Home Birth VBAC
JULY 10, 2019
I really thought today was going to be your day. At 11:37 pm on July 9th I began having a new pain in the tailbone. I thought for sure you were making your descent and would be in my arms soon. I slept off and on until 2:37 am on the 10th, until the pain was too strong.
I called the Doula and Midwife. Christal, our Doula, came to the house at 3:37 am. She talked with me, we tracked contractions, and we made a general idea for what daytime labor could look like. Contractions were long, double peaking, and growing in strength. This was exciting and promising!
5:15 am, call Dad, he should be up by now. Within two minutes we laugh, talk serious, and he’s ready to start the drive. He and mom pack up the last few things and start their 5 hour trek.
At 5:35 am Christal and I walked the neighborhood, I had some more contractions as we walked. As we circled back home our birth photographer, Sefra, checked on me - oh the irony, I was squatting in front of her driveway as a contraction came and passed. Today’s the last day we’re supposed to be neighbors, perhaps Austynn will make her day extra memorable!
The Midwife Alia and student midwife Natalie arrived at 6:05 am. We check vitals, heart rate of 84 and bp of 118/72, Andy is immediately so happy and proud of me for maintaining such great vitals this pregnancy. (With Audreanna I showed signs of pre-ecclampsia and my bp was up to 150s/90s.) The Midwives and Christal talk among one another and with me about the patterns they’re seeing and what that looks like to them. We’re in the right track, just need the strength of the contractions to pick up.
My girls wake, Audre cuddles momentarily before she realizes “her friends” are here to read to her. Let the reading commence! Addison wakes shortly there after, she’s a little more shy with all the guests but warms up quickly. Today’s swim day at summer school - the girls get their swimming suits on and get dressed. Daddy makes chocolate chip pancakes and gets their lunches packed. I wanted and I needed this time with them. Just to watch them be their own little people, to intentionally soak it all up. 8:41 am the girls head to school.
As the sun continued to rise, contractions spread out and intensity began to dwindle. 10:37 am all had become calm. I share my desire to “make it happen”, we come up with tips to encourage stronger contractions. The reality sets in again, it’s not my choice or my timeline; Austynn will alert my body when she is ready. The team thinks it’s time we all rest a bit in preparation for what’s to eventually come. L A B O R.
New plan:
📌 Chiropractor
📌 Rest
📌 Pumping
📌 Acupuncture
📌 Membrane Sweep
I have a plan, a course of action, while I’m sad the team is leaving I know it will be okay, I have a checklist.
So we begin checking tasks off the list, Samantha Curtis - Chiropractor, does another house call WOOHOO! She releases some low back and Sacrum issues.
11:10 am is that Nana’s Dream?! It is!! Mom and Dad are here! Immediately I feel a sense of calm and excitement all at the same time.
Nap - I sleep for 1.5 hours.
Pump - I do the damn thing.
Acupuncture - We meet Dr. Herb Kandell of Santa Maria and he gets me going. Acupuncture, acupressure, and breathing. I love this, totally geeking out. As the appointment comes to a close I feel a shift. I swear Austynn is now in my butt. What just happened?! I breathe and begin to visualize my pelvis and her head, what does this mean? What could have happened? What am I feeling? I come to the conclusion her head has descended and she has moved past the tailbone.
Membrane Sweep - It’s time for the midwife, per my request, to check and sweep me in hopes that labor will be triggered. Dad takes the girls to the motor home. I lay down on my bed. I’ve invited mom and Andy into the room. We all talk about what our guesses are for any change. The check begins. Immediately I am thrilled as Alia says - “Well hello baby girl!” Austynn has descended more - I was right, I was in tune with my body and understood what was happening internally!! Austynn is now stationed at +1, cervix is fully anterior, and I’m dilated 4.5 cm. So relieved and happy there has been continued progress. As we finish our appt we establish a new plan; pump, sleep, call when there’s change.
The night continues to fall, girls read with Grandma and Papa, and Grandma does bath time. The girls are loving this time and attention. They get their hair braided, brush teeth, take vitamins, and give love to Grandma and Papa.
9:46 pm everyone heads to bed. Andy reluctantly takes medicine as his nightly headache sets in (these are one of many reasons we’re worried about his head again). I close up the house, prepare my things for bed, and get the big guy all tucked in.
40+1 and Austynn is still not here.
HBAC & Her Birth Day
JULY 13, 2019
6:19 am I was greeted with contractions again but I think this time they are much stronger than before. Doubt begins to creep in, are they really stronger or am I just hoping they are? In any case the morning is just beginning and it is likely these contractions will subside just like a few days ago.
