Come and read Kayleigh Grace's birth story.... post # 11, pictures added

[Tummy]

Greetings all!!
I finally spoke with Aka Mommy. She did have her baby on Thursday, October 20, 2005 which was her EDD.

Labor began about 9ish am on the 20th.
As many of you may know, she planed a water birth at her home.
She was able to labor in the tub, the baby was posterior and Mommy was having a hard time. She decided to get out of the tub and move to the bed when the MW checked her and she was still 8cm.
As aka mommy was crawling onto the bed, mind you on hands and knees.... Ben, her DH ( sessy man he is ) said "I see the head."

One push and daddy cought the baby

The MWs came running in. Big sister Alyssa missed the birth due to the sandmans visit some time earlier in the evening. Grandma missed the birth due to birth being so quick. Someone during the birth said something about getting the video recorder, but well baby and mommy were already holding one another

Mommy is happier then ever, daddy is prouder then ever.
I am so excited for their entire family. Mommy said she will be on as soon as she can, that her pc crashed, hoping to have it fixed this friday. She just wanted you all to know that things are well and she had a beautiful birth. I am sure she will post a wonderful story when she does get online.

Love you Jenelle, Ben, Lys, and Kayleigh!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAYLEIGH!

Kayleigh Grace
October 20, 2005
9:58pm
8 pounds 2 ounces
21 and 3/4 inches long

:

[Rach]

congrats!!
have a wonderful babymoon!!

[freestyler]

Congratulations, mama!! We are thrilled for you! Have a wonderful babymoon and many hugs to you. I'm so excited we're all having our beautiful babies. Way to go!!!!

[momma2finn]

congrats momma!!

[eclipse]

congrats!

[lovnbnhome]

wow quick!!!!! cograts!

[allgirls]

Congratulations!!!
Welcome baby Kayleigh!

[RachelGS]

Congrats and welcome, baby!

[Worldshakerz]

Oh, that's just awesome!

[RyvreWillow]

Congrats to AKA Mommy!

[Aka mommy]

Thanks lady. Tummy did an awesome job of explaining everything about the birth that counts!
I was saddened at first to not get a water birth, but then dh never would have had the opportunity to literally catch Kayleigh Grace!! She is an angel and we love her to peices. Thrilled to have had such a calm, romantic, loving homebirth (even with posterior problems and her being born with her hand next to her face lol)! I feel so proud and blessed to be the mommy of 2 sweet girls and amazed at such a wonderful experience of birthing at home. So glad everyone is having their babies, kisses to all the new babes and hugs to the proud mommas!

Pics of Kayleigh Grace and proud big sis:

http://photobucket.com/albums/b38/ak...t=3eae1192.jpg

http://photobucket.com/albums/b38/ak...t=8e438b7b.jpg

So i've been hesitant to write out my entire birth story as i didnt want to bore anyone, but after some insistance from a few friends following is Kayleigh Grace's birth story (to the best of my memory):


On october 19th, my midwives came over to check on me at about 7 pm. I was having fairly strong contractions that were about 7 mins apart and they stayed until about 11 pm watching me. We all realized that i was going no where fast and it would be best for us all to rest. After numerous days of prodomal labor i figured it was just more of that. So we went to bed (After i helped myself to some berry cobbler and a glass of milk). I woke up at about 3 am and had stronger contractions every 30 mins but nothing more then that and was able to sleep in between. They petered off at about 6 am. MY midwives were back over at about 9:30 am and thats when my contractions returned stronger then ever, i couldnt walk or talk through them.

These contractions were in my back and i was using my yoga ball at first to try to relieve the pressure in my back to no avail. So my midwives helped position me on the floor on my hands and knees and applied pressure on my back and hips (something i believe they call doula hulaing? or hula douling? cant remember). I could tell when the baby flipped because my contractions would get timable to about 5 mins apart and were no longer in my back. Pretty soon every time i had a contraction i felt the need to pee and as i would sit on the toilet i would get another contraction. This proceeded til about 11 am and then the pressure in my back returned and the contractions petered off to about every 15-20 mins. I was starting to get frustrated at this point.

