Full Circle Midwifery

Birth Report

Parents Name: Joselyn Fisher and Thomas Lyons

Baby’s Name and Birthday: Daniel Thomas Lyons born 09.23.2012 @ 2:51am

This baby was your first baby and your first home birth.

Address: 1620 W. 104th St. Grant MI, 49327

Why did you choose to have your baby at home?

Birth at home is natural. No medications, needles, IV’s, or tests, no pushy or disapproving nurses or doctors, and no one trying to tell you a medicated method is better than God’s natural intended method and no unnecessary C-Section.

Describe your labor and birth.

The week leading up to the birth I had increased baby movement, periodic mild cramping with a bitter copper taste in my throat, my sleep was very restless, it was painful instead of just uncomfortable to roll over in bed, and although it seemed like he was still sitting rather high, it felt like his head was burrowing into my bladder at the same time causing an increased need to urinate small amounts frequently.

The day before the birth my lower back was aching terribly, far more than normal, with waves of periodic mild and uncomfortable cramping. Being my first pregnancy, I wasn’t really sure what this meant or what to expect because my due date wasn’t until the 29th. (I had been hoping for the 18th-23rd though!)

The morning of the birth I slept restlessly and was awake frequently, as usual. Thomas was almost ready to leave for work when I got up and went to the bathroom. Everything felt normal when I urinated but I happened to look down and there was the mucous plug! It was 6:40am. I told Thomas and he was instantly super excited. Everything seemed fine and who knows when the labor will start after that, so I figured it was okay for him to continue to work. He called shortly after getting to work saying that his co-workers were like “what are you doing here?! You need to go to the hospital NOW!” Seeing that we were having a water birth at home, Thomas and I had a good laugh together at their excitement and urgency and I e-mailed Patrice with the status.

I tried to go back to bed but the front of my abdomen had been cramping periodically already and my lower back ached just laying there. I gave up trying to fall back asleep around 8:30am so I took a shower and ate breakfast. I had been planning on going to Grand Rapids and everything seemed fine so I went anyways. I was in the truck and half way there when I realized I was actually in labor and the contractions were 5-7 mins apart. I continued with my errands but when I began holding my breath with the contractions I figured I had better get home. (Lol, I bet the guy who helped me load wood pellets would be so surprised). On my way home they went to 5 mins apart but didn’t feel urgent. I updated Patrice at 10:30am. Thomas called me at least four times the short time that I was in GR, it was funny.

Around noon the contractions were 3-4 mins apart but still didn’t feel urgent. I decided to call Thomas to come home anyways to help me get things ready. He was so excited! His co-workers heard 3 mins between contractions and said “get out of here!!!” Thomas literally ran through the building to his truck, lol. I was so glad when he got home. Although they weren’t terrible, I was having to lean forward and hold onto things already with each contraction. We cleaned the house a bit, got the kit out, prepped the bedroom and inflated the tub. There was nothing left to do so we watched the Michigan football game (they lost =-( ) and labored away. The contractions were routinely 3 mins apart and stronger at 3:45pm. It was finally beginning to feel like it was becoming active labor so I called Dorothy and let her know I thought it was time for them to come.

They arrived around 5-5:30pm and contractions were still 3 mins apart. Patrice checked at 6:14pm and I was only 1cm. I was so disappointed. So we labored away some more. Walking, standing and sitting were terrible during contractions; the best position was kneeling while leaning forward. We tried a large yoga ball, that was okay. Pressure on my lower back felt great. At 9:35pm she checked again and I was only 2cm!! I wanted to cry!!! They thought a shower might help so at 9:45pm Thomas started one. The hot water felt great and a shower turned into a bath, kneeling on all fours for contractions. I got out at 10:30pm and vomited shortly after.

I wanted to sleep so I laid in bed and Thomas stayed beside the bed on pillows, it was so sweet. I tried staying on my side for contractions, I was so tired and I didn’t want to get up but it hurt so bad, so for each one I woke up and got on all fours. At midnight I was only 3-4cm. I was horribly disappointed and I was so exhausted. Vomited again shortly after. Patrice kept me hopeful and said she thought I was one of those that speeds right through it after 5cm.

