Asher’s Birth
Parents: Brittany and Josh
Date of Birth: January 25, 2010
Baby Info: 8 lbs. 2 oz. | 20.5 inches
Birthplace: Home
It was Saturday January 23,2010. I was 41 ½ weeks pregnant and your dad and I decided that we had better go on one more date before you arrived since we knew we wouldn’t want to leave you once you were here. We went out to dinner at about five o clock and I started to feel some contractions. I ignored them through dinner and through the movie since they didn’t seem to be coming at regular time intervals and we had had contractions like this before that resulted in nothing. We got home about nine and went to bed. I woke up at about 9:30 to a pretty strong contraction but was too tired to think much of it, this continued till about midnight when I finally woke up and went I’m sure this is really it.
By that time the contractions were too strong to just stay in bed. I felt like I had to get up and move so I woke your dad up and started walking in circles around the room. We called our doula Becky at about three to let her know this was it. By four my contractions were double peaking and I had thrown up. We called Becky again and told her we needed her. She helped us to stay calm, relaxed, and most of all comfortable during and between contractions. I moved around and tried resting in different positions, using the hot shower to try to stay comfortable. I was able to go into a kind of half sleep in between contractions.
By early morning Sunday I was ready to call in our midwife Carrie to come see how things were progressing. Carrie came over and told me I was 8 cm dilated! I was so excited! I thought I only had a few hours of labor left…. I was wrong. It turned out you had your little hand curled into a fist resting on your cheek and your head was cocked sideways. But I had faith in myself and my body that I could push you out, and your dad, Becky, and Carrie believed in me too.
Your dad worked hard to be the voice of reason to me when I was having strong contractions. He would remind me that it hurt less if I relaxed my muscles and gave into the contractions, working with them instead of against them. He also reminded me that every contraction brought me one step closer to holding you in my arms and kissing your sweet little face. Carrie and Becky helped me to keep my sounds to a low moaning and not get high pitched (which helped pain management A LOT) and showed us different positions for pushing to help get you and that stubborn little arm of yours down the birth canal.
Your head came first and was crowned for over an hour but you were so tough your heart rate didn’t drop a bit—you weren’t the slightest bit stressed. I got to reach down and feel the top of your little head covered in hair! It was amazing to know you were almost here and it gave me the strength I needed to finish the job. After your head, came your shoulders and boy were you tough to get out! You didn’t come sliding out at break-neck speed like all the babies in the birth videos. No, it took multiple contractions to birth your head as well as your shoulders. But once those shoulders came through the rest of you followed I will never forget how it felt when you came sliding out and were plopped on my belly!
It was 2 am on Monday, January 25, 2010 your dad and I were so in love with you! And I felt so privileged to have gotten to give birth to you and share in one of God’s most beautiful miracles! The first thing I said was oh my baby! As soon as you heard my voice you picked your little head up off my belly and looked straight into my eyes! I instantly felt like a million bucks (in fact I could get up and walk the next morning).
I didn’t feel like I had spent 26 hours in labor and many hours (many more than the average 2-3 hour pushing stage) working to bring you into this world. I felt like super woman. And I am so glad I chose to give birth to you at home without pain medication or intervention. You were born so alert! I wouldn’t have traded the sensations and emotions of birthing you, or the way you stared into mine and your dad’s eyes, for anything! Labor and delivery was the hardest work I’ve ever done in my life, but it was the most beautiful, awe inspiring experience of my life as well!
