Nora's Water Birth Story (lindslalala)

lindslalala · July 2014

DH just took DS to the park so I finally have a minute to write this up

On July 23rd, my due date, I had an 11am appt with my MW and she performed a cervical check and told me I was about 3-4cm. I wasn't surprised since I progressed very similarly with DS. Around 1pm I began having contractions that were about 10mins apart. Not painful, just noticeable. By 5pm they were coming every 5mins and were getting more uncomfortable. We called my MW so she could go open the birth center for us, my ILs and mom came over to hang out with DS while we went in to see if my MW wanted to keep me. Leaving DS was one of the most emotional moments of my life, I'm tearing up now just thinking about it.

At the birth center, my MW checked me and I was at 5cm. She said I was staying and got me started on antibiotics ( I was group b strep positive). DH and I hung out, listened to music while I walked around the room to keep my contractions coming. Around 10pm I got into the birthing tub where I labored for a couple hours. I got out and walked for maybe 20 mins at one point because my contractions had slowed and I was sitting at 7cm.

Once I got back into the tub, things progressed pretty quickly. By 12:30 am I felt like I wanted to push. I pushed a bit with each contraction as I let the baby come down, about 4 pushes total. My MW checked me and said she was going to hold the last remaining lip of cervix aside and have me push with the next contraction. I pushed, she crowned, her head came out and then her body all within moments. I looked down into the tub and my daughter was staring up at me. I pulled her onto my chest and out of the water where she was so peaceful and quiet (very common with water births apparently). She was born at 1:03am July 24th, fashionably late

8lbs 2oz 20.25 in

I didn't tear at all (!!) and my recovery has been night and day compared to DS's birth. We were home 6hrs after having her. Nursing has been a challenge, but she's improving little by little. DS is handling things better than I thought he would, getting spoiled rotten by all his grandparents, so I'm sure that is helping! Your prize for making it through this novel is some pics of my sweet girl, Nora Lynn. She is perfect in every way, and has made my family complete.