Full Circle Midwifery

As I grew more round and ripe, I greeted my due date with anticipation that others lacked.  My son was born two and a half weeks past his due date.  So, with my second pregnancy others were more patient.  I trusted my body and how I was feeling, very ripe and ready. I lost my mucus plug on my due date, and the next morning those early telling contractions began.  The contractions started early in the morning, and were spaced and irregular, but I knew that they would grow into labor.  I went about my usual day, breakfast with my family and playing with my son as my husband was at work.  Contractions gradually grew stronger and closer together.  By the afternoon there were some that demanded my attention.  I knew more what to expect having gone through labor before.  My mantra in early labor was working with my body and my baby.  I wanted to greet this baby with love, and intense as I know labor gets, I knew this could be a positive experience.  My two year old son is still nursing, and everytime we nursed a strong contraction would come on.  I would hop up and walk around, as this is what felt good.  He was very curious about the whole process.  We had talked a lot about what to expect and he was excited to finally greet the baby.  At one point in the evening when labor was beginning to get stronger I was on my hands and knees blowing through the contraction, and my son got on all fours next to me and blew and said “I’m birthing with mama”, and I discovered you can laugh through a contraction.  By the evening I was at a point where contractions were 4-5 minutes apart when I was up and moving, but spaced out when I sat or lied down.  I decided I wanted to have this baby sooner than later, so I got up and paced the house.  Soon the contractions were stronger and 3 minutes apart.  Mike filled the birth tub and called our friend to come and be with Zen.  Mike and Zen had spent the afternoon baking a birthday cake for our new baby and some food for the midwives.  By now the contactions were 2-3 minutes apart and I was ready to get in the tub.  Mike called Patrice and Barb.  When I got in the tub I had a brief rest, and then the contractions picked back up to every 3 minutes, and strong, I was in active labor.  All the memories of labor came back, the ones we forget when we think of having a cute little baby again.  Patrice and Barb walked in and I smiled at them and said “I can’t believe I am doing this again”.  My son was still running around hyped up on the energy in the house,and too much chocolate cake.  He got in the tub at one point, but I moved around so much with the contrractions, he needed to get out.  That was what I like about the water so much, being able to move all around in any position.  After a couple hours in the tub, I remeber thinking I need to get up and walk around to have gravity help bring the baby down.  I really didn’t want to get out of the water, it felt so good.  Soon, Patrice and Barb suggested I try to get out, and finally coaxed me out. I stayed out for a half hour or so and then got back in the water.  I wanted to push, because that means it’s almost over.  So I started pushing, not complete or anything, just wanting to be done.  Yeah, that doesn’t work 🙂  Patrice gently reminded me to listen to my body.  I had to reach deep and had to surrender to labor, and let myself open up.  I worked through it.  As many times as I have seen birth, it doesn’t change how I handle the intensity of the end of labor.  I reached the point of being tired and wanting it to be over.  I looked around and was surrrounded by those who love me and knew I was strong and could birth this baby.  I just kept working.  Patrice offered to check me and told me I was 9cm.  I told myself, ok I am close I can make it.  A few conractions later I started to get pushy.  It wasn’t long before I was touching my baby’s head and soon holding her in my arms.  I immediately looked to see what we had(there had been much speculation) “we have a girl” I announced.  No one believed me and checked themselves.  This was the first girl in the whole extended family after many boys.  My son was finally sleeping at 2am by the time she born.  He greeted her with great love in the morning.  His first words in greeting her were “happy as can be!”.  For a long time in this labor I felt on top of the contractions and it wasn’t too intense.  I thought maybe it’s just easier the second time.  But by the last couple hours of there is an intensity of labor that is unavoidable.  It was a much shorter peroid this time, but still hard work. I still reached that point that I thought I couldn’t go on, and am so grateful for all the support of friends and family I had. When I reached down and brought our daughter up, with great relief, I thought “We did it!”.