Elora’s Birth Story
May 7th, 2008 at 9pm
9 lbs even
19.75” long
14” Head Circumference
My sweet Elora, the story of your birth begins even before you were growing in my womb. Your daddy and I have waited for 5 years to meet you. You have three amazing older brothers: Noah; Sebastian; and, Samuel. Each has taught me something about life and something about myself. But I’ve always felt as though you were destined to come into our lives some day. I’d longed for a daughter for all my life but was content in mothering boys. That changed the day I found out you were coming.
My pregnancy with you was planned. Many thought your daddy and I were absolutely out of our minds for wanting another child, but I knew there was a soul in heaven waiting to join us earthside. The day I learned you were on your way was a busy one. I was at work and was suspicious that I might be carrying you in my womb. I dismissed the thought and got on about my day but a surprise trip to the emergency room after an allergic reaction to something got me thinking. My body knew it was protecting a child and my instincts told me so as well. After determining that all was well with me at the ER, I went home but picked up a pregnancy test along the way to confirm my suspicions. And sure enough…two pink lines. Your daddy was out of town for three days with your brothers and I was home alone. I was so thrilled and wanted to shout from the rooftops. But I had to wait for three days to let your daddy know we were having another baby. He was just as thrilled as I was and we eagerly started planning your birth and started dreaming who you would be and who you would look like.
My pregnancy with you was so different from my pregnancy with your brothers. I battled dreadful morning (aka all day) sickness. My back ached. My feet hurt. I was exhausted. But I was healthy and you were growing just as you should. I saw my wonderful midwives regularly and they assured me all was well. I continued to dream about you as my belly grew to proportions I thought impossible. I wondered whether you really would be a little girl or whether I’d be woefully outnumbered in our house with another son. We didn’t find out at our ultrasound at 19 weeks. As much as I wanted to know who was growing inside of me, the element of mystery was alluring and I bit my tongue to keep from asking “boy or girl” the entire time.
So the pregnancy continued. I reached 37 weeks and could breathe a sigh of relief that your birth could be attended by my midwives at home. Your older brother Sam arrived a few days too early to be birthed at home so it was such a joy to know I’d be welcoming you into the space where I was most comfortable and into the home where you’d grow up.
Your father and I discussed what your name would be. We decided on Sabrina. And then I decided that would not be your name after all. That it couldn’t be your name. You were telling me it wouldn’t be. You were telling me that your name would be Elora. I’ve found few places that can provide a definition of the meaning of your name. One website claims it has two origins. One origin is Hebrew with your name meaning “God is light”. The second origin it claims is English with your name meaning God gives the Laurel; the crown of victory. Either way, it felt fitting and seemed to suit you.
I started having some contractions on April 27th and wondered if this could be the moment we’d been preparing for. It seems it wasn’t and I continued to have contractions regularly until the day of your birth.
The day you were born started much like every other day. I got up with your brothers and made breakfast. Got them dressed. Got myself dressed. I waited for your Papa to arrive so I could toddle in to see my midwife for a routine appointment. At the appointment, my abdomen had grown the equivalent of two weeks worth of baby growth. A decent sized baby and your head was low in my pelvis. I started having some intermittent and very mild contractions but they were so much like what I’d been experiencing for over a week I thought nothing of them.
I then toddled off to see my chiropractor for an adjustment and hoped that getting my spine and hips into a better position would allow for an easier delivery and might give you some encouragement to arrive. He sent me off with the hope of not having to see me the next week and I laughed and agreed with him because I wanted to meet you.
By the afternoon, I felt a sudden urge to clean the house, particularly the fridge. I don’t think that fridge has ever looked quite as close to new as it did that day. By the time I’d finished scrubbing every surface in the kitchen and had finished cooking the noodles for the pasta salad I was making for dinner I started having some stronger contractions. But still irregular. And very easy to cope with.
I went and woke up your brother Sam from his nap and then called your daddy and asked him to come home because I thought I may be going into early labour. The contractions continued in the same manner…irregular and easy. I called your grandmother at 5:30 just as your daddy was arriving home from work and asked her to make her way into our house just in case this really was something happening. I went up to lay down in my bed to try and get some rest for the work that I was fairly sure I was going to have to do that evening.
