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Ruby Sage

1K views 9 replies 9 participants last post by  drarmywife 
#1 ·
Monday morning I woke up at 715, one week late, and felt absolutely nothing. Since my last two births started with me "waking to contractions ", I was immediately sulky that "nothing was going to happen today". I went to the bathroom, came back to bed, and my 2 1/2 yr old woke up and wanted to nurse. As I was nursing her, I noticed I was having very slight surges in my uterus. I assumed it was because I was nursing, and convinced myself it meant nothing. But within the next 10 minutes, they were slightly stronger, and timeable, so I stopped nursing to see what would happen. I had two more that were even stronger, and only several minutes apart, so I called my midwife- who was a bit paranoid about me going quickly, and had drilled it into my to call if *anything* changed :) she said she was on her way, and to call my friend/midwife who was also coming. During that ten minute call, I had three contractions, and her mood changed from "oh, (the other midwife) is coming now?" To "I'm putting clothes on, I'll be there as soon as I can, go lay down until someone gets there!" The contractions were just building so quickly! I jumped in the shower to rinse off, and within a few minutes felt like I should in fact lay down, because the contractions were just feeling very intense. I laid down in my bed on my side, and with my daughters handing me different colored markers and helping to "decorate" my paper, wrote out a list of affirmations that I had been meaning to write out- nothing like waiting until the last minute! By then the first midwife had arrived, and I knew I was going to have the baby today, but I didn't know how quickly- it was around 830/845. Things got a bit blurry, my main midwife arrived, along with my friend/birth photographer and my friend/chiropractor. My husband was busy cleaning up and setting up our bed, getting everyone breakfast, etc. and my girls just kept on with their morning and checked on me every few minutes.

I laid on my bed on my side as couldnt locate baby's heartbeat while I was standing, she was so low- this was probably around 930?? 10?? I really don't know how long everything lasted, but I didn't want to get back up after we found the heartbeat, so I continued to labor on my side. I felt like things were very intense but I was still so lucid in between these contractions that I didn't believe how close I was. One of the midwives asked if I felt like pushing, did I want her to check me, and I should probably turn from my side to my back and open my hips. I stubbornly said no, and probably endured a bit more transition than I needed to :) I knew what was next and I was scared! But then I turned and opened my legs and there was no turning back. She was coming!!

I have never felt my babies head as they were crowning, seen them coming out except in photos after, or grabbed them first myself. This time I had told my midwife I wanted to try, but I was afraid that in the moment, I wouldn't want to, I'd just want to get it over with, so could they please encourage me to do all those things?
As her head crowned, my wonderful midwife friend grabbed my hand and placed it on my baby's crowning head- my eyes popped open and I snapped back to the room and was so aware of everything- the other midwife held the mirror and I looked, and cried out when the mirror shifted and I couldn't see! I watched her crown as I felt myself stretch and burn, and because I was so aware, for the first time I was able to pant and ease her out and not push with all my might. I don't know how my mind could comprehend all that pain, while seeing it- it was incredibly surreal. I could see my three other daughters and my husband Andrew amazing women who were there with me, I felt so present- and as her head came out, I pushed a bit more, her body started coming out and as I watched in the mirro what my amazing body was capable of, I reached down and pulled her onto me- I was squealing "I just had a baby! Oh my gosh, I just had a baby! You guys, I did it!" I felt like it was the first time! I was in such awe. And everyone was crying, there was so much emotion in the room, I was almost hysterical with happiness, I can't even really explain the mood of the room or why it was like that- it was our fourth baby, our first surprise baby, and my husband and I both feel like the emotion that happened when she was born was just completely unlike the emotion from our other births! Life is fascinating :)

She was born at 1030 am, so about 2 hrs from "this is happening today" to birth, and 3 hours from the first twinge of anything to birth. Amazing. It was the fastest, she was the smallest (8.7lbs), I had the slightest tear (I tore with my two previous vaginal births) I bled the least- all in all this has been my easiest recovery so far.

My third HBAC. My fourth daughter. I am so blessed.
 

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#6 ·
@americanjuly- what a beautiful story! Thank you so much for sharing this! Your peace and bliss and love come through this story and made me cry and feel so exited and so happy for you and your family. I cannot believe how alert and strong your sweet girl is, so young! She is totally engaged with everyone! What a cool thing to be able to capture in these first few days!! There is no doubt that she picked her perfect birthday- she was ready and did a great job too with such fast birth! You, too, look amazing! Congrats to you and welcome to Ruby Sage- I love her name!
 
