Feathere
11-12-2005, 12:06 PM
Hello,
Just wanted to let you know that I had my baby! It was an amazing experience, one I never expected. I don't think I have time for the full story, but the highlights include...
she's a girl, Adele Elizabeth, and she weighs 7p 15 oz, and is 21 and a half inches long. She was born November 9th, at 11:27 am.
I had a very short labor---maybe 4 and half hours if you count everything, which I don't, because I didn't really believe I was in labor until, well, I felt the head move down. I know that sounds odd, but everything happened so fast. I lost my mucus plug (partly) on Tuesday, and woke up Wednesday morning losing more. I still had no contractions. I walked on the treadmill for half a mile at 7, and had 3 contractions, but I figured they would stop--that had happened before. I went about the usual morning stuff, dressing DD, making her breakfast and mine, and started to think maybe the contractions would be lasting. I called the MW, but downplayed what was happening, since i had not timed them or figured out if they were regular. She asked me to call her back later. A friend called, and I told her maybe this was it, but it would probably be a while since my first labor lasted a good long time. She told me to call my spouse and get him home, even if it did take a while... I am glad I listened to her! We agreed that I would call her back soon so she could come collect DD.
DH got home at 9:40. Between when I called him and he arrived, I figured contractions were 3 minutes apart and 30 seconds long. Since I knew they could last up to a minute and a half I wasn't concerned, because I told myself I had to conserve energy for the 'big' ones. HA! I showered, which felt great, dressed, and dried my hair,. Then I called my friend who was to be my other labor support person and told her to get to my house between 11 and 11:30--thinking, surely, it will be a while. I called the MW between contractions and told her I felt sort of pukey whenever I had a rush, and then she asked to speak to DH. I guess that was transition, but I didn't realize it.
By 10:30, my friend had collected dd, and I decided that I wanted a change from kneeling and rocking on the birth ball. I went to my bed and had a couple contractions with DH rubbing my back. Then I had a huge rush and my water broke with a gush. I jumped out of bed (the good sheets were still on it and I didn't want them getting any grosser) and ran to the toilet to disrobe. I found meconium in the water and on my underclothes, which scared me. All this time DH was on the phone with the MW, who told him to get me on my hands and knees.
For that, I went to the dining room, where DH had set up a carpet cover and chux pads, and a few of our supplies. I got the birth ball again and leaned and rocked, feeling more contractions. Everything gets a bit hazy from here on. DH called my friend Steph again and asked her to hurry, and he talked to the MW more. About 11:10 or 11:15, Steph arrived, to hear DH say 'I see the head'. I still don't know what she thought when she heard that!
As much as I was 'right there' in the moment for every contraction, I didn't honestly believe that I was going to have the baby right then without the midwife. It wasn't until I felt the head move down that it all became very vivid--the baby was coming, and my husband was going to catch her, and it would be over. I had more contractions and started to feel the 'ring of fire' intensely. DH asked me to breath slowly and not push, and the MW told him to get me to raise one leg to open the pelvis. By the grace of Heaven and Steph's help I did that, and I heard DH say "I see eyes, a nose, ok, the head is out." What words to hear! I felt slightly relieved when the head was born, but not total... after a short rest, I had another contraction, and the body came, which seemed bigger than the head, but faster. (Later, the chest measured broader than the head.)
I looked behind me, and Steph said "She's beautiful" so i knew I had another daughter. We looked at her and I could see her breathe, and her eyes flutter, and then she mewwed a bit, and I felt so relived to have a healthy baby. DH passed her thru my legs, and we got settled somewhat, trying to nurse and keep her warm.
It was amazing. My husband is a wonderful, peaceful person, and he was astoundingly calm the whole time, so reassuring. I am still stunned to think how fast it was, and how easy it was, too. Not that it didn't hurt, but it was such a unique feeling, 'pain' doesn't describe the sensation at all.
The MW arrived about 45 minutes later, to help me deliver the placenta. DH was more than happy to have nothing to do with that! Then we cut the cord, dressed Adele, I showered and dressed, and we all sat around looking at each other, having some banana bread and thinking, what a morning. I called my friend to bring DD home, and we all had a visit. After everyone cleared out, I put my firstborn down for a nap--just an hour past her usual time--and Adele, DH, and I took a rest, too.
It was the homebirth I had prayed for, with the bonus of my daughter being born into her father's arms.
