The Birth of Trudy January 15th 2016
Heading to the end of my 38th week and contracting for weeks I began to get very impatient. I have never made it this far into a pregnancy with my others and since this pregnancy wasn't planned from the get go it seemed like a funny joke to make me wait longer.
This labor and delivery I planned to do at home which I was extremely excited about. I had Graham at the birth suite and now that we had the perfect space in our new home I really wanted a water birth. So here is how a water birth at home went for me....
I had the birth tub from my midwife and room all set up ready to go for weeks. I hung words of encouragement from my dear friends they made for me at my "Blessing way"
Cyndi(my midwife) came to my home in the morning and swiped my membranes while also stretching me. I had already been dilated to a 3 most of the week, thinned out and baby was very low. So I knew swiping would give me the lil push we needed to get this baby coming.
It defiantly started contractions, but it wasn't until dinner time when the contractions started picking up and became more intense. Although intense they still weren't crazy or painful, but I knew we better call Cyndi, April(best friend and midwife assistant), Sarah(doula), Alecia(photographer), Kim(friend), and Mom all of which are my bestest dearest friends.
When Cyndi arrived it was around 6pm and she started me on some antibiotics because I tested positive for Group B Strep, which is an infection some pregnant woman get. The part I hate the most about hospitals is the IV which is a perk of having a home birth is avoiding that, but no I had to have an IV. Only for 15 mins until the antibiotics were in my system.
Cyndi getting all her supplies out, along with the oxygen just in cause they have to resuscitate baby. The great thing about a certified nurse midwife(CNM) is they come fully equip with everything mom and baby will need. April(best friend midwife assistant) wrote an awesome post on "Today's Mama" about all the in's and out's of home birth, using my labor/delivery with more details on that end of things.
Boiling pots....yes that's right. Ugh first hick up of the evening, we went to fill up the birth tub and turns out our water heater holds like a cup of hot water so we ended up having to boil water to fill it. Sarah and Kim had a good rotation going of tub filling and they got it filled in 20 mins. Meanwhile....
Contractions slowly increasing.....doable, but increasing. Sarah thankfully brought a heat pad for my back and yoga ball, so while the tub was being filled this helped me relax. Also the company of my awesome friends.
Tub time, I'm not sure why I was making this face? Maybe I was picturing the tub being filled with blood?
The water was warm and felt so nice. It didn't take long for contractions to start getting more intense after I got in the tub, that's when the lights went dim and the big breaths started.
My legs started to fall asleep and tingle being on my knees so Rob was amazing and got in the tub with me to help support. By nature I'm a "fetal" position kind of girl when I'm in pain or sad so naturally this is where I end up when I'm in transition. Along with squeezing...lots of squeezing, poor Rob's hand.
In between contractions the water was nice because I could relax my whole body and float. We turned on some movie soundtrack music. I have a favorite channel that plays all my favorite soundtracks and it defiantly helped me meditate through.
Side note: Yes that's a crock pot on my night stand, No it's not normally in there. We filled it with water and wash clothes to stay warm for clean up after.
Between contractions every so often Cyndi and April monitored babies heart beat.
So now it's been about 30 mins in the tub and I'm getting the urge to push. I know I'm pretty bad A$$ with Lucy's tatoos she put on my arm. It helped me feel tough.
Pushing....music "Adagio D Minor" comes on, motivation!
Pushing....is it the head? No.....WHAT?....It's the membrane sac which hasn't broke yet. I'm pushing and it feels like a water balloon coming out. Cyndi is prodding at it trying to break it, but it's not breaking. I remember yelling "GET OUT" over and over. I was raging because I'm only suppose to be pushing baby out what's this shiz wasting my precious pushing strength. So basically I delivered this balloon of water and once that came out....it was Trudy's turn.
A few more pushes and Trudy was born! Born to the lovely "Band of Brothers" soundtrack at 10pm.
She was quiet, healthy and alert. Cyndi and April checked her, sucked whatever mucus out of her mouth and wrapped her up. Rob and I held her in the tub for a few minutes, then I had to get the strength to climb out of the tub to the bed.
So bright eyed and taking in all her surroundings. Which was a lot of my friends obsessing over her.
Trudy's home for the last 9 months. The membrane sac of steel!
Me crying to my friends about how grateful I am for them and love them so much!
April reading off the "After Birth" agenda while I nurse.
Measured, weighed, wrapped and loved!
7lbs exact and 20 inches
I can't even begin to tell you how amazing this man is. He is the best husband and supports me in my crazy decisions to have babies at home and getting into a pool of blood with me and squeezing his hand with my death grip. I love seeing his happiness when we bring another baby into this world. He is an amazing father and that's an understatement. He is beyond amazing! AND hot!
My angels, minus Alecia because we forgot to take this before she left. Which by the way shout out to her for the amazing photos! Alecia is one of my dearest most talented friends! It was quite a party!