#7 ·
Monday morning I woke up at 715, one week late, and felt absolutely nothing. Since my last two births started with me "waking to contractions ", I was immediately sulky that "nothing was going to happen today". I went to the bathroom, came back to bed, and my 2 1/2 yr old woke up and wanted to nurse. As I was nursing her, I noticed I was having very slight surges in my uterus. I assumed it was because I was nursing, and convinced myself it meant nothing. But within the next 10 minutes, they were slightly stronger, and timeable, so I stopped nursing to see what would happen. I had two more that were even stronger, and only several minutes apart, so I called my midwife- who was a bit paranoid about me going quickly, and had drilled it into my to call if *anything* changed :) she said she was on her way, and to call my friend/midwife who was also coming. During that ten minute call, I had three contractions, and her mood changed from "oh, (the other midwife) is coming now?" To "I'm putting clothes on, I'll be there as soon as I can, go lay down until someone gets there!" The contractions were just building so quickly! I jumped in the shower to rinse off, and within a few minutes felt like I should in fact lay down, because the contractions were just feeling very intense. I laid down in my bed on my side, and with my daughters handing me different colored markers and helping to "decorate" my paper, wrote out a list of affirmations that I had been meaning to write out- nothing like waiting until the last minute! By then the first midwife had arrived, and I knew I was going to have the baby today, but I didn't know how quickly- it was around 830/845. Things got a bit blurry, my main midwife arrived, along with my friend/birth photographer and my friend/chiropractor. My husband was busy cleaning up and setting up our bed, getting everyone breakfast, etc. and my girls just kept on with their morning and checked on me every few minutes.

I laid on my bed on my side as couldnt locate baby's heartbeat while I was standing, she was so low- this was probably around 930?? 10?? I really don't know how long everything lasted, but I didn't want to get back up after we found the heartbeat, so I continued to labor on my side. I felt like things were very intense but I was still so lucid in between these contractions that I didn't believe how close I was. One of the midwives asked if I felt like pushing, did I want her to check me, and I should probably turn from my side to my back and open my hips. I stubbornly said no, and probably endured a bit more transition than I needed to :) I knew what was next and I was scared! But then I turned and opened my legs and there was no turning back. She was coming!!

I have never felt my babies head as they were crowning, seen them coming out except in photos after, or grabbed them first myself. This time I had told my midwife I wanted to try, but I was afraid that in the moment, I wouldn't want to, I'd just want to get it over with, so could they please encourage me to do all those things?
As her head crowned, my wonderful midwife friend grabbed my hand and placed it on my baby's crowning head- my eyes popped open and I snapped back to the room and was so aware of everything- the other midwife held the mirror and I looked, and cried out when the mirror shifted and I couldn't see! I watched her crown as I felt myself stretch and burn, and because I was so aware, for the first time I was able to pant and ease her out and not push with all my might. I don't know how my mind could comprehend all that pain, while seeing it- it was incredibly surreal. I could see my three other daughters and my husband Andrew amazing women who were there with me, I felt so present- and as her head came out, I pushed a bit more, her body started coming out and as I watched in the mirro what my amazing body was capable of, I reached down and pulled her onto me- I was squealing "I just had a baby! Oh my gosh, I just had a baby! You guys, I did it!" I felt like it was the first time! I was in such awe. And everyone was crying, there was so much emotion in the room, I was almost hysterical with happiness, I can't even really explain the mood of the room or why it was like that- it was our fourth baby, our first surprise baby, and my husband and I both feel like the emotion that happened when she was born was just completely unlike the emotion from our other births! Life is fascinating :)

She was born at 1030 am, so about 2 hrs from "this is happening today" to birth, and 3 hours from the first twinge of anything to birth. Amazing. It was the fastest, she was the smallest (8.7lbs), I had the slightest tear (I tore with my two previous vaginal births) I bled the least- all in all this has been my easiest recovery so far.

My third HBAC. My fourth daughter. I am so blessed.
DDCC from August - expecting my 4th (I have three girls, don't know what this baby is but I suspect if will be girl #4 ). Congratulations on your beautiful birth and your sweet 4th daughter. I was able to catch my second and third babies on my own and it brings me so much joy every time I come across a woman who has had that experience because I know how powerful it is...I will forever be thankful to the hospital midwife who first told me "reach down and catch your baby" for giving me that gift.

Enjoy your girls! :joy
 
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