Ellowyn's Drug Free Waterbirth 17/06/11
Well. What can I say. I have just experienced the most rewarding, empowering, joyful event of my life and just starting to write this is bringing me to tears.
Firstly, a bit about myself. I have previously birthed 4 boys, all vaginally, in hospital, with gas only, and an epidural that didn't work for DS2. All were full term apart from Thomas born sleeping at 19 weeks. And I thought they were really good births, at the time. Sure I had tearing and stitches (and the pain that entails), but I did it all on my own, and I was always proud of those births.
When we found out about #4 (a pleasant surprise!) I knew I wanted a homebirth. I had met a lot of homebirth mums and a great midwife in my area, and I go to a Birth Circle where I heard lots about positive homebirth stories.
Cut to the birth...
8 days over (I had never gone over before) I begged for a S&S which showed I was 3 cm already and stretchy to 5. Yay! I had period pains the rest of the day, and started feeling mild regular tightenings around 3:30, which cranked up around 5:30. My midwife arrived at 6 along with 2 close friends/doulas who helped take the kids to grandmas down the road for a while as DH set up birth pool.
The atmosphere was calm, peaceful, I had candles, oils, the pool in front of the log fire, and my favourite tunes, which I really use to move with during contractions. Think Deva Premal, John Butler, Jeff Buckley, The Waifs, Bernard Fanning, Paul Kelly., Ben Harper, Jack Johnson...
AT around 7 the waves were becoming really intense, and i was moving to the music in the pool. DH was rubbing my back with a hot towel which was heaven. I started bouncing on my bottom, then moved to leaning over the side and moving in time with the music. I was sniffing a flannel with lavender oil, and having homeopathics and rescue remedy. My friends were taking care of the video camera and taking photos and sorting the homeopathics for me.
My midwife was amazing, she seemed to know exactly what to say, when to say it. Gave me the most wonderful support and encouragement, to trust in myself and my body.
7:40 SROM
7:52 Intense cx now every 2-3 mins
7:55 1st involuntary push
8:04 BABY GIRL
She was caught by her daddy in the water who saw "it's a girl, babe!" then pushed her between my legs and I lifted her out of the water, in shock I finally had a girl, and what I'd just done :)
8 lb 9 oz, no tearing (a first for me) :dance:
51 cm
36cm head
Her cord was quite short so I was just able to lift her to the breast, where she began sucking vigorously, and didn't stop for 6 hrs!!! I birthed the placenta in the pool at 8 :41 and we had cut the cord after it stopped pulsating as it was so tight so I could get in a more comfy position.
As soon as she was born my friend raced down the road and grabbed the 3 boys and grandma, so they saw her about 5 mins after the birth, still in pool attached to the cord. 6 yo said "can I see the placenta?" and 3 yo said "can I go barramundi fishing now? (random!) then "Can we keep her?" so cute. They were trying to help so much, from trying to get drinks of water for myself and Ellowyn, to getting a fork to help find the cord (??!!)
It was honestly the best experience of my life, I feel so proud of myself, and DH feels the same. The difference between the home/vs hospital is amazing in terms of atmosphere, feelings of trust, and my sense of control over the whole process.
EVeryone there was crying with the beauty of it, even DH had tears rolling down his face.
I did have a moderate amount of blood loss which made me a bit woozy after
the birth but I'm on iron and feel great now.
I'm listening to my birth tracks now and tears rolling down my face remembering the perfection of that day. Soooo glad we kept the sex a secret, it topped it off completely.
