A Birth Story

I have a journal entry dated August 9th, wondering if I was ever going to go into labor. Because of my complications with Aaron's pregnancy, I'd been offered testing and an appointment with a high-risk doctor at every visit since 36 weeks, but at 41 weeks (August 12th) it was no longer going to be an offer but a strong suggestion, and then what doctor was going to OK a home birth, really? I knew I was working against the clock. I had been walking, drinking herbal tea and taking herbs to put me into labor since the beginning of July. Ugh.

At 1 am on August 10th I woke up with a contraction, but having had two false labors already, I wasn't too excited. I went back to bed. I spent most of the night awake. I got up with Aaron in the morning, but had to get Josh to give Aaron breakfast because I found myself unable to concentrate enough to even dish out yogurt. Then I tried to do the dishes and couldn't finish them. At that point I thought that maybe something was up. Maybe.

At 10:30 am I called my mom to tell her that I thought I was in labor. Then I called the first midwife, Kathy. When I called her on the 7th, thinking I was in labor, I had two midwives, a whole bunch of equipment, and an IV running into me within an hour. This time they didn't get excited. At all. Kathy told me to give the other midwife, Janet, a call at some point during the day. "Maybe we'll see you later," she said. And so the day went on. By lunchtime I was leaning over during contractions and Josh was rubbing my back. My mom came over and took Aaron. Josh and I walked around outside. People looked at us like we were absolutely crazy when I would stop for a contraction and hang onto Josh.

In the afternoon Janet told my mom she was on her way. She arrived over an hour later but didn't bring any equipment into the house. She said she was going to check me first and then get in touch with Kathy to decide whether or not to stay. Surprise! I was seven centimeters. She pulled out her cell phone and said, "Yes, I said seven centimeters!" Kathy and Beth, her apprentice, said they'd be over.

My most difficult moment was when, after the baby's head was out, his body did not slide out like you see in the videos. Just his head was out, the rest of him stuck, and he was wailing and looking around! It turns out his hand was up and his shoulders got stuck. Beth got that sorted out, and then his bum also got stuck! My gosh, I thought it was never going to end. It did end, though, and Josh caught him, announced that it was a boy, and handed him to me. I sat for a bit and rocked him, then got onto my bed with the midwives swirling around us. Josh cut the cord. Kathy arrived as I was getting into the shower. Ha ha.

Then it was over. Our friend Melissa, who had been watching Aaron, picked up some dinner and a loaf of bread for us. We all ate and then the midwives left. Josh, Ethan and I got into bed. Home sweet home. I am so blessed.

I wish I could express with words how natural the process was. No one told me what to do, but somehow my body knew. I wasn't told when or how to push, and in fact didn't even know that what I was doing was "pushing" until I felt the baby's head coming down. What an amazing feeling! I certainly can't call it a pleasant sensation, but I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I also can't pretend that it was easy or that I handled it stoically. I gave my mom a headache with my yelling and Josh later commented that he had never heard me so loud, ever. In response to my noise, Josh kept telling me how beautiful and fantastic I was, Beth massaged my legs and told me I was gorgeous and perfect, and mom and Janet said I was doing an amazing job. We laugh about my big racket now, but pushing really felt awful, in a wonderful sort of way.

Josh asked me last night if I would do it again. Yes, I would. As difficult as it was, I wouldn't change a single thing. What a blessing.