Welcome
This is the story of the birth of my second daughter Finley. I am choosing to share this after many comments from expectant mothers about how my story was a positive one to read after many stories of difficult births. Don't get me wrong, my first birth to my daughter Ava was a crazy one- it's under the tab Ava above. I think having had a trying pregnancy and birth the first time around made me more able to appreciate both births. I felt amazingly strong after my first birth, and I felt as if I didn't even have a baby after my second.
Thank you for reading this page- I hope it does something for you. Maybe my story will give some insight into home and water births, or give a peaceful perspective on birthing without medications.
Thank you for reading this page- I hope it does something for you. Maybe my story will give some insight into home and water births, or give a peaceful perspective on birthing without medications.
In the Beginning
After a difficult pregnancy with my first daughter Ava, and a personality that kept us on our toes from the beginning, I wasn't in any kind of hurry to get pregnant a second time around. I made it a goal to finish my degree before we had a second child, and Ava made certain that finishing school would take a very long time. Possible sibling rivalry pre-sibling? I'll never know.
We finally had the now or never talk, and decided it was now in June of 2010. I braced for a difficult pregnancy- I was very sick while pregnant with Ava from week four until birth. I did end up sick with Finley as well, but I found a wonderful medication that allowed me to function, and actually enjoyed most of my third trimester.
As I neared the end of my pregnancy, I began to have signs that labor was near. This ended up lasting four weeks and when she finally arrived, we were more than ready to meet her.
We finally had the now or never talk, and decided it was now in June of 2010. I braced for a difficult pregnancy- I was very sick while pregnant with Ava from week four until birth. I did end up sick with Finley as well, but I found a wonderful medication that allowed me to function, and actually enjoyed most of my third trimester.
As I neared the end of my pregnancy, I began to have signs that labor was near. This ended up lasting four weeks and when she finally arrived, we were more than ready to meet her.
Waiting is the Hardest Part
Ava was born at 39 weeks and 6 days of a 40 week "average" gestation. Because my labor signs started at week 37, I was sure Fin would arrive early. We tried all the regular things, but she wasn't ready to come out. Friday March 11, 2011 I was an emotional wreck. The old saying "baby will come when she's ready" felt like a slap in the face. What about me? Didn't I have a choice? I was ready for the baby to be out of my body.
We got questions every day about when we would induce or schedule a c-section. Our answers always included "never, that is not a part of the home birth philosophy". We would just wait it out until the baby arrived as long as she and I were healthy. Thankfully we didn't have to wait much longer.
We got questions every day about when we would induce or schedule a c-section. Our answers always included "never, that is not a part of the home birth philosophy". We would just wait it out until the baby arrived as long as she and I were healthy. Thankfully we didn't have to wait much longer.
The Arrival of Finley Eliza
After nearly 4 weeks or prodromal labor (losing mucus plug, cervical pressure, Braxton Hicks, ect.), I finally saw a tiny bit of blood in some lost mucus plug. This was Friday March 11th. I woke up Saturday and had no signs of labor. We decided to get out and walk, so we headed to the outlet mall. It was uncomfortable for me, but I walked all over that place and back!
After a long day with no labor signs, I went to bed and woke up at 2:30am Sunday March 13th to use the bathroom. Finally I saw sure signs that labor was imminent. I was very excited but knew I would need rest so I went back to bed. By 3:30am contractions started and were distracting enough to keep me awake at 3-4 minutes apart. I woke my husband at 4:30am and had him make us some food and do some little things around the house. The contractions slowed to every 7-9 minutes or so by the time our daughter woke up. I sent a text to the midwives and they let me know it was normal for a slow down when kids get up and start distracting you.
We relaxed during the day, sitting and reading and watching movies. I ate freely through the day even indulging in a chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy. I was able to work through contractions on my own while being in the comfort of my home, without being hooked up to any kind of machine. One of my midwives came over mid day to check on me and baby, and left us in peace when everything was determined to be going well.
I had the same pattern all day of contractions every 4-5 minutes or so, and by 8pm we all decided it would be best if our daughter went to stay the night at her Oma’s. We had wanted her at the birth but she was really trying to disturb me during contractions which were getting much more intense at this point. She was very upset that I couldn’t put her to bed which was our normal routine, but ended up having a great overnight with Oma.
I had called our midwife at 7pm to let her know that the contractions were getting more intense and a bit closer together. She said they’d head over in an hour but would text first. At around 8pm they did text and I had my husband text them back to hold off for a bit until we got our daughter out the door. At 9:30pm my husband sent her this message “3 ½ - 5 ½ min. apart, 1 ½ min. long”. She replied that they were heading over.
My friend and apprentice midwife showed up first, and by this point I was facing my closet sitting backwards on a chair breathing through the surges. I felt in total control and though I was centered, I was aware of everything around me. I headed to the bathroom a few minutes later and noticed my midwife come in the front door. I said hello and went back to my closet corner. Around 10pm they asked if I wanted to get in the tub. I felt like the contractions were still too far apart to be ready for the tub, but since they were very intense I said yes.