Your daddy and grandmother took turns checking in with me. By about 6:45 I knew I was finally in labour. I continued to eat forkfuls of pasta salad between the contractions. The contractions were still somewhat sporadic…every 4-7 minutes or so. They were lasting about 45 seconds so I really felt as though I had quite a bit of time to go in the labour. I was needing to focus through the contractions but was fully aware of what was going on around me and felt grounded. I remember focusing on the sizzle of the rain on the electric lines running behind our property. There was something strangely soothing about that sound. As if the rain were cleansing my spirit with every contraction and renewing my strength to get through this labour easily.
At 7:20 exactly (at least according to the alarm clock) I got up to close the window behind the bed and suddenly felt as though I was being torn apart in my abdomen. I remember the overwhelming need to just scream. So I did. And then the sudden warm gush of fluid. My membranes had ruptured. It made it so real finally. This really was labour. The waves in my belly were going to bring you to me.
I called for some help in getting all cleaned up. Your grandmother came up and helped me as I cleaned up and I paged my midwife Sylvia. She seemed just as thrilled at the prospect of helping me deliver at home as I was and seemed happy to finally receive the call I’d waited for 9 months to make. My baby was about to be born. And my baby was about to be born at home.
After your water broke my sweet girl, my contractions intensified and I found in myself the need to vocalize with each one and find a position each time to help me cope. This was something entirely different from each of my other labours. I’d laboured silently with all your brothers, each time drawing into myself and finding my strength to continue. With your labour I stood and I leaned on the bathroom counter. I sat on the toilet hanging onto the door for dear life. I laid down on the bed. And I laboured. It wasn’t easy work. But it wasn’t unbearable either. My contractions never seemed to reach a point where they were unbearable. Vocalizing seemed to release the pain and I worked with each contraction. I really felt as if I still had some ways to go to bring you into the world.
Sylvia arrived at around 8:30. When she checked me I was already 7-8 centimeters dilated. I was in awe that I was so far along since the contractions didn’t feel quite that bad to have gotten me so far.
The times start to get somewhat blurry for me at this point. I remember standing up from the bed needing to pee. I never quite made it to the bathroom because a contraction hit as I stood up. I kneeled on the side rail of the bed and leaned over the bed. And as the contraction ended I felt the need to push. Sylvia came and looked at the floor where I was leaning on the bed and the water that was pouring from me had some meconium in it. You had a bowel movement at some point. Sylvia asked if I wanted to deliver this baby standing up. That didn’t feel right to me at the time so I got back into the bed after several minutes. My body seemed as though it was giving me a break. I didn’t have any contractions again until I was back in bed and settled.
Knowing that delivery was imminent and my second midwife would not arrive in time for delivery, Sylvia asked if I wanted to call 911 for backup in case you were in distress at birth. Having seen babies become very very sick with meconium aspiration I said yes and we called 911. The operator told Sylvia that the ambulance would have to transfer if they came. I knew I would refuse transport if everything was fine. And the chance of the ambulance making it in time to even witness the birth was slim. So the paramedics were on their way.
That contraction at the side of the bed was the last contraction that had any pain associated with it I had during your labour. My body seemed to give me a real break and allowed me to focus on pushing you out with each wave of tightening. I waited until the urge to push was unmistakable. And so, at just a minute to nine o’clock I pushed with that surge in my belly and I felt that distinct burning in my perineum that let me know your head was emerging from my body. The pain was incredible and I screamed more loudly than I think I ever have in my life. But your head slipped out and I breathed a deep sigh of relief as the intense pain that had come so quickly left just as quickly. Sylvia noted that your cord was around your neck. Not tightly, and I don’t think she even unlooped from around you. She asked me to push again to deliver your body into the world and so I pushed. And the burning returned. Again I screamed, an action so uncontrollable and instinctive that I couldn’t have fought it for anything. Your body seemed to not even move and Sylvia manipulated you so your transition to the earth would be complete. That pain was intense as she tried to position you in way so you could slide into the world. And then you did. The release was incredible for me. I took a deep breath and looked at you. You looked utterly shocked and you weren’t moving or breathing. It was a very tense few moments as Sylvia prepared to clamp your cord and move you over to the change table to resuscitate you. But it’s as if you needed just a moment to realize you were no longer inside of me swimming in a warm pool of water. You took a breath and let out the smallest little peep. You were brought to my chest and I felt how warm you were and you looked at me. I felt you take some breaths and I knew you’d be OK. I took a moment to take some deep breaths and looked between your legs. My little girl was here. That soul that had arrived and filled my body nine months earlier had made its way into the world and was in my arms. Your grandmother greeted you by name. And I called you Ellie. My sweet Ellie. The baby I’d waited nearly 30 years of life to meet was finally here.
