Community Birth Story: Cypress Zofia

Community Birth Story: Cypress Zofia

cypress1 As told by Amanda:

For many women contractions start at the onset of early labor and within a day or two a beautiful baby arrives earth-side. For others contractions start weeks away from our child’s birth day, and it can become exhausting and frustrating. I had experience prodromal labor with my first, but wasn’t prepared for how much I would endure with our second.

First I’ll back up and give a bit of history on how we came about our providers. Initially we discussed a home birth, but the house we lived in was dirty with mold and mildew. The thought of being pregnant there worried me, and the thought of birthing a child into that house was revolting. So I talked to many local women and decided on an OB who had the reputation of being quite natural. But a few short weeks after starting care with him we were able to get out of our lease and purchase a beautiful home.

So Eric and I started discussing a home birth and looking into options. The pickings here are slim and I knew right away one provider wasn’t for us. That left one practice about 45 minutes away. I met with the 3 midwives (New Moon Midwifery), who worked seamlessly together, and loved them from the start. However, with the distance and notoriously bad Ohio winters we were hesitant. At around 25 weeks I just didn’t feel comfortable discussing my birth plan with my OB, and he didn’t seem receptive. So I transferred care to a midwife group that would deliver in the hospital. By my second appointment I knew that wasn’t right either. So we hoped for good weather, and that New Moon would take me at such a late time. To our relief they did!

At 30 weeks I started with consistent evening contractions. Every 7 minutes, always 45 seconds apart. At first they lasted only an hour, two at the most. So we (myself and my midwives) weren’t terribly concerned. But around 32 weeks, despite proper hydration and rest I had several hours of contractions. Since I was still early I was advised to go to the hospital. After a few hours there I was released with no reason as to why I was contracting so much, and by about the second hour I was no longer having them. Fast forward to 35 weeks and it was the same. This time I was able to go to a much closer hospital that was a bit more thorough. After some insistence on my part, they tested my electrolytes. My sodium was low, and after some lactated ringers they stopped. Now that sodium was on my radar I was able to avoid anymore hospital visits, but I still had plenty of prodromal labor.

It was becoming worrisome to me at this point that I wouldn’t get a clear line as to when I was actually in labor. With Halley my water never broke – and I was worried I’d be conservative when needing to call. My midwives, however, reassured me that even if it were a false alarm there was no burden on them for the drive. So I paid very close attention to my contractions, noting how they were moving and how my body was responding. At nearly 38 weeks I made the call to have them come down. Jamie and my doula, Martha, headed down. My contractions had been closer than usual and felt slightly different so we felt it was time for them to come. I was also feeling anxious which I hadn’t previously. After about 2 hours there was no change, and by 3 they fizzled out. They left and I was feeling even more upset. I kept asking myself, “How will I ever know when it’s time, and will I make that call in enough time for someone to get here?”

Then, on the morning of February 22nd, I woke up and started having contractions. I had yet to have contractions in the morning, so either my body was gearing up for baby time or I was in for several more days/weeks of all-day prodromal. At around 9am I called Anna, the midwife on call, and explained to her what was going on. They were every

10 minutes, 45 seconds long and felt slightly different than my usual contractions. She was glad I called and told me to keep her updated if anything changed. At this point I had no other big shift. I had been loosing my mucous plug for weeks, and my water hadn’t broken either.

At around 2:30 Eric left with Halley, and around 4:30 my contractions had shifted to 7 minutes apart. I called Anna, and she said she would come down to be with me after she had finished a few things in Ann Arbor. It was around 6:30/7 PM that she arrived. At this point Eric had come home, but we decided to leave Halley at his parent’s house. Anna checked me and I was at 4cm, but we both knew that didn’t really mean anything. I was 3cm with Halley for over a week – so it wasn’t a reliable indicator. She didn’t want to leave yet because the baby was so low, if there was a shift she felt labor would progress quickly.