My dh ordered some mountain mike's pizza, we ate it and then took a walk for about 45 mins. The contractions were still random and still didnt return to every 5 mins. I asked my midwives to check me, as i was starting to wonder what was up. By this point i was at a 5 i believe but they confirmed my fear of the baby being posterior. We did some more positioning to try to get her to flip. Then my midwives suggested just me and dh go into my room and focus on labor. My mom was there along with my dd who is 2 and i seemed to be so focused on entertaining everyone and taking care of dd that it seemed to be slowing down my labor. While i was getting checked my midwife showed me how to properly breath all the way down to my uterus and to focus on the contraction. This seemed to be the key once we got the baby to flip. So dh and i closed the door, turned off the lights, lit some raspberry candles and turned on my favorite cd of Enigma's greatest hits. Now my contractions were finally back to every 5 mins and while they were incredibly intense i was amazed at how breathing and making quiet sounds enabled me to get through them. I was even cracking jokes with dh and getting a few kisses between contractions. We cuddled on the bed and he spooned me with every contraction whispering in my ear how much he loved me, how strong and amazing i was, and how i could do this. We joked that this was the most romantic thing we had done in 2 plus years. I remember asking him to make sure that a specific song was played when i got into the pushing stage and he said 'anything my love'. These moments we shared i will treasure until the day i die as it was the first time i ever allowed him to be in control and i just let go (im a total control freak). By this point it was about 6 or 7 pm, not sure as i lost track of time. Dh's tummy was starting to grumble and i remember telling him to go get himself some dinner before we ran out of time. Contractions were much longer, stronger, and closer together but we had quit timing them by this point. I was still in disbelief that i was in true labor as it really was not painful or unbearable! DH went out to get some food and my midwife came in and sat by my side while i continued to labor. I continued to crack jokes in between contractions and was in a great mood. I was so amazed that this was how wonderful labor could be. My midwife told me that the contractions wouldnt get 4 times harder either, that i could do it, that i was doing it! I continued to get up and pee every 10 mins as i was consuming tons and tons of water and popcicles.

(Somewhere in the midst of this i know that i was on the bed (before i got in the water) and they had checked me and i was at 8 cm ( i requested the check) they asked me if i wanted them to break my water, which they hoped would quit cushioning the baby and allow her to flip into the proper position for good and therefor help my labor progress. I agreed though dh was nervous, as i was ready and really wanting to be holding her in my arms. The exhaustion and back labor was starting to really get to me. They broke my water and suddenly thats when labor became the most painful.)

By about 8 pm i remember getting up to go to pee and feeling like i had to poop. My midwives told me to go ahead, it was really hard but i knew i needed to. So i did (such fun details lol) which was difficult since i think my contractions were about 3 mins apart by this point. After i had to stand up and move to get through a contraction, but that wasnt helping either. I started to feel like a caged animal and the contractions were in my back again. THey started filling the tub with water and i got the chills. I started shaking and knew i was in transition. I had a lot of bloody show at this point and suddenly it clicked that i was truely in labor. I had a little freak out moment because suddenly i flashed back to my dd's birth in the hossy being on pitocen and feeling completely helpless and out of control as the back labor wracked my body to its own will. Dh and the midwives reassured me that this was different and i could do this and hurried me into the tub. That helped calm me and provided immediate relief. I got on my hands and knees & that seemed to get her in the right position as suddenly the contractions were solely in my uterus and were much more bearable. DD came in & started playing in the water & splashing & like a switch I knew Kayleigh had flipped posterior again. So my midwives being able to read my body langauge sent dd back out into the living room after a kiss from me, to hang out with grammie. The contractions continued to hit and suddenly my back felt like it had never felt before. I went through a few contractions in the water and started crying. Dh asked what i needed and i told him i needed him in with me to help me. Bless his heart, he climbed in right then and there fully clothed and got behind me reassuring me and whispering sweet nothings in my ear. The contractions became so intense i truely felt i was going to die, but only because of the pain in my back. By this point i started embarrassing myself by saying that i couldnt do it and was starting to doubt myself and panicking. I kept saying 'owww' and ' i cant do this' Everyone reassured me that i could. And told me to say 'ohhhhh and i can do this' Then i stood up and had to get out of the water. I could not be in that water and had to be on my bed, but i dont know why. Its just a feeling i had.

