home waterbirth

Sarah&JoeinSC · October 2008

On Wednesday night, the Braxton Hicks contractions I had been having for months started to become a little uncomfortable. They had been about 8 minutes apart for the past week but painless. After a bath I went to bed and they stopped. Thursday morning, I went for my weekly chiropractor appointment. On the way home, I called Joe around 11am to tell him I was having slightly painful contractions, but I didn?t think it was labor. I ate lunch, put Lindley down for her nap, and started cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms, ?just in case.?

Around 1pm I called him back to say I think this is labor, but don?t come home yet because it could be really early. I was still doubtful because I hadn?t lost a mucous plug or had bloody show. I called my midwife, who said to take a bath and see if things changed. After the bath, around 2pm, I was still having contractions that were now about 4 minutes apart. I called her back to say I was sure it was labor, but I didn?t need her to come yet. Not long after, I called Joe to come home.

Joe got home around 3pm and we made the bed in our birthing room. I was still scurrying around trying to get the house straightened up and keep me occupied. Around 4pm my mom arrived to take Lindley for the night, and my midwife arrived. She checked me at 4.5cm, paper thin cervix, and baby?s head was very low. Shortly after, the midwife?s assistant arrived. They laughed at me when I said I wanted to go take a shower so I could shave. After the shower, around 5pm, I started to need Joe?s help through the contractions. It really helped to have him stand behind me and press on my lower back while I leaned on the counter and swayed.

We decided to fill up the birthing tub and I got in around 5:30. After one or two contractions, I was surprised to be feeling ?pushy.? My midwife said I sounded pushy too. So the pushing started soon after although I tried to only push if I absolutely had to. She checked me and I was completely dilated. I hadn?t planned on it but then I asked Joe to go get his swimsuit on and get in with me. I wanted to squat and lean on him during the contractions since it had helped me with our first birth. It definitely helped me this time too.

Sometime around 6pm the midwife asked me to feel the baby?s head coming down. I could feel the bulging amniotic sac and practically begged her to break it for me. She wouldn?t, but said I could try with my fingernail. I just wanted to get her out, but I couldn?t break it. I felt a pop on the next contraction, and her head was immediately right there. I felt so much pressure on my perineum so I reached back and tried to support it while pushing. Her big head finally came out, followed by the rest of her, without a tear, at 6:09pm. Joe and I delivered her. The other midwife had barely made it, walking through the door at 6:05.

Maysie cried and pinked up right away. I got out of the tub and sat on the stool to birth the placenta. It came right out, followed by a big gush of blood. That part was a little scary. They gave me some shephard?s purse tincture and a shot of pitocin, and I laid down on the bed so they could massage my uterus. The bleeding stopped right away and it actually wasn?t anywhere near a dangerous amount. She nursed right away, and we did the newborn exam after a few hours. Maysie is 8lbs, 5oz, 22in, and head circumference of 14in.