So Anna got busy with some work, and I sat down and watched “Wildest Africa”. Why I picked this I have NOOOO idea. But the narrators voice was so soothing. I don’t’ really remember any of the actual content. Just his voice. I still find that comical today. My contractions felt stronger, but not strong enough. For several hours we hung out like this. Anna recommended I try lying down, but I couldn’t get comfortable. At one point I got up from lying down and could feel the baby move down. I told her such, and we decided to check again. I had only progressed about ½ a cm, but the baby had moved down even more. Halley was not willing to stay at my in-laws, so Eric went and got her.

At this point she felt I should try to sleep. That could either speed up contractions or stop them. Either way, she was staying the night. She lived 1.5 hours away, and didn’t want to get on the road, only to turn back. So I went to bed, and she chose the couch to lay on. This was around 10:30pm. By 11:00 my contractions had really picked up in intensity, and I had stopped timing them at this point as well. Intense back pain accompanied as well. I came out to the play room and woke Anna. We headed into the bedroom, as she wanted to see me have a contraction. I laid in bed, and she watched. But apparently I have some sort of performance anxiety and several minutes went on without a contraction. She decided to get up and grab something and the moment she left the room I had another. This happened several times, and then finally she was able to witness a contraction. She could see how much pain I was in and offered to rub my back and apply counter pressure. After a few contractions we decided I should call my doula, and she the other midwife (2 attend each birth) since they both lived 30-45 minutes away). I got up and went to the bathroom and she put plastic down on the bed.

(At this point Halley kept waking and crying, so Eric stayed in her room to help keep her calm and asleep. )

As soon as I laid down another contraction came, and this was stronger. Anna applied counter pressure and I felt a POP inside of me. Moments later water gushed from me, and we knew this was the real thing. I started having one contraction after another. Each one getting stronger. Unfortunately it would seem there was no time to set up and fill/cool the birth pool. Anna applied pressure and massage during contractions, and then ran around setting up needed supplies. At this point neither Martha or Amanda had arrived yet. I’m not sure how long it was before either of them got there. I don’t remember Martha coming into our room, all I remember is that the massage felt different. So I knew she had arrived. When Amanda arrived I recall her telling me she was there. And that’s pretty much all I remember. I was deep in my birth space, breathing slowly and purposefully through each contraction. Between contractions I think I slept…because I honestly don’t remember anything other than the contractions themselves.

Then I had a huge, long contraction. I recall asking Anna, “How much longer of this?” To which she replied, “We don’t know, but I don’t think it will be long now.”

The next contraction I felt the head move down and indicated as much. They could now see her head. The next contraction was one I will never forget. It consumed my entire body. My lungs felt squeezed so tightly that I couldn’t breath. At this point I had kept a nice breathing pattern down, and let my body go with the ebb and flow. But this contraction took me by surprise. I recall thinking to myself, “will this ever stop…will I ever breath again?” And when it let up I began gasping for air. Someone reassured me I was OK, and to breath deep again. At which point I found my calm again.

There were a few pushes for her head, and some light burning. But once her head birthed her entire body just slithered out effortlessly.

At 1:36am Cypress Zofia was born and promptly placed on my chest. Eric was able to be by my side for the birth, and we loved on her as we waited for the placenta to deliver. Since her cord was so short she stayed on my belly for about 15 minutes, at which time the placenta was delivered. Once it stopped pulsing they cut the cord and we started to establish breastfeeding. She cried and fussed at the breast for an hour, and Anna said in her experience babies that come quickly have a lot to say at first. But once she settled in she was quite content. Eric and I lay in bed together enjoying the sight of our new baby girl, while the midwives and Martha cleaned up, prepared an herbal bath and food for me. After about three hours, and making sure Cypress and I were healthy, they left and we all drifted off to sleep.

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Emily Anne Photography

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Click HERE to learn more about the Community Birth Stories Project or to submit your own birth story.