It was right at that point the paramedics arrived and we let them know their services would not be needed after all. They asked if we wanted them to stay to make sure the placenta was delivered safely. We agreed and they said they’d go hang out with your brothers. I think they may have played robots or legos with them. I imagine it was their best call of the night! The second midwife also arrived and helped get us settled and cleaned up.
We let your cord pulsate for 15 minutes until all of your blood was back in your body where it belonged. And then we clamped it. Your daddy cut it and you became your own little person in this wide world. So many possibilities open to you.
You stayed on my belly for over an hour as we learned all about one another. I learned you had dark hair. And blue eyes. You had 10 fingers. And 10 toes. You didn’t cry as you took in your surroundings. You found my bare breast on your own and suckled to fill the tummy that had been filled for nine months with your amniotic fluid. Hunger was a new sensation for you. And yes, you were indeed a girl. I think I checked that you hadn’t spontaneously grown boy parts almost thirty times. At some point in that hour I delivered your placenta. I don’t think it was too long after we’d clamped your cord but I can’t be sure, I was so focused on you. Your brothers came in to meet you and then stole off to bed.
We weighed you. 7lbs 15oz. But that didn’t seem right. So we checked again. Exactly nine pounds. My biggest baby of all four of you. So tiny, yet so robust at the same time. My midwife stayed for three hours after the birth to make sure everything was fine. It was. She and her student went home to their families as your daddy and I snuggled up with you and fell asleep, our family one member richer, stronger and more beautiful.
May 7th, 2008 at 9pm
9 lbs even
19.75” long
14” Head Circumference
My sweet Elora, the story of your birth begins even before you were growing in my womb. Your daddy and I have waited for 5 years to meet you. You have three amazing older brothers: Noah; Sebastian; and, Samuel. Each has taught me something about life and something about myself. But I’ve always felt as though you were destined to come into our lives some day. I’d longed for a daughter for all my life but was content in mothering boys. That changed the day I found out you were coming.
My pregnancy with you was planned. Many thought your daddy and I were absolutely out of our minds for wanting another child, but I knew there was a soul in heaven waiting to join us earthside. The day I learned you were on your way was a busy one. I was at work and was suspicious that I might be carrying you in my womb. I dismissed the thought and got on about my day but a surprise trip to the emergency room after an allergic reaction to something got me thinking. My body knew it was protecting a child and my instincts told me so as well. After determining that all was well with me at the ER, I went home but picked up a pregnancy test along the way to confirm my suspicions. And sure enough…two pink lines. Your daddy was out of town for three days with your brothers and I was home alone. I was so thrilled and wanted to shout from the rooftops. But I had to wait for three days to let your daddy know we were having another baby. He was just as thrilled as I was and we eagerly started planning your birth and started dreaming who you would be and who you would look like.
My pregnancy with you was so different from my pregnancy with your brothers. I battled dreadful morning (aka all day) sickness. My back ached. My feet hurt. I was exhausted. But I was healthy and you were growing just as you should. I saw my wonderful midwives regularly and they assured me all was well. I continued to dream about you as my belly grew to proportions I thought impossible. I wondered whether you really would be a little girl or whether I’d be woefully outnumbered in our house with another son. We didn’t find out at our ultrasound at 19 weeks. As much as I wanted to know who was growing inside of me, the element of mystery was alluring and I bit my tongue to keep from asking “boy or girl” the entire time.
So the pregnancy continued. I reached 37 weeks and could breathe a sigh of relief that your birth could be attended by my midwives at home. Your older brother Sam arrived a few days too early to be birthed at home so it was such a joy to know I’d be welcoming you into the space where I was most comfortable and into the home where you’d grow up.
