Seth's Homebirth, 15-09-10
Seth's due date was September 27, but by the 13th or so, I was starting to feel pretty achy and sore. The pregnancy had been very good up to that point - I felt really well, and had a good amount of energy! That's something you really don't take for granted when you've got other kids to chase after!
Anyways, I saw my midwife on Tuesday the 14th and she said my cervix was about 1cm dilated, 30% effaced or so, and very soft. Nothing too exciting there, but ready to change at any time. Baby was still pretty high at that point. Tuesday night I started having really mild contractions. They continued all through the night - nothing too painful or intense, just steady and enough to keep me awake.... So I was pretty tired by the next morning. DH packed the girls off to his mother's house so I could rest, which was wonderful! He headed off to work, but made me promise to call him regularly to let him know how I was. I had a quiet day at home, resting, doing a bit of laundry, reading, having a bath, etc. It was a beautiful cool sunny fall day - my absolute favourite kind of weather. Contractions continued very lightly through the day - 5 min, 10 min, 15 min, 8 min - no pattern, but not letting up either. Around 3:00, at DH's insistence, I called my midwife just to let her know that I was having a bit of prelabour so things might pick up soon. She was on her way home, so she offered to stop by and see how things were going. She arrived around 4:00. I was still only 1 cm, but 75% effaced, baby well down now. She asked if I wanted a stretch and sweep to see if we could nudge things along a little. I said sure. So she went ahead, and then continued on her way home. And things really picked up fast from there!
The S&S was around 4:30. By 5:00, contractions were 5 min apart and becoming intense. 5:30 DH arrived home from work, and contractions were 3 min apart and I had to rock and breathe through them. DH called the midwife back again. I wanted to wait a bit, since with my last homebirth, every time the midwives came to check me, my labour stopped! I didn't want to stop once I got started this time! But he had gone through 4 deliveries with me already, and I think he knew this was the real thing and it was coming fast. My midwife (Cynthia) returned, along with another midwife (Jenna) who would be attending under her supervision. (Jenna needs her provincial license yet, though she is trained and qualified.) I was hoping that I would be maybe 2-3 cm by now. I had to get on my hands and knees for every contraction now and DH pushed on the back of my hips. I could still breathe through them though and there was a decent rest in between, thankfully! So Jenna checked me and said I was 6cm! I couldn't believe it! (Good thing DH called them!) DH and Cynthia brought in all the supplies while Jenna stayed with me. It was 6:00pm. I could get in the bath again. (Oh how I love my bathtub!) The warm water was SO wonderfully soothing and relaxing. I went through a few contractions and asked if they could break my water. We all figured that as soon as that happened, I'd be pushing and baby would be here. I was still able to breathe through the contractions, and still able to rest and talk and joke with the midwives in between. This was the easiest labour of my life so far!
My secondary midwife (Valerie) had arrived by now, so they were all set and agreed to rupture my membranes. Everything went to plan - membranes ruptured, water nice and clear, head came down well, just about ready to push. And by 7:00, I was pushing.
But nothing happened. Jenna checked me again and said there was just a little lip of cervix, which she massaged away. Pushed again. Nothing. I could feel that baby wasn't moving. Change position and push. Nothing. Get on your hands and knees and try. Nothing. Why isn't he moving? He's not very big - move baby! Get upright and squat and try. Nothing. I was started to get worried, although his heart rate was great. Another contraction with huge pushes and nothing. This is strange - my last three came out after 2 pushes. PLEASE COME OUT! WHY WON'T HE COME OUT!?!?! They made me get out of the bath and onto my bed. (Ever tried that while in hard labour? Brutal! But we got there!) Pull your knees up and PUSH!!! Not moving. Cynthia (who worries out loud :doh:) checked me herself then and saw that he was posterior. Jenna hadn't known that - she felt head and suture lines, but didn't determine which way he was facing. I was getting desperate and they were worried - I could see it. I was giving it everything I had and nothing was happening. Cynthia started talking about a transfer then, and I got mad. I yelled at her "DON'T SAY THAT!" and I grabbed my knees, pulled as hard as I could and pushed like mad. Cynthia had her hands in pulling my lower hip bones apart to make as much room as she could. FINALLY there came his little head! He was a brow presentation - forehead first - according to Ina May Gaskin, one of the most difficult presentations to birth and one that almost always requires a c-section. :o I'm glad I didn't know that then. They called DH around and got him to deliver the rest of the little man. (He actually wasn't too keen on that!) They passed him up to me and he was crying beautifully and resting on my tummy. It was 7:58.
"Look at your little man! Look at your baby!" I didn't even want to yet.
Just rest. And breathe. And rest. And listen to that wonderful healthy cry. And never push again. Ever. Wow was I sore.
At my request, they waited for the cord to stop pulsing before they cut it. I had a shot of oxytocin to help deliver the placenta. Placenta came without any trouble. DH had some snuggle time with his son. :) They checked to see if there was any tearing and somehow, I got by without a bit. Just a couple of small grazes! Lots of bruising, but nothing that required stitches.
What's his name? Hmmmm... I haven't really looked at him yet. I have to see him first. So they propped up my pillows and helped me move up in bed and I had a good look at my little man. Tiny little guy (Cynthia - do you think he's premature?! What if he's too early? He's so tiny!) Little bit of fuzzy blonde hair and big dark eyes. Lots of bruising on his forehead. (ouch!) But he's healthy and well, strong, and pink. Wrapped up cozy now, and just looking at the big new world. We'll call him Seth. Seth William, for his daddy.
We called the girls at MIL's house. Called my mom and dad, brothers, sisters, grandparents, friends.
Valerie made me a wonderful "supper" of toast and yogurt and cheese and grapes and brought me a hot cup of tea. I was starving! Then they made a warm herbal bath for me and Seth, which felt wonderful. (Have I mentioned I love my bath?!) Seth nursed in the tub for a while, and then we got out, rinsed off, and DH and I rested in bed together, talking and visiting and checking over our new son. He was weighed and measured - 7lb 1oz, 20.5 inches long. Not too small at all! The midwives cleaned up their supplies and finished up their paperwork and headed off to their next birth. It was 11:00. (It would be a long night for them - that one got difficult, I heard later.)
DH and I crawled into our bed with Seth beside us. He slept through the night - exhausted from his trip into the world. :)
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