Community Birth Story: Winfield

Community Birth Story: Winfield

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Waiting for Winfield

As told by Lauren:

In mid December 2013, much to our surprise, we found out we were pregnant with babe #2. We had no clue of the conception date so had a dating ultrasound done a few weeks later which suggested we were about 11 weeks along with a due date of July 31, 2014. Our 20 week anatomy scan had a due date of August 1, 2014, so we felt fairly comfortable that these dates were potentially accurate within the 5 week window that an estimated due date gives you (37-42 weeks).

I have to admit this pregnancy wasn’t easy. I was in pain every day. I had intense sciatic pain on my right side early on in the pregnancy. I saw a chiropractor with no relief. In February it switched to the left side, and I had this pain daily. It was significant, and became more so in late April/early May. I would almost say debilitating pain. I cried every morning in the shower and had a routine of hot shower, cold compress, kneel on the birth ball for 20 minutes before I could even function. With trying to catch a train at 5:50am, adding in this 30-40 minute routine was draining, so was the pain. On non-work days, I couldn’t pick my toddler up in the mornings until after the ice part of the routine, which she would assist with. My personal practice of conscious dance and movement was something I couldn’t do with ease. My love of babywearing my toddler strangely provided just the right amount of pressure to make me able to wear her, but this too wasn’t easy. It was a very very difficult time, there were lots of tears and fear, specifically fear about what this might mean for my labor. I cried at work daily too. I started looking for relief through a variety of modalities – chiropractor, acupuncture, cranial sacral, massage, other body work that was stretching/pressure points, essential oils, and emotional processing.

The commute to work was taking its toll on my ability to function as well. I reached a point when I couldn’t actually lean back in the seat at all because of the pain. With being 7 months pregnant and unable to sit comfortably for the hour commute, this was a problem. I was a mess. Fortunately my work provided a medical telework option for me, which allowed me to work from home almost exclusively until I went on maternity leave. This allowed me to schedule my pain management appointments with more flexibility and while the pain didn’t go away during this time, taking out the strain of the commute did help. But standing and/or sitting to work 8 hours a day was still very uncomfortable. Walking and movement seemed to help the most at times, and so I decided to go on maternity leave a few weeks early.

By our ultrasound calculations, I was 36 weeks pregnant when I went on maternity leave. I had 4 weeks of being off before Emily arrived and knew I wanted time to prepare for this birth in the same way. Aaron was traveling for two weeks and so I took the opportunity to have some friends and family come and help me clean/organize and nest a bit while he was away. The lazy days of naps and toddler playing provided the relief my body needed and the change in babe’s position helped too, such that in my 8th month, the sciatic pain was no longer debilitating, there were no more tears or even the routine to function. I actually was ENJOYING this pregnancy and was so so thrilled to feel different about it.

Several folks who seemed to have an intuitive vibe about them sensed that this baby was going to come early, either before or right at 40 weeks. Emily was born at 41 weeks 6 days, so to have a few people sense he might come early was interesting. My sense was that he was going to come super fast and this scared me. Emily was a 40+ hour labor, so thinking that a baby could come in less than 3 hours seemed super crazy to me, but every single birth story I heard was about these crazy fast births. Some of which the midwife arrived after the baby. I realized I needed to let go of my fear around a fast birth and embrace it. I share all this to say that I was preparing for a fast labor that would occur prior to 40 weeks.

Aaron got back from his trip while I was 38.5 weeks pregnant. The whole birth team was ready for our call. Babe was low low low in the pelvis, and I was waking up to a strong beat of a song every day. We were all ready. I had some major, what I like to call energetic contractions, where I would feel all of this energy come over me that I was really hard to handle, it would make me jittery and restless. We were ready… Every day I was prepared for labor to start at any minute.

Weeks 39 and 40 – things felt very close to starting.

Weeks 41 and 42 – things felt far away.

We are talking over five weeks of thinking today is the day! We were waiting on Winfield, some days more patiently than others for sure. There were lots of tears, loads of walks at all hours, tons of dances. Two full moons!!! I came to the conclusion I just must gestate a long time.