I labored in the tub very peacefully. I was very present in my mind the entire time. I was thinking about welcoming our baby into the world, how other animals give birth, recipes, weather, all sorts of stuff. At one point I told the midwives a little rabbit birth trivia, and they both chuckled. My husband sat by me until I told him to go nap for a while. When things got a little more intense I had the midwives wake him back up to sit by me so I could hold his hand.
I could feel that I was getting closer, and remember wondering if I was transistioning (the stage before pushing), but it just didn’t feel out of control or fast like the last time. I finally told them I felt like I had to go to the bathroom, and was concerned that I would push to soon (I did this with Ava with an incomplete cervix and it caused some issues). They said I would know when it was time and that the feeling I was having was baby’s head. A very short bit later I heard myself make some small pushing sounds and I knew the midwives heard it too. I sort of pushed a bit, but was still worried it was too easy, too soon. I finally decided to do it since my body was saying yes. I pushed one good push and felt her come down, then briefly felt the “ring of fire”. I paused for a split second to allow myself to stretch then finished the push. My midwife said “There’s your baby”. I looked down into the water and scooped her up.
I got to put my baby on my chest immediately without anyone's hands touching her. The voices in the room were a whisper, the lights low. The first eyes my baby looked into were mine. When I was ready I was helped out of the tub to my bed where I stayed until later in the day.
Finley Eliza was born at home in water on Monday March 14th (Pi Day-see Ava's birth, also a Monday and a holiday and same weights) at 12:45am. She weighed 7lbs 8oz and was 21.5" long. This was the most peaceful birth I could have imagined. Finley was a super mellow baby inside, and she entered the world just the same. We are so happy to have had two successful home water births.
After a long day with no labor signs, I went to bed and woke up at 2:30am Sunday March 13th to use the bathroom. Finally I saw sure signs that labor was imminent. I was very excited but knew I would need rest so I went back to bed. By 3:30am contractions started and were distracting enough to keep me awake at 3-4 minutes apart. I woke my husband at 4:30am and had him make us some food and do some little things around the house. The contractions slowed to every 7-9 minutes or so by the time our daughter woke up. I sent a text to the midwives and they let me know it was normal for a slow down when kids get up and start distracting you.
We relaxed during the day, sitting and reading and watching movies. I ate freely through the day even indulging in a chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy. I was able to work through contractions on my own while being in the comfort of my home, without being hooked up to any kind of machine. One of my midwives came over mid day to check on me and baby, and left us in peace when everything was determined to be going well.
I had the same pattern all day of contractions every 4-5 minutes or so, and by 8pm we all decided it would be best if our daughter went to stay the night at her Oma’s. We had wanted her at the birth but she was really trying to disturb me during contractions which were getting much more intense at this point. She was very upset that I couldn’t put her to bed which was our normal routine, but ended up having a great overnight with Oma.
I had called our midwife at 7pm to let her know that the contractions were getting more intense and a bit closer together. She said they’d head over in an hour but would text first. At around 8pm they did text and I had my husband text them back to hold off for a bit until we got our daughter out the door. At 9:30pm my husband sent her this message “3 ½ - 5 ½ min. apart, 1 ½ min. long”. She replied that they were heading over.
My friend and apprentice midwife showed up first, and by this point I was facing my closet sitting backwards on a chair breathing through the surges. I felt in total control and though I was centered, I was aware of everything around me. I headed to the bathroom a few minutes later and noticed my midwife come in the front door. I said hello and went back to my closet corner. Around 10pm they asked if I wanted to get in the tub. I felt like the contractions were still too far apart to be ready for the tub, but since they were very intense I said yes.
I labored in the tub very peacefully. I was very present in my mind the entire time. I was thinking about welcoming our baby into the world, how other animals give birth, recipes, weather, all sorts of stuff. At one point I told the midwives a little rabbit birth trivia, and they both chuckled. My husband sat by me until I told him to go nap for a while. When things got a little more intense I had the midwives wake him back up to sit by me so I could hold his hand.
I could feel that I was getting closer, and remember wondering if I was transistioning (the stage before pushing), but it just didn’t feel out of control or fast like the last time. I finally told them I felt like I had to go to the bathroom, and was concerned that I would push to soon (I did this with Ava with an incomplete cervix and it caused some issues). They said I would know when it was time and that the feeling I was having was baby’s head. A very short bit later I heard myself make some small pushing sounds and I knew the midwives heard it too. I sort of pushed a bit, but was still worried it was too easy, too soon. I finally decided to do it since my body was saying yes. I pushed one good push and felt her come down, then briefly felt the “ring of fire”. I paused for a split second to allow myself to stretch then finished the push. My midwife said “There’s your baby”. I looked down into the water and scooped her up.
I got to put my baby on my chest immediately without anyone's hands touching her. The voices in the room were a whisper, the lights low. The first eyes my baby looked into were mine. When I was ready I was helped out of the tub to my bed where I stayed until later in the day.
Finley Eliza was born at home in water on Monday March 14th (Pi Day-see Ava's birth, also a Monday and a holiday and same weights) at 12:45am. She weighed 7lbs 8oz and was 21.5" long. This was the most peaceful birth I could have imagined. Finley was a super mellow baby inside, and she entered the world just the same. We are so happy to have had two successful home water births.
