Just gave birth at home!

October 1st, 2017 - 2:39am

We welcomed our little boy, Nadir Aviv Jelveh.

Healthy and strong, 7 pounds 9 ounces.

After laboring all day with contractions coming with no clear pattern, the sun set and I got in the bath tub to see if anything would change. And boy did it!

The hot water allowed me to relax and breathe through each surge more easily. Nadir shifted in my belly and suddenly the contractions became stronger and consistent at 4 minutes apart. I couldn’t lay down anymore so I went to the shower. Very shortly they were coming every 2 minutes. I told my partner to call the midwife. She arrived some time soon after that but by then I was lost in birthing land as so many call it.

After being in the shower for (what my partner tells me) an hour, I moved to the bed. I was on hands and knees leaning over a stack of pillows. Swaying and letting out deep, moans were all that could help me at this point. I started to hear that voice in my head tell me I’m done. But I’m giving birth at home and I knew there was only one way through this. So I just focused on this moment and breathe through it.

At some point I turned over onto my back and I could hear the sounds coming out of my mouth shift into pushing sounds. I was bringing him down the birth canal. The midwife asked me to go empty my bladder before he gets too low so I went to the toilet and tried to pee. Then POP went my amniotic sack. She came over to me and said calmly that it’s probably going to get more intense now. She was right!

Within a couple minutes my body was uncontrollably pushing. These contractions didn’t hurt so much because now the sensation was in my bottom. I could feel his head from inside, which was actually amazing. But I was also scared and saying that I don’t think he will fit through me.

I got up off the toilet after a few contractions. By this time I was actually yelling through each one from a deep place in my throat. I went to hands and knees on the floor. Every contraction I could feel his head coming lower and lower. It was stretching me and it burned. Between them, I could feel his head go back in and it was such a relief. I remember thinking, yes just stay in there!

By the last contraction, it was so strong, I just had to go into the pain. I knew it was the only way to get to the other side. I felt his head emerge and it was a relief. I had a breather finally and I think the cord was wrapped around his neck a couple times so the midwife pulled that off. I didn’t really have a strong contraction after that but I needed to get his body out so I let out the absolute biggest most powerful sounds I’ve ever heard come out of my body. I felt her hand go inside me to help pull him out. (I think the cord was also wrapped around his arm.) And holy shit it was the biggest relief ever to feel the rest of his body leave mine.

Papa caught him and held him while I took a few breaths and then flipped over onto my bottom. I was suddenly holding my baby and all the pain washed away. I could not believe it.

The worst of it was over but it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing after that. With a few tugs of the umbilical cord and a small push, the placenta came out. I lost a lot of blood and possibly a piece of the placenta was still inside me. I got a shot of pitocin and some herbs to help stop the bleeding. I thankfully didn’t tear my perineum but just needed 1 easy stitch at the top of my labia. Later on my midwives helped to to the bathroom to pee but I fainted on the toilet. It was so weird because I was there and a second later I was dreaming. I woke up after they had carried me to the bed. Then I needed a catheter to empty my bladder and a bag of IV fluid to help replenish my body. My midwife made me a big smoothie with protein powder, coconut water, fruit, and pieces of my placenta. I wasn’t planning on doing that but it’s supposed to help stop a hemorrhage so I gladly drank it.

There is always a lesson in every experience. And in birth I believe there are many. I am so proud of myself for having the natural birth I dreamed of, at home with no unnecessary interventions. But I have a new respect for all moms, no matter where they choose to give birth or whether or not they choose to have an epidural. We are freaking powerful beings! This birth also gave me a new respect for home birth midwives. Many people think home birth is not safe. And even among the obstacles I ran into with the cord being wrapped around my baby in different places, losing too much blood, and fainting, I was totally taken care of with the skills, supplies, and support of my midwives. They are so badass. Ah, this life is awesome.