My 9 lb 2 oz baby girl was born this morning at 2:30 am after my water broke at 11:45 pm the night before. Under 3 hours of active labor and she was nearly born in our van... only pushed for an hour at our midwive's house. It was an awe-filled, somewhat funny experience. I will post a full birth story later!
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My 9lb 2oz baby girl was nearly born in our van. My water broke at 11:40 pm last night and I called our midwife right away. She said to head over to the other side. I checked the ferry schedule and realized the last ferry was at 12:30pm. So we tossed everything in the van, Tony grabbed the kids out of bed, and we left. I started having contractions immediately that were about 2-3 min apart, and strong. We got to the ferry, only one other car in line. Told them I was in labor and they started asking questions... how far apart are the contractions? Is this your first baby? And at one point I heard the captain on the radio say, "They should just go to whidbey general or call 911." Tony, my husband, was like, "We are NOT doing that! We just need to get over there NOW!" I remember hearing the confidence in his voice and being so relieved. On the ferry my contractions came sometimes every minute. I started to get a bit panicky, and during contrax I was saying, "Wait, baby, wait, baby, wait, baby..." They were very strong but very managable. We finally got to the other side and I layed down on the floor of the van. This whole time my 4 year old was sound asleep but my two year old was awake, happy, in her carseat. But she started asking for snacks, and I tossed her a yogurt. I layed down on the floor of the van and immediately felt myself start pushing. This is in Mukilteo. I'm realizing I'm starting to grunt and bear down and I felt her head about an inch inside. It was so intense. I pushed hard about 3 times, and then I was like, "I am NOT having this baby in the van as we drive down I-5... and my contractions slowed way down. When I felt the urge to push I only pushed small, tiny pushes. Tony was so awesome, just driving fast and telling me it was OK and I was doing everything right. At some point Thor, our four year old, woke up and very excitedly asked if we were going to the airport! Then saying he forgot his bag and didn't have any snacks. I actually remember laughing at this point... my kids were awake, I was nearly pushing a baby out on the floor of our VW Vanagon as we sped down I-5. I actually hilariously laughed about this tot he point of tears as we left our midwive's house a few hours ago. Anyway, at that point I was severely uncomfortable, but pushing actually felt good.
We got to our midwife's house in Ballard at about 1:15am. Jane met us in the driveway and I walked into the house... I have never felt such a flood of relief in my entire life -- I think I cried and said, "Oh thank god we're here!!" and dropped to the floor on my knees to push through a contraction. Our midwife had candles lit, it was dark, it smelled wonderful, and I heard the tub filling. Jane kept telling me I was safe, and it was just what I needed to hear. I pushed through a couple contractions on the bed, then when the tub was full I got in there and it was completely awesome. My mom arrived with my sister, and Jodilyn came in. Pushing felt really amazing and I kept my hand down on my vagina feeling her bulge out, and feeling myself stretch. I kept getting disappointed when she'd come out and then go back in... but mw and Jane kept reminding me that was helping me stretch gently. Then, at 2:15 or so she started crowning and I distinctly remember looking over Jane's head at a bottle of clorox on our midwife's shelf, hearing my husband get excited, and thinking what an intensely amazing, just freaking powerful experience I was having. I felt so lucid at that moment. I did through the whole birth, really. It's hard to explain. I felt like I was so in control and was talking myself through everything. In the next push her head was out, in the next contraction her body was out, and I let out a scream. Jane and my husband caught her and put her on my chest and I was seriously completely in shock! She was actually sleeping, and was so peaceful. She didn't cry at all.
And there I was, surrounded by some truly amazing people -- Jane, our midwife, Jodilyn, my husband, my mom and sister... all of us admiring our new baby, and nobody took her away or did anything but said they were proud of me. It was simply the most powerful moment of my life. I felt this outpouring of gratitude for our birth team. What would I have done without them? What would I have done without people to support me and believe in me in this most amazing moment?
She was 9 lbs 2 oz, and I had two small tears. My bottom is very sore, but I am not surprised after having 9 lbs come through there in 2 hours. My kids are fascinated by all of this and my four year old asked me why I was wearing diapers and my two year old keeps fawning over Evvy and saying, "NEW baby"!!!
I must go shower and eat, but I wanted to share this with you all. I feel so incredibly in awe of the experience, and it was so different, night and day, from my hospital vbac attempt which involved induction and pitocin. Night and day.