We went back to the bed and slept again waking with each contraction. Thomas woke with me every time and held my hand, he was amazing. Finally at 12:57am, I woke and vaguely, almost deliriously remember thinking that the pressure felt different inside and my water was going to break. Sure enough, my water broke while I was laying on my side and I was so happy but I was so tired and just remember saying sleepily “hey, my water just broke.” Patrice was great, I vaguely remember hearing her say that it was time to fill the water tub and me wondering how in the world she knew it was time.

At 1:30am I got into the tub and was on my knees with my elbows on the edge. It was so hot but it felt so good. Almost immediately I felt like pushing and started to, apparently we didn’t think to tell the midwives. At 1:50am, Patrice came in and said “Is she pushing!?! She is!” I got such a kick out of that in my head. I completely lost track of time, I was so exhausted and was pushing so hard everything became muddled. At 2:05am I felt his head! I think I started screaming around 2:15am and began wondering if I was going to wake the neighbors and someone was going to knock on the door. I was so hot and windows were partially open. I was pushing so hard and it was so incredibly painful. I got to feel the baby’s head again at 2:33am and Patrice was applying counter pressure. I felt the baby’s head go back in and I said “no, no, no!” I started crying, I was so tired and wanted it done and he went backwards! They would tell me to stop pushing after a contraction and Oh My God, that was nearly impossible! It was only by some act of God that I was able to do that I am convinced. Thomas and Dorothy were blowing in my face and that helped just a crazy amount as well and it felt so good, I was so hot and I was screaming so loud! I don’t know if I was praying out loud but I was chanting “God, please help me” over and over in my head!! Finally at 2:51am, he crowned fully and I think he was completely born all in one push! Thanks to her counterpressure and their ability to stop me from pushing, there were no tears! Patrice passed him between my legs and up to Thomas. He pulled him up out of the water and passed him to me. The water had made him clean and he was beautiful and pink. He started breathing right away and only made a little cry. He opened his eyes just a few minutes later. He got a 10 on his APGAR, 7#13oz, 14″ head and 19.5″ long. Staring into each other’s eyes was the most incredible experience. And THANK YOU Dorothy for snapping those pictures. Patrice was right, after I got past 5cm, it was 0 to 60 rapidly after that. Almost 12 hours of active labor.

I got out of the tub at 3:26am and Thomas held Daniel at 4:10am. The placenta still was not delivered so Patrice gave a shot of Pitocin at 4am. It didn’t make a difference and I was losing a lot of blood. Patrice, Dorothy and I left at 4:30am for the hospital and poor Thomas was left by himself with newborn Daniel for now with no idea how to put on a cloth diaper. We got to the hospital at 4:52am, Patrice was driving like a mad woman! Minus the situation, it was fun. I lost a lot more blood and began having very strong and painful contractions again, the blood felt like it was pouring out of me. I wanted Thomas. I was becoming more shocky and delirious while the doctors and staff were figuring things out. Dr. Michael ended up going in for a D&C at 6:05am. By 8:30am I was with Thomas and asleep with Daniel finally.

Dorothy was amazing, there are no other words. It was scary. She took Thomas’ place until he could get to the hospital and didn’t leave our room until 11:15am. Total amount of blood loss was 10 cups, approximately half my blood volume. I was in the hospital for two days with IV fluids and Iron supplements then opted to go home on oral supplements. Dr. Michael and the midwives were fantastic and have done great with all of the follow up care, they all worked very well together. Blood levels were near normal within 3 weeks.

What was your favorite part of your baby’s birth?

I loved seeing how incredibly excited and supportive Thomas was the entire time. It was also fantastic knowing that I would be able to move normally again soon!

What would you do differently if you had another baby?

Lol, try to keep better track of my eating habits for the midwives.

Take preventative measures to decrease length of labor and the chance of having a retained placenta.

Even though it was a home birth, have a hospital bag packed just in case!

How can we improve our services?

Nothing. You guys were incredible, more than we could have asked for.