Emily’s Birth

My husband, Sean and I were buying our first house and thought that now would be a good time to start our family. My doctor told me that it could take up to six months to conceive after stopping the pill. However, we got pregnant with in the first few days.

I was not feeling well. I was not sick but I just felt funny. My period was late and I have never been late. So, I took a home test. I had not even finished peeing on the stick before the two blue lines appeared. I took the second test just to be sure and got another positive. I called my best friend to tell her because Sean was not home.

Once I calmed down,  I drove to our new home to tell Sean. He just looked at the test not really understanding. Once it hit him he picked me up and hugged me. He was so happy! It happened so fast. We were happy, excited and scared. I am not one to just sit there when there is work to do but when the movers came that is what Sean had me do. He even told the movers so they would not let me help.

I went to my doctor as soon as I could get in to see her. I was told how much it would cost because we were self pay. It had to come out of our pockets. I did not know how we would find the money. I was talking to a friend later that week and she told me about home birth. I had always wanted a midwife. I was with child- I was not dying. So I looked into homebirth.

My friend found the BBS website and I spent the next 6 hours reading every page and learning everything I could. Once I found out that a homebirth would be about $2600 which was a fourth of what my doctor was asking and I would have total control I set about talking Sean into it. Once I got to the price, he had heard enough and said yes. I then called the midwives to set up an appointment. I was so scared to meet all these new women but everyone was so happy, open and loving. I felt like I had an army of women behind me helping and guiding me.

I was sick maybe 4 times my whole pregnancy. Around the 28th week, I was measuring a bit big so we got an ultrasound to see just how many babies were in there and if everything was okay. There was one perfect little girl in there, as happy as could be, but as long as could be! That is what happens when a 5’3″ women has a baby with a 6’3″ man. The midwives were so happy to hear the news.

Everything was great. Then I woke up about 2 am on the 27th to pee, which at this point was not that weird, I was due in a few days but what was weird was that the tissues had a funny pink color to it. I thought that it was nothing and went back to sleep but then the next two times I used the bathroom the color was there and getting more mauve. So I called Jenny about 6am on a Sunday. I felt so bad calling so early but I was getting a little worried and Jenny said I could call at anytime. She was so happy when I told her what was happening. She said that was just bloody show and my body’s way of getting ready to have a baby. I was having a few contractions at this time too but they were not that close together. Jenny said to give her a call in a few hours and let her know what was going on and she would call Terri so she could get ready too.

I was so excited. I was so ready to have my little girl in my arms. I told Sean what Jenny said and so Sean started filling up the birthing tub. However, the hose that we had for the tub did not fit our sink so Sean got a bucket and hand filled the tub. My contractions started coming faster so we called Jenny to tell her. Jenny and Terri showed up and got to work but they were both so calm and happy it did not feel like work to me.

Jenny told me to get in the tub if I wanted. Sean was there every step of the way. In a way it felt like a little sleepover with some of the most loving and wise women. I was still just in phase one of labor so it was not that hard. Then I got to phase two, I was walking around and talking. The water in the tub started bothering me so I did not get back in. Terri told me not to scream but grunt when there was a contraction. Sean said I sounded like a bear.

But then my labor slowed down and almost stopped. Jenny, Terri and I talked about what this meant. They went home but told me to call when labor started again, so later that night, early the next morning I called Jenny. Jenny and Terri came over again and we started all over. Sean had to call in to work because is was Monday by this time. I got to phase two of labor again and again my labor started to slow. I was so tired and emotional. I wanted my baby but it felt like she would never come.

Terri told me that I had to go to heaven and get her. So I went to my quiet place- my own bathtub. I filled it with warm almost hot water and just laid there. I was told to just breathe through the contractions and not to push. I don’t know how long I was in there but the water had started to get cold and the contractions were harder then ever and there was no way I could just breathe through them. My body would not let me.

I called for Terri and she told me it was time to get out of the tub so I could birth my baby. If my tub was bigger she said I could have stayed. Sean helped me out of the tub and I went into my bedroom. Jenny and Terri were ready for me. I got onto my bed and labored there. My little girl was not moving down so Terri checked to see how dilated I was. That is when we found out my cervix was not a full 10 cm and that Emily’s head was getting pushed up against a wall.

Terri had me trying different laboring positions but my cervix didn’t change. If we did not figure out a way to get my little girl out soon we might have to go to the hospital because my water had been broken awhile. Terri and Jenny talked about it for a few minutes then told me what they were thinking, one of them could hold the cervix back while I was having a contraction and then Emily’s head should keep the cervix in place.

I never thought that this was abnormal or that I was in any danger because Terri and Jenny were both so calm and happy. Terri held my cervix back and Emily moved down just the way she needed to. A few pushes later and I was holding my baby. Sean gave me Emily and I had just put her on my chest when I had a contraction and birthed the afterbirth. Terri and Jenny left the room as Sean and I welcomed our new baby.

I was in labor for 3 days but it did not feel that long nor does it now as I look back on it. I do not remember any pain but I do remember pressure and burning feeling. Emily was born on her due date, 29 April 2008 at 6:57 am. She was perfect in every way and still is. Jenny and Terri helped clean up and made sure Emily and I were doing okay before they left.

Emily would not sleep the second night and just cried every time I tried to hold her. Thankfully, Terri was just a phone call away so at 2 am on the second night I was able to call. What doctor would do that for you?