BellyBelly Life Member - Love all your MCN friends
Jun 2004
The Festival State
3,008
oh Julie, we're the same age, your story made me cry, how beautiful. thanks for sharing your story. really really special. I have a DD4. I love how your older kids say "when they have a brain", LOL.
Just magic Julie!! So wonderfully written. I cried tears of joy reading it.
Congratulations on a very special birth
My Mum had her third baby and first homebirth at 40. I was 13 at the time and being present at the birth was one of the best gifts my Mum ever gave me. She has passed away now and she left me knowing that I can do anything, that birth is a miracle and "high risk" is generally bullsh*t. You have given your daughters a very special gift
Julie - somehow I missed this story back when you originally posted it. Beautiful birth story! Great job! I don't think it's just doulas though, who are observers and participants in their births. When DS was being born, (also at home) and they announced after about 55 min of pushing (for baby #5!) that he was posterior, and DH asked what that meant, I answered, in the midst of pushing and exhaustion, that it meant "the largest diameter of his head was presenting." My midwives got a good laugh about that. Turns out he was a brow presentation, but I managed to push him out about 5 min later, after my midwife suggested a transfer, and that made me mad enough to find that extra little bit of energy and really give it my all and get that baby round the bend and out of there!
Anyways, I hope life with your three big girls and your little man is going well! I'll bet it's a very different experience this time around, with helping hands around the house.
Absolutely, Cricket, I didn't mean that *only* doulas have that objective watching part of their brain happening during birth, I only meant that being a doula/registered nurse was the reason *I* was. And a posterior brow presentation - at home - WOW! I am seriously impressed, what an awesome job, mama! Congratulations! So you have 4 big girls and a little man - and we have 3 big girls and a little man - and yes you are right - it is wonderful having the helping hands and he's a blessed boy to have all the love and attention he gets.
Rory (Ruardhri) is 13 months old now and I see in your sig that your boy is 1, so they must have been born not far apart. Rory was born 10 Dec 2010.
I'm wondering how your recovery after the birth was, Cricket? Mine took a while. I bounced back pretty easy after the girls' births. Not sure what the issue was this time, perhaps him being posterior? Although I know heaps of women who've had no probs after posterior births, so I don't mean that they cauyse any particular problem - they don't - but I think in my case somehow my pelvis twisted a bit during pregnancy (I had sacral pain for the first time ever) and I think the post-birth hormones exaccerbated this, so I had sacral pain, pain in the ball joint of my right hip and pain in my left knee joint: walking was really hard for nearly 8 months. I feel almost fully recovered now - but it was the only post natal time where I felt quite wrecked and it took a while to get my fitness back. Probably just random, who know, my age??? Dunno. I'm just relieved to be doing better now.
The other curve ball this birth threw me is that after having no probs with the first three, I had low milk supply with Rory. I really grieved over this. But that's another whole story for another time! At 13 months, he still boobs a bit, just for comfort really ... but at least it is something.
All the best Cricket, and other readers, thanks for posting in this thread and sharing our baby glee.
Thanks Julie! The whole observer/participant thing in labour is kind of crazy, isn't it? One part of your brain is totally focused on the work of birth, and some other small part is sitting in a corner listening to the conversation in the room, watching the midwives faces for signs of worry/approval, realizing that the shaking, panicky feeling you've got probably means you're in transition... etc.
Yes, our boys are fairly close in age - my little man was born in September 2010, and is now just about 16 months old. Super cute age, isn't it? Learning a few words, toddling around, giving kisses.... He's my only snuggly child - the girls never were!
My recovery after that birth was actually quite good. I was VERY sore initially. More than with my first even, I'd say. But it was all just swelling and bruising - nothing really damaged, and no tears. Do you see a chiropractor or physio or something? Because if your hips/pelvis are out of line, then the whole body can twist a bit to compensate, and that can cause major issues. A friend had that happen during her last pregnancy, and it ended up causing such terrible back spasms that she was totally unable to function for a few months after the birth. She went daily to physio and the chiropractor until she could walk again. One thing that helped me out a bit with my pregnancy and recovery was doing a prenatal exercise DVD as often as I could manage it throughout the pregnancy. And, about 2 weeks after the birth, I started a (very gentle!) post natal exercise program designed to move in stages from birth to 1 year post partum. Being pregnant again now though, and feeling the aches of over-relaxed joints anew, I think that each pregnancy relaxes everything a little bit more, and exacerbates those aches and pains. Age probably contributes too, although I'm only 31 now. I have sacral pain, sciatic trouble on the left side, and some issues with SPD, (although not as bad as some women do!). Anyways, I'm glad to hear that you're feeling more on top of things again. That's a good feeling, isn't it? Good to feel like yourself again. 8 months is sure a long time to wait for that though!
Bummer about the supply issues! That's really frustrating and disappointing as a mother, isn't it? Sometimes our bodies just do odd things, don't they? I guess that's when we can be thankful that other options are available, if they are needed.
Anyways, enjoy life with your lovely family! I should start a new thread and ask about life as a doula with a young family. I'm considering training and certifying as a doula, but I think I might have to wait a few years. My babies are still to little and require too much of my time right now...
Hey again Julie! I was just thinking about your question, about whether having a posterior baby put more strain on your body, and I'm pretty sure it's actually the other way around. The relaxin of pregnancy most likely made your body twist a little bit (it probably already was slightly, and pregnancy made it worse.) That changed the shape of your pelvis, made your back, hips and knees shift and compensate, and didn't allow your baby to get into optimum position for birth. It also most likely contributed to the painful labour. Having proper pelvic alignment is very helpful for an easier labour.
Not sure how i missed this but what a truely amazing birth story! My DD was born posterior so i really feel you on that it HURT but having been through it and got through it i know that i can do it again if this baby is a posterior bub too.
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