Week 43 Braxton Hicks contractions started each evening and people who knew about our initial estimated due date of 7/31 – well they were getting a bit nervous for us. I definitely had to let go of some fear as the pregnancy continued. I knew the statistics on still birth after 42 weeks gestation (still low risk but it increases with gestation time) and I was fearful, but I also trusted body wisdom more than fear. My midwife made me voice my fears out loud instead of holding them in, which was powerful. However, the waiting was honestly pushing my limits of trusting, which admitting is both honest and humbling. We got a late stage ultrasound just to check the placenta and fluid and make sure everything was okay, which it was. While I hated to admit it, I needed the reassurance and knowing that all was well gave me the confidence to continue waiting on Winfield. Each day was a battle between trust and fear. Trust won and I felt confident and sure in our decisions on waiting.

We did develop a plan with our midwife on possible interventions to consider. We were now seeing her twice a week to check the heartbeat and heartbeat accelerations (which checks in on how the placenta is doing). I saw her Tuesday morning and we discussed that if Winfield hadn’t come by Thursday, we would do a cervical check and possible sweeping of the membranes. If he hadn’t come by the weekend, we would then consider castor oil. That afternoon I scheduled an acupuncture appointment as well.

The acupuncture appointment was set for 4:45pm. I saw our midwife at noon. I got home and was napping with Emily and around 2:30pm very mild contractions began. This continued for the better part of an hour before I texted Aaron and told him what was happening. I didn’t want to jinx it. I little bit later I called and cancelled the acupuncture appointment – it wasn’t needed. This baby made it clear he was not interested in any interventions. I told Aaron to get the birth pool ready and I alerted our birth team. Our doula, Shawna, was at another birth, and our midwife assistant, Amy, was out of town. The back-up for both of them, Andrea was available (and I had wanted her at the birth even if both Shawna and Amy were in town) so all was well. Our midwife, Nannette, was also available as was our birth photographer, Lindsey, and everyone was excited! Finally!!!

I labored alone to Winfield’s playlist into the late afternoon and early evening. It had some serious strong beats to keep me moving and grooving. Some friends stopped by and chatted with Aaron as he was getting the pool set up. The contractions were still mild but regular, fluctuating between 4 and 7 minutes apart. I was able to breath through them and still hadn’t had any bloody show at all. Earlier Andrea had texted to let me know she was home and just hanging out and to let her know when to come. I didn’t want her to come too early, but I knew I would appreciate the support and her company, so I told her that and she came over around 7:30 or so. Lindsey had a birth education class that evening that was over at 9pm and I told her to go ahead and teach it, as it seemed she would have time to come after. Nannette was able to do dinner and bedtime with her family before heading over as well. The contractions were getting longer and a bit closer, but they were manageable.

Andrea asked if I wanted to labor in the pool and I did, so I got in there and it was divine. I so wish I had labored in water with Emily’s birth. The contractions were still regular and I loved being in the water. Emily got in the pool with me and would pour water on my back during contractions – she is an amazing child and I love the fact that she was so much a part of the birth process of her brother.

The toilet was my safe place. It was where I would go during labor when the contractions would slow way down. At some point during one of my breaks to rest, I was sitting on the toilet and Andrea was stroking my hair or back or something that felt lovely and Winfield came to me. He was an older child with blondish curls standing before me. I had read not too many days earlier that sometimes during labor, the mama would have visions and/or visits of the child coming forth and it was amazing to see him and know he was on his way. I was in such a deep place, a deep trance of breath and body and spirit. It was truly amazing.

Even with everything going on, Emily got to sleep and slept through the night with grandma.

I got back in the water and then Nannette and Lindsey both arrived, sometime after 10pm I think. I had long since stopped tracking the timing of the contractions or their frequency. I was aware that I still hadn’t had any bloody show though. Around midnight or after or sometime Shawna arrived. It was so great to see her and have her be a part of the birth journey. I was thankful the timing worked that she could join us.

