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She's finally here with an amazingly fast uc birth! *updated with birth story

830 views 10 replies 11 participants last post by  tracymom1 
#1 ·
Baby Caroline Sara was born at 2:15 after 3 hours of labor. She's 6 lbs 11 ozs and 20 inches long. She's our tiniest and latest baby to come. Born at 41w2d. It was just wow!


Here's a terrible pic of me: http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...DSC_0001-5.jpg

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At 11:00 I started having contractions. They were coming about every 2-3 minutes and lasting a minute or so. I figured I had a long long time to go so I didn't make a big deal about it. Around 11:30 or 11:40 the contractions were still coming and I wasn't feeling so good. I told the kids to go on to bed. Fili had put Bella in a bathing suit (she wanted to put it on) and they were in the bathtub playing. He got her out and had put her to bed with Destiny. He came into our room and I told him I was having contractions. He started getting excited/nervous asking me if I wanted to call Amy (our midwife friend) or Paula (his sister). I told him that I really didn't want to bother Paula because I was sure the baby would be here maybe late Sunday night or Monday morning and didn't want to call for nothing. I didn't want to call Amy because he knew that we we had planned for an unassisted birth and that is what it was going to be! He finally convinced me to let him call his sister that way she could watch Bella if she woke up.
Paula got to the house around 12:20 or 12:30 am. She said hello to me and started helping Fili clean around the house. I had Fili bring in two bowls- one for the placenta and one for in case I vomited. The contractions were getting harder to handle so I told Fili to go ahead and fill the pool since I knew it be awhile for it to fill up. I was on the bed swaying my hips and rocking back and forth while holding a pillow. I suddenly felt nauseous and had Fili give me the bowl so I could throw up. So glad I had thought of that! At that point I started to wonder if this baby was coming faster than I thought. I don't usually vomit until right at the end of labor. Finally the pool was halfway full so I decided to go ahead and get in. Wow! The water was nice and warm and felt really good. Fili and Paula would ask me if I needed anything or water to drink. I don't really like to talk much during labor. I'm trying really hard focusing on relaxing and opening my cervix during contractions.
The contractions started getting more intense and harder to get through. I was trying to move in different positions and nothing was really working for me. I started to doubt myself. I started thinking that it was no way I could finish this and it was too hard. I started feeling pushy and I was thinking to myself that it was way too early to be feeling this way. The baby wasn't coming that soon! So on the next contraction, I tried a practice push. It hurt and I could feel the baby moving farther down. Gosh I knew then that she was coming now! I had dreamt of this nice serene and peaceful labor/birth where candles would be lit, music that I had picked for the birth played, Romeo and Destiny there with my camera and my video camera. But it was totally not like that at all. This labor was going extremely fast, my ipod was charging, candles weren't lit, and all of the kids were in bed! I let out a yell and Fili and Paula stopped what they were doing and rushed by my side. With the next contraction, I pushed again and the bag of waters was coming out and I could feel a slight burn. I was doing another push and was screaming because it was harder and could feel the ring of fire and I was trying to get the baby's head out. Romeo heard me screaming and came in to see what was going on. But Fili told him to go back to sleep. I had hoped the kids would want to see the birth. I don't mind it at all though if they don't want to. I wish Fili hadn't told him to go on.
I wish I thought of telling Romeo to get the camera/video camera. But I was pretty busy trying to hold on to the side of the pool. Fili got behind me and held on to me so I could be supported. Paula was in the front to the side of me. She was trying to encourage me to keep pushing and keep my legs open. I took little breaks whenever I didn't have a contraction. With the next contraction, I pushed long and hard and finally the baby came right out under the water. Fili picked the baby up and put her into my hands. I was crying and laughing and I couldn't believe it was over. It was amazing and extremely fast. The baby was covered in vernix. She was quiet and bluish purple when she came out. I tilted her sideways and she immediately coughed and then cried a little. She had a really short cord and she could just barely touch my breast with her lips. She was looking around rooting for the breast so I offered it to her. She only let it sit in her mouth and she would lick it a little.
Romeo came back in and I told him to take some pictures. We waited around 30 minutes or so to make sure the cord had stopped pulsing. Fili tied the cord with cord tape and cut the cord. He put her on the bed and started getting her dressed. I was still in the pool because the placenta hadn't came out all the way. I would push and it was coming out little by little. I didn't want to pull the cord so I sat waiting and watching Fili and Paula with the baby. Fili woke Destiny up and carried her in to see the baby. Romeo and Destiny both went back to sleep about 15-20 minutes later. I took some Placenta Out and waited. I had just decided to get out holding the placenta and lay on the bed. I thought that maybe if I fed the baby it would help the placenta come out. So I stood up to get out of the pool and the placenta finally slipped out. We put it in a bowl. I decided to go ahead and take a shower and then sit with the baby.
I had Fili make a smoothie with a chunk of the placenta. He put strawberries, banana, and orange juice and I could not taste any meatiness aka placenta at all. I got him to put the rest of the smoothie into paper cups and freeze them. Fili helped me encapsulate the rest of the placenta. I finally tried laying down and sleeping with the baby. I was so happy that I did this! It makes me feel like superwoman or something. I'm glad it was fast and that it happened at night. I was hoping for these two things although I didn't really think it would happen. I do wish I had more pics or video of the birth. The only thing I'd change about the birth is who I choose to have at it. Paula was really helpful and spent the rest of the morning cleaning. She stayed till 8 am and never went to sleep. But I really didn't appreciate her "helping/coaching" me during labor. Overall I'm glad I chose unassisted childbirth. It truly was a natural normal AMAZING event that millions of women have been through. I knew I could do it and spent most of my pregnancy reading up on labor and delivery. I wanted to make sure I was prepared for any kind of emergency. The next day we decided on Caroline Sara. She is beautiful with lots of black hair and dark bluish eyes. I think they'll probably turn to a lighter blue or green like her older brother/sister's eyes. So far she's quiet and alert, loves to breastfeed and be held at all times. She's absolutely lovely!

Caroline Sara
born 7-26-2009 unassisted waterbirth
at 2:15 am after 3 hours of labor
She weighed 6lbs 11 ozs and 20 inches long.
 
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#4 ·
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Congratulations! I don't know what you're talking about looking "terrible", you look so happy and beautiful. There's nothing like the glow of a new mom. Congrats again, enjoy your little one.
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