You could say that my body was thinking about having a baby when I went to bed that night. I'd had lots of Braxton Hicks throughout my pregnancy but none that day until bedtime. I'd often go to sleep with those painless contractions and they'd always go away as I rested. This night they persisted, getting more annoying over the next few hours. I slept as much as I could.
At one point Eliana woke up. We snuggled for awhile in my bed:) She wasn't falling back to sleep and I needed rest, so I put her back in her bed. She went right to sleep then. Derek came to bed shortly after.
Around 3 am the 'Braxton Hicks' were distracting enough that I could call them early labor. I woke Derek to tell him that maybe things were happening. It was too soon to know for sure. We talked quietly for awhile, he gave me a nice backrub, then we decided he should go back to sleep. He was willing to stay up if I wanted him to, but no, I wanted to sleep more too.
I did try to sleep. I don't like contractions laying down. But this was such early labor, I didn't want to actually get up. I decided to take a bath. Derek watched me have a contraction as I prepared for my bath and commented that it definitely looked like labor. I brushed it off. It was still very early. I felt so perfect between contractions that I'd start to wonder if they'd stopped.
I took my hot bath by candlelight... it was wonderful:) As I soaked I thought about labor. As a man labors to provide food and shelter for his family, so a woman labors to have a child. The worst pain imaginable? No, certainly not. I am not afraid. It is merely hard work.
The contractions were stronger. I had to consciously relax through them. I started to wonder if this was really worth the trouble... do I really want to feel it all if I don't have to? But yes... I do. Not to be a super-woman. Just for myself. I know I can do it.
In the quiet of the night, in the flickering candlelight, I became determined to make this a wonderful memory. It could be hours or even all day until our baby was born. The power of the contractions might be overwhelming and exhausting by the end, but I would look back and say it was beautiful. This was my son's birthday.
By now my tub water was getting chilly. I got out and dressed in comfortable clothes. It was about 5 am. I knew this was labor now but figured I might as well wait till daylight to wake people up. There would be plenty of time. I drank some water and lit a second candle as I swayed my hips or squatted through a few easy contractions.
I had a cheap exercise ball ready for just this time. I set my candles down, picked up my journal that I am writing for Garrett, and sat on the ball.
Wow, the next contraction caught me off-guard. Must be sitting on the ball, I figured. Some positions just aren't comfortable. I had no better place to sit with the candles nearby, so I just stayed there. It was bearable. I timed contractions for the first time. 5:12, 5:17, 5:22... well, they were 5 minutes apart all day when Eliana was born. No big deal. These were really short, about 30 seconds long.
They did start without much warning. With Eliana I had time to completely let go and relax my whole body. These kept surprising me. I would try to relax or rock on the ball and then they'd stop almost as quickly as they'd begun. And I'd go back to writing.
5:30, 5:33... those were close...
5:35... well, that was just a small one, it hardly counts.
I was feeling tired and wanted to lay my head down. Not wanting to really lay down, I set the journal aside and sat on the floor next to the couch so I could rest my head on the cushions. Maybe I could sneak some more sleep before labor really got going.
Then came the fun part:)
I think I was squatting when the next contraction began. But this was no ordinary contraction. Without warning, without real labor pain, dilation was complete. My body was pushing this baby out. I was awed and shocked! I felt his body descending through my own.
When that contraction had ended, I ran to the bathroom, washed my hands, and felt for him. I didn't have to reach far - less than an inch in was the unbroken water bag. I felt his head in less than an inch and a half.
I called for Derek. He didn't hear me. I called him again. And again. He finally heard what he calls "screaming". I call it a woman trying to get her husband to wake up cause she's about to give birth!
He came in and I told him what was happening and to call our midwife. Another pushing contraction came and I wouldn't let him leave the room.
He called and she said they were on their way.
Another one and the water broke into the toilet. Very convenient:)
I had Derek spread out a blanket that was nearby so that I could get on the floor. I didn't want this baby born into the toilet!
The baby's head pushed to crowning. I felt it burning and let go of all my desires to help my body push. I knew I could tear with him coming so fast. I half squatted, half kneeled with my hand on his head, as if that might slow him down somehow. I moaned and hollered, not from pain or fear, but because of the intensity and power. I couldn't help but vocalize as my uterus worked so hard and quickly to birth my baby.
Derek called our sister-in-law Letisha, who lives next door, and told her to come over right away! She heard my moans and recognized them from Eliana's birth. I asked Derek, "Can you see his head?" He calmly replied that he could see it, while the reality hit him that this baby was coming RIGHT NOW.
The baby's head appeared. His precious, wet, sticky body slipped into our hands. In the silence of the morning, alone in our bathroom, our son was born.
Immediately after his birth, Derek called his mom who also lives next to us. She heard her grandson's cry and was here within minutes:) Letisha arrived just before she did.
That morning was precious. We did not cut his cord until the midwives arrived. I hadn't torn at all, despite his fast arrival. Since I was already in the bathroom, I was able to step right into the tub to clean up (I may try to plan it that way next time!). Then I slipped into my bed to get to know our new little one.
Eliana woke and met her new brother. She's loved him ever since:)
Letisha and Derek's mom were wonderful and I can never thank them enough for all their help! And Derek... well, I do believe he's the most amazing man in the whole world:) I am so blessed.
If I had the choice, I wouldn't change a thing about Garrett's birth. Then again... maybe next time I'll have Derek grab the video camera instead of the phone:)
2 comments:
That is one of the most beautiful birth stories I have ever read. You were at peace from start to finish.
WOW....I almost feel like I was there! Congratulations on being such a phenomenal woman.
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