Derek's Birth Story

(Again, this is a birth story... if you don't like details you may not want to read.)
Well, as I mentioned at the end of Olivia's birth story, we DID decide to have a homebirth with Derek. The midwives bring all the emergency stuff "just in case." And the ambulance & hospital weren't too far away, so we decided this not only would be a more comfortable situation (if possible), but it would also be a safe choice. Actually, statistically speaking... homebirths ARE SAFER than hospital births. I don't want to start a fight or anything, and I KNOW there are times for hospital births... I have had one, BUT most "emergencies" are caused by all the interventions hospitals use. So... for those of you who think we are BRAVE or RISKY or WHATEVER... we don't think so! =0)

Well, Derek was due at the end of March 2003... it was now April! Once again I was past my due date & shocked! You see, starting VERY early I started having Braxton-Hicks with Derek (you know, those "practice" contractions), so I thought SURELY this time, I wouldn't make it to my due date. I had Braxton-Hicks from about 20 weeks on. A pregnancy is "normally" 40 weeks! I don't think I even recognized having Braxton Hicks with Olivia at all. Well, back to April 2003... I was now 5 days past my due date. I had an appointment with my midwife, Amy. Dano, Olivia, and I all went. It was in the afternoon.

Midwives normally aren't big on "checking" you to see if you are dilating... BUT I like to know if something is happening... so I had her check me! Now, I don't remember if I had been dilated the week before or not, but this week I WAS! I was at least 4 or 5 and would stretch to a 6 or something like that! I remember being shocked! After all. It took several hours of HARD, REAL contractions to get that far with Olivia's birth.

So we left that appointment hoping that something would happen soon. Of course we KNEW it would be relatively soon... I was already 5 days past my due date!! Next we went to Sam's (the wholesale club). We were there for about an hour. We were waiting for some film to be developed and doing some other shopping. I remember walking around like a beached whale... and people looked at me like one! LOL!

We left there & went to the grocery next door. Dano ran in to grab just a couple of things. Then we went home. I was beat! Dano & Olivia ate left over spaghetti, but I didn't want that, so I ate a bowl of chicken noodle soup. I was whipped, so I was laying on the couch. I got up to go to the bathroom. Afterwards, I stood up and continued to leak! That was new! I sat back down & stood again...leaked a lot more...I now realized that my water had broken.

It was 8 p.m. Within 5 minutes, I was in the bathroom floor with REALLY HARD contractions. Dano was running around taking care of lots of details... calling Amy (our midwife), putting Olivia in front of the TV to watch Veggie Tales Jonah (she was 20 months old, & it was her bedtime), getting the bed ready for the birth...

In less than 30 minutes, our midwives were there (Amy & her apprentices). They got busy setting up. I was now in the bed. Dano was able to put Olivia to bed. I was thinking... if someone offered me drugs, I would take them... if someone offered me drugs, I would take them... THEN I would refocus on relaxing & repeating... I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me... I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me...

You see... NORMALLY... you have a contraction that starts out mild, peaks, then dies back down... all of this lasts for about 1 to 1.5 minutes. As long as you stay focused & relax & breath deep during this time, it is manageable. Then you get a BREAK!! Not long, but long enough to refocus & get ready for the next contraction. Well, this birth was NOT NORMAL. I was not getting my BREAK! As soon as one contraction would end, the next contraction would start! Therefore, I was a little shocked!

Remember me saying I didn't feel the overwhelming urge to push with Olivia. Well, this time, I had that URGE! I told Amy that I was ready to push. I had barely been in labor for an hour! She wanted to make sure I was at 10 cm, so she checked me. I was 9.5 cm, so she told me to wait through 1 more contraction. After that, it was determined I could push. I don't know how long I pushed, but it wasn't long! It wasn't many times. I remember them telling me not to push during the next contraction because his head was born. Well, being told not to push when you are having pushing contractions is HARD. AND I could NOT understand the phrase "his head is born." After all, this had all just started! I pushed for 2 hours with Olivia... I hadn't even been in labor for 2 hours and his head was born!!?? They told me his head was out & I could reach down & feel... sure enough, this kid was already out part of the way! Unbelievable!

They checked for the cord around his neck... nothing... so the next contraction, I got to finish pushing him out! WOW! How exciting!! It was 9:16 p.m. and he was born! That is just 1 hour and 16 minutes after my water broke/labor started! If we had not PLANNED a homebirth, we would have had one! There is NO WAY anyone would have gotten me in the van! Besides we would have had to wait for our friends to come stay with Olivia. So, if I would have gotten in the van, he would have been born there! Thank you, Lord, for the peace for having a homebirth!

Once again, this was a wonderful experience! I LOVED it! The midwives took great care of us. Dano is a wonderful partner during the birth. I couldn't do it without him!

5 days overdue
Derek
8# 14oz