It began Sunday night, around 9:00. Of course, at that point, I wasn't sure if it was truly the "real deal." I had been having crampy contractions off and on for a couple of weeks, but these seemed a bit different. I started paying attention to the time. They were pretty consistent at intervals of about seven minutes. I mentioned it to my mom and Nate and told them I was trying not to get my hopes up, but "this could be it!" We talked for a while and watched some TV, then decided to go to bed around 11:30. I was continuing to have the contractions, but they weren't too bad, just cramping that radiated around to my back, and even down my legs some of the time.
As I lay in bed, I was aware of the radiating contractions, especially in my back. At 1:15 am, I had to get up and use the bathroom. I returned to bed and tried to find sleep again, but was no longer able to sleep through the contractions (that were now about three minutes apart). I wasn't "serious" yet, but was quite sure this was "it." I waited another half hour, then woke Nate with a gentle pat on his cheek. He responded with a sleepy, "You okay?" I then told him I was sure I was in labor. Well, I was at least 99% sure. We sent a text to our midwife and I got in the shower. I took a nice, long one and went through several more contractions (which we timed on my phone with a very cool app!). I talked with my midwife and, after listening to me go through a couple contractions, she decided she was going to come on over.
Nate busied himself getting the birth pool and our bed ready. I woke my mom up and let her know what was going on. This was going to be the day! January 18th. Already a special day because it was Nate's Grandpa's 88th birthday. {Once we passed Thursday, and then Friday, Nate and I both thought, "Wouldn't it be neat if baby was born on Grandpa's birthday?"} I called our birth photographer,
Lynsey (I felt bad about that, as it was about 2:30 in the morning) and let her know I was in labor and she might want to start heading our way. My midwife,
Donnellyn arrived at 3:30, along with her apprentice, Sue (I was the second birth for her to attend! I told her she'd always remember me!). Nate had chairs set up in our bedroom and I had my birth ball next to our bed. It was quiet and peaceful.
Donnellyn "checked me" and I was dilated to a 3 or 4 and 80% effaced. She relaxed a little and thought maybe she'd let her assistant midwife sleep a little longer. Around 4:00 am, Simon woke up! Of course, normally, when he wakes at night, we rub his back and lie next to him until he falls back asleep. But, once he was up and saw all the "action" (people there, lights on, soft talking) there was no going back to sleep! He knew something was up. We told him the baby was coming "today"! Nate put on a movie for him in the living room and he was content.
Nate made a breakfast plate of toast & spreads, along with herbal tea for anyone who wanted it. The ambiance was perfect. It was dark outside. We had two lamps on in our bedroom, and we all just enjoyed sitting around, chatting while my body did what it was supposed to! I remember laughing together about the funny things people say to you when you're pregnant (or sometimes not even when you're pregnant...like about haircuts). For example, "You're huge!" or "You haven't had that baby yet?!" You know what I'm talking about! If you've ever been pregnant, you've probably heard similar things!
Donnellyn wanted to make sure I was eating and drinking. I tried eating an apple, but didn't really have an appetite. I kept feeling a bit queasy. Maybe it was because it was the middle of the night, maybe it was just being in labor! I did manage to eat a slice of bread later on though.
I started to get more serious...sitting on my birth ball, I would lie across my bed, rocking from side-to-side a bit on my ball while Nate would rub my lower back. When my midwife checked me again (it hadn't been that long...maybe two hours?), she seemed a bit surprised to find I was already a "soft 6" and she decided she needed to call Cindy (the assistant midwife) right then! It was all work for me from then on, just trying to relax through my contractions, which had definitely gotten quite intense! Donnellyn was concerned at one point, because baby was in a posterior position (she could tell because she was constantly checking baby's heart tones). She asked me to labor some on my hands and knees, which I did for a few contractions. She even gave me an herb to hold under my tongue which can help baby turn. I moved to my bed, to lie down on my side, and continued to labor. I relaxed so much between contractions, I would even start to doze. Of course, not much because the contractions were close together!
Once Simon had been through two movies (
Finding Nemo and
Cars), we decided we'd call our friend
Leslie to come get him. We couldn't decide if we should wake the girls, or let them sleep. Since we weren't exactly sure when baby would come, we decided to go ahead and wake them so they could go to our friends' house with Simon (my mom woke them up at 6:30 and got them ready). They all came in to see me and give me hugs.
I got in my birth pool (it was about 7:00 am at this point, which I knew because the other children were leaving). They each peeked in at me in the birth pool (Nate told me...I wasn't too aware of anything other than relaxing through my contractions. He said Julia seemed a bit worried, so she didn't hang around, Lili was curious, and Simon watched me for a little bit). {Thankfully, I'm a pretty quiet laboring mom, although I do a little low "moaning" and deep breathing with my contractions.} I remember seeing Simon looking at me and telling him I was okay and I loved him and to have fun with his buddy Miles. He happily said, "Bye Mom! I love you! Bye Dad! I love you!" as he ran out to leave. So sweet! The girls both said goodbye and they loved us too and they all left.
