Zoeys Birth Story
May 7th 11:08am
Zoey Irene
7lbs 6oz 19″ long
37 weeks and 6 days found me getting out of bed at 7:30am. This is not so uncommon being so pregnant. I had to pee, every few hours. Today was different though. 2 days before I had gotten up a bit sooner to braxton contractions that had gone on all night at 10 minutes apart but changed to 6 minutes apart that morning and had not let me go back to sleep, I let the idea that this could be the day enter my mind and when I saw my midwife that afternoon I asked to be checked me. I was 1cm. This was not like me and I got a bit worried. While I wanted baby to come as late as she could manage to so I could be more ready (Trying to make a full stash of cloth diapers) I was use to being 3-4cm by 37 weeks and I liked it that way thinking it meant labor would go faster with less work. This baby though would help to prove to me even more than checks don’t really mean much. Knowing I have a history of having a false labor day about a week to ten days before baby actually comes we got to thinking we had more time and this was a comfort.
However 37 weeks and 6 days seemed to be the perfect time for baby Zoey. As I got out of bed, I peed myself, a lot. This was odd but I thought maybe I just got up too fast. After getting changed I went back to bed and a thought hit me, I had thought I peed myself with both my last two labors. I thought about that a bit and then got out of bed to find another gush splashed to the floor. I asked DH to get up, he saw, and he was on his toes and busy!
Contractions started right away, but I was sure I was not having them that night. They came every 3-6 minutes and stronger than what I was used to for early labor. I got online in a bit of denial to check in with friends and family. Called the midwife at 8am to let her know and thinking we would have 5 hours she said to call her back if something big changed or call her in an hour to check in. Things changed fast but I still was not believing it. Contractions started to come every 2 minutes. I was on the birthing ball leaving over the bed, typing online between waves. It was harder labor than I was used to. I was used to being able to sing and do things in early labor. I had planned to me backing diapers but that was just not going to happen. I had to focus on these contractions. I had to breath through them. It was happening so fast and I was not feeling prepared. A few friends online had some great advice about back counter pressure and so I was calling to DH to come help. He learned really quickly what helped. I stayed quiet and outwardly as calm as possible. Our children got up and the day started to pick up. They came in to see me and at first we did not tell them. I found them a good distraction to keep me positive. Our oldest (10) just finally asked me if it was baby day and she was very happy but stayed quiet as she went to tell her siblings. She seemed to know I needed quiet.
I put hypnobabies on my laptop, birthing affirmations. I did not need hypnobabies till the last 10 minutes of my last birthing but this was different. I tried to focus but in my mind the waves had been getting the better of me. Too close together. I asked DH to fill my bathroom tub, and into the warm water I went. I had a few minutes of rest and then the waves came again, so close. I had DH call the midwife at this point, thankfully it was 9am. I told him I needed her now. I felt silly but I really needed ideas on how to not lose my quietness. My 2 year old seemed to know something was going on and was laying on the bath rug watching me. It helped a bit to know I needed to be calm for her. I got out of the tub, and onto the birthing ball again and she went to go help Dad with the birthing pool and breakfast.
I found I needed to call out to my husband every two minutes if not sooner to help with counter pressure on my lower back. I had enjoyed holding on to him before and sawing, and on the ball I liked to move while he pressed into my lower back. In moments between waves while alone I started to think that if the midwife got here and I had not progressed I would be begging to go to the hospital for an epidural. I don’t like admitting to those thoughts. (though later my DH said I had told him so before the midwife came) When my oldest daughter came to say hello again I took the time to tell her that this birth she might hear noises from me that she didn’t last time. I mentioned that when she runs fast sometimes she makes noises, and when she pushed something heavy she makes grunting noises and that doing hard work of birthing I might make noises too but she shouldn’t worry, it just means good work is going on. I was a bit scared, I did not want to be vocal, I liked being quiet but I was not sure how much more I could take.