So i got on the bed, asked my midwives to check because something didnt feel right. She checked, i was at 8, almost 9 cm and she kept getting stuck on the lip of my cervix because she was still posterior. They tried a few things, i dont much remember too much details by this point because the back labor was so profound. I begged them to stop and to please help me. (I am revealing what a wimp i truely am )I was frustrated cuz i still hadnt felt the urge to push yet or any pressure in my rectal area. Just pain. They asked me if i wanted to go to the hospital and i said no, but i thought there had to be something to get her out. My midwives left the room for a minute to get something (but i didnt know it) and i turned around looked at my hubby and asked him to please make it stop and to make her come out. The look of pure love and pain in his eyes that he clearly felt at my suffering left a brand on my heart that i will remember forever. He asked me if i wanted to go to the hossy, get poked and prodded, have another bad epidural, and a bad recovery? I turned around and realized we were all alone. I dont know if my brain clicked that 'hey, you're on your own here and no one is going to do this for you' or what but suddenly i was on my hands and knees in a flash and i become completely quiet and the pain all went away suddenly. I remember dh saying 'I see the head' the door opening and the midwives rushing in and suddenly i had the urge to push. I pushed and it was the best feeling i had ever felt in my entire life. It was comparable to an orgasm but 100 times better. I heard them say 'Slow down Jenelle, slow down' , 'Put your hands down there and feel her.' I reached down and felt the top of her wrinkly tiny head, but had to put my hand back down on the bed to support myself as i was on hands and knees and pushing. And i remeber someone saying grab the video camera, but it was too late she was out with that one push and it was the best feeling ever. No pain, no burning. DH caught her turned her over (As she came out posterior) and slid her under my belly into one of my arms. Its like we were talking to each other with out words and i somehow knew he'd catch her and be handing her to me. I took her and somehow rolled over and put her on my chest. She was born at 9:58 pm (october 20th, my EDD) I remember saying 'Its ok Kayleigh momma's got you' We had not agreed 100% on a name, but the moment i saw her i knew she was Kayleigh Grace. The same Kayleigh i had dreamt about, with a head full of hair and coloring like her momma!

The rest is truely a blur. She was on my chest, & dh was crying great big sobs and saying a prayer of thanks over me and the baby. The placenta was born within the next 15 mins, the cord cut after it stopped pulsating. I remember her crying and being amazed at how much hair she had as dd had been born bald. I remember saying how tiny she was and that she had to be smaller then her sister. We were shocked that she weighed the exact amount as her sister 8 lbs 2 ounces. But the reason she looked so small was she was 21 &3/4 inches long, a full inch and 3/4 longer then her sis! I couldnt get over how she looked just like me (her sis looks just like dh). And i couldnt believe that it was over. The end happened so quickly i was in shock. And i was upset that i hadnt had a water birth and that i had been such a wimp during transition.

I am still in shock at how our bodies work. And how somehow i knew instinctively that Kayleigh would not be coming out unless on hands and knees. I am amazed that she was born with her hand next to her face & posterior and that she is in tact and healthy! I am amazed at what a wonderful, fulfilling, and amazing experience homebirth is! I would not trade any of it for a medicated or hossy birth, as i feel more of a woman, closer to God, and better equipped as a wife and mother from the moments i shared with my dh during this labor. I realized for the first time in my life that its ok to be out of control, its ok to let others take the lead. Its ok to let my dh speak for me and to be in control of situations, because when i do, things turn out amazingly wonderful! I am more in love with my dh and 2 daughter's than i ever thought possible and am amazed at the depth of this feeling i feel every waking moment!

Thanks ladies for all your support as i never could have done this without a 'community' of fellow homebirthers and like minded mommies!

[Tummy]

You are so welcome Jenelle!!!
I am glad you had such a wonderful birth sweetie!

Kisses to you, Ben, Lys, and kayleigh!

[Aka mommy]

Ok i posted the complete birth story as best as i can remember everything.

[JillyD]

Wow - what a wonderful story! It seems like we had a pretty similar birth if that is even possible. When I was reading your story, it was almost as if I was reading my own. I remember those feelings of exhaustion and wondering "when the heck is this baby going to get here". Good work mama - you are so strong and powerful! Amazing.

[Tummy]

Jenelle,

That was so beautiful! You did not go into detail about how Ben was with you during the labor. OMG, he has stollen my heart! I so want Ben to be my next doula!
You did so great honey! I am so proud of you and Ben.
I love you! Great JOB

I aspire to have a birth as beautiful as yours.
you seen my birth, you heard me.. not anything like yours!

[eclipse]

your babe is absolutely beautiful!!!

[mamas2atti]

What a beautiful story! And that hair...

[Aka mommy]

ty & i just love her hair since my first dd was born bald as a cue ball!!! LOL

[mamas2atti]

Originally Posted by Aka mommy

ty & i just love her hair since my first dd was born bald as a cue ball!!! LOL

Mine too! In fact, he was bald until he was almost two. Since this one is so late, maybe he is growing a full head of it in there!

[MrsMoe]

wow, what a pretty baby!