Just wanted to let you know that I had my baby! It was an amazing experience, one I never expected. I don't think I have time for the full story, but the highlights include...
she's a girl, Adele Elizabeth, and she weighs 7p 15 oz, and is 21 and a half inches long. She was born November 9th, at 11:27 am.
I had a very short labor---maybe 4 and half hours if you count everything, which I don't, because I didn't really believe I was in labor until, well, I felt the head move down. I know that sounds odd, but everything happened so fast. I lost my mucus plug (partly) on Tuesday, and woke up Wednesday morning losing more. I still had no contractions. I walked on the treadmill for half a mile at 7, and had 3 contractions, but I figured they would stop--that had happened before. I went about the usual morning stuff, dressing DD, making her breakfast and mine, and started to think maybe the contractions would be lasting. I called the MW, but downplayed what was happening, since i had not timed them or figured out if they were regular. She asked me to call her back later. A friend called, and I told her maybe this was it, but it would probably be a while since my first labor lasted a good long time. She told me to call my spouse and get him home, even if it did take a while... I am glad I listened to her! We agreed that I would call her back soon so she could come collect DD.
DH got home at 9:40. Between when I called him and he arrived, I figured contractions were 3 minutes apart and 30 seconds long. Since I knew they could last up to a minute and a half I wasn't concerned, because I told myself I had to conserve energy for the 'big' ones. HA! I showered, which felt great, dressed, and dried my hair,. Then I called my friend who was to be my other labor support person and told her to get to my house between 11 and 11:30--thinking, surely, it will be a while. I called the MW between contractions and told her I felt sort of pukey whenever I had a rush, and then she asked to speak to DH. I guess that was transition, but I didn't realize it.
By 10:30, my friend had collected dd, and I decided that I wanted a change from kneeling and rocking on the birth ball. I went to my bed and had a couple contractions with DH rubbing my back. Then I had a huge rush and my water broke with a gush. I jumped out of bed (the good sheets were still on it and I didn't want them getting any grosser) and ran to the toilet to disrobe. I found meconium in the water and on my underclothes, which scared me. All this time DH was on the phone with the MW, who told him to get me on my hands and knees.
For that, I went to the dining room, where DH had set up a carpet cover and chux pads, and a few of our supplies. I got the birth ball again and leaned and rocked, feeling more contractions. Everything gets a bit hazy from here on. DH called my friend Steph again and asked her to hurry, and he talked to the MW more. About 11:10 or 11:15, Steph arrived, to hear DH say 'I see the head'. I still don't know what she thought when she heard that!
As much as I was 'right there' in the moment for every contraction, I didn't honestly believe that I was going to have the baby right then without the midwife. It wasn't until I felt the head move down that it all became very vivid--the baby was coming, and my husband was going to catch her, and it would be over. I had more contractions and started to feel the 'ring of fire' intensely. DH asked me to breath slowly and not push, and the MW told him to get me to raise one leg to open the pelvis. By the grace of Heaven and Steph's help I did that, and I heard DH say "I see eyes, a nose, ok, the head is out." What words to hear! I felt slightly relieved when the head was born, but not total... after a short rest, I had another contraction, and the body came, which seemed bigger than the head, but faster. (Later, the chest measured broader than the head.)
I looked behind me, and Steph said "She's beautiful" so i knew I had another daughter. We looked at her and I could see her breathe, and her eyes flutter, and then she mewwed a bit, and I felt so relived to have a healthy baby. DH passed her thru my legs, and we got settled somewhat, trying to nurse and keep her warm.
It was amazing. My husband is a wonderful, peaceful person, and he was astoundingly calm the whole time, so reassuring. I am still stunned to think how fast it was, and how easy it was, too. Not that it didn't hurt, but it was such a unique feeling, 'pain' doesn't describe the sensation at all.
The MW arrived about 45 minutes later, to help me deliver the placenta. DH was more than happy to have nothing to do with that! Then we cut the cord, dressed Adele, I showered and dressed, and we all sat around looking at each other, having some banana bread and thinking, what a morning. I called my friend to bring DD home, and we all had a visit. After everyone cleared out, I put my firstborn down for a nap--just an hour past her usual time--and Adele, DH, and I took a rest, too.
It was the homebirth I had prayed for, with the bonus of my daughter being born into her father's arms.