for him for what seemed like an eternity and just when I felt like I couldn't wait any longer my beautiful baby decided to let me know he was ready to come.
At about 5:15 on the morning of the 12th I went for one of my regular bathroom trips but for some reason I felt different this time. I seemed to be wide awake and the pressure on my bladder seemed to be more than usual.
I hadn't felt any contractions or pain yet so I went back to bed. I laid there for another 15-20 minutes, feeling more pressure on my bladder, went back to the bathroom, only this time I found I was spotting. I was so excited to see some kind of sign, although I was thinking maybe I wasn't really seeing what I was, that maybe I was only seeing it because I wanted to see it so badly. Back to bed I went but I was only there for 5 minutes before I was back in the bathroom checking, sure enough I was still spotting. I thought to myself, this is it my baby is going to be born today, today will be his birthday and just then my first contraction. I was so excited I didn't know what to do first.
I debated with myself for a few minutes, should I pump up the birth pool or is it too early? I walked back to my room, only to turn around and head back into the living room, turning on all the lights and stated pumping up the pool. I woke up dh and I said, "it's me, this is it, it's time." He asked me if my water broke and I said, "no, I'm having contractions." The pump was so loud I was afraid I would wake up the whole house but it didn't.
I woke up my oldest daughter, who was going to be taking the pictures, and told her that it was time, the baby was coming. As she rolled over in her bed she said, "yeah, right." She didn't believe it. I said ok and went back to pumping up the pool. Well she believed it then. I finished the pool and decided to call my MW. It was about 6:45 I think.
My contractions had been somewhere between 15 and 20 minutes apart. She arrived about an hour later and we started filling the pool with water right then.
Once it was full I got in. I don't remember how far apart my contractions were then but after I got in the water it seemed like 20 minutes had passed before I had another. I remember because just as I asked my MW what happened to my contractions I had one. I think they did slow for a bit but not for too long. Oh the water was so warm and soothing.
I felt like I was getting hot in the water so MW put a cold washrag on my head and dh turned a fan on me. It felt so good. I was so relaxed. My contractions were getting stronger and stronger, not unbearable but stronger. I laid my head back, put my arms up on the edge of the pool and started humming to myself. Nothing special, just humming. I closed my eyes and focused. While my eyes were closed I could see nothing but black with a circle in the middle..concentrating on relaxing, keeping my face loose and my body totally relaxed. All the while humming. I drifted in and out. I was sooo relaxed it was like I was somewhere else, not quite asleep but not awake either.
My MW, dh and kids were all in the room watching. I could hear my daughter Catherine saying, this is taking a long time. Dh had given the kids candy canes so I could hear them crunching them. That brought me out of my relaxing state and I asked them to be really quiet. I told them I was trying to focus and relax because that would help bring the baby into the world faster. Of course they wanted to see the baby so everyone was really quiet. I asked for more warm water in the pool and my MW wet the washrag on my forehead with cold water again. She did that several times throughout my whole labor.
I was back to my point of complete and total relaxation. I continued to hum..just like when you hum to a baby. It helped me relax. It was so amazing. Now I guess maybe I was asleep. I was totally unaware of everything. I don't remember much during this time although I do remember I was woken up by the strangest sensation. I can only describe it as if I were asleep and someone jumped on my stomach. My water had broken and at the same time I felt the SERIOUS urge to push. Whoa was it intense. I was so startled by it I lost my focus.
After 2 pushes his head was out and it felt like fire. I pushed against the pain. I felt so good to push but as soon as I stopped..ouch! I screamed as I pushed his shoulders out. I told my girls I may scream but I don't think it registered when I told them. With another push the relief was instant and I was holding my beautiful baby Matthew. Not only was he beautiful but he was perfect
I sat in the pool for a while waiting for the placenta. My MW said when I felt a contraction to push and when she did my oldest son Shane said, "is there another baby coming." It was so cute, we all laughed.
The whole experience was nothing but amazing. This was not my first natural childbirth experience but it was my first homebirth and it was such and awesome experience that I would do it again in a heartbeat! We are so in love with him
I waited for him for what seemed like an eternity and just when I felt like I couldn't wait any longer my beautiful baby decided to let me know he was ready to come.
