Ezra's BIRTH day, my natural delivery story.

Where do I begin?

I will start at the point where I begin to consider a natural birth.

Pinterest is a wonderful site. I can't tell you how many thousand pins I have pinned or the more than a dozen boards I have saved. I was browsing and pinning pins on my board for my newest addition to be and I came across a couple of natural birth pins and some water-birth pins. A lot of them were tips to successful births which peeked my curiosity so I found myself reading them and actually looking for more pins in relation to those. After a while, I was googling & YouTube-ing natural water births. It scared the crap out of me yet, I became more & more interested in possibly gong this route. After a few days of doing some research and watching handfuls of YouTube videos, I discussed it with my husband who was not as interested as I was. He wanted no parts of it. This was his first time actually being there for a birth so he wanted a "traditional" birth setting (as he called it). As upset as I was, I had to remember that he only knows what he is use to seeing which are the hospital, drugs, and push scenario. He has never seen or even heard of a home water-birth so I knew to ease his concerns, I had to be confident in the fact that WE could do this. After all, we were in this together. I talked to a friend on Facebook who had not only had her baby at home, but had a water-birth as well. She told me about her experience and it was nice to hear it from someone I knew. She pretty much helped drive my decision home. It took a few days but I convinced my husband as well. Not 100% but It was better than the initial reaction (haha!)

So, by now, I'm around 26 weeks. Kinda late to make an entire new birth plan (not like I had one to begin with anyway) but it was worth a shot. First thing was first finding a midwife that will do a home water-birth AND accepts my insurance. That was the hardest part not because I was more than half way through with my pregnancy, but because my insurance didn't cover home-birth's  despite my attempt to explain how much cheaper it would be and how it was what I wanted (which should be important considering it is me having the baby right?) they wouldn't budge. So I thought my dream of having a natural home-birth was short lived until I found a midwifery group in my area that actually takes my insurance! Of course I couldn't have my home birth but I still could get my natural water-birth at a birthing center (so they called it). I was so excited! I made an appt to interview the midwives and went from there. At the appt. they answered all of my questions and even put Joc at ease about this. (oh yeah, he was relived we couldn't do the home-birth so me having my natural water-birth at a birthing center attached to the hospital was a compromise that we both could deal with) Anyway, I liked them a lot & apparently they liked me too because they accepted me as their new patient at the point where I was in my third trimester.


So, now that you have the back story of how this came to be lets fast forward to my final days of pregnancy.

I'm 39 weeks & 6 days. Its hot (August heat), I'm so freakin huge, swollen, and beyond tired. It was stress test day. I woke up that morning feeling crampier than usual but didn't think they were strong enough to be actual contractions. They hooked me up to the machine and left me there for what I thought was forever. The midwife came in and and looked at the paper falling from the machine and was shocked not that I was contracting but how frequently. She asked how I felt and pretty much told me I was in early labor. That was news to my ears (before I realized how long early labor can last). Even though I was only 1 CM and 75% effaced, she assured me how that can change anytime. She gave me the run down on what to do, who to call, and what midwife would be on call for that day and the weekend. she also informed the center (or so I though it was) that I was coming. I was getting more and more excited and nervous too. I actually asked for that paper that was monitoring my contractions to bring home to Joc (LOL) I went to the store to get the final few things I thought I needed for me and the baby. I kept thinking "its gonna happen tonight. I will be holding him sometime tomorrow!"

That wasn't the case.

About 3 hours later those little cramps I was feeling came to a complete halt.

Friday, August 28, 2015
So no baby has came but I still had hopes for his arrival later this day although as the day passed, I got more & more discouraged. I was happy I made it to 40 weeks this day though. Even though I wanted to meet him so badly, I knew the longer he cooked the better. It was a bitter sweet feeling but just knowing he was safe to come out, didn't help my anxiety.

