Christian UC: Unassisted Childbirth

The Unassisted Birth of Jasmine

Finding unassisted birth did not bring me the "A-HA!" moment that it does for some, but the more I looked into it, the more it appealed to me. My first pregnancy was filled with tests, more tests, and lots of fear in between with NO answers from my scare-givers. Lots of leaning on outside sources for a connection to my baby, which 3.5 years later was still incredibly lacking. Read Alexis' Birth Story Here

Nope, that wasn't going to be happening this time. This time I was going to take matters into my own hands. I would be performing any tests that I determined to be important and make my own decisions as to what impact any particular result would have on the overall picture.

This pregnancy was awesome. While the first had been filled with fear and all-day sickness, this one was perfectly delightful as I grew and bonded with my hidden blessing, only experiencing 2 weeks of all-day sickness starting about 2 months into the pregnancy, and then only because my system was thrown out of whack from not being able to eat properly while having a cold for a month prior.

My diet didn't really change at all this time except for adding a prenatal vitamin/mineral supplement, and in spite of fearing being huge throughout the summer heat I found it was much more enjoyable than enduring morning sickness in the heat and the increased natural activity of summer was also a bonus in considering how much weight I might have otherwise gained!

During the last month I had braxton-hicks contractions, which was something new for me. Prodromal labor started on a Thursday and that night a friend and I labored together via AOL Instant Messenger, both having contractions 10 minutes apart, at the same time! Quite humorous, really. We both managed to pry ourselves from our keyboards and my labor petered out. Al and Ally ended up playing in the pool that had been filled for me.

Two days later my plug started coming out and I could tell labor was wanting to get started again, but it didn't happen until Al came home. I think it was around 11:00 p.m. that I heard from my friend I'd been laboring with 2 days earlier and found out she went on to birth her son later that night in the van on the way to the hospital (Birth Story Here). It was unbelievable, and exactly what I needed to hear! Any remaining fear left in me about how I could screw up the birth was gone. Afterall, she wasn't just an anonymous person online, I really knew her! And if she could do it, then there's no doubt that I could! YEAH!

Al filled the pool again, set up at the end of our bed, while I walked around the house getting to the point that I had to stop for contractions that didn't hurt so much as they were just really strong. When contractions became a little painful and I was reasonably sure the water would not stall labor I got in the pool and contractions immediately became more bearable. Very bearable.

Maybe a little too bearable. I was falling asleep and didn't even realize it until Al walked in on me and got mad because I'd kept him up all night laboring and was now falling asleep on him. I felt nothing and it seemed as though labor had stopped. It was 4:35 a.m. and he announced he was shutting the light off and going to bed. I could do whatever I pleased.

If I were smart I would have just had him leave the hall light on and stayed in the pool. It still felt good, even if it did stop my labor. But visions of me sinking into the pool and drowning (LOL) led me to bed with him only to be hit with massive contractions as soon as I laid down. I kept trying to breathe and told him "It hurts". I got a barked reply that "It's supposed to hurt!" Repeat, repeat. Hmm. Pretty sure that's not true (understatement) but bit my tongue anyway.

I got up and tried sitting in a recliner that had been comfortable earlier, hoping to get some sleep too, and that didn't help either. We went back to the pool where it seemed everything promptly stopped again! Al is impatient, so I'm stimulating myself to get stuff going. Now it hurts in spite of the water. Between contractions which are still not very close together I reach in to see what's going on and feel the bag which feels extremely soft and squishy, very much like a tush. Since she'd been breech up to 2 days before that, I figure she must be breech still/again. I inform Al.

In the video I look scared saying it. For a while I denied being scared, because I wasn't scared. At least I wasn't scared of a breech baby. But in reality I was scared. I was scared of Al's reaction. Would he blow up? Would he drag me -kicking and screaming- to the hospital or call 911 if he couldn't physically make me? Or would he just look in the _Emergency Childbirth_ book that he has sofar REFUSED to read, and see what a simple technique it would be to unlatch her jaw, IF it got stuck?

He throws up his hands as if to say "Oh, that's great" and RUNS to shut off the camera. Afterall- you didn't think he was going to let there be any proof of his involvement in the murder trial I was sure to be facing, did you?

I'm still in the pool, balanced between one knee and the other foot pushing like anything just to get the body out so we can hurry and unhook her jaw if we need to - which Al is totally unprepared to do. I feel and hear the bag of waters pop and see the clear amniotic fluid mixing with the pool water. Made a mental note about how cool it was that it was a *pop* in every imaginable way lol. Right after that I start pushing again when something pops out and I feel hair. It's a head afterall! That's a relief. Of course Al is mad at my stupidity.

Contractions are still not coming right away so we sit with her head out under the water for a minute or two while Al wakes up Ally (4.5 years old now) and turns the camcorder back on getting a shot of the baby's head. I feel the urge to push again and feel each of her shoulders come out. AMAZING!! I've got a hold of her while her body slides out. I think for a split second of seeing what she looks like floating in the water but decide against it and bring her to my chest right away.

She's a good color, not at all the blue/grey Ally was, but is not breathing yet. Well of course she's not! But given everything that had happened in the 2 hours prior I'm not feeling allowed to take time for anything. I start pumping her legs encouraging her to taker her first breath which she does after a few seconds with a little fuss. Probably didn't like her legs being pumped! Al points out that we have another girl and I couldn't stop remarking how soft the bag felt- partly out of my own amazement, partly in an attempt to explain to Al why I had put him though such "trauma".

Al noted the time to be between 6:10-6:15, so we figure she was probably born around 6:08-6:10. We call it 6:10. It's Sunday morning, August 12th. I notice that both of the girls and I were all born on Sundays.

Al wouldn't let me eat while laboring and I was famished. He brought me some cheese and grape juice which was perfect! Jas was extremely alert, again not at all lethargic like Ally was for days! While Al started clean-up we made our way to the bed where after a few minutes she wanted to nurse NOW. It was uncomfortable with her short cord which had already stopped pulsing so Al cut it, about 1/2 hour after the birth. I had hoped to wait longer, but it wasn't working out and I was satisfied that she'd gotten all of the blood from it.

Afterpains were very overwhelming, and I was not eager to push out the placenta, though I did so a few hours later with Al's urging after I was sure it must have detached by then. I just wanted it to fall out like I'd read about it doing for everyone else!! Al then helped me into the bathtub for a bit while he finished clean-up.

The birth left me feeling very energized and taking a nap even later in the morning was not easily accomplished by me, but we managed to so Al could get some rest and take good care of us the rest of the day.

Later in the day my friend came over for a little while with her family, as did Al's parents. Everyone loved watching the video. It was such a powerful experience that I couldn't stop the tears that poured from my eyes each time it was played for someone new.

While we don't plan to have any more children, I'd love to relive that experience about 2-3 more times. I can't imagine birthing any other way again if we happen to get any surprises! I am forever changed.

Jeannie

~ read story of sister Alexis' hospital birth ~

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