At about 5:15 on the morning of the 12th I went for one of my regular bathroom trips but for some reason I felt different this time. I seemed to be wide awake and the pressure on my bladder seemed to be more than usual.
I hadn't felt any contractions or pain yet so I went back to bed. I laid there for another 15-20 minutes, feeling more pressure on my bladder, went back to the bathroom, only this time I found I was spotting. I was so excited to see some kind of sign, although I was thinking maybe I wasn't really seeing what I was, that maybe I was only seeing it because I wanted to see it so badly. Back to bed I went but I was only there for 5 minutes before I was back in the bathroom checking, sure enough I was still spotting. I thought to myself, this is it my baby is going to be born today, today will be his birthday and just then my first contraction. I was so excited I didn't know what to do first.
I debated with myself for a few minutes, should I pump up the birth pool or is it too early? I walked back to my room, only to turn around and head back into the living room, turning on all the lights and stated pumping up the pool. I woke up dh and I said, "it's me, this is it, it's time." He asked me if my water broke and I said, "no, I'm having contractions." The pump was so loud I was afraid I would wake up the whole house but it didn't.
I woke up my oldest daughter, who was going to be taking the pictures, and told her that it was time, the baby was coming. As she rolled over in her bed she said, "yeah, right." She didn't believe it. I said ok and went back to pumping up the pool. Well she believed it then. I finished the pool and decided to call my MW. It was about 6:45 I think.
My contractions had been somewhere between 15 and 20 minutes apart. She arrived about an hour later and we started filling the pool with water right then.
Once it was full I got in. I don't remember how far apart my contractions were then but after I got in the water it seemed like 20 minutes had passed before I had another. I remember because just as I asked my MW what happened to my contractions I had one. I think they did slow for a bit but not for too long. Oh the water was so warm and soothing.
I felt like I was getting hot in the water so MW put a cold washrag on my head and dh turned a fan on me. It felt so good. I was so relaxed. My contractions were getting stronger and stronger, not unbearable but stronger. I laid my head back, put my arms up on the edge of the pool and started humming to myself. Nothing special, just humming. I closed my eyes and focused. While my eyes were closed I could see nothing but black with a circle in the middle..concentrating on relaxing, keeping my face loose and my body totally relaxed. All the while humming. I drifted in and out. I was sooo relaxed it was like I was somewhere else, not quite asleep but not awake either.
My MW, dh and kids were all in the room watching. I could hear my daughter Catherine saying, this is taking a long time. Dh had given the kids candy canes so I could hear them crunching them. That brought me out of my relaxing state and I asked them to be really quiet. I told them I was trying to focus and relax because that would help bring the baby into the world faster. Of course they wanted to see the baby so everyone was really quiet. I asked for more warm water in the pool and my MW wet the washrag on my forehead with cold water again. She did that several times throughout my whole labor.
I was back to my point of complete and total relaxation. I continued to hum..just like when you hum to a baby. It helped me relax. It was so amazing. Now I guess maybe I was asleep. I was totally unaware of everything. I don't remember much during this time although I do remember I was woken up by the strangest sensation. I can only describe it as if I were asleep and someone jumped on my stomach. My water had broken and at the same time I felt the SERIOUS urge to push. Whoa was it intense. I was so startled by it I lost my focus.
After 2 pushes his head was out and it felt like fire. I pushed against the pain. I felt so good to push but as soon as I stopped..ouch! I screamed as I pushed his shoulders out. I told my girls I may scream but I don't think it registered when I told them. With another push the relief was instant and I was holding my beautiful baby Matthew. Not only was he beautiful but he was perfect
I sat in the pool for a while waiting for the placenta. My MW said when I felt a contraction to push and when she did my oldest son Shane said, "is there another baby coming." It was so cute, we all laughed.
The whole experience was nothing but amazing. This was not my first natural childbirth experience but it was my first homebirth and it was such and awesome experience that I would do it again in a heartbeat! We are so in love with him