I labored in various positions in the birth pool: some on my hands and knees, some on my knees as I leaned on the pool, some sitting with my legs crossed a bit and my head hanging, and some just floating on my back, with Nate supporting me. That soon became my favorite position and the overwhelming urge to push took over. Thankfully, baby had turned to the right position! You could tell with how much louder the heartbeat was! Donnellyn had me breathe through many of the "pushing contractions" at first. It's so amazing to really work with each urge and actually feel your baby getting lower and closer to being born! I could really feel it, just floating the way I was. Cindy arrived, and Donnellyn said I could push with the contractions if I wanted to. Once I was actually pushing, it didn't take long! I actually felt my water break while I was pushing! When his head was "right there" (I looked down and saw baby's head was out!), Donnellyn had me stop pushing...not an easy thing to do! I just breathed (panted) through the urges to push. The umbilical cord was around his neck (did you know that's very common? It happens about 80% of the time) and she needed to move it over. Once she did, I was able to push again and out he came! Nate put his hands down and "caught" the baby. I reached out too and we brought baby to my chest. Donnellyn suctioned baby's mouth. We then thought..."we need to see what baby is!" I lifted baby's leg and saw that we had a boy! We were all so happy! I think Nate was surprised! Pleased, but surprised. He's an only son of an only son, and he thought we were having another girl!
I got to just hold our son, snuggle with him, and enjoy the moment. Donnellyn put warm towels across him and his hat on his head (which was too small, by the way). We waited until the cord had stopped pulsating, then I got to cut it! Nate asked me if I'd like to. I'm so glad he did. That was a neat experience! It's hard to compare it to anything else! It was amazing!
We waited for the contractions to start again so I could deliver the placenta. I had baby nurse, which he did like a champ! Soon, the placenta was delivered and I moved to the bed so they could massage my belly.
We called Leslie and had her bring the children back to meet their baby brother! We didn't tell them what they had, yet. They all came in the room and I was holding our hour-old baby. I asked them if they wanted to know if they had a brother or sister. Of course they did, so...I just lifted his towel and showed them! They were all so excited! It was such a precious moment! I will always remember it! The kids left again to go enjoy their day off (it was Martin Luther King Day) with their friends at a bounce house and we continued with our morning.
It was time for the baby and I to enjoy our herbal bath. I climbed in and the baby was handed to me. It felt so nice! He was so calm and relaxed! We both were. It was so peaceful and sweet! Nate came in to talk to me and we decided that his name would, for sure, be Roman James Wright. Our baby boy, our second son...Roman.
I held him in the bath water, talked to him, used the little brush and brushed his hair and we bonded even more. After our bath, we moved to the bed and I nursed him again while Donnellyn got everything ready for his full exam. Then, we finally got to learn his weight and height. Nate lifted Roman in the scale. He weighed in at 10 lbs 4 oz (exactly what Nate's guess was! I guessed 10 lbs 2 oz)! We then made our guesses for his length. My Mom and I said 23 1/2 inches (Nate guessed 24 inches). Mom and I were right! Wow! What a big boy! We couldn't believe he was even bigger than Simon! The delivery was so smooth, you never would've guessed it!
As Donnellyn checked him over, I gulped down my second, glorious glass of grape juice with Sonic ice...YUM! (I had my first before I even set foot out of the birth pool) That is always my fave! I also had a half a sandwich my mom had made for me and some fresh strawberries.
Then, Cindy showed me the placenta. I asked to see it (yeah, I know...it's just so interesting to me). You see, they can tell a lot about your diet, if the baby was "overdue" or not, etc., all by looking at the placenta. They said mine was very healthy! They could tell I'd eaten healthy and that Roman wasn't overdue, even if he did come a week past my due date! It was fascinating! (Maybe you had to be there...sorry if that's too much information, but I want to remember everything!)
They cleaned everything up, made sure we were all doing okay, and then packed up and left to continue their days. My midwife had to go straight to another birth! We were home, with our three-hour-old baby boy and all was well. It was all so peaceful and calm...reverent, even. We all tried to get some sleep. I was very tired, but also quite wired! I probably slept for about an hour, but when I woke up, I just lay there, staring at my new baby boy, sleeping next to his sleeping Daddy. I was just so overjoyed and thankful!
I will never forget the experience that we had having our baby at home, in the water. It was amazing
! I'm so thankful for having and feeling so much love and support. My Mom, my Nate, and our wonderful birth team, along with all the help from our friends, made it a day I will cherish always! Welcome to our family Roman! We love you so much!
Julia, Lili & Simon meet their brother for the first time...
Roman weighs in...
