Charlotte Emma born at home in the water

[regenolds]

Charlotte was born at 10:09 am on Friday 7/20. 9 pounds 21.5 inches. I am so in love!

I woke up to a contraction at 3:50 but they were only about 5 minutes apart so I waited a bit to call my midwife. Called her at 4:30 after I woke dh to time a few. They were maybe 4 minutes apart but m/w lives an hour away so I wanted to give her a heads up. Turns out she was only 15 minutes away staying at her daughter's because she had a birth the day before. So I was going to call her back when they were closer. I started to get things ready in my bedroom and filling the pool up. DH was helping time contractions and they quickly went to 2.5 minutes apart and were lasting 1 minute plus so after a few of those I called her back and she thought she better come now.
I ate a few strawberries and a bunch of water but nothing else sounded good. With each contraction I'd lean over a counter or bed and sway my hips back and forth. I think I've done this with the last 3 or 4 births. My babies like to hang out posterior for most of pregnancy and some or all of labor so this must be my body's way to help them rotate. SIL was coming over to take care of the other kids and she got there before the m/w and student m/w got there but they were there soon too and got all set up. The kids were starting to wake up and get breakfast. I was finally able to get in the pool and it felt great! But contractions slowed way down. I was hoping it meant I was complete and at that resting phase but no, m/w checked and I was only 6-7 but 100% effaced. The kids kept coming in too, which I didn't mind but that also might have slowed things down. I kept getting out to pee or just stand in the pool to try to bring them on stronger. They finally did get a lot stronger but not really closer than 5 minutes apart. I was having pressure with them, so checked and just had a lip so she said I could try pushing soon. Now I hate pushing, but I forgot how much I hate it until baby started coming down. It is the most horrible feeling in the world! I feel like I am ripping everywhere and my pelvis bones are breaking. But I didn't tear at all thankfully. DH was going to help catch baby and I reached down to put counter pressure on baby's head too. It is pretty amazing to feel that head right inside. I gave in to the pain and pushed that head out. Right as baby started to crown the water broke(with a scream hubby says). Baby was almost born in the caul. I was waiting for another contraction to push but baby's head was starting to darken so they had me get into the running start position to get her out quickly. I thought it was urgent if they had me do that so I pushed with everything and her big shoulders flew out. I flipped back over to grab my sweet baby who was full of vernix( none of my other babies have had any) Love at first sight. Since we weren't cutting the cord for awhile she decided she wanted to stay dependent on it and took some encouragement to breathe by rubbing her feet and suctioning her mouth/throat. It didn't take long and she figured it out. We had all the kids come in to meet their baby sister. It was all so amazing! After a few minutes we had them leave so I could get out to deliver the placenta. We cut the cord and I hopped onto my bed. It took 40 minutes or so for the placenta. My last birth was only 3 minutes, so I wasn't expecting that. I had a little bit of bleeding and m/w wanted to give me a shot of pitocin, I asked her to wait and she massaged my uterus and it firmed up fine. I hate shots! And thankfully I didn't get it.
During the newborn exam we noticed the baby was super jittery. Her arms were flailing and shaking like crazy, which meant she had low blood sugar. She was pretty used to getting a lot of food from mama and I hadn't eaten much for a long time because I had no desire even though they were pushing me to eat. So baby had to nurse, nurse, nurse. She recovered nicely and now at 36 hours or so my milk is coming in like crazy. I hope she doesn't decide to be super sleepy the next couple of days!

Wow, sorry that go so long!

[marliah]

Wow congratulations! What a great birth experience and you look just radiant in the photos way to go momma! I hope my birth is as beautiful an experience!

[calex99]

Love your birth story, Sarah Congrats!

[melyndie]

What a beautiful story! And I just love your photos. Congratulations!!!

[Mamata3]

Congrats mama.

[philenabean]

Wow! What an amazing birth story! Such a beautiful family

[msmamabear]

Congrats!!!!

[remrath]

How absolutely wonderful!

[srpettitt]

Congrats! You look so great in your pics, and such a great family, too!

[mumtothem]

Congrads!