We have our baby girl, and I'm holding her right now!
I experienced my first home birth this past Sunday and it was absolutely amazing! After 2 weeks of labor starting and stopping, I wondered really if this was ever happening. (Not really, but I started to get irrational at the end!)
Baby was posterior so I spent a few days trying to get her to turn.
Night before labor started, I got a little rush of energy (after feeling BLAH for many days prior) and I tidied the house. It felt good to pace and walk around my house. I spent the time looking at all the picture framed collages I just put up of my three kids and husband (part of my intense nesting. 3 years in our house and just now getting photos on the walls.) It was a nice way to cherish the quiet, and imminent labor.
11pm I went to bed after writing in my journal and searching for an inspiring scripture to give me strength. Then woke about 4am with contractions that were great and intense and I was needing to breathe through, but could still stay in bed through them. I decided I wouldn't call anyone until 7am. At 6:45am I told my husband we'd better get up and start to get ready, hooray! We started filling the tub (I have been looking at the tub in my room for 3 weeks, I was so ready to get that going!) We pulled food out of the freezer for the midwives, started breakfast for the kids, and began calling my birth team. We had already put them on check, and it was time to get them here!
My SIL and her 12yr old daughter (she played with our kids while I labored), the 2 midwives, and my best friend all arrived in the next hour.
Soon it was time to stop everything else except for laboring. These wonderful women helped light candles in my room and put music on. All I felt like doing was sitting on the birth ball, the midwives suggested I take a walk outside. My awesome husband and birth partner was wonderful. After passing 3 houses, I knew I had to get back, and get in that tub! The contractions took a serious turn and I felt a little worried that I couldn't do this for 4 or 5 more hours (which is what I thought I had ahead of me.)
It was probably around 9:45am that I come into the house, smile at my sweet kids, and get to the bathroom as fast as I can to get my suit on. While in there I had 2 contractions that just threw me onto all fours. Wow! I heard the midwife say quietly, "I think she's farther along than she thinks." That gave me a boost and made me smile too. Into the birth tub I go and in between contractions it felt wonderful. It was actually too hot, so we added cold water (I had a little worry that it wouldn't be hot enough.)
The contractions quadrupled in intensity, and after 4-5 of them I felt instinctively to get in a position to push. I didn't realize that's what I was doing, but this labor was very instinctive all the way through. I was face to face with my midwife and I couldn't pull my eyes away during the next few contractions. It was as if I was using the strength from deep within her to help me through these very very intense contractions (inside I felt a scared and panicky, that transition-type can I do this? feeling. but I did not voice them and would not give in to them.)
I held onto the edge of the tub (it was a hard plastic trough type), pulled my knees up a little and just floated. Amazing. I reached down and felt the bag of waters bulging, I was astounded! I was so far along! reached a little farther and realized baby's head was only one knuckle's length of my finger from being born! I waited for the contraction to come, and pushed her head out. Everyone was very surprised she was there! And posterior still, so she was facing up. 10:27am.
I felt strong and able and was reminded that everything I needed to do this--all the love and power and strength-- was already within me and I did not need to be afraid. I also knew I didn't want to push through more than one more contraction. At this point I was cradling her precious head in my hand, and my husband was right there with his hand as well (we have an incredible picture--thank you Kelly midwife). 10:29am now. And with that second contraction I pushed her body out and together, dh and I, we guided her up to my chest. The midwives quietly close by. And my two older children (7yr old son and 5 yr old daughter) standing by the tub watching. My best friend and sil there as well.
Such euphoria.
Something I didn't realize about birthing in the water was that when baby is finally in your arms, I was able to really be into the moment. I was un-consstricted physically, could move easily to hold her close and talk to her and nurse her. In my other births (hospital) it was awkward with the bed position and chux pads and bleeding and blankets and soreness. In the tub, the warm water was soothing, I had sweat so much that I felt cleansed and refreshed almost.
We waited until after the placenta was birthed to cut the cord ( I LOVE HOMEBIRTH!!) which my 7 yr old did.
Baby girl was coated in so much vernix, everyone was commenting on the amount. She smelled so good.
She gave a lusty cry and a drew a deep breath immediately after being in my arms, then settled into quiet awe until I got out of the tub 30 minutes later. We all just hung out in the room until I felt ready to move. Bliss.
We took 4 days after she was born to decide on her name.
Leina Jean ("lay-na")
8 lbs 2 oz.
Healthy healthy girl!
Birth announcement
Homebirth is wonderful wonderful. I feel so blessed. I am so grateful for this experience. With my other births (unmedicated, hospital, good--but still hospital) it took me a little while to process the pain and experience as I had some feelings of trauma associated. But with this birth, as I sit in my bed recovering (while my mom cleans my house, ahhh) I re-live the whole experience in detail start to finish by choice and am rejuvenated by each moment. It was painful and intense, but it was a birth of truth and purity for me that I have longed for. It was void of the stress I feel at being in a hospital setting, which left much more room for love and power and strength and beauty and intuitive birthing. Can you tell I loved it?
Thanks for reading!
