Everett's Birth
by Clarissa Hall
I met with Lucinda for the first time when I was 10 weeks into my first pregnancy. I had always wanted a homebirth, for a number of reasons, and was so nervous to talk with her on the phone. After our first conversation I learned that I had nothing to be nervous about! Lucinda was so confident and kind when answering my questions and put all of my husband’s concerns to rest. She instilled a confidence in me regarding my pregnancy, and helped me understand that my opinions and choices were completely sound. That had to be my favorite part of our prenatal visits: Lucinda and Brooke would give me all the information I asked for, answer questions…..and leave it at that. They were also amazing advisors to me when I was deciding to become a stay-at-home mother. I have the utmost respect and love for the both of them because they helped me make my pregnancy, delivery, and journey into motherhood exactly what I wanted, nothing more or less.
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Now, to the good part! I was having intense, infrequent contractions two days prior to my son’s birth-date. I was 39 weeks pregnant and figured that my body was preparing for the real thing. I hadn’t had too many Braxton-Hicks prior to that. I had very little sleep for two nights. The third night, to combat the lower back pain, I got into a Jacuzzi for a little while (which was no help). My husband was exhausted and fell asleep the minute we got in bed; that same minute, I got out of bed because I couldn’t lie down comfortably. The rest of the evening consisted of me pacing our hallway and doing laps around our living room. My lower back was on fire and breathing was barely getting me through the waves of uncomfortableness (I was trying to fool myself by avoiding the word ‘pain’).I found refuge on my knees, on the floor, with my forearms on the seat of our couch. I kept feeling the need to rock my hips. I was using an app on my phone to time my contractions, but they seemed to be inconsistent and really long.
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It was around 1 am that I realized I was falling asleep in-between my contractions and missing the button on my phone to stop the timer. Forty minute contractions- yeah right! I called my husband, Justin, from my spot on the floor in front of the couch and heard him jump out of bed. “You need to call Lucinda,” is what I could manage before I had another wave of uncomfortableness. He runs to the bedroom and brings my phone out to me. He holds it out and, through gritted teeth, I say, ‘No….you need to do it, I’m a little busy…’
In hindsight, it’s funny, but at the time I could have broken the phone in half!
I was trying to stay in my focused little world, but I heard Justin reading Lucinda my contraction times; they both seemed a bit confused (I later learned that I had back labored). After being on the phone with her for a little while, and timing a few more of my contractions, Lucinda decided it was time for her to head over. Justin, upon hanging up the phone, ran around the house like a mad-man setting up and getting the supplies that we had gathered for the birth. Our living-room transformed into our birth location.
When Brooke and Lucinda arrived I felt like I could relax and really focus. I could feel their energy being added to the room and used that. It was amazing to get into the birth pool once it was ready. The warm water made me feel relaxed and comfortable and the padded bottom of the pool was much more forgiving on my knees. My husband held my hands and sat in-front of me the whole time. I was bent over the edge of the pool and would sleep between my contractions. When things got pretty far along I held onto an image in my head of Justin holding our son. I also used the sound of our son’s heartbeat, which Brooke was checking throughout the morning, to fuel my confidence. One of my most vivid memories is looking up at Lucinda when my contractions were strengthening. She had the most confident look in her eyes, and she nodded her head- wordlessly telling me that I was okay and to keep it up.
In hindsight, it’s funny, but at the time I could have broken the phone in half!
I was trying to stay in my focused little world, but I heard Justin reading Lucinda my contraction times; they both seemed a bit confused (I later learned that I had back labored). After being on the phone with her for a little while, and timing a few more of my contractions, Lucinda decided it was time for her to head over. Justin, upon hanging up the phone, ran around the house like a mad-man setting up and getting the supplies that we had gathered for the birth. Our living-room transformed into our birth location.
When Brooke and Lucinda arrived I felt like I could relax and really focus. I could feel their energy being added to the room and used that. It was amazing to get into the birth pool once it was ready. The warm water made me feel relaxed and comfortable and the padded bottom of the pool was much more forgiving on my knees. My husband held my hands and sat in-front of me the whole time. I was bent over the edge of the pool and would sleep between my contractions. When things got pretty far along I held onto an image in my head of Justin holding our son. I also used the sound of our son’s heartbeat, which Brooke was checking throughout the morning, to fuel my confidence. One of my most vivid memories is looking up at Lucinda when my contractions were strengthening. She had the most confident look in her eyes, and she nodded her head- wordlessly telling me that I was okay and to keep it up.
I felt my body transition and asked if I could start pushing. Until then I had been riding the contractions and trying to stay relaxed. Lucinda said, “Of course you can,” and it was both painful and exhilarating to push. When I felt the ring-of-fire, the energy in the room changed. I was hyper-focused on the task at hand, but I could sense the anticipation coming from everyone in the room. Lucinda told me to touch my son’s head and, when I reached down, that is what helped me gather my strength to get him out. After feeling him there, so close to being earth-side with me, all I could think was “I WANT HIM OUT!”
I was vocal with my pushing, which was liberating as well as a surprise (I didn’t think I would be). Lucinda worked her magic ‘down there’ to help stretch me around my son’s head. There was a pause in the universe, I had never felt more pressure or pain, and simultaneously an emptying- I pushed him out. They pushed me back into a seated position in the pool and my son was on my chest in an instant.
The first thing I noticed was his hair, then his small size, then his beautiful, alien-like, blue skin. My sister yelled, “seven-oh-nine!” to let Brooke know the time of birth. My mom was happily snapping away pictures. My father came out of the kitchen and touched my cheek and told me he loved me. My husband……well I can’t fully explain the look in his eyes, but I’ve never loved him more than in that moment.
Fast-forward a little: Once we were happily lying in bed, Brooke gave me my first lesson in breastfeeding my son. My family was gathered all around when it was time to cut my son’s umbilical cord and get his measurements. My husband put on his first outfit. Lucinda and Brooke stayed for a while after that and we enjoyed recalling the entire morning while eating breakfast burritos that Justin had made.
To this day, Justin and I talk about Everett’s birth and how much we ENJOYED it. We are so proud and thankful that we were able to bring our son into the world the way we wanted to with so much love and encouragement from Lucinda and Brooke.
I was vocal with my pushing, which was liberating as well as a surprise (I didn’t think I would be). Lucinda worked her magic ‘down there’ to help stretch me around my son’s head. There was a pause in the universe, I had never felt more pressure or pain, and simultaneously an emptying- I pushed him out. They pushed me back into a seated position in the pool and my son was on my chest in an instant.
The first thing I noticed was his hair, then his small size, then his beautiful, alien-like, blue skin. My sister yelled, “seven-oh-nine!” to let Brooke know the time of birth. My mom was happily snapping away pictures. My father came out of the kitchen and touched my cheek and told me he loved me. My husband……well I can’t fully explain the look in his eyes, but I’ve never loved him more than in that moment.
Fast-forward a little: Once we were happily lying in bed, Brooke gave me my first lesson in breastfeeding my son. My family was gathered all around when it was time to cut my son’s umbilical cord and get his measurements. My husband put on his first outfit. Lucinda and Brooke stayed for a while after that and we enjoyed recalling the entire morning while eating breakfast burritos that Justin had made.
To this day, Justin and I talk about Everett’s birth and how much we ENJOYED it. We are so proud and thankful that we were able to bring our son into the world the way we wanted to with so much love and encouragement from Lucinda and Brooke.