Our son was born on August 17th at 8:52am. He was 8lbs 5oz and 20 1/2 inches long. He was 12 days late and it was the most frustrating thing waiting for a baby! We didn’t intervene with nature and it repayed us ten fold.
My water broke during our dinner at 7:30 on the 16th. Not much, was just a little puddle and the tiniest bit of mucus plug. I was sure it was going to be another week. Looking back, I know I was trying not to get my hopes up. We went for a walk around our neighborhood in the cool evening air and gazed at the stars. I started having surges that were serious around 9pm. I used Clary sage essential oil and copaiba oil on a hankie to encourage surges to be stronger and more frequent and help me stay focused on them. We also used the oils in a diffuser. I breathed through each surge listening to the rainbow relaxation on a birth ball. Bill was close to me. My mom (midwife) was filling up the birth pool and setting up for a baby to be born!
At around 1 a.m. I was ready to get in the pool. We had it set up in the baby’s room and it was dark with lots of candles. I was absolutely unaware that it was 1 am. It really felt like it had only been about an hour since dinner. By this time my other midwife, Pat had arrived. So excited to see another generation birth as she delivered me when I was born. She was also at all three of my sister’s births and delivered my sister also. Both midwives and Bill were so supportive and attentive the entire labor. Bill made sure I was hydrated and felt calm and relaxed. He was steady as a rock and I fed off of his serene energy.
I was extremely relaxed and in a perfectly zen state of mind. Through each surge I would blow raspberries. As Ina May Gaskin puts it, horse lips. The sphincter law was in full effect. Lose lips equal lose bottom. I waited to push until I absolutely couldn’t resist the urge. Pushing in the pool was really difficult. I wasn’t sure what pushing was supposed to feel like and also wasn’t sure about all that pressure in my bottom. So, I pushed in the pool but didnt really have a good understanding of relaxing my butt. I was on my hands and knees mostly. There was a water birth stool that I sat on or leaned on but after about and hour and a half and no crowning, I looked at my mom and asked her what I was doing wrong. “Nothing!” She told me. I pushed for another hour and said “something isn’t working!” My mom calmly looked at me and with the softest voice said “you are doing beautifully. You could get out of the pool if you want, Sit on the birth stool and let gravity help. Or, we can get on your bed and do some push assisting with you.” She explained to me that she would help me understand and feel where to push and it might be easier to do on the bed than in the water. I had a few more surges and decided to get out. We came into our room and got on our bed. Bill sat beside me and my mom and Pat were on the bed with me.
At this point, my legs were cramping with every surge. It made pushing really difficult. I had Pat and Bill hold each foot and pushed against them. Like human stirrups! During each surge I would grab my legs bury my chin in my chest and push with every single muscle in my body. Amazingly and in perfect harmony my baby helped my body during each surge. He would kick and wiggle his head back and forth until the surge ended. I finally felt like I was making some progress! My mom reminded me that this is exactly how it is supposed to feel and to push my bottom into the bed and not clench. What a difference this made for me!! At this moment I decided it was too late to give up and I HAD to push my baby out. I was so exhausted. I had been in labor for 12 hours and pushing for 3 of them. I moved baby down more and more with each breath and push. When I felt the ring of fire as his head came out, and as I focused on the pain, I started to panic. Everyone was so encouraging and guided me back to earth so to speak. His head was finally out and I knew it would be moments before he was in my arms. As his shoulders came out and the rest of his body I felt the best relief I’ve ever felt before as he slipped into Bill’s arms. Bill was just beaming and crying and in awe of him. They placed him on my chest and both Bill and I looked between his legs and said “Boy!!!” We hadn’t had an ultrasound since 8 weeks pregnant and didn’t know what our baby’s sex was. So this moment was so so special. We named him Elliasen and waited to cut his cord for a little over two hours. I have never been so in love and filled with joy in my entire life. For the first time, I have never felt like I have so much to lose. When I look into his eyes I feel like I have known him forever and I don’t even know how I lived without him before. I feel so blessed and so lucky to have had the experience of a birth that was completely natural and led by instinct. My mom was absolutely amazing and I feel like she never gave up on me. The trust I have in her is out of this world.
24 hours after coming earthside, Eli pooped in the potty! We are trying Elimination Communication and it is so much easier than I thought! I managed to reach my goal and catch all of his meconium poops! No messy sticky butt!!! ♡ even though we drenched him in olive oil.
We are spending the first ten days in bed with no visitors except for those in our family. My milk came in 2 days after he was born! Our hypnoBirthing experience really helped prepare us as a couple and individuals for the birth or our child. We relied heavily on our knowledge that we gained in the class. Birth Works!!!