As I got out of the pool to labor elsewhere, there was suddenly a lot of bloody show. I was very excited because I knew this meant things were happening and moving and shifting. I labored on the back porch some and then was encouraged to do the stairs, twice, so up and down and up and down I went. I had told myself that I was going to do whatever my doulas suggested because doulas are awesome and know their stuff. I didn’t even complain, that I remember :)

I labored on the toilet some more, in bed some to get some rest in between contractions, and also back in the pool. I’m not certain of the time, but at some point Nannette asked if she could check the position of Winfield’s head. I was aware that my labor was slow and peaceful. The contractions were not gaining in speed or frequency it seemed, although they remained regular and intense. I utilized my hypnobirthing breathing as well as some low tones and was able to go deep inside with each contraction. I agreed to a cervical check at this point so up the stairs we went. I was dilated to an 8 and Winfield’s head was slightly off center, so Nannette asked Shawna and Andrea to to the side lying release with me, 3 contractions on one side, then for me to get on all fours and then 3 contractions on the other side. We did this for what seemed like hours. I slept in between contractions. Aaron napped on the porch while we had a lovely slumber party upstairs.

As dawn came, she checked his position again. I was fully dilated and he was in good position. At this point my contractions were still not gaining in frequency or length. Aaron and I had some time upstairs where I napped between contractions and Nannette was able to see her kiddos and go for a walk with them and Lindsey was able to go home and see her oldest off to his first day of school. As I woke up with Aaron, I wanted to do the stairs again and he let me know where everyone was. We headed back downstairs and into the water again (because laboring in water is awesome). Nannette and Lindsey both got back soon after. I was in transition, shaking from the sacred tremors. This transition was quite long, about 3 hours. The contractions remained far apart and intense, but things didn’t seems to speeding up like I had happen with Emily or had read about in so many other births. During the time the option of having my waters broken was discussed. I was losing steam and hadn’t eaten anything in a while, mostly because every time I ate something I then had to poop and pooping while in labor isn’t much fun. So I just stopped eating much food because I was annoyed at the pooping. Part of me thought that having my waters broken might not be a bad thing, it would more than likely speed things along. However, when I went inside and sought an answer, I knew that this was Winfield’s journey and I didn’t want to take an experience away from him. It wasn’t what he wanted.

In between contractions Lindsey asked if there was anything I was afraid of, that might be stalling labor. I had an image come up from Emily’s birth, holding on to Aaron for dear life as I was completely overwhelmed from the contractions and the feeling of needing to throw up but not wanting to throw up and just utter and complete chaos without being grounded. This labor was so different and this transition was so different and yet I was afraid that I was headed to that place again and I was scared. We talked about this and about that if I felt the urge to throw up to allow my body to go with that urge, to even move as if I were going to throw up and that this would help.

Aaron and I talked about the breaking the waters option and I shared where I was, part of me wanted it because I was tired but I knew that I needed to continue to trust the body wisdom and I knew it wasn’t what Winfield wanted. I decided to give it an hour and reevaluate. I agreed to eat something, took a whiff of peppermint oil and Aaron and I headed upstairs to rest some more. I was lying down with him and the very next contraction there was a pop and water. We all shouted “Water, Water!” It was all very exciting. The next contraction was intense and I felt the urge to push, baby was bearing down and on his way. I also felt the urge to vomit, so I went with that body urge and sure enough, vomit! A very talented Lindsey caught the vomit in a drinking glass as she was taking pictures. No joke – she is amazing!

