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Valin Atticus
Born at home in the water
Monday, April 6, 2009
2:12am
7#4 and 20.5"
14" head with a nuchal hand
Here are a few sneak peak pictures:
http://earthmamaphotography.blogspot...-mckinney.html
It started with several nights of prodromal labor last week. Alison and Elizabeth were my phone support during those days. It was so nice to talk to other women who understood. They both asked if I needed anything, but really, their voices on the phone was exactly what I needed. So there you have it... even midwives who have been attending births for years, and have had 2 previous births personally, still question, "Is this labor or not?"
Then Friday night, the contractions were painful enough to wake me from a dead sleep. I was asleep, dreaming. In my dream, I was attending a prenatal appointment for a nameless, faceless client. But, I remembered thinking her belly looked very familiar to me. I was palpating, and as I did such I felt a contraction start to build under my fingers. I told the client, "Yes, this is a contraction. Oh, it hurts down by your bikini line? Ah, yes, that's cervical change going on. Oh, and it's building? Yes, that's right. A contraction builds and falls like a wave." And at that point, I realized the belly on the exam table was my own, and I woke from my dream at the height of a very strong contraction.
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I had to get onto hands-and-knees or rock my hips during the contractions… but I was able to doze between them. This continued from 12:30am to 6:30am when Julian came into my room seeking some mama comfort after having a nightmare. The contractions stopped and we went about our day. Saturday night, same routine. About six hours in the middle of the night of contractions that made me have to get up and move, but I slept between them… and then as the sun came up, the contractions died down.
Sunday, I sent Chris and the boys out of the house, and I just relaxed by myself with a good book. At noon, the contractions started again and were consistently 30 minutes apart. I was very encouraged that I was having daytime contractions. Chris and the boys brought home steak and pasta for dinner, around 6:30pm, and I no sooner sat down to eat than the contractions started picking up a bit. I ate between contractions and when a contraction hit, I went into Jeffrey's bedroom or the bathroom, and labored alone in the dark. I paced, danced, hung on to the loft bed, and rocked my hips around. I didn't want to call Bonnie too early, because I'd had enough nights of it starting and stopping. Although, I did call Alison, and told her, "You know how you asked if I needed anything? Well, if THIS isn't real labor... bring me a gun!" I joked. She pm'd me, reminding me there is a gun range halfway between her house and mine.
But, at 8pm I was feeling very confident at calling this labor. I checked myself, and I was a good 3+cm, 80%, with a bulging bag of water. I called Bonnie at 8pm to let her know it was time to come out. I felt good dealing with labor alone, but I also knew Bonnie had an hours' drive ahead of her… and my last birth I went from 4cm to birth in three hours. And I knew we were heading to active labor quickly. Chris put the kids to bed, and Bonnie and Kim arrived around 9pm. Together with my husband, we all enjoyed visiting between contractions. Again, when the contractions hit, I left the room and went to deal with the contractions in my closet, or my bedroom. I enjoyed hanging from the chin-up bar we have, pacing, rocking on hands and knees, and leaning over the bed or a stool. Anything to keep moving. I kept thinking "How in the heck do people have un-medicated birth in a hospital?!?! I simply can't imagine how much more painful it must be if you can't just MOVE anywhere and everywhere that your body takes you."
At one point, Chris asked if we had called the film crew yet. For those that don't already know, I've been working for the past year and a half with a production company on a TV series on midwifery care and homebirth. When I got pregnant in the middle of the project, they were particularly interested in seeing a midwife go through her own pregnancy and birth and working with a newborn. I thought in my head "Don't bring the film crew up, Chris. I don't care if they don't come. They're not going to be able to film anything anyways since I like laboring alone in the pitch dark." But, I didn't verbalize this, and Bonnie said, not yet. A little later she asked if she could call them so that they could get set up before I was further into labor-land. She didn't want them disturbing me once I was in harder labor. At that point, I said sure, have them come. Because by then, I didn't care.
![]()
Elizabeth came and started shooting pictures, and we discussed that we were just going to play it by ear, since she was going to have to turn off her speed-light, and go with whatever lighting the film crew set up. I didn't notice either Elizabeth or the film crew most of the time I was in labor. I was simply oblivious to them. I remember talking to Elizabeth as a friend, and I remember some doula-esque encouraging words from her… but I just don't remember her taking pictures.