I experienced my first home birth this past Sunday and it was absolutely amazing! After 2 weeks of labor starting and stopping, I wondered really if this was ever happening. (Not really, but I started to get irrational at the end!)
Baby was posterior so I spent a few days trying to get her to turn.
Night before labor started, I got a little rush of energy (after feeling BLAH for many days prior) and I tidied the house. It felt good to pace and walk around my house. I spent the time looking at all the picture framed collages I just put up of my three kids and husband (part of my intense nesting. 3 years in our house and just now getting photos on the walls.) It was a nice way to cherish the quiet, and imminent labor.
11pm I went to bed after writing in my journal and searching for an inspiring scripture to give me strength. Then woke about 4am with contractions that were great and intense and I was needing to breathe through, but could still stay in bed through them. I decided I wouldn't call anyone until 7am. At 6:45am I told my husband we'd better get up and start to get ready, hooray! We started filling the tub (I have been looking at the tub in my room for 3 weeks, I was so ready to get that going!) We pulled food out of the freezer for the midwives, started breakfast for the kids, and began calling my birth team. We had already put them on check, and it was time to get them here!
My SIL and her 12yr old daughter (she played with our kids while I labored), the 2 midwives, and my best friend all arrived in the next hour.
Soon it was time to stop everything else except for laboring. These wonderful women helped light candles in my room and put music on. All I felt like doing was sitting on the birth ball, the midwives suggested I take a walk outside. My awesome husband and birth partner was wonderful. After passing 3 houses, I knew I had to get back, and get in that tub! The contractions took a serious turn and I felt a little worried that I couldn't do this for 4 or 5 more hours (which is what I thought I had ahead of me.)
It was probably around 9:45am that I come into the house, smile at my sweet kids, and get to the bathroom as fast as I can to get my suit on. While in there I had 2 contractions that just threw me onto all fours. Wow! I heard the midwife say quietly, "I think she's farther along than she thinks." That gave me a boost and made me smile too. Into the birth tub I go and in between contractions it felt wonderful. It was actually too hot, so we added cold water (I had a little worry that it wouldn't be hot enough.)
The contractions quadrupled in intensity, and after 4-5 of them I felt instinctively to get in a position to push. I didn't realize that's what I was doing, but this labor was very instinctive all the way through. I was face to face with my midwife and I couldn't pull my eyes away during the next few contractions. It was as if I was using the strength from deep within her to help me through these very very intense contractions (inside I felt a scared and panicky, that transition-type can I do this? feeling. but I did not voice them and would not give in to them.)
I held onto the edge of the tub (it was a hard plastic trough type), pulled my knees up a little and just floated. Amazing. I reached down and felt the bag of waters bulging, I was astounded! I was so far along! reached a little farther and realized baby's head was only one knuckle's length of my finger from being born! I waited for the contraction to come, and pushed her head out. Everyone was very surprised she was there! And posterior still, so she was facing up. 10:27am.
I felt strong and able and was reminded that everything I needed to do this--all the love and power and strength-- was already within me and I did not need to be afraid. I also knew I didn't want to push through more than one more contraction. At this point I was cradling her precious head in my hand, and my husband was right there with his hand as well (we have an incredible picture--thank you Kelly midwife). 10:29am now. And with that second contraction I pushed her body out and together, dh and I, we guided her up to my chest. The midwives quietly close by. And my two older children (7yr old son and 5 yr old daughter) standing by the tub watching. My best friend and sil there as well.
Such euphoria.
Something I didn't realize about birthing in the water was that when baby is finally in your arms, I was able to really be into the moment. I was un-consstricted physically, could move easily to hold her close and talk to her and nurse her. In my other births (hospital) it was awkward with the bed position and chux pads and bleeding and blankets and soreness. In the tub, the warm water was soothing, I had sweat so much that I felt cleansed and refreshed almost.
We waited until after the placenta was birthed to cut the cord ( I LOVE HOMEBIRTH!!) which my 7 yr old did.
Baby girl was coated in so much vernix, everyone was commenting on the amount. She smelled so good.
She gave a lusty cry and a drew a deep breath immediately after being in my arms, then settled into quiet awe until I got out of the tub 30 minutes later. We all just hung out in the room until I felt ready to move. Bliss.
We took 4 days after she was born to decide on her name.
Leina Jean ("lay-na")
8 lbs 2 oz.
Healthy healthy girl!
Birth announcement
Homebirth is wonderful wonderful. I feel so blessed. I am so grateful for this experience. With my other births (unmedicated, hospital, good--but still hospital) it took me a little while to process the pain and experience as I had some feelings of trauma associated. But with this birth, as I sit in my bed recovering (while my mom cleans my house, ahhh) I re-live the whole experience in detail start to finish by choice and am rejuvenated by each moment. It was painful and intense, but it was a birth of truth and purity for me that I have longed for. It was void of the stress I feel at being in a hospital setting, which left much more room for love and power and strength and beauty and intuitive birthing. Can you tell I loved it?
Thanks for reading!
: - enjoy your babymoon!!
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