Throughout the labor Shawna had been saying “Lauren, isn’t birth beautiful, isn’t this process amazing.” I was always like yes, sure, yes. After my water breaking and vomit and who knows what else, I looked at Shawna and said, “Shawna, isn’t birth beautiful?” We all were cracking up just as Winfield was on his way. 30 minutes and 6 pushes later, he was earthside. Feeling the urge to push was remarkable. Feeling his head was remarkable. Having the opportunity to look at him face to face before bringing him to my chest was remarkable. The entire labor was so lovely and peaceful and beautiful. My contractions never were on top of each other, they came in slow and easy intervals that allowed me to go deep with each one and not be overwhelmed with them. For that, I am incredibly thankful.

As Winfield entered he took in a huge gulp of mucous into his airway, so he had to be suctioned quite a bit to get everything out of his lungs. He was also a meconium baby – both of my kids entered the world covered in meconium. While the team was working on getting Winfield’s airway clear, I apparently hemorrhaged. So there was a bit of concern and attention then directed at me. I was given a shot of pitocin and proceeded to push the placenta out. Upon examining the placenta a huge chunk of it had decided to stay inside the uterus, so we were told what to look for related to possible infection but we were also hopeful the body would be able to get the rest of the placenta out over the next few days, without a trip to the hospital. (Fortunately, it did come out on its own, thank goodness.)

Winfield latched right away, eyes open checking us out and enjoying mama’s boob.

Emily met her new brother with wide eyes and wonder and wanted the boob too. So my journey with tandem nursing began right away.

So while I was expecting a short intense birth prior to 40 weeks, Winfield was born after 22.5 hours of a peaceful labor at 43 weeks and 6 days. Trusting the body wisdom.

I’m sure I’ve left out something good, beautiful, important or got some of the details in the wrong order or mixed up. What I do know is that Winfield’s birth was amazing. It was beautiful. I learned things in Emily’s birth that I was able to use in his birth. In the places I needed healing, I was healed. Aaron, my love, was the best birth partner, and I had the most amazing birth team ever! seriously! The team came into our sacred space with a shared sacred presence and intention and trust in birth. I felt supported and loved and safe. I used the tools I’ve learned throughout life the last few years – breath, dance/movement, laughter, stillness. I looked inside for answers and sought support and guidance outside from the team. It was beautiful and our boy is amazing and beautiful and the sweetest of souls. I’m again so honored that these precious and amazing souls chose me to be their mama.

IMG_0583.JPG For more stunning photographs of Winfield’s birth visit Lindsey Welch Photography’s blog.

(Read the birth story of Winfield’s big sister here)

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Click HERE to learn more about the Community Birth Stories Project or to submit your own birth story.

Community Birth Story: Elowen Ada

Community Birth Story: Elowen Ada

The HBAHBC of Elowen Ada Goerner (aka Sea Dragon)

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As told by Megan:

This story has to start with the hatching of our first daughter, Loki. As much as we wanted a homebirth for her (and us), it was not to be. She entered the world on March 30, 2011 via a cesarean after transferring to a hospital. She was trapped in the special care nursery for 7 days and then I had to return for an additional 5 days for IV antibiotics. It was a long healing process for all. So this experience played a rather large role when deciding future births.

Fast forward 3 years…

Sea Dragon’s labor started during our last Bradley class on Friday, April 4th. We had been lazily timing the contractions and they were about 5 minutes apart and 2 minutes long, but very easy to function through. I would punch Dan in the leg to let him know when another one started. We let our midwife, Nannette, and our doula/birth assistant, Grace, know what was happening. Dan was convinced this was going to be “the night”. He ran around like a crazy man trying to get last minute things done. Loki (our 3 year old) took a nice bath with me. We went to bed and the contractions stopped by 2 am. This ended up being a good thing since my due date/have the same midwife buddy was in labor at the same time and did end up having her daughter on April 5th.

Contractions would come and go over the next 9 days, sometimes at regular intervals for a few hours and sometimes randomly. They were always different feeling, though, than Braxton Hicks. We just kept trying to get ready and keep our birth team up to date with anything new. The full moon was coming on the 15th, and most people were guessing this baby would come then. I was going with 4-14-14, because that is a much cooler date.