Pics here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...5&id=668456704
---------------------------------- birth story added
My 9lb 2oz baby girl was nearly born in our van. My water broke at 11:40 pm last night and I called our midwife right away. She said to head over to the other side. I checked the ferry schedule and realized the last ferry was at 12:30pm. So we tossed everything in the van, Tony grabbed the kids out of bed, and we left. I started having contractions immediately that were about 2-3 min apart, and strong. We got to the ferry, only one other car in line. Told them I was in labor and they started asking questions... how far apart are the contractions? Is this your first baby? And at one point I heard the captain on the radio say, "They should just go to whidbey general or call 911." Tony, my husband, was like, "We are NOT doing that! We just need to get over there NOW!" I remember hearing the confidence in his voice and being so relieved. On the ferry my contractions came sometimes every minute. I started to get a bit panicky, and during contrax I was saying, "Wait, baby, wait, baby, wait, baby..." They were very strong but very managable. We finally got to the other side and I layed down on the floor of the van. This whole time my 4 year old was sound asleep but my two year old was awake, happy, in her carseat. But she started asking for snacks, and I tossed her a yogurt. I layed down on the floor of the van and immediately felt myself start pushing. This is in Mukilteo. I'm realizing I'm starting to grunt and bear down and I felt her head about an inch inside. It was so intense. I pushed hard about 3 times, and then I was like, "I am NOT having this baby in the van as we drive down I-5... and my contractions slowed way down. When I felt the urge to push I only pushed small, tiny pushes. Tony was so awesome, just driving fast and telling me it was OK and I was doing everything right. At some point Thor, our four year old, woke up and very excitedly asked if we were going to the airport! Then saying he forgot his bag and didn't have any snacks. I actually remember laughing at this point... my kids were awake, I was nearly pushing a baby out on the floor of our VW Vanagon as we sped down I-5. I actually hilariously laughed about this tot he point of tears as we left our midwive's house a few hours ago. Anyway, at that point I was severely uncomfortable, but pushing actually felt good.
We got to our midwife's house in Ballard at about 1:15am. Jane met us in the driveway and I walked into the house... I have never felt such a flood of relief in my entire life -- I think I cried and said, "Oh thank god we're here!!" and dropped to the floor on my knees to push through a contraction. Our midwife had candles lit, it was dark, it smelled wonderful, and I heard the tub filling. Jane kept telling me I was safe, and it was just what I needed to hear. I pushed through a couple contractions on the bed, then when the tub was full I got in there and it was completely awesome. My mom arrived with my sister, and Jodilyn came in. Pushing felt really amazing and I kept my hand down on my vagina feeling her bulge out, and feeling myself stretch. I kept getting disappointed when she'd come out and then go back in... but mw and Jane kept reminding me that was helping me stretch gently. Then, at 2:15 or so she started crowning and I distinctly remember looking over Jane's head at a bottle of clorox on our midwife's shelf, hearing my husband get excited, and thinking what an intensely amazing, just freaking powerful experience I was having. I felt so lucid at that moment. I did through the whole birth, really. It's hard to explain. I felt like I was so in control and was talking myself through everything. In the next push her head was out, in the next contraction her body was out, and I let out a scream. Jane and my husband caught her and put her on my chest and I was seriously completely in shock! She was actually sleeping, and was so peaceful. She didn't cry at all.
And there I was, surrounded by some truly amazing people -- Jane, our midwife, Jodilyn, my husband, my mom and sister... all of us admiring our new baby, and nobody took her away or did anything but said they were proud of me. It was simply the most powerful moment of my life. I felt this outpouring of gratitude for our birth team. What would I have done without them? What would I have done without people to support me and believe in me in this most amazing moment?
She was 9 lbs 2 oz, and I had two small tears. My bottom is very sore, but I am not surprised after having 9 lbs come through there in 2 hours. My kids are fascinated by all of this and my four year old asked me why I was wearing diapers and my two year old keeps fawning over Evvy and saying, "NEW baby"!!!
I must go shower and eat, but I wanted to share this with you all. I feel so incredibly in awe of the experience, and it was so different, night and day, from my hospital vbac attempt which involved induction and pitocin. Night and day.
Pics here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...5&id=668456704
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