Emberly's Birth Story

Hi ladies.  Last Wednesday was my due date.  I awoke around 3am to
waves that were markedly different from the BH I had been
experiencing, but I was able to nap in between them because they
were 15-20min apart.  I got up at 6 when they hadn't quit.
I called my mom because she was coming Thursday and had hoped to
witness the birth.  By the end of our conversation, they were coming
every 2-3min, lasting 45sec to 1.5min.  They had a peak that I
breathed through and used my "peace" cue, but were not at all
intense.  I decided that even if this was early labor, that I'd die
of anxious boredom if I just waited around so I sat on my birthing
ball started working (I work from home) and simultaneously timing
the waves.

I called my midwife who said she wanted me to give her at least
hourly updates until my waves were more convincing.  Around 9:30am I
decided to take a break from work because wondering whether this was
truly my birthing time was very distracting.

I took a hot shower.  This made the waves barely noticeable, but
still coming at the regular intervals.  My husband and I went to
breakfast.  I didn't realize how much the birth ball helped until my
waves in the car.  Still though, nothing intense.  I preferred to
breathe through the waves, but was able to talk and move around.
During breakfast the midwife asked if we wanted to stop by her house
so she could check me out and get an idea of when I might have this
baby because she had another mom that thought she might be in labor
that day.

We ride to her house and she checks me.  Baby is at +2 station, I am
already fully effaced and 6cm dilated!  A wave came while I lay on
my back being checked.  That was the only wave that caused tears to
come from my eyes.  I get up and go to the bathroom.  Bloody show!
The next wave came and it had intense pressure with it.  I think the
internal exam put me into transformation.  I became very afraid of
the 5mi ride back to my house because I thought this baby might come
in the car.  My midwife suggested getting on hands and knees in the
back seat.  My breathing didn't quite cut it anymore because I could
feel the baby moving down.  I moaned my "peace" cue or "ohh"ed
during them.  My midwife was right behind us, but she was going to
stop and pick up the tub about a block from our house from the birth
she attended the day before,  But then my waves started to feel
pushy so  I had my husband call her and tell her.  She decided there
was not time for the tub.

We got to the house and I got on the toilet backwards and asked my
husband to put on my birthing day affirmations.  My waters were
protruding.  My midwife arrived a couple waves later and she and my
husband set up.  She convinced me to get off of the toilet and
checked me.  I was complete and I could push!

I got on my elbows and knees and pushed.  My waters broke and there
was a little meconium in it.  My midwife suggested a more vertical
position and so my husband sat in a chair backwards to anchor it so
I could get in a more kneeling position, grab the chair and bear
down.  

Pushing felt great.  And in between I would relax and listen
to the affirmations.  I could feel the head coming down and then
sliding up and wondered how long I would be doing this, but then
during a push I got the urge to reach down and grab myself and out
popped the head!  A couple grunty pushes, out came the rest.  My
surprise was a girl!  I went from not being sure I was even in labor
to holding a baby in 90min!  I got one little superficial tear on my
labia that required no stitches, and in fact didn't realize it was
there until I went to pee and it stung.  It all happened so fast
that I didn't get to use my Hypnobabies CDs fully, but nonetheless,
the techniques I'd been learning for months definitely helped.  I
pretty much got exactly the birth I wanted.

Emberly is a great baby.  Latching was difficult until my milk came
in, and she suddenly became a pro!

I'm loving this baby and looking forward to my next hypnobaby!
~Amber