At 11:40pm, I checked myself, and found that I was a good 4cms. Cervix was still about 80%, nicely anterior, and the bag wasn't bulging this time when I checked. But, there was certainly one part that was not quite as soft as the rest - at around the 7 o'clock position. I remember noting that, but I'm not sure if I reported that to Bonnie and Kim or not. I mostly labored in the living room at this point, staying closer to my team, but certainly going within myself during contractions and getting up to move. I spent a few contractions with just my husband swaying and slow-dancing in our bathroom, but then I came back out to our group in the living room. I felt much more in control than I had with my previous births. It was so very different, as I've always had very bad back labor before. This time it was all felt up front. In addition, I've always needed every-single-contraction hands-on support from my husband… but this time, I really just wanted to be left alone for the most part. There were only a few contractions where I really welcomed touch. Chris was perfect. He left me alone when I needed to be left alone, and he was immediately there whenever I need anything. Whether I wanted to hold his hand, look into his eyes, or have him just stroke my hair and tell me I was doing great. I did use the rice sock for a little bit to help. But my favorite was just dancing, stomping my feet, and swing my hips from side to side. I felt like a tribal dancer pounding out the rhythm and the power of the labor from my hips all the way down into the floor. Eventually, it was time to get into the tub. As soon as I was in the tub, I felt as if I had to push. I tried to check myself, and I couldn't feel any cervix, but I wasn't 100%, as there was a big bulging bag. But the urge to push was overwhelming.
We called my in-laws and told them it was time to come. The boys woke up and came down to witness the birth. My in-laws arrived shortly thereafter. At that point, I really was excited that my father-in-law was going to be able to witness a natural, home waterbirth.
I pushed for a little bit, but realized it was hurting. I checked again, and I had a bit of a swollen anterior lip. At that point was when I felt like I really needed my midwives and my husband to rally behind me and give me some support. I had been doing well until then, but I really needed some extra strength from those around me for the next part. Bonnie's voice was soothing as she talked me through trying not to push and envisioning the cervix melting away and up and over the baby's head. Chris held me in the tub and whispered into my ear. I did good for several contractions, but then the urge was too much, and I looked Bonnie in the eye and said, "Help me get that cervix over the head." She asked if I was sure, and I said yes. She held the cervix as I pushed, and it was done. My water then broke, and baby came fast down the birth canal to a crown. Wow! I was not expecting the head to come so quickly! I've always had to push for a while. But, nope. This time, second stage lasted a whole 3 minutes.
I knew that this was a smaller weight baby than my previous children from palpation (Julian was 8#3, River 8#1, and I was guessing this baby was between 7#8 and 7#15) … but I didn't realize he was going to have a bigger head than my other two! I could tell immediately though that he felt bigger during the crowning. And, the little guy decided to have a nuchal hand as well. I was planning on catching him myself, but when his head was out, and I could tell we had a tight fit with the hand, I asked Bonnie for a little help. Together, we held him as he made his way into the world. Valin Atticus was born at 2:12am after about 2 ½ hours of active labor. Valin was 7#4… even smaller than I had thought! (I asked Chris later if he was SURE they read the scale right! I couldn't believe he was really that small!)
I took one look at his face, and I simply knew he was a boy -- no need whatsoever to check between the legs. River, my 5yo, came over and I let him look under the towel, and he announced "That's an umbilical cord!" He was so proud to know what that was! Then we moved the cord aside, and he then announced to everyone, "It's a boy!"
I got out of the tub to squat and deliver the placenta. And then Julian, my 6yo, cut the cord, while I sat down leaning up against the birth tub. After that, we moved to the bedroom, and Valin latched on immediately, as if he'd been doing it for months. We settled in and loved on him for a while, before the newborn exam.
Perineum was intact, with a small tear up inside where his hand got me a little, but I declined the stitch. I bled considerably more than my other two births, which I know concerned Bonnie and Kim a bit… but I felt fine - at first. Just as they were wrapping up though, as I was laying in bed… I did start to see some stars. So, they slammed me with fluids and food, and I started to feel much better. I realized, although I had a good dinner at 6:30pm… I really hadn't eaten as much as I should have in labor. Once Bonnie was assured that I was doing well, she tucked us all into bed and left us to sleep.
All in all, it was a fabulous birth. And while it was very different from my last birth, the timeline was almost identical.
