Wyatt’s Homebirth

November 1st, 2005
6lbs 4ozs & 19.5inches

October 31st, 2005 I was 37 weeks pregnant with our first baby. I started to swell suddenly, had very high blood pressure, and was close to becoming toxic. After talking to our midwife, we decided to induce by breaking my water around 6pm. Fluid was clear and we were ready to wait for baby! Dan went to work expecting to be called home soon.

I had some contractions but nothing really steady and it was getting late, so my mom, midwife, and I went to bed. I was able to sleep really well until contractions woke me up at 3:30am. They were pretty strong, but I wanted to make sure before I woke everyone. I lay in bed for about an hour and they kept coming, so I got up since it was incredibly uncomfortable to lie down. I went to the bathroom and woke my mom and midwife around 5 am. Dan was due to be home just after 6, so we decided not to call him.

We kept the lights low and my mom and midwife did whatever they needed to do to wake up while I labored on my knees leaning over my birthing ball. That was so comfortable for me. I remember Dan coming home and he did his best to help me, but I did not want to be touched. I wanted people there, but not too close. I ate some toast and drank lots of fluid. I remember getting up a lot to go to the bathroom, but I always ended up back on the birthing ball.

Around 11am, I decided to try the birth pool. After just a few contractions, I knew I had to get out. It just didn’t feel right. I got out and moved into our bedroom. I believe that is when I began transition. Suddenly my contractions just felt different..Stronger, more forceful. Not once did I feel like I couldn’t do it or like I had made the wrong decision. My body began to push around 12:30pm. I tried being on my back with my mom behind me for support, but it didn’t feel right. I got back on the birthing ball and that is when I really started to feel comfortable pushing.

My body’s natural pushing started to overcome everything else at 1:30pm. All I could do was release my own thoughts and worries and trust my body and baby to do what they were meant to. It felt so much better to me to be pushing! I remember thinking “Wow it’s almost over! My baby is almost here!” I was so excited and that made the pain much less noticeable.
I vividly remember feeling baby slip under my pubic bone and being SO happy just feeling the process happen! A couple pushes later, I felt baby start to crown. I purposefully tried to go as slow as possible and focused on my breathing through contractions and totally let my body take over. I wanted this part to be as gentle as possible for me and baby. I was in no hurry to get baby out since I knew it would be over very soon no matter what. Slowly my body pushed baby’s head out until the crown held. I welcomed the burning sensation and did not pull away from it. It was much less painful to me then the rest of labor had been. Another soft push from my uterus and baby’s eyes and nose were out! One more and there was the whole head and my husband was stroking his hair. When my next contraction came, baby came out with one strong push!

He was born into his father’s hands at 2:46pm on November 1st, 2005!
Our midwife helped Dan to lay the baby up between my legs and I picked up my brand new screaming baby boy and turned to sit down. Dan and I just sat and stared at him in total awe of this amazing creation. I could not believe I had just given birth. All my pain was gone instantly. He was perfect and healthy in every way!

Dan and I passed him back and forth taking turns ogling over him. He latched on and nursed 5 minutes after being born. He was already an expert at it! I can’t remember how long afterward, but the placenta stopped pumping blood, so Dan cut the cord while I held him. Our midwife told me it had already been an hour since the birth and we needed to work on getting the placenta out. I had no idea it had been that long!

I passed our baby boy off to his daddy and got up to wobble to the bathroom, sit on the toilet and deliver the placenta. Our midwife placed a bowl under me and with one small push, the placenta came out. It was healthy and fully intact. This was the first time I bled through the entire birth! Our midwife checked me and I had no tears, my bleeding was normal, and my uterus was contracting well!

By the time I was done, our baby had been cleaned a little, cord was clamped to make his belly button, he was wrapped in a new blanket, and snuggled in his Nana’s arms. I decided a shower would be nice, so Dan helped me shower. When we got out, our midwife had everything cleaned up and packed up and my dad had arrived and had ordered pizza!

Our midwife made sure we were all doing fine, weighed and measured baby, and went home to let us bond with our newest family member. We absolutely fell in love!