Connor’s Birth

Parents: Ryan and Kelly
Date of Birth: September 15, 2009
Baby Info: 7 lbs. 14 oz. | 20 inches
Birthplace: Hospital

I was in my 39th week I went to the chiropractor to get adjusted maybe have a few little tricks to help baby arrive! Then I went to yoga and came home and whipped up dinner and cookies and a great amount of energy. We hung out the rest of the evening with no concern. We went to bed and of course as soon as my head hit the pillow I had to use the restroom. When I stood up from finishing a little bit of water gushed out of me. I thought, oh great, now I really can’t hold it in anymore! I went to the bedroom to put on pjs and more water came out. I turned to my husband Ryan and said “Either my water just broke or I seriously need some depends until we have this baby.” I put on a pad and rolled up a towel between my legs and went to sleep.
 
I woke up around 12:30 to a few contractions and looking at the clock they were about 20 minutes apart so I just relaxed and went back to sleep. Around 2:30 I woke up again to the contractions and they were getting closer together. I timed them again about 10-15 minutes, so again I told myself to take a break and try to sleep because it’s going to be a long day. Well at 3:30 I woke up and they were getting pretty intense. I got up and woke Ryan up and said I think this is it. Ryan got the bathtub ready. I grabbed my ipod and starting listening to my affirmations again and got in the tub. Well things were getting more and more intense, and we decided to get online and really start timing my contractions. They were about 4 minutes apart lasting for a minute, so I decided it was time to call our doula. At 5:15 I went to go to the bathroom and immediately threw up at the same time. It was crazy but I just thought, this is it,the baby is coming fast! I got out of the shower and dressed Cara had arrived. She came in and we chatted for a minute but I couldn’t talk through the contractions. She looked at Ryan and said, “I think you should get your things ready and we should head out.” I honestly thought at this point that I wasn’t that far, but Ryan will tell you that Cara’s face said it all. Let’s get going NOW.
 
We got to the hospital triage to get assessed. I didn’t want to know what progress I was at because I knew that if I wasn’t that far it could be discouraging. The nurse checked me she said you’re really good! I said “So you’re not going to send me home? This is it?” She said, “Most definitely we’re getting your room ready.” Ryan laughed so hard at this and still does because he’s like “how could it not be IT?? You’re water BROKE!”  But for the story now, I was already at 6 cm, 100% and +1 station when we arrived at the hospital.
 
We got to the room and just started doing some poses here and there. I took off my glasses at this point because they were really getting annoying. But I have to say not having clear vision helped me to just concentrate on me, the baby and the contractions. My midwife came in and checked me and I was at an 8. We decided to get into the bathtub for a little while so I could relax because the urge to push was coming. The tub felt AMAZING!! It was just so wonderful, the jets oh man the jets, I was in heaven. I hung out there for a little while until the urge to push got too intense.
 
I got on my hands and knees on the bed and just leaned onto some pillows and basically tried to sleep in between the contractions. They asked me to try a different position, we rotated off the bed and I stood up with Ryan. The urge to push was getting stronger and stronger. Sara came back in and asked me if I could lay on my side to get checked. We were fully dilated and ready to roll. I then sat up on the bed had them totally bring the bed upright and they got the squat bar too. Basically I was in a squat just with the bed at my back and my feet on the squat bar.
 
I started pushing when I would have a contraction and was intense. It was overwhelming at one point I just looked at Ryan and said, “I’m so scared!” He looked right back at me and said, “Scared of WHAT?? Our baby is RIGHT there. You are doing it!!” I just followed my body’s lead and pushed only when I had a contraction. Things went beautifully. My first few pushes weren’t quite right then once I got the hang of it…it was just natural as could be!! Getting to the end Ryan had me put my hand down and feel his head, and at that point it was just so wonderful knowing my baby was right there! Two more pushes and out came his head. My midwife told me that I could catch my baby, but my hands were so tingly and weak I said I was afraid I’d drop the baby! Immediately Cara and Ryan grabbed my hands and put them on baby and I got to catch my little man and bring him to my chest. I didn’t plan that but wouldn’t have had it ANY other way.
 
Right then and there I looked at Ryan and just said, “We did it!!” We snuggled with our man for about 30 minutes then he got weighed and measured.
 
I have to say that immediately afterwards and still right now, I feel so empowered. I know I can do anything that I put my mind to and that there is nothing stopping me. The entire day and entire labor I did not think about taking drugs at all because ultimately I knew there was no drug on the planet that could make the entire feeling better than it was. I had my moments of fear and “I just want my baby out” but never, “I can’t do this, or I need something.” I attribute a lot of that to all the positive reading I did, the hypnobirthing, our doula Cara, and of course my husband who I love more today than I could ever. Truly I know now more than ever that he is the partner for me in this life. And now we have our beautiful baby boy who we can’t imagine life without!!!