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VBAC

Drew's Homebirth Story

Andrew Philip "Drew"
Note: { } encompass my thoughts
Tuesday, December 9, 1997
7:13 p.m.
7 lbs. 2 oz.
20 ¼ inches long
Homebirth, Houston, TX

Drew wasn't due until December 15th, but I really wanted him to arrive early so that his birthday wouldn't get too mixed up with Christmas. On Saturday, December 6th, my prenatal appointment for 39 weeks included a stretch and sweep of my cervix and membranes maybe within 24 hours I would go into labor because of it. Well, the first weekend in December came and went - I only had an hour and a half of mild contractions every 10 minutes which died out when I fell asleep Saturday night. However, Monday I was so weepy, I really didn't want the baby to come any later than Tuesday, but I did have an inkling it could be soon as I've heard of other women becoming extra moody just before going into labor.

That night, I woke up to use the restroom - every hour and a half - as I had been doing for some weeks. As I climbed out of bed, I felt some liquid dripping down my leg. {I said to myself: I know there's a lot of pressure on my bladder, but I didn't feel myself pee I hope it's not my water breaking! I'd better find that nitrizine paper Jane gave me oh, well, I'll check it next time}. So, I changed my underwear and went back to sleep - I wasn't having any contractions. I woke again at 3:00 a.m. to use the restroom again and decided to look for the test strip of paper. I wasn't leaking then or having contractions, so I just tore a little piece of the strip and pressed it on the wet underwear which I had taken off earlier and left on the bathroom floor. It turned purple immediately! {DARN IT! I really didn't want to start labor this way. Ugh, I guess I have to call Jane.} I checked my prenatal information folder from Jane, my midwife, to see if I had to call her yes, I did, so I did. She told me to get some rest since I still wasn't having contractions and to call her when I awoke. I knew my clock was ticking - I was disappointed - my labor last time was so long that I wasn't sure if I'd give birth within the safe time frame of my water breaking this time in order to not have to be transported for birth. I so much wanted to have a homebirth again. [It was so weird all the ladies in my childbirth class who'd had their babies already had all started their labors with their water breaking in the middle of the night! So much for the 10% of women who start their labors that way!]

I woke up and called Jane. Still, I was not having any contractions that I could feel, though I was aware of my uterus contracting. She called the back up obstetrician to consult about my water breaking and his on-call schedule he said, "Y'all go and have a wonderful home birth." I had until 6 a.m. Wednesday to be in active labor before he wanted me to go in to the hospital.

Paul, my husband, and I spent the morning letting our labor support team (my mom and our friend Ulli, who were to take care of our 3 ½ year old son at our home during labor) and his office know about the impending labor, and kept ourselves busy with things around the house. The day was sunny and quite warm for a December day, approximately 75 degrees or more. What a great day to be in labor - at home - great for walking, etc.

Jane came over around 1 p.m. while Paul and I were eating pizza for lunch. I still was not having "labor" contractions, but was having regular painless contractions roughly every four minutes which were about a minute long - I had to really stop and think about it, putting my hand on my tummy, and trying to time them as best I could. At 3:00 p.m. Jane and I decided to check my cervix for any progress and get a base line. She confirmed the intermittent "high" leak of amniotic fluid - my forewaters were still intact. She did a stretch and sweep of my cervix which was at 3 cm dilation. After the check, I started feeling mild contractions - finally!

My mom and Ulli, with her newborn, Anna, arrived at some point to take care of Aaron and household chores, meals, etc. Paul and I decided to go for a walk around the neighborhood and every fifteen minutes I took drops of black cohosh and blue cohosh to stimulate the labor contractions. At that point, contractions were every 3 minutes for 75 seconds, but were mild enough to walk and talk through with no strong defining starts or stops. Jane drove by and told us to pick up the pace, "walk to 10 centimeters!" she exclaimed.

Paul and I returned home after the 45 minute walk and spent some "honeymoon" time in our bedroom while listening to the soundtrack from Bolero. It was a sweet romantic time for us.

Contractions were picking up, so we decided to try to "walk to 10 centimeters" again. This time, I only wanted to walk from our driveway to the neighbor's driveway so that we wouldn't be far from home. At each contraction, I leaned against Paul's chest and moaned as he supported me. We walked briskly this time - the contractions were every minute and a half or two minutes for 80 - 90 seconds with definite beginnings and endings. During this time, Lara, another midwife who was to assist Jane, arrived. The sun had already set and we went inside.

I spent a few contractions on the bean bag chair while Paul got himself something to drink and make me a protein shake. I drank the shake and spent a couple more contractions side lying on the bed. While I was on the bed my forewaters broke, Jane checked me again, I was at five centimeters - that was at 6:30 p.m.

