Wesley's Homebirth (long version)

Wesley Theodore’s birth was ‘fast and furious.’  I was 41 weeks exactly and we had chosen to begin natural induction techniques to avoid a medical induction at the hospital.  We had been planning a home birth with a midwife we adored.  

I began the remedies at 7:30am on September 6th, 2013.By 1:30 I had decided that the induction probably wasn’t a success and I needed to take a nap.  At 2:20 I woke up with a violent movement inside my belly.  I called my midwife, she could hear in my voice and breathing that my contractions were now in full gear and it would not be long before I needed help.  She advised me to call my doula as soon as I thought I needed her.   Thirty minutes later I called my doula.  She let me know she was on her way at 3:30.

When my doula arrived I was having contractions back to back with about 30 seconds between each one and they were lasting about a minute and a half. We decided to sit on birth balls to open my hips and within a few minutes she was on the phone to inform my midwife and her assisting midwife that it was time for them to come and to be hasty-this baby was not waiting around to be born!  Whilst she was on the phone, my water broke.  The game was on instantly.  I could feel him slipping farther and farther into my pelvis getting ready to be born!  I was in the bathroom when my doula recognized my vocalizations had changed from deep ‘moos’ to higher pitched pushing sounds.  She called my midwife again telling her that time was very limited.  I then decided to take a hot shower to relieve some pain and take my mind to a peaceful place and began preparing myself for delivery.  When I got out I laid on my side in bed and began hypnobirthing to breath my baby down. While it was painful, I was able to go within to my baby and help guide it into place ready for birth. My midwife arrived at my house at 4:40. She checked baby’s vitals as well as mine and then she checked my progress per my request.  I was 5cm dilated.  She approved me to get into the birth tub-which had only just finished filling.  I got in and let my body go and allowed my body to do its thing.  My mouth was doing its thing too!  I hit transition and I knew it.  I had to get out of the tub because I was no longer comfortable.  I sat on the toilet and said ‘I do not want to have a toilet baby’….  Then followed a huge contraction.  I looked at my midwife and doula and said, ‘I am having a toilet baby aren’t I-IIIIII  Uggghhu!’   They both laughed and said, ‘Yes, but I will catch it first.’  I didn’t like that idea at all!  So up I jumped and into the shower I went. Seconds later the shower was off and I was on my hands and knees in the tub. It hit me.  My baby was coming!  (I can’t help but cry as I write this part!)  I smiled.  I laughed.  I took a deep breath and started to breath my baby down.  I realized where I was probably wasn’t the easiest for my midwife to assist me in and I decided to try to get out.  I made it one step out of the tub and I was not going anywhere.  My midwife sat on the toilet as I stood and began breathing my baby out.  Full smiles, I was on cloud nine.  I truly enjoy this part of labor and felt this way with my first as well.  My midwife’s assisting midwife arrived as my baby’s ears were being born.  She sat down and I gave her a cheery hi.  

When baby’s head was delivered I asked my midwife to get Chris and 2-year-old Isla so they could witness the birth.  When they came in my daughter was so excited that the baby was ‘coming out of Mama’s gina.’  I breathed deep and pushed two more times to finish birthing my baby into the world.  I reached down and pulled my baby up and felt a squish between the legs!  I knew without looking we had a little boy!  All I could say was ‘It’s a Wesley.  Isla, you have a little brother.’  He was beautiful.  

Wesley took several minutes to get breathing; he was in shock from the quick birth.  I stayed calm and helped rub him vigorously to get him going.  This felt like an eternity but we all stayed very calm, I had an instinctual trust that he was going to be ok.  He finally started to breath but still did not cry.  When he did cry, he did not stop crying for almost two hours!  I guess that is normal for fast births. 

From the time my midwife arrived it had been only 42 minutes that I had gone from 5cm until Wesley was born and in my arms.  I walked to my bed with him still attached and looked at my clock.  I thought I was hallucinating until they told me how fast it really happened! I totally rocked my birth!

Wes is still figuring out nursing but is doing a good job getting on track.  Otherwise he is a handsome big boy weighing in at 8lbs 4oz and was 22 inches long.  He arrived at 5:42 pm and his record shows ‘all active labor, no early labor’ which is only slightly true if you don’t count all of the false labor I had for weeks!