Saturday, August 29, 2015

By now, I am banking on him coming tonight since its a full moon! My best friend and I just knew it would be tonight... wrong again. I've been doing everything to help speed this process up. I purchased a yoga ball and have been bouncing on it non stop. Oddly enough, the thing that helped, was doing the "whip & nae nae" dance with my kids. Every time I did that I kept having to run into the bathroom because my mucus plug was gradually coming out. As gross as it was, I was excited because I new it meant he would be here soon! So I kept at it. Whipping and nae nae-ing all throughout my living room while my husband made comments of how silly I looked. I didn't care. It seemed to be helping so whatever (LOL).

Sunday August 30th, 2015

The day before baby day!

No baby. By now I'm more annoyed with the Facebook posts and messages asking me where the baby is (because I really wanted him this weekend). I've been doing everything to try to naturally induce from sex to dancing. I was convinced my August baby was coming in September and that's what I put on Facebook. I finally convinced my husband that I wouldn't go in labor if we were to finally get out of the house (we've been stuck in the house ALL week) so we went an walked around the mall doing a little school shopping for about 2-3 hours. Went home, did the same thing I've been doing all weekend. Bouncing on a yoga ball and doing the Whip & nae-nae.
Before bed, my best friend sent me a text telling me she will check on baby and I tomorrow and I told her "it will be the same story just a different day"

Oh I was wrong

Monday, August 31, 2015

2:30 AM- My husband finally comes to bed after playing FIFA soccer on his Xbox (hes way too into that game). As soon as he comes to bed I woke up to a strong contraction. I knew it was a contraction. It was too strong to be those cramps that I've been feeling. I went to the bathroom and my mucus plug was tinged pink. I was then positive that I was heading into real labor. I was over the moon excited! But I didn't want to get mine or my husband's hopes up just yet so I decided to wait it out a little and time them. After all, I wanted to labor as much as I could at home anyway even though the "birthing center" was a half hour drive.

6:00 AM- Have not slept since that first contraction and they are coming frequently and by now they are 5 minutes apart. I decided it was a good time to call my midwife. She then gives me the okay to come to the "birthing center". I wake up Joc and tell him that its finally time. We get up, pack up the car, grab the kids and drop them off to a friend's house. I'm notorious for being late (bad habit, I know) so we didn't tactfully lave the house until around 7.

8 Ish.- I'm admitted & checked. The OB on call had to examine prior to calling my midwife (to confirm I was actually in labor) and his reaction was quite comical. He kinda freaked out after checking how far dilated I was because apparently I was 4 CM but stretched to a 7 so he says that it could go fast and left quickly to call my midwife. Now that I got the green light to baby day, I gave my photographer the okay to make her way here. Contractions were 4 minutes apart but I was very calm. Deep breathes as they came and after that, I was back to normal.

Photo Credit: Jess Fielder Photography

9- got in my room where I would be delivering. My husband and the nurse had already set up the pool and had it ready. It hit me that my little guy was coming and I would soon know what it felt like to do this naturally. I was nervous but I kept reminding myself "this is what you body does. It was meant to do this".  I imagined a lifetime with no medical interventions and that was pretty much what helped me stay calm about this as weird as it sounds.

Photo Credit: Jess Fielder Photography

(So for the next series of events I don't have an approx time for, it all just seem to happen so fast...)

The next couple of hours were spent with me walking around the labor and delivery unit to help open my cervix. Contractions were coming stronger. I would be joking with my husband one minute during my walk, and then stopping and breathing through a contraction another minute. I must admit I was handling this thing like a champ! the contractions really weren't bothering me that much or either my tolerance for pain has increased since my last pregnancy.

Photo Credit: Jess Fielder Photography

After walking around the L&D floor like 50 times, I got checked and I laid down a little and had some conversation with my husband and photographer. I got checked some time after and while I was getting checked there was a "POP". My water broke and shit got real.

Photo Credit: Jess Fielder Photography

So remember when I said I was handling it like a champ? Yeah... No. I started weeping like a baby. I was quickly dilating and baby was coming soon. I couldn't deal with the pain. I decided to shower in hopes of the hot water helping me cope with the pain and it did somewhat. The pool was filled by this point but I didn't want to get in just yet because I didn't want laboring in the pool to get old, fast, so I wanted to wait until I knew I was ready to push to get in. I spent my time in the shower crying and my husband was just super amazing. He was by my side the entire time and the look he had in his face was torn with sympathy for his wife with a hint of excitement considering this was his first time experiencing a birth and he will soon be a "new" father.

