I'd like to introduce everyone to our newest addition...Ezekiel! He was born on Easter Sunday, and we couldn't be more happy. My whole experience with Zeke (what we like to call him) since my pregnancy started has been so different from the girls.
Firstly, I got pregnant with Zeke only about a week or two after having a miscarriage, which was not my intention, but I did have a feeling that God had other plans for me at that time. My first and second trimester nausea wasn't nearly as severe as with the girls, and the birth was almost night and day in comparison.
My husband and I decided to have a home birth this time around based around a few different reasons, but mostly because we felt it was a good fit for us and our family. We quickly found a
midwife that we felt would work well with us, and the journey into home birth started.
I am not going to deny that I had my own reservation and fears about home birth, mainly because I felt like I was venturing into the unknown, and the 'situation' would be a little out of my control- which btw, is what I like to be in all-the-time....control. But then I had to remind myself that for the most part, we are never in control....God is.
My midwife recommended that I try to work through my fears BEFORE I actually go into labor (what a novel idea:). This, however, was easier said then done! I found myself having difficulty letting go of the strenuous, almost traumatic labor I had with my second child, who was Posterior and 9lbs....the labor was 12 hours, and I tore terribly. I was so afraid that I would have this same experience again, that it almost paralyzed me from being able to enjoy the rest of my pregnancy with my third.
My midwife also recommended I try
Spinning Babies.. an incredible website dedicated to making sure your baby's position is optimal for childbirth. I cannot recommend this site more if you feel your baby is posterior or you are concerned about this. There is a lot of info, but if you just take it one page at a time, it really is very helpful!
The day in-between my 2 due dates, one from ultra-sound and the other from the beginning of pregnancy, I went into labor. It was around 1 am on Easter Sunday, the day when my girls would be singing in front of church for the first time! My first thought was, I hope someone will video tape it for me :(
Around 4am, we called my Mother in Law who was going to be in charge of the girls while I was in labor. Bless her soul, she came over in the middle of the night and slept on the girls' bedroom floor! When the girls awoke around 7am, I was laboring on the couch and they came out and had a 2 minute Easter Egg Hunt, and then Nana scooted them out the door.
I continued to labor for a while, but was noticing longer time periods between contractions. We called our doula, and she came over. Once she got to our house, my labor had almost completely stalled out. We went for a walk, and I was about to think that I had went through 8 hours of labor only to go into labor a different day! We sent the doula home, and my husband suggested we put on a movie...
I was so upset, because I knew I was still dealing with fear/insecurity issues about the homebirth. Our midwife was 45 minutes away, and I had this fear of progressing too fast that she would miss the birth... my husband suggested I call my doula from when we were in California. She is a prayer warrior, and just knows how to speak to my heart and fears...
I called her and started sobbing, begging her to fly across the country to come and help me finish the labor. She prayed for me, told me I had the strength to do it, and by the end of the conversation, I felt a new sense of empowerment, and that God really was in control as He has been all along:)
My labor started up again, this time more consistent and progressively got stronger. My husband put on a movie with Jennifer Lopez who was artificially inseminated, and ended up meeting the man of her dreams right after... I can't think of the movie, but it was pretty darn funny to be watching while I was in labor! That kept us occupied for a while, and we decided to call my mom who was in California waiting with my sister to have her baby(she was 9 days overdue!)
When Brian called her, she laughed and said, "You're kidding, Meghan just came into my room and told me she is in labor!" Hence, the dual labor on opposite sides of the country began. Brian hung up, and I started balling/moaning because I wished I could be there for her. She was there for me for both of my previous births, and I so badly wished that I could be there to support her.
We put another movie on, this time with Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie (again, the name of the movie escapes me), and I labored on the birthing ball for a while. My contractions were between 4-7 minutes apart pretty regularly, but definitely getting stronger. I shared with my husband that I wanted him to be in charge of 'knowing' when to contact the doula and the midwife. I didn't want to get out of the groove again worrying if it was the right time to call them. Once the movie ended, we put on Colbie Caillat and we danced together in the living room....this will forever be one of the most romantic and amazing experiences I have ever had with my husband. I truly encourage you to experience childbirth and labor with your husband. We will never forget that time alone together. FYI, I gave birth to Zeke while
THIS song played..I cry every time I hear it...
Around 3:00, my contractions were pretty strong, and I got in the shower....BEST thing I ever did. I could have stood in there forever! It was about 40 min later that my doula showed up...perfect timing because I knew I was having trouble controlling my breathing in between contractions. She was amazing in talking me through my breathing, and meeting my every need.
It was sometime between 3:00 and 3:30 that I felt the urge to start grunting and what I call 'low moaning', which meant that I was pushing. Brian quickly called the midwife who was a little surprised that we waited this long to call her, but I think Brian was waiting for my contractions to get closer together, which they never did. They stayed approx 4 minutes apart the entire time, sometimes even longer!
When the midwife arrived, the tub was ready and she suggested I get into it. Now, you may think I'm crazy, but I kept asking her if I was REALLY in labor...you would think a woman haivng her 3rd child would know this, but a non-posterior labor is WAY different than a posterior labor which I had with my first 2. The contractions actually had a start and stop, and I could feel the baby moving! My midwife told me that by the sound of my laboring, I was definitely ready to get in the tub and I wouldn't be getting out unless I wanted to.
This was me asking if I REALLY was in labor..ha ha ha
The tub was amazing. Right before, I must have gone into transition because I ended up throwing up everything in my stomach, fairly violently. This is my first indication that I am going through transition. I got in the tub and sat there WITHOUT contractions for about 20 minutes!! I couldn't believe it...I actually thought, " Oh great, here we go again, all this work just to stall out..plus, I have my midwife and doula here for nothing!" It was at that point, they all laughed at me and said, "You are doing fine, and just listen to your body."
I got in the tub around 4:00, and around 4:45, Ezekiel Robert was born! The pushing was so different than my first two. I could actually feel his head moving into position to be born. This stage of labor was actually more difficult because I was trying not to tear and really had to concentrate on pushing 'gently'. I guided his head out myself, which was incredible, and the midwife helped him onto my stomach.
Proud Papa weighing his son...8lbs, 10 oz!
The birth was amazing, and I only have to have 3 stitches which is incredible considering my last two births! Everyone involved in this birth, from my husband, to my bi-coastal doula- Kristen:), to my Florida doula--(Luisa, you were amazing!) and to my more than wonderful and incredible midwife, Connie and her assistant, I couldn't have asked for a more perfect birth! I would completely recommend a home birth if you are thinking about it, and I can honestly say that I have seen both sides, a hospital birth and home birth, and my choice the next time would be home birth again! Note: Everyone must come to their own decision, but know that it should be a 'conscious, informed' decision, not just going along with what the rest of society does because thats what you 'think' its the right thing to do. Mind you, once your baby is born, you don't care where you are...but when I recall my 'experiences', but home birth was way more 'memorable'. Do your research and ultimately you will make the right decision for you, your baby and your family!
Thanks for letting me blab on and on and on and on:)
Here is a great post from a blogger I love who also writes about her homebirthing experience.
This is a video of the song that was playing while I was in the tub giving birth to Zeke... sniffle sniffle
Thanks!
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