Gregory's Birth Story - Natural, home birth
My due date was February 1st. I have never made it to my due date so I was expecting Gregory would come earlier. My guess was January 22nd or 25th. I had spent Tuesday sick. Aubrey, my second daughter, and I were throwing up and spent much of the day sleeping. Apparently, there was some kind of bug going around and most of the people that had come to my baby shower Sunday were sick. Thankfully, on Tuesday just me and Aubrey were sick. The other three were doing fine.
It was January 18, Wednesday morning, So, I woke up at 3 a.m. feeling some contractions. The thought came to my mind: I hardly ate anything yesterday, the baby is fed up and wants out. I took out my calendar. Two weeks before my due date . . . I had never been this early before. Contractions were coming every ten minutes but I went and had some oatmeal ( my stomach did not feel up to my regular green smoothie). I could not finish the oatmeal but still the contractions slowed down with eating.
I wrote in my journal and had some bible and prayer time. I wrote that I was grateful that I might be meeting Gregory soon.
I heard Lee's alarm go off. I went to talk to him and he said he had called in sick to work - the bug had got to him too. I told him I had been having contractions and I was not sure if they were braxton hicks on the real thing. Half asleep he said "No, they are the real thing. You are having this baby."
I was a little surprised to hear him say that so confidently and half asleep but I let him sleep and walked away.
I typed out some birth affirmations.
I clearly remembered some of the thoughts that had bothered me in previous births. Specifically: this is never going to end. Now, logically, I know that birth is going to end but there is a certain sense of being stuck that tends to be unshakable when I have been in the middle of birth. So, to combat those feelings one of my first birth affirmations was: "This will not last forever.
Here are the others:
Lee slept in because he wasn't feeling well. I told him again that I had been having contractions. He contacted our midwife and told her the situation. I was having contractions but I was sick the day before. She said it might be dehydration. She recommended that I try to get some sleep and let her know if things seem to be progressing.
I had a hard time getting to sleep after having slept much of the day before and I was feeling much better. Around noon, I finally did get to sleep and slept for a few hours. Three p.m. I woke up from my nap and got up to go to the bathroom. I felt a gush as my water broke. I went to tell Lee.
So, this was happening.
This was fifth time doing this. I know how to handle the pain from contractions. But I had a slightly different approach. I have always had long births. Before this birth, my shortest birth was 18 hours and my longest had been like 48 hours. My contractions would be sporadic and inconsistent. This time I had been praying for a shorter birth. I was determined that it would be so. I had drank raspberry tea and ate dates which are both supposed to help with a list of things including making labor shorter.
As I had each contraction I would either speak to my cervix saying "Open up" or to Gregory saying "It's okay, you can come out." I would picture myself holding him and done with the whole birthing process.
My husband was saying that he thought maybe the baby would come around midnight or early the next day. At that point I felt like I had a choice. I could lay down try to sleep and see if the contractions would slow down or I could walk around and have the baby that night. I don't know why I felt like it was my choice - but I really did. I have often been afraid of pushing the baby out and the pain of it all and I felt that subconsciously I had made my labors longer because of my fear. I remember around 8 pm or so I decided, I was going to push him out sooner or later. Why not sooner than later? So, I walked around. I felt some strong contractions and rather than shrinking back in fear when the strong contractions would come. I would say "good - strong is good." By 8:45, I noticed contraction after contraction one minute apart. I felt it was transition, and started to feel the urge to push but the midwives hadn't arrived at the house yet. I didn't want to have this baby without them.
I had two more of these strong contractions with the urge to push but now they were spaced out about 7 minutes apart. To me, this was another sign that it was the real thing because I remember that happening before after transition with both Laura and John.
I don't know where Lee was during all of this. He was running around trying to get things ready and didn't realize how close I was to giving birth on my own, ha ha. I was holding back and blowing hard through the contractions but it was very painful - I urgently prayed "Lord have mercy on me." Finally, the midwives came and I asked them to check how far I was dilated because I felt very "pushy." Karen Baker told me that if I felt like pushing to push but I wanted confirmation. She checked me and said I was almost all the way dilated but it was very flexible and the baby could push the last bit. After she finished saying that I got another contraction on the bed. I felt like I could have had the baby right then but I remember saying "Not here." I wanted to get in the tub for some reason, it just seemed so inviting. I got in an squatted while holding the side of the tub. I remember Yvette saying "Oh no," because she knew that when I got into that position the baby was coming fast. I remember hearing the midwife say she was going to get her camera. I remember thinking "Why are you going to do that?" Because I knew that she would not have time but I did not have the energy or concentration to say anything. A contraction came and I pushed. It was so intense I remember feeling a sense of chickening out and I sat back and put my hand down there and I could feel his head. I don't remember actively pushing anymore but it was too late he was coming. The next second he was out. Just Lee and Yvette were in the bathroom with me. Lee said all he saw was the water get cloudy and he didn't realize he was out until he saw his dark hair. He helped me pull him up and out of the water and it was over. Gregory was born 6 pounds 11 ounces.
The kids were at the other side of the house when he was born. They heard him scream. (He started off being more of a screamer than crier). They were all excited to come and meet their new little brother.