While in the shower, I had no idea that it was time to push. All I knew was that I felt pressure and lots of it but I didn't know it was actually time to push. Part of me didn't want to believe it because I was just so terrified of doing it natural now and I was past the point of medication so there was NO going back. So. Many. Emotions.

I was still in the shower but now I was grunting and squatting. My MW rushed in and told me its pool time its time to push him out. I was terrified. Like is this really happening?! lol I get in the pool and that was it. I was pushing and while I was in pain, It felt amazing to trust my body and not a doctor telling me when to push according to a screen that is telling when I'm contracting. I knew naturally when it was time to push and I did just that. I pushed for what felt like an eternity (I don't actually have a time frame of how long) and at the end of each push I was SO drained that I would just spread out in the pool leaning against the edges and that terrified my MW. She thought I was going to like fall out of something, I don't know but I insisted on staying in the pool and pushing this kid out inside the pool.

Well, that just couldn't happen. I was having a little trouble with pushing him out and at this point I'm pretty much like "eff this pool, get this kid OUT!"

Photo Credit: Jess Fielder Photography

 so I took the advice of my MW and husband and got out of the pool and hopped on the bed on all fours and decided that was the best way to push and deliver (awkward). They needed to help me get his head out. Apparently I would be SO close to pushing him out but I then I would stop pushing and his head would just go back in. It was so frustrating and I can feel him crowning. (the crowning was the thing I was most fearful of after researching natural births because of the "Ring of fire") I felt defeated and the pain was just getting to me and I screamed for meds haha! I even remember asking for laughing gas. Just anything to help. Yeah, who was I kidding. I knew damn well that wasn't going to happen. I kept saying "his head is too f**King big he can't come out!" meanwhile the MW was assuring me his head wasn't big and that I had to push him out. (Lies his head was big and she even admitted it after lol)

Okay, I had enough. The contractions, the pushing, my MW, I had enough of everything!

3:07 PM- I start thinking to myself..."Contraction... get this kid out! You got this push this baby out and you're done. One, two, three..."

Photo Credit: Jess Fielder Photography

I gave one big push and he was here! and I felt relieved. My body collapsed on the bed. I was so tired. Drained and yet excited that it was all over with and he was finally here! I couldn't wait to hold him and just look at him! They put him on my chest immediately and I cried. I think at first the tears were more for it all just being over with. Then when I looked at him, It was because he was here in my arms after a much anticipated nine months of waiting. HE was finally freakin here. That moment was short lived because I begin to feel week and after we let the cord drain, we cut and it I told my husband to take him. I was so weak. Apparently there was a lot of blood involved. I tore badly because he was a lot bigger than I thought he would be and what I'm use to pushing out (precisely why I opted out on finding out his estimated weight). 8 lbs 14 Oz. and a solid head (I told her his head was big when I was pushing!) so it took them a while to stitch me up. After I felt like I regained my strength I held him again and begun our journey to breast feeding. :)

Photo Credit: Jess Fielder Photography

It was the single most empowering moment I've felt in my entire life. I did it! I pushed this huge baby out without any medical interventions and I couldn't have done it without the help of my awesome husband so WE did it... kinda lol. It was amazing and I would have done it all over again the same way.

I want to thank my wonderful husband, My Midwife Louise from The Center For Women's Health- Avon, and my photographer Jess Fielder at Jess Fielder Photography (she did more than just take photos she helped too!).

Oh and remember how I said the "Ring Of Fire" was the thing I was most fearful of when it came to doing it Natural? I don't even remember how It feels. I hyped it up so much that when the moment came, it didn't compare
to the contractions after my water broke. I def. under estimated those bad boys!

Photo Credit: Jess Fielder Photography

Photo Credit: Jess Fielder Photography

Photo Credit: Jess Fielder Photography

Photo Credit: Jess Fielder Photography

Photo Credit: Jess Fielder Photography

Photo Credit: Jess Fielder Photography

Photo Credit: Jess Fielder Photography

Photo Credit: Jess Fielder Photography