Your father and I discussed what your name would be. We decided on Sabrina. And then I decided that would not be your name after all. That it couldn’t be your name. You were telling me it wouldn’t be. You were telling me that your name would be Elora. I’ve found few places that can provide a definition of the meaning of your name. One website claims it has two origins. One origin is Hebrew with your name meaning “God is light”. The second origin it claims is English with your name meaning God gives the Laurel; the crown of victory. Either way, it felt fitting and seemed to suit you.
I started having some contractions on April 27th and wondered if this could be the moment we’d been preparing for. It seems it wasn’t and I continued to have contractions regularly until the day of your birth.
The day you were born started much like every other day. I got up with your brothers and made breakfast. Got them dressed. Got myself dressed. I waited for your Papa to arrive so I could toddle in to see my midwife for a routine appointment. At the appointment, my abdomen had grown the equivalent of two weeks worth of baby growth. A decent sized baby and your head was low in my pelvis. I started having some intermittent and very mild contractions but they were so much like what I’d been experiencing for over a week I thought nothing of them.
I then toddled off to see my chiropractor for an adjustment and hoped that getting my spine and hips into a better position would allow for an easier delivery and might give you some encouragement to arrive. He sent me off with the hope of not having to see me the next week and I laughed and agreed with him because I wanted to meet you.
By the afternoon, I felt a sudden urge to clean the house, particularly the fridge. I don’t think that fridge has ever looked quite as close to new as it did that day. By the time I’d finished scrubbing every surface in the kitchen and had finished cooking the noodles for the pasta salad I was making for dinner I started having some stronger contractions. But still irregular. And very easy to cope with.
I went and woke up your brother Sam from his nap and then called your daddy and asked him to come home because I thought I may be going into early labour. The contractions continued in the same manner…irregular and easy. I called your grandmother at 5:30 just as your daddy was arriving home from work and asked her to make her way into our house just in case this really was something happening. I went up to lay down in my bed to try and get some rest for the work that I was fairly sure I was going to have to do that evening.
Your daddy and grandmother took turns checking in with me. By about 6:45 I knew I was finally in labour. I continued to eat forkfuls of pasta salad between the contractions. The contractions were still somewhat sporadic…every 4-7 minutes or so. They were lasting about 45 seconds so I really felt as though I had quite a bit of time to go in the labour. I was needing to focus through the contractions but was fully aware of what was going on around me and felt grounded. I remember focusing on the sizzle of the rain on the electric lines running behind our property. There was something strangely soothing about that sound. As if the rain were cleansing my spirit with every contraction and renewing my strength to get through this labour easily.
At 7:20 exactly (at least according to the alarm clock) I got up to close the window behind the bed and suddenly felt as though I was being torn apart in my abdomen. I remember the overwhelming need to just scream. So I did. And then the sudden warm gush of fluid. My membranes had ruptured. It made it so real finally. This really was labour. The waves in my belly were going to bring you to me.
I called for some help in getting all cleaned up. Your grandmother came up and helped me as I cleaned up and I paged my midwife Sylvia. She seemed just as thrilled at the prospect of helping me deliver at home as I was and seemed happy to finally receive the call I’d waited for 9 months to make. My baby was about to be born. And my baby was about to be born at home.
After your water broke my sweet girl, my contractions intensified and I found in myself the need to vocalize with each one and find a position each time to help me cope. This was something entirely different from each of my other labours. I’d laboured silently with all your brothers, each time drawing into myself and finding my strength to continue. With your labour I stood and I leaned on the bathroom counter. I sat on the toilet hanging onto the door for dear life. I laid down on the bed. And I laboured. It wasn’t easy work. But it wasn’t unbearable either. My contractions never seemed to reach a point where they were unbearable. Vocalizing seemed to release the pain and I worked with each contraction. I really felt as if I still had some ways to go to bring you into the world.
Sylvia arrived at around 8:30. When she checked me I was already 7-8 centimeters dilated. I was in awe that I was so far along since the contractions didn’t feel quite that bad to have gotten me so far.