Dan was getting ready for work on Monday, April 14th, around 6:30 am. I went in to pee. I immediately felt different. I let Dan go to work (he had been working from home quite a bit for the last week “just in case”). The “different feeling” was much lower and more intense than any other contractions I had had up to that point. By 8 am, they were 10 minutes apart. I updated Grace and Nannette. Nannette was in Frederick for a home visit and Grace was about to head there for an appointment for her daughter. Did I mention Dan works in Frederick?

I called Dan to let him know that we were at 10 minutes apart. We decided that he would come home at lunch if things advanced at all. 20 minutes later, the contractions were now 5 minutes apart. I called Dan to tell him to come home. No answer! I put the dogs outside (where they stayed all day) and opened all of the windows (it was an amazing day). Loki woke up at some point and we ate breakfast together in the recliner watching Jake and the Never Land Pirates.

I finally got Dan on the phone. He was walking to his building. He turned around, sent a quick and blunt email to his work that he would not be in that day, and started the hour trip back home.

I told Nannette and Grace what was happening and Nannette decided she would come to our house from her home visit. Grace decided that her appointment would need to be cancelled when I couldn’t decide if it was really time or not (did I need to poop or birth a baby?). I texted my friend, Kim, to let her know that today was probably the day. (Kim was the amazing friend who was at the last few/many hours of our attempted homebirth of Loki. She drove us to the hospital in the middle of the night in her 2-door car. She may have been a bit traumatized after the last time. She didn’t make in time for this birth, but I think this experience did help heal her after Loki’s birth.) I also texted my friend, Roshontia (who would be Loki’s person during labor), that today could be the day. I attempted to write a message to the amazing women from my Mother Blessing that is was candle lighting time, but I didn’t quite get that far.

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Dan got home around 9 am. He knew as soon as he saw me that this time was different. He went to work getting all the last minute things done (like cleaning up after our horrible cats, getting the birth kit out, the table for the birth supplies, and things like that). I got my birth alter ready in the corner of the living room and also sat on the giant ball. I took a hot shower while Dan was running around. It felt awesome. It was nice to feel clean, too.

Grace arrived around 11. I was on the ball and my eyes started tearing as soon as I saw her. I was so relieved that it wasn’t just Dan, Loki, and me anymore. Someone who knew what they were doing!!!!!! Grace was a woman of action! She saw what had been done and what needed to be done. She got the birth supplies out of the bin and organized, got the pool ready in the living room, the bed ready, and I don’t even know what else. Oh, and most important of all- she was being there for me!

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Around 11:30, Nannette arrived. Grace had been making sure that I tried to go with the contractions, dropping my jaw and vocalizing. The pool started being filled with water. Nannette suggested a check in baby position and to pee on the way to the bed. I had a slightly bloody wipe after peeing (bye-bye mucus plug). I got on the bed and Nannette asked if she could do a check, and I said whatever she wanted (I knew that after Loki’s labor all of us were wondering how this labor would go). The baby’s position was perfect and I was at 9 cm! (Loki was not in a great position and got stuck during her labor.)

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We went back out the living room and got into the pool. It was still a little cool, but I think it helped to slow down labor just a tad for me to catch my breath. Loki got in the pool with me (what a shock that the water loving kid got in the pool!). We realized that we really needed someone for Loki at this point. She would tell me to be quiet and would touch my legs (which I did not want). We tried calling Roshontia again, but there was no answer (found out later that her phone was charging at her desk which she was away from). We (I mean Dan, Grace, and Nannette) started calling people that might be able to come over and that Loki would feel at least a little comfortable with. An amazing mom that we all know with 2 boys of her own that lives 15 minutes away whose husband just happened to be home that day was able to come over. Thank you so much Justine!!!