9:39 am the contractions are lingering and too strong for me to time on my own. Andy and our Doula are now timing them and comparing gaps and duration.
10:26 am Our Doula calls the midwife and they begin to establish a plan. Our midwives will join us shortly. We gather our things and head down to the park with the kids. Audreanna rides her scooter, Addison rides her lady bug toy, and I walk with assistance from our wagon. Mom and Christal stay with me while dad and Andy stay with the big kids.
Fun fact, I’ve got new neighbors moving in. Their front yard was also a perfect resting point for two very intense contractions. I may have scarred those young men for life.
The morning and midday continue without much change, contractions come and go while I walk in our backyard, eat some lunch, rest in bed, and shower. As the sun begins to set things change. Mom and Dad take the girls for dinner and the rest of the team sits with me. I’m growing tired, defeated, and stressed my body isn’t doing enough. I ask to be checked so we can paint a better picture of how to move forward.
We determine I’m now 6 cm dilated, just about fully effaced, baby’s head is in great position. A contraction comes and the check is put on hold. From here we decide to start an IV to see if the fluids will help my body to dilate. We talk about my options to encourage labor to pick up. I say out loud that I’m scared, growing tired, and need this to happen soon. My team listens and helps with options. Ultimately I decide to go for a shower, some stretching, and using my breast pump. I grow more tired so we decide it’s time for a nap.
I recall waking around 4:30 pm, I could see the skyline was changing and the sky was becoming a golden red. Nightfall was coming and I knew that meant a shift in hormones. The melatonin, paired with oxytocin, might be just enough to get our sweet girl here. My parents took the girls out for dinner, and while they were away I continued to labor. When they came home, the gave me some love and then showered, got pajamas on and played with Papa in the motor home.
It’s 8:15 pm and now I’m ready, I’m rested and want to encourage our labor to continue to progress.
We go to the living-room and begin to do the Spinning Babies Side-Lying Release stretch. I feel so uncomfortable and moan with her movement, my mom calls out “ohhhh yep, she’s moving” as Austynn makes her way further down into my pelvis. After resting for a few moments again, we rotate to the opposite side. By 8:45 pm the stretching was done and a bath was being drawn for me; we hoped it would bring me more comfort. As I tried to stand a strong contraction took over and I knelt near my couch. It passes, I begin to walk, no more than 3 steps, another contraction stops me and I lean into my wall. When it passes I decide I HAVE TO make it to the bathroom, a good 15 steps.
I summon all of my determination and grit to get to the bathroom, it was a race in my mind, and I was not going to lose. I make it to the tub and quickly sit. I decide to face out of the tub while resting my arms on the edge of the tub. The pain of my body opening subsides momentarily, we’re approaching 9 pm. I suddenly feel a pop and cry out “I don’t want to do this!” My midwife asks “what don’t you want to do?” I reply, “all of it, I don’t wanna!” It’s then that I know I’m in transition and my girl will be here so soon! I open my eyes briefly and do not see my mom or Andy. My Doula runs to get them, they thought they had time to tuck my girls in for the night. Christal, Andy, and my mom coming running back in as I am realizing I’m crowning, it’s now 9:10 pm.
Andy jumps in the tub behind me and my mom leans into me as I squeeze onto her arm. She holds me like a little girl needing her mommy. I cry into her and let my doubts pass. I rely on her strength to remind me of my own. I roar and moan with one contraction and her head is born at 9:15 pm. I wait for another contraction to come and push her the rest of the way out. I hear the student midwives calmly call out to the lead midwife “30 seconds, 45 seconds, 1 minute”. Alia begins to tell me I need to push, I tell her I can’t. I try to push but have no strength in my belly. Alia tells me I need to lunge, she suspects baby is a little hung up internally. I tel her I can’t.
Just as I knew she would, Alia grows strong and firm when she needs to be and tells me my daughter has to come out and my daughter needs me to lunge. While leaning on my mom, I try to lunge. Alia helps to guide my leg forward. Austynn is born with another steady contraction and surprisingly long push. My girl is here at 9:17 pm.
Our Home Birth has forever changed our family. My children were part of our early labor and immediate postpartum recovery. My husband was in the tub with me as I pulled my daughter to my chest. My mom was the arm I squeezed and clung to as I birthed my daughter. My dad cared for my eldest daughters. The level of care and assistance my Midwives and Doula provided still have me in awe. This was the most informed, educated, and engaged birth I’ve had. I was able to speak up for myself and be listened to by my support team and care provider. I was able to decline and request services as I saw fit and was able to have open communication regarding me and my daughters health. While the medication would have made this a much more pain free labor and delivery I would do this all again exactly the same without question.
