That being said, I searched this forum in the months leading up to my baby's birth for stories of natural births as inspiration for my own. I wanted to share mine in the hopes that it can inspire someone else.

At 40 weeks 6 days pregnant, I finally went into labor on my own. I had "cramps" for two nights, all night long, and on this day they continued on into the morning. I had two membrane sweeps to try and help my body go into labor, one at 40+1 and one at 40+5. I also did acupuncture at 40+5. At my last doctor's appointment I was 3cm, 80% effaced, and baby was at a 0 station.

The morning of my son's birth, I started timing my contractions and realized they seemed to be getting closer together. They were also getting more intense. I walked around my backyard for a while and kept timing. When I told my husband they were 5-6 minutes apart, 1 min for 1 hour, he insisted we go to the hospital. I was in denial that this was really it, but I agreed to go. I'm glad I did because they got more intense on the drive.

I was checked at the hospital and I was 4cm. They admitted me and brought me to the natural birth suite. As soon as we got in the room, I had my husband turn off all the lights and put on my meditation music. The nurses tried several times to get the saline lock in for any fluids I might need and the veins kept collapsing. Finally they got it in and left us alone in the room. A little while later, my midwife came in and broke my water. It felt like a warm gush of fluid.

I labored on the birthing ball, on the floor with a pillow under my knees with my upper body draped over the birthing ball, in a rocking chair, on the bed, and finally on the birthing ball in the shower. I had taken hypnobirthing classes and used my music and breathing to get in the zone and through each contraction. The breaks between the contractions got me through it, knowing there would be some kind of relief after each one. I was dehydrated, so I was hooked up to an IV with fluids for a bit. My husband did light touch massage on my lower back, which helps to release endorphins. Sometimes I just asked him to hold my hand to help me through it.

I was 7cm when I moved to the shower and the water helped so much. As I labored in the shower, I let moaning, groaning, and other noises I had never made before, out. Somehow the noise helped me through the pain. After laboring in the shower for a while, I started feeling the urge to push. The nurse got me out of the shower and onto the bed. My midwife checked me and I was 9.5cm. She said there was a small lip that had to be gone before I could push. She suggested using the peanut ball and getting on all fours on the bed. I did this and was feeling the urge to push come on stronger. She checked me again- 10cm! It was time to push.

With the nurse on one side and my husband on the other holding up my legs, I started pushing. It was the weirdest sensation ever. I pushed so hard and felt like I was getting nowhere. I was so thirsty and kept asking for water. After each push, I tried to breathe and I just felt so exhausted. The nurse, midwife, and my husband were so encouraging and kept me going during this time. Then I felt the "ring of fire" and I just kept thinking, I have to get this baby out. I pushed harder and harder, and his head slowly started coming out. After an hour and a half, pushing with everything I had, his head came out, and his shoulders and body followed. 

My baby was immediately given to me for skin to skin. We stared at him in awe and couldn't believe we created such a beautiful miracle.

Ethan James 💙

8lbs 8oz

21 inches long

7:37p