My *Home* Birth Story

Should have done this a week ago.. anyway, here it is...

My *Home* Birth Story ♥

After passing up all three due dates, our little bundle, Jacklyn, decided to show herself on
July 20, 2010 at 105pm, weighing in at (for me, a whopping) 7lb 2oz and 20" long. We're so excited to have her here!!!

Around 740am minor, irritating contractions started, I'd had one or two around 430am and then around 5 and 6am, but nothing consistent. I figured they would eventually go away, so hubby went to work as usual. From 740 to about 1015 the contractions were minor and I just stood at the dining room table and swayed side to side, consciously relaxing any tense muscles I could relax while I timed them. After about 1020 the contractions started to get intense and around 11am I called hubby to come home.

*Good thing I did*.

Things progressed faster after 11am. By noon I was contracting with my head on the couch on a pillow and my knees on the floor. I had a few in this position when I felt the need to push. It was like all of a sudden I could, with each contraction, see myself opening up for this baby to come. It was an awesome visualization that I hadn't planned on. That is certainly not my "happy place", but I could see it. So I moved myself to the bathroom. I was on the toilet (classic sign that you're about to deliver) and my water broke. :-)

We'd planned on a water birth and at this time, hubby was getting the water ready in our tub. Neither of us were quite sure when exactly to get into the tub - obviously, I should have asked a few more questions and done a little more research. lol I totally did NOT make it into the water.

Hubby grabbed a waterproof pad and I ended up hanging on to the tub, on my knees and feeling like I needed to push.

At one point, I remember a conversation between my wonderful husband and myself....
Me: I need to push.
Hubby: Don't push you'll tear. Just relax.
Me: I really need to push.
Hubby: Don't! I'll be right back with the water.

Poor guy! I wanted a water birth so bad he was going to try to hurry and get the water warming on the stove for me (our garden tub is one one side of the house and our water heater is on the other, so it takes a bit to warm the water, etc.... we were just going to improvise. lol)

Me: Don't leave me, here's her head!

LOL

Seriously...

Anyway, so her head was out, I told hubby to hang out and I would let him know when I was going to push again. I did, and out she came for Daddy to catch her at 105pm. He was so thrilled! So with contractions not being intense until around 10am, it was around a 4 hour labour. :-)

Our other two children were having their quiet time during Jacklyn's delivery. Our 5yo daughter wanted to help me, but when she saw me in a little "distress" during a contraction, she about started crying, so her daddy sent her to her room for her own quiet time. :-) Poor thing. So, after Jacklyn was born, they were brought back to see her. They're so excited to have her here! They just love her. ♥

The entire experience was absolutely AMAZING and I wish I would have had all three of our babies at home! I pray that any more kids we may have we're able to have at home. Maybe next time I'll get that water birth. ;-) (IMO) There's no labour/delivery in the world like a home labour/delivery. You're in your surroundings with your hubby and kids. If you're hungry, you can eat whatever you want. You can clean during your lighter contractions. It's just ideal. A big plus for me was not having to be in a strange place with strangers coming in and out of the room checking on me. Everything was familiar and I really think the labour and delivery were easier this time. My husband was (and IS) absolutely Wonderful and did everything to keep me calm and relaxed and in control. I am a Seriously Blessed wife and mother!

If you're ever able to at least consider a home birth, please do!