Henrik’s birth story:

I had a few false starts in the days and weeks before actual labor began. 

Jan 30: 4am contractions wake me up and are 8-15 minutes apart

Continue until 8am, then get further apart and more sporadic for a few hours

Start to get closer together when our toddler goes to my sister in laws house. Still 15-20 minutes apart usually

Get a little closer. 1pm start coming 7-15 minutes apart

3pm- 5 minutes apart, Brian’s asking if he should call Patrice, but I’m still not convinced that it’s the real deal. 

3:30- 2-4 minutes apart and fairly intense. I’m breathing well through them and talking normally in between. I text the midwives. 

Barb comes and Patrice and Dorothy come soon after. 

Brian starts filling tub, it’s full enough by 5pm. I get in. Contractions space out slightly but are intense. 5:30 I feel a little pushy. 

Patrice talks me through a self cervix check, I can barely feel my cervix and feel the water bag bulging. She confirms, says I am 9cm+. I was so excited!

6: I start pushing with contractions on my butt with my legs bent. Body takes over. I’ve been almost silent through all contractions until this point. I yell when my body makes me push. Patrice holds my cervix back for a couple contractions and that makes pushing feel a lot more productive. 

Water pops and I get some relief. Head crowns for a few contractions and I feel it. OW. Head finally comes out and I’m rubbing his hair! 

Next contraction I push his body out. Cord is wrapped tightly around his abdomen and is totally white. Must’ve gotten pinched on one of the last contractions. His heart rate went pretty low right before I pushed him out. He’s fairly limp and kind of grey. Everyone’s talking to him and rubbing him. Starts to open his eyes and pink up and wimper. Born at 6:32pm, on January 30. In the birth pool in our home with Patrice, Dorothy and Barb of full circle. 

My placenta came 5-10 minutes later and then we got out of the pool. Henrik latched on right away. No tearing besides a tiny spot like last time, no stitches and recovery has been 100x better than last time! 

I’m so happy that this time was so much easier and that I did it at home! My first experience was 34 hours of intense back labor that ended in a hospital transfer and it made me feel weak and like my body was broken. This has been a really healing experience and I’m so pleased with Patrice, Dorothy, and Barb. Thank you all so much!