Claire's Birthday
Photo by www.melodyanddavidphotography.com
Claire’s birth really started three days prior on Friday the 10th. I had a biophysical profile that afternoon since I was 41 weeks and 4 days pregnant. The ultrasound showed that my amniotic fluid levels were still normal and the placenta was still functioning well. After the ultrasound my husband Donny and I went for an appointment with Lucinda. I had my first cervical check and I was devastated to learn that I was not dilated at all and my cervix was still completely closed. We discussed our options and decided to try some natural techniques to help start my labor over the weekend.
Lucinda came to our house the next morning and had me use a breast pump and take frequent walks to start some contractions as well as some herbal tinctures. Lucinda left that evening and Donny and I went to bed hopeful that I would go into labor during the night. I was disappointed to wake up Sunday morning still pregnant and feeling fine. We called Lucinda and she offered to come by that afternoon and try again. Donny and I went out to lunch as our last “date” as a childless couple and then headed home to start the process again. This time I started getting some good contractions but Lucinda said they were more like irritable uterus contractions than early labor. She left around 9pm and told me to get some sleep and hopefully I would wake up in labor.
I went to bed around 10 and began listening to one of my Hypnobabies tracks. By 11:00 my contractions woke me up and Donny called Lucinda; our doula, Vangee and birth photographer, Melody. I spent a while walking around the house and timing contractions but the walking was really uncomfortable. I ended up back in the bedroom kneeling on an ottoman in front of the bed with Donny rubbing my back. This is how I spent the majority of my labor. I listened to Hypnobabies and breathed through my contractions. I was so relaxed that I was able to sleep in between them. I don’t remember exactly when Lucinda and her assistant Dawn arrived but I recall feeling at ease knowing they were there.
My contractions started to become longer and more intense. I was having trouble relaxing through them. I decided to try the birth pool, which Donny had set up earlier so we moved to the kitchen. I ended up hating it! I was freezing and couldn’t warm up even though there was a hose of hot water running into it. I couldn’t find a comfortable position. This is when I started to break down a bit. Vangee had brought my cd player into the kitchen so I could continue listening to my Hypnobabies tracks but I couldn’t get into hypnosis. It felt like one horrible long contraction that wouldn’t end. In my mind my labor had just started. I thought I had been back in the bedroom laboring for only half an hour or so but it had actually been almost 4 hours! I thought I could only be a few centimeters dilated and I had hours of labor left to go. Lucinda assured me that I was in transition and I would be having my baby soon. I felt a lot better once I knew I was almost done.
I still didn’t like the pool at all so I decided to go back to the bedroom and kneel next to the bed since I had been so comfortable there. I immediately felt better and started to feel a change in my contractions. Lucinda told me I could push whenever I felt the urge.
Lucinda came to our house the next morning and had me use a breast pump and take frequent walks to start some contractions as well as some herbal tinctures. Lucinda left that evening and Donny and I went to bed hopeful that I would go into labor during the night. I was disappointed to wake up Sunday morning still pregnant and feeling fine. We called Lucinda and she offered to come by that afternoon and try again. Donny and I went out to lunch as our last “date” as a childless couple and then headed home to start the process again. This time I started getting some good contractions but Lucinda said they were more like irritable uterus contractions than early labor. She left around 9pm and told me to get some sleep and hopefully I would wake up in labor.
I went to bed around 10 and began listening to one of my Hypnobabies tracks. By 11:00 my contractions woke me up and Donny called Lucinda; our doula, Vangee and birth photographer, Melody. I spent a while walking around the house and timing contractions but the walking was really uncomfortable. I ended up back in the bedroom kneeling on an ottoman in front of the bed with Donny rubbing my back. This is how I spent the majority of my labor. I listened to Hypnobabies and breathed through my contractions. I was so relaxed that I was able to sleep in between them. I don’t remember exactly when Lucinda and her assistant Dawn arrived but I recall feeling at ease knowing they were there.
My contractions started to become longer and more intense. I was having trouble relaxing through them. I decided to try the birth pool, which Donny had set up earlier so we moved to the kitchen. I ended up hating it! I was freezing and couldn’t warm up even though there was a hose of hot water running into it. I couldn’t find a comfortable position. This is when I started to break down a bit. Vangee had brought my cd player into the kitchen so I could continue listening to my Hypnobabies tracks but I couldn’t get into hypnosis. It felt like one horrible long contraction that wouldn’t end. In my mind my labor had just started. I thought I had been back in the bedroom laboring for only half an hour or so but it had actually been almost 4 hours! I thought I could only be a few centimeters dilated and I had hours of labor left to go. Lucinda assured me that I was in transition and I would be having my baby soon. I felt a lot better once I knew I was almost done.
I still didn’t like the pool at all so I decided to go back to the bedroom and kneel next to the bed since I had been so comfortable there. I immediately felt better and started to feel a change in my contractions. Lucinda told me I could push whenever I felt the urge.
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I was getting good contractions and bearing down with them but I never felt an overwhelming urge to push like I’ve heard people describe. The contractions were not nearly as painful as labor contractions and I got a nice long break in between them. I remember feeling totally normal when I wasn’t having a contraction. When I felt Claire’s head starting to crown Lucinda gave me a warm wet wash cloth with some olive oil to help stretch my perineum. This felt so good and I was able to slowly push most of her head through in between contractions. I also never felt the “ring of fire” which I was thankful for! I started having issues once her head was almost out. I had been kneeling on the floor pushing for an hour. My contractions were slowing down and I wasn’t able to push effectively when I wasn’t contracting and getting help from my body. Lucinda had me lie on the bed. Donny held my legs and Lucinda guided Claire’s head out while I pushed. As it turns out her hand was next to her face! A moment later I felt her body slipping out and Lucinda laid her on my chest. It was 6:01am.
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Photo by www.melodyanddavidphotography.com
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Photo by www.melodyanddavidphotography.com
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Claire’s birth was such an overwhelming moment and everything that happened immediately afterward is a blur to me. I recall Lucinda rubbing Claire’s back and clearing her airways of mucous. We heard her first precious cry and then she was placed back on my chest and covered with warm blankets. Donny and I got lots of time to cuddle her like that while I delivered the placenta and Donny cut the cord. Claire nursed for a while and then I took a shower and settled back into bed. Lucinda preformed the newborn exam and weighed her in at 8 pounds 6 ounces and 21 inches long. She was a big, healthy girl!
There are just not words to describe the emotions I felt having birthed my first child. It was truly the best moment of my life. I feel so blessed to have found such a skilled and caring midwife to share in my pregnancy and birth. |
Photo by www.melodyanddavidphotography.com
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Photo by www.melodyanddavidphotography.com
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