River's birth: early labor started at 1pm, active labor at 11pm, birth at 1:57am
Valin's birth: early labor started at noon, active labor at 11:40pm, birth at 2:12am
Born at home in the water
Monday, April 6, 2009
2:12am
7#4 and 20.5"
14" head with a nuchal hand
Here are a few sneak peak pictures:
http://earthmamaphotography.blogspot...-mckinney.html
It started with several nights of prodromal labor last week. Alison and Elizabeth were my phone support during those days. It was so nice to talk to other women who understood. They both asked if I needed anything, but really, their voices on the phone was exactly what I needed. So there you have it... even midwives who have been attending births for years, and have had 2 previous births personally, still question, "Is this labor or not?"
Then Friday night, the contractions were painful enough to wake me from a dead sleep. I was asleep, dreaming. In my dream, I was attending a prenatal appointment for a nameless, faceless client. But, I remembered thinking her belly looked very familiar to me. I was palpating, and as I did such I felt a contraction start to build under my fingers. I told the client, "Yes, this is a contraction. Oh, it hurts down by your bikini line? Ah, yes, that's cervical change going on. Oh, and it's building? Yes, that's right. A contraction builds and falls like a wave." And at that point, I realized the belly on the exam table was my own, and I woke from my dream at the height of a very strong contraction.
I had to get onto hands-and-knees or rock my hips during the contractions… but I was able to doze between them. This continued from 12:30am to 6:30am when Julian came into my room seeking some mama comfort after having a nightmare. The contractions stopped and we went about our day. Saturday night, same routine. About six hours in the middle of the night of contractions that made me have to get up and move, but I slept between them… and then as the sun came up, the contractions died down.
Sunday, I sent Chris and the boys out of the house, and I just relaxed by myself with a good book. At noon, the contractions started again and were consistently 30 minutes apart. I was very encouraged that I was having daytime contractions. Chris and the boys brought home steak and pasta for dinner, around 6:30pm, and I no sooner sat down to eat than the contractions started picking up a bit. I ate between contractions and when a contraction hit, I went into Jeffrey's bedroom or the bathroom, and labored alone in the dark. I paced, danced, hung on to the loft bed, and rocked my hips around. I didn't want to call Bonnie too early, because I'd had enough nights of it starting and stopping. Although, I did call Alison, and told her, "You know how you asked if I needed anything? Well, if THIS isn't real labor... bring me a gun!" I joked. She pm'd me, reminding me there is a gun range halfway between her house and mine.
But, at 8pm I was feeling very confident at calling this labor. I checked myself, and I was a good 3+cm, 80%, with a bulging bag of water. I called Bonnie at 8pm to let her know it was time to come out. I felt good dealing with labor alone, but I also knew Bonnie had an hours' drive ahead of her… and my last birth I went from 4cm to birth in three hours. And I knew we were heading to active labor quickly. Chris put the kids to bed, and Bonnie and Kim arrived around 9pm. Together with my husband, we all enjoyed visiting between contractions. Again, when the contractions hit, I left the room and went to deal with the contractions in my closet, or my bedroom. I enjoyed hanging from the chin-up bar we have, pacing, rocking on hands and knees, and leaning over the bed or a stool. Anything to keep moving. I kept thinking "How in the heck do people have un-medicated birth in a hospital?!?! I simply can't imagine how much more painful it must be if you can't just MOVE anywhere and everywhere that your body takes you."
At one point, Chris asked if we had called the film crew yet. For those that don't already know, I've been working for the past year and a half with a production company on a TV series on midwifery care and homebirth. When I got pregnant in the middle of the project, they were particularly interested in seeing a midwife go through her own pregnancy and birth and working with a newborn. I thought in my head "Don't bring the film crew up, Chris. I don't care if they don't come. They're not going to be able to film anything anyways since I like laboring alone in the pitch dark." But, I didn't verbalize this, and Bonnie said, not yet. A little later she asked if she could call them so that they could get set up before I was further into labor-land. She didn't want them disturbing me once I was in harder labor. At that point, I said sure, have them come. Because by then, I didn't care.
Elizabeth came and started shooting pictures, and we discussed that we were just going to play it by ear, since she was going to have to turn off her speed-light, and go with whatever lighting the film crew set up. I didn't notice either Elizabeth or the film crew most of the time I was in labor. I was simply oblivious to them. I remember talking to Elizabeth as a friend, and I remember some doula-esque encouraging words from her… but I just don't remember her taking pictures.
