Life Align Wellness Blog

Written by: Dr. Cherniawski
5/17/2010 7:30 AM 

My husband, Shawn, and I learned I was pregnant in September 2009.  With excitement and fear of the unknown, I contacted Dixie Story, midwife, to provide pre-natal, birth, and post-natal care for myself and our baby.  With her help, good nutrition, proper supplementation, pre-natal exercises, and my own study of the Bradley Method of natural childbirth, I experienced a healthy pregnancy.  I managed the fatigue and nausea during the first trimester and shortness of breath during the third trimester, gained 17 pounds, and worked adjusting patients to the end of the pregnancy.

For me, labor began Friday April 30th with light bleeding.  Jabbing pains followed Friday and Saturday envening and, upon waking May 2nd, I felt a lot of pressure very low in my pelvis and lost the mucus plug.  That's when I called Dixie.  She explained that these were signs of pre-labor that can occur weeks before true labor, especially for a first time mom.  Satisfied, I continued with my day feeling pressure and general discomfort, but not thinking I was going to have a baby.  Afterall, I was only 39 weeks pregnant, and when left to nature, first time moms deliver, on average, at 41 1/2 weeks.  This, along with the fact that my own mother delivered all three of her children past their due dates, I thought for sure our baby would not be born until mid-May.  Our baby, however, had other plans.

Later that afternoon began rythmic cramping.  When I told Shawn, he suggested we time them.  Sure enough!  30 seconds, 3 minutes apart.  We called Dixie.  Still not convinced it was true labor, she encouraged me to continue with activity.  If the cramping stopped, it was most likely false labor.  It didn't stop.  While the duration and frequency remained the same, the intensity heighten.  We called Dixie again.  Though the birthing tub was not scheduled to be delivered until Tuesday, she told us to have it delivered that day.  Luckily, they delivered it to our house within the hour, set it up, and instructed Shawn how to fill it.  The only problem... we did not have a hose long enough to fill the tub from the water heater. 

I've talked to many moms who said, "expect the unexpected."  Having a baby early and not having the tub or a hose to fill the tub definitely was NOT in the plan!  So, at 7:00pm, Shawn left me on the couch lost in my own world of worsening discomfort to go Home Depot.  It was closed.  He went to WalMart.  On the way home, he got a phone call from me simply saying, "hurry up..."  

When he got home, he diligently worked to fill the tub in our master bedroom from the water heater and from heated pots of water on the stove.  Finally, at 9:30pm, Dixie arrived, took one look at me prone on the bed and told Shawn, "This is the real thing."

I got in the water a short time later, hoping and expecting, some alleviation of pain.  There was none.  But now that I was in the water, I was there to stay.  I could barely move. 

Now, all attention was on me.  Anything I wanted, I got.  Dim the light.  Turn off the tv.  Give me water.  Don't touch me.  Don't talk to me, especially if you were going to say, "you're doing a fantastic job,"  I did NOT want to hear it!  At its worst, during a span of several minutes, the contractions were at their peak and back to back.  What got me through was simply telling myself, "this is only temporary."  At 11:30pm, Shawn, in his swimming trunks, joined me in the water.

At 11:45pm and effaced at +2, meaning baby was already half way through the birth canal, I began to push.  Because baby was so close to being born, Dixie thought we would have a May 2nd baby.  I wished she was right.  Those last few inches took more than an hour, and not long after the water broke, at 1:02am May 3rd, our baby was born into the water and Dixie's hands and promptly laid on my chest.

Words cannot describe our feelings at that moment.  Shock, overwhelming joy, and relief come the closest.  We stared in silence and awe until Shawn said, "what is it?" and Dixie said, "well, check for yourself!"  So Shawn lifted one little leg and began to cry as he announced, "It's a girl!"  Adriana Mae, at 6 pounds 8 ounces and 19 1/2 inches, was just what we wanted.

Cutting the cord, breast feeding, weighing, measuring, swaddling, calling grandparents, and tending to me filled the next two hours.  When Dixie left, the three of us, mom, dad, and baby, were snug in our bed.

In summary, the experience was the most intense and rewarding of my life.  As for Shawn, he claims he must have done a good job in his part.  Afterall, he said, "You only told me to shut up one time!" 

Looking back, would I do another home birth?  YES!  Now that I have been through the experience, however, I understand why most women go to a hospital and accept medical intervention.  Had I been under medical care, I'm not sure I would have had the will power to say no to an epidural or other pain reliever if given the option.  Also, I am certain most well intentioned medical professionals would have recommended the water been artificially broken prior to pushing and that some sort of forcep or suction device utilized to hasten Adriana's last inches through the birth canal.

As it was, I am incredibly proud that I delivered my baby on my own terms, in my own way, as natured intended.  Most of all, I am happy to have my healthy baby girl out of my belly and into my arms!

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