my wonderful hubby & our first born

I wanted to share my birth story with all of you as I believe reading women’s birth stories were a large part of what empowered me to have the birth I desperately wanted. I also want to educate women on the power of our minds.Women are just SO strong. I feel like America has medicalized birth and we raise our women to FEAR birth when we as women have the POWER and strength to do the most primal thing we were sent to do.

As I get closer to having my second baby I truly felt that I wanted to document my first birth experience before I forgot or get the two births confused.

Let me start off by saying I had a fantastic team of midwives that took care of me throughout my pregnancy journey and offered me the care that I think every woman deserves during their journey. I first sought out having a midwife because I was really focused about having a natural drug free birth.  Let me tell you, if there’s one thing you need to prepare for in life, it’s childbirth.

I would read and read for days women’s birth stories, things you could do to help you have a natural labor and continually educate myself about what happens to you biologically when a woman gives birth. I am borderline obsessed (passionate) with this topic. 3 absolute must’s before giving birth are watching 1) The Business of Being Born (on Netflix), reading 2) Ina May Gaskin’s Natural Guide to Childbirth and 3) Educating yourself on the biology/process a woman’s body goes through while giving birth. I believe reading women’s birth stories, knowing how the body biologically gives birth & Ina May empowered me and educated me to have the natural drug free birth that I wanted.

It all began the morning of Nov 10^th (a day before I was due). I called my midwife that morning because I lost my mucus plug (the tissue/fluids that sit high up in your cervix and protect your baby from bacteria’s). She told me that it’s completely normal and it still could be a week to two weeks before the baby came. For some reason, I just had a feeling it would be sooner than that. I went about my day, doing laundry, cleaning the house and only doing the stair master at the gym. I went to bed around 9pm  exhausted from just being pregnant. I said goodnight to my husband who was working away on our office computer, went pee, and lied down. About 5 minutes later I got out of bed and went pee and then went to try and fall asleep again. This happened about 3-4 times. After the 4^th time of trying to settle myself and fall asleep I finally got up, walked downstairs into the computer room and looked at my husband and said “Something’s weird, I think the baby may be coming”. Within 10 minutes I had my first contraction and BOYYYYYY I definitely knew I was in labor. For me there was no ease into my labour, it came on STRONG. I hunched over and grabbed the wall and told my husband to call my midwife.

She suggested I get into the tub and call her when things progressed (as in pain was getting worse and contractions getting closer together).  I got in the tub and within an hour I told my husband to call the midwife back (my contractions were 2-3 minutes apart). My midwife showed up to my house around 12:30 am and checked me for dilation. I was only 2cm. I felt defeated. How was I in pain for 3 hours and only 2 cm. She recommended to me I get in and out of the tub multiple times to help with the pain of contractions. She told me she was going to leave and once again call her when things PROGRESSED. UM....How did I know when I was progressing? She said when you see blood. Okay…okay…okay I can do this. The tub was HEAVENLY. My contractions were not the typical contractions everyone tries to describe to you. Nowhere close to bad period cramps…more like constipation x 1 million and your intestines twisting and cutting you up your VAGAGAYYY. They were not typical because they were already 2-3 minutes apart. Normally women in first stage labor have a contraction every 10 minutes. My contractions would continue this close together until my midwife told me to push about 9 hours later.

I got in and out of the tub 2 times; once because I puked and the bathtub need to be drained and refilled. My mom who was also there to support me in my labor suggested I go downstairs, lie on the couch and try to relax. That’s what I did. This was planned, I knew I wanted my mom there as a support as she herself had 3 natural drug free labors. I also read in my reading how powerful it can be to have another women by your side during this critical and life changing moment.

I lied down on the couch from 1am to 5am. This 4 hours’ seriously is a BLUR. I just remember Ryan and my mom checking in on me, telling me to breathe, that I can do this. Looking back one way I could describe labor is feeling POSSESSED. At 5 am I couldn’t bear the contractions anymore. I sat up and told my husband to call the midwife. I told him if he doesn’t take me to the hospital now, I’m not going. Upon standing up, I saw blood. The midwife would then meet us at the hospital.

My mom helped me get into the car while Ryan was packing the car. I insisted my mom come in the car with me but she told me I could do this, I would be fine and she was taking her own car.

Around 6:30 am I arrived at the hospital. My midwife checked my dilation. I was 7cm. I CRIED in happiness and relief. This was a pivotal point. This was the point where I was like I am almost there. I can do this. I told my midwife I wanted back in the tub. I got into the hospital birthing tub. Within 2 hours, I told my midwife I felt a huge pressure and I wanted to push. I was ready, I knew it. My body just knew it. My midwife checked me. I was 9 cm. She got me out of the tub, walked me to the birthing room and onto the bed. What felt like 10 minutes later, she finally told me I was ready to push. It was the biggest relief getting the okay to push. My mom at my side and Ryan at the end of the bed watching. It felt like I was running sprints telling myself that I couldn’t stop, and I finally I was sprinting the last 20 seconds. She would tell me when I could push, and when I should stop to rest. I pushed 4 times and 9 minutes later my beautiful Bodhi was born. It’s a BOY!!!!

Upon arriving in the birthing room from the tub, my water broke. I was 9cm and told that Bodhi had passed meconium (first bowel movement) in the womb so a respiratory therapist needed to assess him right away after he was delivered. The cord had to be cut immediately (generally midwifes wait 5-10 minutes until all the blood from the cord can enter the babies body). He was cleared from the respiratory therapist within 1-2 minutes and my baby boy was brought to my chest.

I also want to mention how incredible my husband was the whole birth. I don’t mention him much but he was right there beside me every moment encouraging me, reading me my birth affirmation cards (lots ready & downloadable from Pinterest), and showing me the tough love I needed. He knew my desire to have a natural birth and not for one second did he allow me to think I couldn’t do it.

I think from the moment he was born till about 4 days later was the most NATURAL and biggest HIGH I have ever, ever felt in my whole entire life. It truly is indescribable. 

 XXOO Lee