On Sunday morning around 4:00am I got up just not feeling well. I had been having lots of "practice contractions" for over a week, so I didn't think much of how I was feeling. At 5:30 am I couldn't lay in bed anymore, so I got up. I realized that I was having contractions that were not only getting stronger, but they were getting closer. At 6:00am I decided that I should wake Kevin up. I
know Kevin didn't believe that I was in labor (he told me that later), but he seemed excited. He had me start timing my contractions and he started calling my family. My Dad was going to the airport, so I called Mom to see if she just wanted to keep on driving and meet the new baby. They had a snow storm to drive through, but she still wanted to come. I knew that Dad wouldn't make it- I was really sad about that! It seemed as though Kevin was on the phone all morning. I wanted the attention, so it was frustrating for me. Kevin called our midwife around 7:00am and told her to get up, eat and come when she was ready- jerk! Didn't he know I needed help! I had practiced my hypnobirthing for months. I guess I was doing it well because Kevin hardly noticed me. He didn't think that I was really having powerful contractions. As soon as Kevin was off of the phone Jamin woke-up. Kevin left me alone to get Jamin up, feed him breakfast and get him ready for 9:00 church. It wasn't until Kevin brought me breakfast that I got frustrated and told him that I needed help. He said that he would send Jamin over to his mom's (accross the street). Jamin left around 8:30am. At that time our midwife arrived. Kevin's Dad also came over. I was kneeling on the floor and leaning on my yoga ball at this time. They wanted to give me a blessing, but I was not about to move. I had them kneel down and give me the blessing. I can honestly say that I don't really remember anything from the blessing, but I felt a lot of peace. I never doubted that everything with the birth would be ok. I later learned how many people were worried about us having the baby at home. I just told them that I would have never done it if I didn't feel so much peace about it. As soon as Ken left our midwife Vicki started to get the room ready for the birth. Kevin stayed by me and tried to rub my back and stuff. I knew that I was into the pushing stage at this point. I had done such a great job at staying relaxed and breathing through my contractions up until this point. It was when I felt that pushing pressure that I really felt "pain". I started to lose my concentration. Kevin didn't know how to help. I started clenching my fists. Vicki came and helped by putting lots of pressure on my back. That felt good, but once they started that I didn't want them to stop. I wasn't feeling any relief time because my contractions were so close together. Vicki said that she wanted to check me to see where I was. I didn't need to hear it, I knew that I was fully dilated and that the head was coming down. She confirmed that. While I was laying there my water broke. At this time I just wanted to give up. I think if I was in the hospital I would have asked for drugs. I later described what I was feeling as being as close to death I could have been and still live. It was not fun! I had to stand up for Vicki because my bag of waters had created a bubble that was stopping the baby from coming down. That was miserable, but once Vicki broke that bubble I started to feel the baby move. They wanted me to lay back on the bed. With each push I felt as though my body was being torn in two, but I had to keep going. I wish I could tell this story with words like "pain-free" and "holy", but I would be lying. I can say that the atmosphere was not "earthly" feeling. I felt like angels were watching over me. I knew that this baby needed to come, so I tried to focus. Kevin chose to deliver our baby. This was amazing, but I also wanted him up by me holding my hand. I saw the head crowning, but it was all I could do to look at that. Next thing I know Kevin said that the head was out, but Vicki said that the shoulder's were stuck. She told Kevin to help pull the baby out. He looked at her with such a blank look, so Vicki helped with the shoulder's. This caused me to tear badly, but out came our little baby right into Kevin's arms. I remember Kevin looking at the baby and then saying that it was a BOY! I knew it! Our little Tayton was here!
Kevin put Tayton on my belly. I immediatly began to nurse him. I was still in a lot of pain as the contractions kept going so that I could deliver the placenta. Tayton was so alert and just looked at me through all of this. That was so amazing to me! He got me through that last bit of pain.
When the umbilical cord stopped pulsating Kevin was able to cut it. It was then that I had to give my baby over to Kevin and Vicki to make sure everything was fine with him.
He was a very healthy baby boy. We were so blessed! I was amazed at how much "fat" and hair he had compared to Jamin. His hair was super curly also. I am not sure it will stick, but I love curls!
I was able to sit back and enjoy holding my baby's hand while all of his tests were done. I immediatly felt such a strong bond with him. I was so glad that I was able to make it through the birth without the use of drugs. I only had 2 hours of "pain" during my labor. It was worth every minute that Tayton and I were both so alert and strong after labor.
I know that drug-free, home-births are not for everyone, but it was an amazing experience for me and for my family.
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