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.
