This Is What a Home Birth Looks Like: Coralie! September 2009

On September 17th, 2009 at just about one A.M, I suddenly woke up. Seconds later my phone ringed and it was your daddy. You mommy was definitely in labor, contractions coming 3 minutes apart! This seemed quite close together for labor just starting. I told your daddy to call me back once he thought mommy might need more help coping through them. I fell back into a very shallow sleep, and received another phone call around 2am. Definitely time! Auntie Vesla and I drove literally over the river and through the woods to what would be your new home! Once we arrived, mommy was absolutely having to cope through her contractions and it was obvious we had arrived at the right time. The student midwife Beth arrived just before we did and the coping team was complete.

The TWO things your mommy was serious about when we'd spoken before was that she did want to do some of the laboring outside, and she wasn't quite interested in laboring in the tub. She didn't seem so interested in going outside, but I reminded her how important it was to her initially, so we did a bit of light sitting on the porch ;)

I brought her a spoonful of honey to help her with her energy. She was quite tired, having taken some meds to help her sleep thinking that she wasn't in full blown labor even though she was. Happens all the time!

So after we sat on the porch, we wandered back indoors where the student wanted to attempt to check how dilated mommy was. The student was very new at midwifery (though an amazing energy to the birth experience) and couldn't reach mommy's cervix. I encouraged her to reach a bit further. Beth was certain that mommy was making progress, but due to her novice state wasn't quite sure how much progress. Doula Dani does intuitive cervical checks and I say your mommy's around a six right here which I told Auntie Vesla.

I noticed when we draped your mommy over (what I think was a) serving table, she was getting really strong contractions! I think this is great, though mommy doesn't quite agree. We keep her here for a bit longer then she wants to, but it brought you quite a bit closer!

And as most laboring women do, your mommy did a bit of word eating because after that, we did some heavy sitting in the bath tub ;)

Mommy was in and out of the bath tub a couple of times, and at some point did a bit of laboring on the couch. The student Beth checked her cervix again. She could tell there was progress made, but not sure how much. She told me privately she thought she was maybe 6cm, but my intuitive cervical check told me about 8cm which I think I again told your Auntie Vesla (partially due to your mommy's shaking legs and wavering voice- which is a sign of "transition"). While mommy was in the tub the second time and your daddy was helping her cope, Auntie Vesla and I went to put the shower curtain under the bed sheet to ensure the safety of the bed beneath. Very important and basically just in the nick of time. When we return to the bath tub, Doula Dani notices that she's grunting at the end of her contractions. This is the universal sign for I'm about ready to push. Beth was afraid of calling in the midwife too early, which is completely understandable, so she hadn't quite called her in yet. I felt ok with this even though you were coming soon because I know when we introduce too many people to our environment sometimes labor stalls, so in my opinion the later the better and I knew she'd make it eventually! Mommy jumped out of the tub and moved it on in to the bedroom and up on the bed.

Now mommy's definitely making pushing sounds and Beth realizes this as well. We bring a birth ball up onto the bed in front of your mommy. She leans on it to rest in between contractions, and sits up to let her body push during contractions. She couldn't have pushed more perfectly. She let her body do exactly what it was built to do and didn't force or fight anything. The midwife arrives and starts setting up her gear. I knew your mommy had been pushing for a little bit now (even though it seemed very peaceful and unforced) and that you'd be out soon. A matter of literally about three minutes after the midwife arrives, I look down and your head is coming out!!!! I see all of your hair- it's beautiful! I alert the midwife who runs over and catches you just in time!!! She didn't even have a chance to throw her gloves on! Everyone is crying and laughing and it was absolutely amazing.

You had the shortest umbilical the midwife and I had ever seen! You can see in the photos above how low you are on mommy's tummy! It was time for Auntie Vesla to cut your cord!