Even with all that positive juju, the last
few weeks of pregnancy were really tough. Between being sick and getting
injured it seemed like we couldn’t catch a break. As the baby’s due date came and went, Ollie
and I stayed home a lot and we all tried to stay positive.
Finally, on
Saturday April 28th, things started happening. We had a very
relaxing day at home. I took a bath and a nap and was feeling good. After Ollie
went to bed, Dave and I started watching a movie (The Killers) and I began having
contractions. Even though they were mild, I dropped to my hands and knees
during each one and did some deep belly breathing to make sure this baby was in
a good position for birthing. Dave was watching the clock and noticed that
these contractions were coming every 10 minutes. During the breaks, we
started getting the bathroom ready because that’s where I pictured her birth
happening. Around 12:30am, after one hour of contractions I called my midwife
just to let her know that this could be it. She told me to try to lay down and
rest and call her 30 minutes before I needed her for travel time. I went to bed
with my ipod and meditations but laying down the contractions were painful so I
kept getting up on all fours on the bed. At 2:00am, Dave suggested that I call my doula to
come over. I also called my friend Desirae to come
over at about 2:30am
The three
of us girls sat in the living room, talking and laughing and when I had a
contraction I would get on my hands and knees, my doula would press on my back
and Desirae was moaning with me and saying “open”. After about an hour of this,
contractions started to get a little painful and Des suggested we go to the tub
just for a few surges. I wanted a water birth but I didn’t want to get in the tub until the end of labor. I
had only been in labor for four hours and was expecting at least four more
hours. Des assured me we could get in then get out and get back in later. So we
ran the water and I tried a few different positions, ending up on my side as
the most comfortable and most water coverage on my huge belly.
The
contractions kept coming and getting stronger. Desirae was putting cold wash
clothes on my head and feeding me ice. My doula would pour the warm water on my
stomach during contractions. We had the lights down low and music going, I was
very comfortable. All of a sudden the contractions started to changed and feel
different. My doula called the midwife to come over but we had waited too late.
My body took over and there was no denying it was time to push. Someone woke up
Dave and he came in and held my hand. Someone told me to feel for the head, “oh
my god!” I exclaimed as I touched her for the first time. I still couldn’t
believe that it was happening so fast.
My body
kept working and I felt myself stretching that “ring of fire” as her head
crowned and came out. On the next contraction, I pushed but her body
didn’t twist and come out. Des and my doula were getting worried because
neither of them had delivered a baby unassisted before much less in the water.
They urged me to stand up and get out of the tub so they could see the baby
better. Standing on the bathroom floor, leaning on Dave, I gave one humongous
push with all of my might. At the same time, Des grabbed Penelope’s shoulder
and pulled her and what a wonderful feeling as she slithered out into Desirae’s
hands. She was born on Sunday, April 29th at 4:30am after only 5
hours of active labor! She was 21 inches long and 9 lbs 10 oz. The midwife and assistants arrived about 15 minutes later to do all the post partum and new baby care.
Some fun random facts: She and Ollie were both born exactly
10 days over their due date. Ollie’s birth weight was one oz more than Dave’s
birth weight and Poppy’s birth weight was exactly one oz more than my birth
weight!
love at first sight.
Hi big brother! Hi little sister!
(Ollie slept through the whole birth)
All scrunched up and ready for some cuddles.
