Birth Story!

Birth Story

Yes, I promised you a birth story and here it is!

This repeat client of mine, Sarah, and her hubby Cris had had two previous home waterbirths. The first one, of their son Nate, was attended by my friend and colleague Anne. So when Ssarah became pregnant again, Anne couldn’t attend her, so I got the job! It was a lovely home waterbirth again for their second son Cole. You can imagine my excitement when Sarah facebooked me awhile ago asking if I could be present once again for another planned home waterbirth! Heck ya!

At 34 weeks, this baby showed up breech. But later, turned head down. Thankfully! That enabled Sarah +Cris to plan their homebirth. Due date came and went, as due dates generally do. Silly dates. She was facing the possibility of having to “speed things up” if she didn’t go into labour on her own before 10 days past the due date. A non stress test was booked. And just like last time, she went into labour the day before and had her baby on the day the non stress test was booked!

But I get ahead of myself.

So, contractions started during the day, some strong, some not so, and a bit irregular. At around dinner time, Sarah and I were chatting on facebook ....things looked like they were picking up, but she was doing fabulously and decided to just wait and see. We both had dinner --- and I just got comfy in my living room waiting for her to call. At around 9 pm or so we were doing the facebook chat again. We were tossing around two ideas ---- figuring out things to do to speed things up, or ways to give her a break so she could sleep. Ultimately, Sarah decided to go for a walk with Cris, and then have a shower. And so, I waited.

Finally at 11:30 pm Sarah called .........definitely time to come! I heard her go through a contraction on the phone ...things were definitely active. I got there by midnight. When I walked in, all I heard was the sound of the baby’s heartbeat. The Midwife CC was there already, set up. Sarah hadn’t been checked yet, so we weren’t quite sure of progress, but just by watching and listening to her we knew things were moving along. And when checked, sure enough ....5 cms! Hubby got busy getting the pool set up and filled, and Sarah just kept labouring like the pro she is. She preferred to stand and sway her hips while breathing. Things were really picking up and getting pretty intense. It wasn’t long before she got to get into the tub ......and it wasn’t long after that that she started to push involuntarily. It was probably about 10 minutes before 1 a.m.

The second midwife CJ hadn’t arrived quite yet, and so the midwife CC didn’t want Sarah to push too hard and she didn’t want to break any waters. However, waters broke on own, and when second stage arrives, labour takes on a life of its own, despite what caregivers want!! Pretty soon we saw what we thought was a head. Like maybe 2 contractions? And no, the second midwife CJ still wasn’t here. However, babies will be born when babies want to be born!

But all of a sudden ...CC says “oh s----, it’s breech!!!” Um .... ooookkkaaaayyyy. Right away CC instructed Cris and I to help Sarah out of the tub. “I need you out of the tub ...NOW”. That was met with cries from Sarah of “nooooooo I don’t want to!”. J She just didn’t want to leave the tub.....who can blame her? But she complied and we helped her over to the couch a few feet away. Got her settled, and CC kneels on the floor and says “okay ...here we go”. Meanwhile, second midwife CJ arrived. Just in time!

Next push ....Sarah grunts out “ you little stinker!”. But with that push the bum, back and legs came out – so easy. It was the first breech birth I’ve ever witnessed in person, and it was nothing short of amazing. I admit to feeling very nervous though ....my heartrate was high, and I’m sure my blood pressure was too. But CC looked sooooo calm. And that calmed me. And everyone else too. It wasn’t a loud, intense, “emergency” type feel to the room ....just normal.

So the baby just hangs out there, and with the next push, Sarah easily delivered the head ...... and voila – a baby girl born breech at 1:05 a.m.! She was given to Sarah right away .... so cute! She was alert, and quiet, and pinked up almost immediately. I never did ask what her apgar scores were, but they had to be high. And it was too funny ..... her legs were up by her face. Just like she obviously had been inside her mama for quite a while! The little stinker.

After a bit, we all watched in amazement as this beautiful 6 lb 11 oz baby girl named Ever, did the baby-led breastfeeding perfectly. Sarah had her upright on her chest, and Ever just bobbed around, and found her way to the breast entirely on her own ....and latched on like a pro and began sucking as if she’d been doing it all her life. That was also amazing to witness.

And this is why it’s so important to have a drug free, uninterrupted birth. It also goes to show, that breech babies CAN be birthed vaginally – they don’t have to be automatic caesareans. And babies NEED to be with moms when they’re born – not whisked away when all is well. Keep mom and baby together – it helps with everything!

Thanks for reading – hope you enjoyed! Thanks Sarah and Cris for having me there again! It was awesome!