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We moved into the bedroom at some point (maybe around 12:30). Nannette and Grace took turns checking on Loki who was still in her fishy pool watching Jake and the pirates. I was leaning over the end of the bed. I know that my hips were getting squeezed during contractions and that I had totally been pushing (at least a little) during parts of the contractions. It felt better so it seemed like the thing to do. My water broke during this phase. I got Dan’s shoes wet this time instead of Nannette’s (Loki’s labor) and the fluid was clear (unlike with Loki)!!! I laid down on my side on the end of the bed for the next bit of time. Doing what I felt my body was telling me to do. I tried to do the horse lips thing but I just couldn’t. (At some point Justine arrived and I had my team of 3 plus me in our bedroom for the rest of labor.)

The next move was to the birth stool. The birth stool rocked. Dan had installed a shower safety bar in the living room for squatting (I squatted a lot during Loki’s labor and did not want to rely on Dan’s hands, especially when those hands could be doing something else), but it never got used. Nannette pushed our bed as far over as it could go so we would have more room (still ended up being only a 4 foot by 4 foot area in the corner of our room).

I have no idea how long I was on the birth stool. The contractions kept coming and I kept pushing. My voice was gone at this point. I wanted my eyes closed. I wanted to keep pressing/digging my nails into Dan’s arms. I did not want anyone to talk, especially Dan (no desire to hear how great I was doing). I was in my birthing zone. I remember Nannette asking if I wanted to see my baby’s head (No, because I wanted my eyes closed. I would have loved to but it just was not happening at that moment). Nannette asked if I wanted to touch my baby’s head (No, because I would have to let go of Dan). Dan says that I was much funnier with my responses. I will just have to take his word. I did eventually reach down to touch the head. So amazing! (I would have loved to touch the head more and actually see what was happening, but I also know that at the given moment in time it was not possible.) At 1:47, the head was out (the ring of fire that I had heard about was not what I felt, just intense pressure). At 1:48, the body flopped/was guided by Nannette to the chuck pads on the ground under me.

OH MY GOSH!!! I did it! WE DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I reached down to touch our second child. I told Dan that we had another daughter (maybe they saw first but everyone let me find out on my own). I was so beyond amazed. Nannette helped me pick her up and put her on my chest while I was still on the stool. I was holding my slippery little bloody baby that was still attached to me. I was helped to the bed and laid down. Daughter #2 wanted her nipple and made sure that we all knew it. She stayed there, awake, for at least 2 hours.

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There was a bit of blood and I was told that I had torn when Sea Dragon made her entrance. My placenta came out at 2:05. It was clamped and Dan cut it. Nannette did a neat little placenta tour for us. Nannette then went to work putting 5 stitches in to fix my speed flap.

Dan and I had not decided on a girl name at this point (we knew the middle name, look up Ada Lovelace). He didn’t like any on my list and hadn’t suggested many alternatives. I had two names I really liked and I asked him when we both super emotional how Elowen Ada sounded. He said he loved it. Post birth baby bliss is a great time to get a name you want.

Elowen measured in at 9 pounds 6 ounces, 23 inches long, and had a 14 inch head. Take that Dr. You Can’t Birth Babies Through Your Vagina!!! (The surgeon that performed my cesarean three years earlier gave the reason for needing it being that the baby didn’t fit through the birth canal; Loki was 8 pounds 3 ounces.)

My mom was the first person I made Dan call. She was in upstate New York, watching my sister’s two daughters (yeah, super timing). She had been calling three times a day to check in. She did call that morning and I told her that it was more of the same (I didn’t know it was really the day yet). She was so shocked when Dan told her she had another granddaughter!

Elowen’s birth was so different from Loki’s birth. It came on strong and fast. There was no time to prepare, no build up. It was a little overwhelming at times, but I never felt like I couldn’t do it, especially knowing that Nannette and Grace were there. It was such an empowering and healing experience. I can’t even say how much it means to me to have been able to have those two amazing women at both of my labors and almost both of my births. I am more grateful than I can say (to Nannette, to Grace, to Dan, to Justine, and to my own body & mind).

(Read Elowen’s big sister’s birth story here)

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