At 11:40pm, I checked myself, and found that I was a good 4cms. Cervix was still about 80%, nicely anterior, and the bag wasn't bulging this time when I checked. But, there was certainly one part that was not quite as soft as the rest - at around the 7 o'clock position. I remember noting that, but I'm not sure if I reported that to Bonnie and Kim or not. I mostly labored in the living room at this point, staying closer to my team, but certainly going within myself during contractions and getting up to move. I spent a few contractions with just my husband swaying and slow-dancing in our bathroom, but then I came back out to our group in the living room. I felt much more in control than I had with my previous births. It was so very different, as I've always had very bad back labor before. This time it was all felt up front. In addition, I've always needed every-single-contraction hands-on support from my husband… but this time, I really just wanted to be left alone for the most part. There were only a few contractions where I really welcomed touch. Chris was perfect. He left me alone when I needed to be left alone, and he was immediately there whenever I need anything. Whether I wanted to hold his hand, look into his eyes, or have him just stroke my hair and tell me I was doing great. I did use the rice sock for a little bit to help. But my favorite was just dancing, stomping my feet, and swing my hips from side to side. I felt like a tribal dancer pounding out the rhythm and the power of the labor from my hips all the way down into the floor. Eventually, it was time to get into the tub. As soon as I was in the tub, I felt as if I had to push. I tried to check myself, and I couldn't feel any cervix, but I wasn't 100%, as there was a big bulging bag. But the urge to push was overwhelming.
We called my in-laws and told them it was time to come. The boys woke up and came down to witness the birth. My in-laws arrived shortly thereafter. At that point, I really was excited that my father-in-law was going to be able to witness a natural, home waterbirth.
I pushed for a little bit, but realized it was hurting. I checked again, and I had a bit of a swollen anterior lip. At that point was when I felt like I really needed my midwives and my husband to rally behind me and give me some support. I had been doing well until then, but I really needed some extra strength from those around me for the next part. Bonnie's voice was soothing as she talked me through trying not to push and envisioning the cervix melting away and up and over the baby's head. Chris held me in the tub and whispered into my ear. I did good for several contractions, but then the urge was too much, and I looked Bonnie in the eye and said, "Help me get that cervix over the head." She asked if I was sure, and I said yes. She held the cervix as I pushed, and it was done. My water then broke, and baby came fast down the birth canal to a crown. Wow! I was not expecting the head to come so quickly! I've always had to push for a while. But, nope. This time, second stage lasted a whole 3 minutes.
I knew that this was a smaller weight baby than my previous children from palpation (Julian was 8#3, River 8#1, and I was guessing this baby was between 7#8 and 7#15) … but I didn't realize he was going to have a bigger head than my other two! I could tell immediately though that he felt bigger during the crowning. And, the little guy decided to have a nuchal hand as well. I was planning on catching him myself, but when his head was out, and I could tell we had a tight fit with the hand, I asked Bonnie for a little help. Together, we held him as he made his way into the world. Valin Atticus was born at 2:12am after about 2 ½ hours of active labor. Valin was 7#4… even smaller than I had thought! (I asked Chris later if he was SURE they read the scale right! I couldn't believe he was really that small!)
I took one look at his face, and I simply knew he was a boy -- no need whatsoever to check between the legs. River, my 5yo, came over and I let him look under the towel, and he announced "That's an umbilical cord!" He was so proud to know what that was! Then we moved the cord aside, and he then announced to everyone, "It's a boy!"
I got out of the tub to squat and deliver the placenta. And then Julian, my 6yo, cut the cord, while I sat down leaning up against the birth tub. After that, we moved to the bedroom, and Valin latched on immediately, as if he'd been doing it for months. We settled in and loved on him for a while, before the newborn exam.
Perineum was intact, with a small tear up inside where his hand got me a little, but I declined the stitch. I bled considerably more than my other two births, which I know concerned Bonnie and Kim a bit… but I felt fine - at first. Just as they were wrapping up though, as I was laying in bed… I did start to see some stars. So, they slammed me with fluids and food, and I started to feel much better. I realized, although I had a good dinner at 6:30pm… I really hadn't eaten as much as I should have in labor. Once Bonnie was assured that I was doing well, she tucked us all into bed and left us to sleep.
All in all, it was a fabulous birth. And while it was very different from my last birth, the timeline was almost identical.
River's birth: early labor started at 1pm, active labor at 11pm, birth at 1:57am
Valin's birth: early labor started at noon, active labor at 11:40pm, birth at 2:12am
