Natural Pregnancy Project

Well where to begin….It all started Thursday morning after I took black and blue cohosh 2 times. I was over due and feeling like it. I really wanted my baby out!!! That morning I had bloody show. I called Connie (my midwife) and my doula (Jeni) and let them now I had bloody show. Nothing else was really happening except I had bloody show around 2 pm and was feeling crampy and VERY tired. Bill decided to come home around 1 pm to help take care of Ashton. That night I went to sleep and was woken up every 15 minutes with mild contractions.

On Friday I was cramping in the morning and the cramps progressed to contractions 7 minutes apart at 2:30 pm. The contractions were slightly painful but continued until the evening. I spoke to Connie that evening and she suggested I drink a glass of wine or take 2 Tylenol. I took the Tylenol at 8 pm and the contractions spaced to 1 hour apart at 10 pm. I got about 4-5 hours of sleep and woke up at 4 am with painful contractions 4 minutes apart. I called Jeni at 5 am and asked her to come as I though it was “birth day”.

Jeni headed over and we went for a long walk. My contraction kept coming and were getting stronger. My deep breathing helped so much and helped me let go of the pain. At 8 am Jeni and Bill wanted me to call Connie and let her know what was going on. Connie decided she would come over. I was so excited!!! Bill called his mom and had Ashton picked up. At 9 am my contractions started to go from 4 minutes apart to 8 minutes apart. I was bummed. At 9:30 am my contractions were dying down and Connie arrived. Connie took my vitals and we decided I would be checked. I was apprehensive about being checked as I wanted to be far along in dilatation but knew I could be stilled closed. I was 2 centimeters….I was bummed. Connie said to rest and take some more Tylenol and to know the baby would be here soon. Everyone went home and I tried to sleep.

Saturday became Sunday and my contractions continued to be about 1 hour apart from Saturday night until Sunday at 2 pm. At 2 pm my body seemed to kick into gear. I asked Bill to fill the pool at 5 pm. My contractions went from 7 minutes apart to 3-5 minutes apart at 7 pm. I called Connie and Jeni and both decided to come back over. I have no clue what time both Connie and Jeni arrived. At that point my contractions were 2-3 minutes apart and very intense. All I really remember about Connie arriving was that I was jumping into the pool from the shower. As soon as Connie arrived Jeni came then my Mother in law arrived to care for Ashton. Connie set all her supplies and pulled out my birth kit from the closet. Jeni sat with me and helped me breath through the contractions.

Time seem to fly…..Every time I asked what time it was 2-3 hours had passed. At some point I asked Connie if I was really in labor. She smiled and said she does not set up the birth room unless a baby is on the way. My contractions seemed to get more and more intense. Coming every 30 seconds for a long while. The pool was my savior!!! When the pool did not seem to help the shower was a great alternative. Standing up made the contractions 50% worse. Bill, Connie, Jeni and Lisa (Connie’s Asst. as well as a doula) helped me focused and reminded me that it was my body causing the contractions. Connie also reminded me of my faith in God as I had asked her to do in my birth plan.

At some point I threw up and the contractions felt overwhelming. Then there was a calm…..I rested my head on the side of the pool. I had about a 5 minute break from the contractions, it was wonderful. Jeni mentioned after the birth that she knew from the calm I would be pushing very soon. She was right. After the calm I felt the urge to push. I was having mixed feelings about pushing as I did not want to push to soon.

Connie had not check me at all during the labor and asked if I wanted her to check me now. I agreed and she checked me. I was complete, +1, with my bag of water bulging. With each contraction I pushed with all my might. While squatting and pushing in the pool my water broke with a pop. I turned over in the pool to a semi reclined position and continued to push. Connie asked if I wanted to place my fingers in my birth canal to feel the baby descending. I place my fingers inside my birth canal and felt the baby’s head. As I continued to push I felt the baby’s head come farther and farther down. Soon I felt the baby crowing. It was so intense. Connie had me breathe the baby out so I would not tear. I slowly breathed and gently nudged the baby out. I felt the baby’s head in my hands then Connie said to push to get the shoulders out. I pushed hard and felt the baby slide out of me into my hands. I believe Connie never touched the baby and she told me to pull the baby up out of the water onto my chest.

I felt a rush! I just looked at my new baby and did not even think to look if it was a boy or a girl. Bill said “I think he is a boy” but I did not care it was a baby!!! I did it… I had a natural homebirth in water and gave my baby the best start ever. Finally I looked down and saw a penis. “It’s a boy” I said. Connie asked if I wanted to birth the after birth in the water or my bed. I decided to birth the placenta in my bed. I cut the cord myself once in bed. After a little couching from Connie the placenta was born. Connie and Jeni cleaned me up and took my vitals. Jeni stayed for 1.5 hours after the birth and Connie stayed 2.5 after the birth. Bill and I named our son Rylan William. Rylan was born on Labor Day September 3^rd 2007 after 36 hours of predominal labor 7.5 hours of active labor and 36 minutes of pushing. Rylan weighed 9 pounds and 10 ounces and was 21.5 inches long. Rylan was born after 41 week 2 day in my womb.

Rylan is a wonderful baby and we are all enjoying the addition to our family.

[tags]natural childbirth stories, natural homebirth, natural waterbirth, water birth story, natural homebirth in water, natural water birth[/tags]

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