{Ohhh!} Things were really picking up. The contractions really got strong. I couldn't stay on the bed. As soon as I got up, a big one came. I leaned on Paul and groaned I really needed him and he was such a wonderful birth partner! I managed to walk the width of the bed and another strong contraction came. Paul knelt on pillows on the floor, holding me with one arm and bracing himself using the wall with the other arm, while I leaned over him hanging on his neck swaying in deep squats and moaning as the intensity increased. Then, I felt nauseated. I didn't think to throw up in the toilet - only 4 feet away - but looked at the trash can. I told them, Paul, Jane and Lara, that I needed to throw up. I told them I wanted a plastic bag in the trash can cause I didn't want to clean up a messy trash can. Paul ran to get a bag as Lara stepped in to support me through the next contraction. As soon as Paul got the bag in the can I threw up in it. The three of them couldn't believe I waited for the bag! At that point, I told Jane, "This has got to be transition!" She said, "this is very active labor." I told Paul between contractions that I understood why women in the hospital would ask for drugs at this point but I knew I was so close and that I could do it as I had done before in my first homebirth with Aaron. A contraction or two later, Jane asked me if I felt like pushing. I said no. Then Jane and Lara suggested that Paul and I get in the shower as water can be soothing. Even though I'm not much of a water person, I decided to do it as I knew a change in position or such can move things along, plus I had friends who bore testimony to the wonders of water during their labors.

We got in the shower, I was shivering - cold?? - I knew that was part of transition, too, like vomiting can be. I asked to have the space heater on. I also had the midwives set up the baby monitor so that they could hear us without having to be in the bathroom, too. Paul knelt in the bathtub as he had in our bedroom. I insisted he use a towel to kneel on as I had recalled the story of a laboring woman who labored so long in the tub with no cushion under her that her bottom was badly bruised. I continued to lean on Paul and sway into a low squat while moaning through the contractions - I positioned myself so that the stream of warm water hit directly on my lower back. Then, I got too hot so we called to Jane to turn off the heater - Paul said he'd do it, but I couldn't stand for him to leave me nor did I want him to touch it while he was wet. Then, I felt there was a little more delay between contractions than what I had been experiencing. I had learned that sometimes there is a break between transition and pushing. {Could I be starting the pushing stage?} I experienced a contraction that had more pressure in my pelvis {is this a pushing urge?} I thought to tell Paul, but didn't as I wasn't completely sure of the feeling because I didn't have the pushing urge with my first child. I felt another contraction like that and since I knew it was the beginning of the pushing stage, but couldn't articulate it during the contraction, I decided to change the tone of my moaning as to alert the midwives via the baby monitor. The midwives immediately recognized the change and came rushing to the bathroom. I pushed the lever on the tub so that it would start filling up and asked Paul to move behind me so that I could kneel in the tub. Another contraction came - I felt the urge to push and did. Jane asked me if I was pushing I managed to say "the baby's coming" during a contraction. Jane asked if I wanted to stay in the tub or go to the bed. Not wanting a tub birth, I practically flew out of the tub - Jane said that angels must have carried me - and ran to our bedroom and climbed onto our high king size bed - {that stool is never here when I need it.} I had envisioned being in the semi-sitting position for pushing, but when the time came I remained on my hands and knees as I had climbed unto the bed. Jane saw about 6 cm of the baby's head at that time and marveled how I managed to move to the bed and so quickly at that! Paul stood beside Jane behind me and dashed to and fro watching the baby's birth and checking on me. He was so excited.

[Ulli came rushing in and asked me if I wanted Aaron in the room he was elbowing his way in after hearing me groaning via the baby monitor, I am told. Not knowing the pushing was going to be so fast - nor expecting to ever be asked that question (I wanted Aaron to decide for himself), I said "Later, when the head comes out." She didn't hear me, but someone said "later" so Aaron didn't get to see the birth of his brother I hear he sang "Happy Birthday" to the baby and danced the polka around the dining table with Ulli during the pushing.]

One pushing contraction - I felt the "Indian sunburn" burning sensation as the baby crowned and then I felt the baby's head emerge - I reached through my legs and touched his head and face - I looked down through my legs at him. He started breathing immediately. With the next push, I expected to feel his whole body slither out after the delivery of the shoulders I hesitated not feeling that Jane and Paul said "come on, keep pushing" Paul had placed his hands under the baby's armpits I pushed once more and Paul guided Drew from my womb. I was looking in the mirror of our vanity chest which stood along the wall next to our bed I could see the baby and feel him come out I saw his scrotum that confirmed it he is Drew! [7:13 p.m.] Paul hadn't even checked the sex of the baby, but handed him to me through my legs, then assisted me in turning over as I lay Drew on my chest. I held him and attempted to start him nursing as Jane threw a warm blanket over us. Paul, Drew and I were still all wet. Aaron, Ulli and her newborn, Anna, and Mom were in the bedroom greeting Drew just seconds after the birth. What a sweet baby! Aaron was happy his baby brother "came out." Then, Aaron opened the birthday gift from Drew - a wooden puzzle and a tiny glitter snow globe with a rocking horse inside. Babies bearing gifts!!!

Three minutes later, I delivered the placenta, losing no more than a quarter cup of blood! {Hurray and thank God!} I had struggled with keeping up my iron level no matter how hard I tried. What a blessing it was to have so little blood loss. Jane confirmed the intact "Baddledore" style placenta and the fact that I did not tear.

What a beautiful birth! What a beautiful baby boy - so alert with lots of brown wavy hair, big slate blue eyes, a cleft chin, a sweet round head with no molding (even after being engaged deep into my pelvis for four weeks), long feet, slender hands and lots of vernix. We waited 39 weeks for him with longing and finally here he was in our arms we'd been in love with him from the beginning! What a Merry Christmas!

Written by Anne-Marie Bauer December 27, 1997 Copyright© 1997
used with permission by www.childbirth.org