It was January 18, Wednesday morning, So, I woke up at 3 a.m. feeling some contractions. The thought came to my mind: I hardly ate anything yesterday, the baby is fed up and wants out. I took out my calendar. Two weeks before my due date . . . I had never been this early before. Contractions were coming every ten minutes but I went and had some oatmeal ( my stomach did not feel up to my regular green smoothie). I could not finish the oatmeal but still the contractions slowed down with eating.
I wrote in my journal and had some bible and prayer time. I wrote that I was grateful that I might be meeting Gregory soon.
I heard Lee's alarm go off. I went to talk to him and he said he had called in sick to work - the bug had got to him too. I told him I had been having contractions and I was not sure if they were braxton hicks on the real thing. Half asleep he said "No, they are the real thing. You are having this baby."
I was a little surprised to hear him say that so confidently and half asleep but I let him sleep and walked away.
I typed out some birth affirmations.
I clearly remembered some of the thoughts that had bothered me in previous births. Specifically: this is never going to end. Now, logically, I know that birth is going to end but there is a certain sense of being stuck that tends to be unshakable when I have been in the middle of birth. So, to combat those feelings one of my first birth affirmations was: "This will not last forever.
Here are the others:
The pain that you've been feeling can't compare to the joy that's coming. Romans 8:18
Cast all your cares upon him for he careth for you. 1 Peter 5:7
I feel Safe
I feel Calm
I feel Strong
I am the most important person in my baby's world. How I feel matters and I choose to feel safe. (This one was very effective for me.)
My body will progress at its own pace; my body knows what to do.
Lee slept in because he wasn't feeling well. I told him again that I had been having contractions. He contacted our midwife and told her the situation. I was having contractions but I was sick the day before. She said it might be dehydration. She recommended that I try to get some sleep and let her know if things seem to be progressing.
I had a hard time getting to sleep after having slept much of the day before and I was feeling much better. Around noon, I finally did get to sleep and slept for a few hours. Three p.m. I woke up from my nap and got up to go to the bathroom. I felt a gush as my water broke. I went to tell Lee.
So, this was happening.
This was fifth time doing this. I know how to handle the pain from contractions. But I had a slightly different approach. I have always had long births. Before this birth, my shortest birth was 18 hours and my longest had been like 48 hours. My contractions would be sporadic and inconsistent. This time I had been praying for a shorter birth. I was determined that it would be so. I had drank raspberry tea and ate dates which are both supposed to help with a list of things including making labor shorter.
As I had each contraction I would either speak to my cervix saying "Open up" or to Gregory saying "It's okay, you can come out." I would picture myself holding him and done with the whole birthing process.
My husband was saying that he thought maybe the baby would come around midnight or early the next day. At that point I felt like I had a choice. I could lay down try to sleep and see if the contractions would slow down or I could walk around and have the baby that night. I don't know why I felt like it was my choice - but I really did. I have often been afraid of pushing the baby out and the pain of it all and I felt that subconsciously I had made my labors longer because of my fear. I remember around 8 pm or so I decided, I was going to push him out sooner or later. Why not sooner than later? So, I walked around. I felt some strong contractions and rather than shrinking back in fear when the strong contractions would come. I would say "good - strong is good." By 8:45, I noticed contraction after contraction one minute apart. I felt it was transition, and started to feel the urge to push but the midwives hadn't arrived at the house yet. I didn't want to have this baby without them.
I had two more of these strong contractions with the urge to push but now they were spaced out about 7 minutes apart. To me, this was another sign that it was the real thing because I remember that happening before after transition with both Laura and John.
I don't know where Lee was during all of this. He was running around trying to get things ready and didn't realize how close I was to giving birth on my own, ha ha. I was holding back and blowing hard through the contractions but it was very painful - I urgently prayed "Lord have mercy on me." Finally, the midwives came and I asked them to check how far I was dilated because I felt very "pushy." Karen Baker told me that if I felt like pushing to push but I wanted confirmation. She checked me and said I was almost all the way dilated but it was very flexible and the baby could push the last bit. After she finished saying that I got another contraction on the bed. I felt like I could have had the baby right then but I remember saying "Not here." I wanted to get in the tub for some reason, it just seemed so inviting. I got in an squatted while holding the side of the tub. I remember Yvette saying "Oh no," because she knew that when I got into that position the baby was coming fast. I remember hearing the midwife say she was going to get her camera. I remember thinking "Why are you going to do that?" Because I knew that she would not have time but I did not have the energy or concentration to say anything. A contraction came and I pushed. It was so intense I remember feeling a sense of chickening out and I sat back and put my hand down there and I could feel his head. I don't remember actively pushing anymore but it was too late he was coming. The next second he was out. Just Lee and Yvette were in the bathroom with me. Lee said all he saw was the water get cloudy and he didn't realize he was out until he saw his dark hair. He helped me pull him up and out of the water and it was over. Gregory was born 6 pounds 11 ounces.
The kids were at the other side of the house when he was born. They heard him scream. (He started off being more of a screamer than crier). They were all excited to come and meet their new little brother.
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