The times start to get somewhat blurry for me at this point. I remember standing up from the bed needing to pee. I never quite made it to the bathroom because a contraction hit as I stood up. I kneeled on the side rail of the bed and leaned over the bed. And as the contraction ended I felt the need to push. Sylvia came and looked at the floor where I was leaning on the bed and the water that was pouring from me had some meconium in it. You had a bowel movement at some point. Sylvia asked if I wanted to deliver this baby standing up. That didn’t feel right to me at the time so I got back into the bed after several minutes. My body seemed as though it was giving me a break. I didn’t have any contractions again until I was back in bed and settled.
Knowing that delivery was imminent and my second midwife would not arrive in time for delivery, Sylvia asked if I wanted to call 911 for backup in case you were in distress at birth. Having seen babies become very very sick with meconium aspiration I said yes and we called 911. The operator told Sylvia that the ambulance would have to transfer if they came. I knew I would refuse transport if everything was fine. And the chance of the ambulance making it in time to even witness the birth was slim. So the paramedics were on their way.
That contraction at the side of the bed was the last contraction that had any pain associated with it I had during your labour. My body seemed to give me a real break and allowed me to focus on pushing you out with each wave of tightening. I waited until the urge to push was unmistakable. And so, at just a minute to nine o’clock I pushed with that surge in my belly and I felt that distinct burning in my perineum that let me know your head was emerging from my body. The pain was incredible and I screamed more loudly than I think I ever have in my life. But your head slipped out and I breathed a deep sigh of relief as the intense pain that had come so quickly left just as quickly. Sylvia noted that your cord was around your neck. Not tightly, and I don’t think she even unlooped from around you. She asked me to push again to deliver your body into the world and so I pushed. And the burning returned. Again I screamed, an action so uncontrollable and instinctive that I couldn’t have fought it for anything. Your body seemed to not even move and Sylvia manipulated you so your transition to the earth would be complete. That pain was intense as she tried to position you in way so you could slide into the world. And then you did. The release was incredible for me. I took a deep breath and looked at you. You looked utterly shocked and you weren’t moving or breathing. It was a very tense few moments as Sylvia prepared to clamp your cord and move you over to the change table to resuscitate you. But it’s as if you needed just a moment to realize you were no longer inside of me swimming in a warm pool of water. You took a breath and let out the smallest little peep. You were brought to my chest and I felt how warm you were and you looked at me. I felt you take some breaths and I knew you’d be OK. I took a moment to take some deep breaths and looked between your legs. My little girl was here. That soul that had arrived and filled my body nine months earlier had made its way into the world and was in my arms. Your grandmother greeted you by name. And I called you Ellie. My sweet Ellie. The baby I’d waited nearly 30 years of life to meet was finally here.
It was right at that point the paramedics arrived and we let them know their services would not be needed after all. They asked if we wanted them to stay to make sure the placenta was delivered safely. We agreed and they said they’d go hang out with your brothers. I think they may have played robots or legos with them. I imagine it was their best call of the night! The second midwife also arrived and helped get us settled and cleaned up.
We let your cord pulsate for 15 minutes until all of your blood was back in your body where it belonged. And then we clamped it. Your daddy cut it and you became your own little person in this wide world. So many possibilities open to you.
You stayed on my belly for over an hour as we learned all about one another. I learned you had dark hair. And blue eyes. You had 10 fingers. And 10 toes. You didn’t cry as you took in your surroundings. You found my bare breast on your own and suckled to fill the tummy that had been filled for nine months with your amniotic fluid. Hunger was a new sensation for you. And yes, you were indeed a girl. I think I checked that you hadn’t spontaneously grown boy parts almost thirty times. At some point in that hour I delivered your placenta. I don’t think it was too long after we’d clamped your cord but I can’t be sure, I was so focused on you. Your brothers came in to meet you and then stole off to bed.
We weighed you. 7lbs 15oz. But that didn’t seem right. So we checked again. Exactly nine pounds. My biggest baby of all four of you. So tiny, yet so robust at the same time. My midwife stayed for three hours after the birth to make sure everything was fine. It was. She and her student went home to their families as your daddy and I snuggled up with you and fell asleep, our family one member richer, stronger and more beautiful.
:
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Welcome baby Elora!! 