Primary midwife came and I near cried I was so happy to see her. She got her things into the house and I waited as patiently as I could. I called to hubby to help with my back and she stepped in to give him time to work on the pool though she thought at first it would be too soon I think. She pressed hard. I felt badly she was putting forth such effort , she is very strong and in great shape I have to say. I then asked to be checked and she said normally her clients do not want to be checked and I admitted that I was not on top of the waves like I am used to being and I was shaking at this point. She told me it was not early labor she could tell. I just did not believe it though till she said I was 7-8cm and I could get in the birthing pool. I was so happy! I got in and forgot to keep updating online. I was finally accepting it all. The pool gave me a break from waves for a short time. I needed it. Back up midwife came and I was so happy to see her too, another strong woman as well and the energy she brought was bright too and I needed it. She helped press my knees while DH pressed my back. It helped. I never knew about the knee pressure helping in past births! The student midwife then showed up and it was another breath of fresh air in my world. I had Dh bring my laptop into the birthing pool room. I played the early labor track.
Sweet amazing DH got into the tub and I loved leaning on him. My children went to play in the back yard being wonderful the whole morning. I found my calm. I relaxed, gave myself over, and floated above a wave. I fell into hypnosis. After the first time it happened I had to mention it and others had noticed it too! I felt like it was early labor from the home birth before in that I could float above the contractions if I could quiet myself right at the start. They came faster and faster and smiled between them and talked and thanked everyone for helping me. Some of them lasted a long time. I broke my quiet having to mention it. They knew of course but I just needed to voice the break I needed during those ones. No thoughts however of being any place else or needing anything else. I had not known it but I really needed the hypno prompt on the CD to tell me that baby and I are safe. I knew I would not feel like that in the hospital and I knew I felt it was true at home with all the support.
I remember once the midwives and DH had been whispering during a contraction and I breathed out a SHHHH to them. I felt badly. I just needed to focus and my mind tends to follow the voices outward when I needed to go inward. No one minded though. I laugh now as I had done that in my last birth as well when midwives and friends had been talking.
I then started to feel a bit pushy. I asked to be checked again and the midwife said she normally just lets her clients follow their bodies but checked me anyway as I was worried it was too soon. I had a lip still. I figured it out then, my body had not cleaned itself out like it normally does and that sensation was from things needing to move so baby could come. It was a bit embarrassing but cleaned up before my children could notice. All told it was about 10 pushes I think, not my normal 2-3. It was quiet except for me whispering “fire” when that time came and warning everyone when a wave was coming so I could hold hands and Dh could press on my back. I know I had asked them to put the hypnobabies “pushing baby out” track on at some point and I know it was playing but I don’t remember hearing it. Much like my last birth, part of me heard it I am sure but not “me” and I know it helped. The midwives and DH whispered all the right things. I needed each of them. Dh to push on my back, and a midwife to hold my knees, and a midwife on each side to let me hold their hands. Baby was out and I just could not believe it was over. A 3.5 hour labor. I called to my children who had been playing in a bedroom to come see their sister. They had been so wonderful, checking in and going to play and I smiled when ever I saw them. It helped to have them around.
Placenta came out without the normal gush of blood and the cord was still pulsing. All was wonderful. Little bleeding . When the cord was done doing it’s job it was cut and I was up and into the shower while DH got to be with baby. Then to bed with baby and I to nurse and cuddle. No stitches . I was given all the information needed and they helped DH clean up and checked on baby one last time before leaving. They raved about the birth, about hypnobabies , how they would love to birth with me again any day. One midwife told me she always loved how sweet I was in our appointments but did not expect me to be twice as sweet in birthing. LOL I couldn’t then express how much they all helped, I can’t picture having better midwives. I was on cloud9 and so so grateful.
I find I have so many things to thankful for. My husband was amazing and calm and steady. He got so much done while also helping me. I trusted him to be there for me and he was, him holding me was so wonderful and nothing like in a hospital with me alone on my back in a bed. The midwives did everything I could dream them to do and more. Friends and Family supporting our choices and lending advice and help, from a breast pump to books and e-mails and texts timed just right. Not sure just how I got to be so lucky but blessed just does not seem like a big enough word for it all. Having bled all of week 8 when I was pregnant getting Gestational Diabetes and having to be very strict and then having to raise Iron levels, I thought I would end up with a hospital birth but my midwife took great care of me and following her directions made it all work. I really don’t think many medical care providers could have been given such personal care.
Zoey is beautiful and sweet and tiny and perfect and we are all just smitten with her. Did I mention how very lucky I am?
