Ok, this is my first time blogging but I wanted to get Kai's amazing birth story written down while it is still fresh in my mind (I'm sure Kris and Rosemary can add alot to this also :) )
After being a week past my due date, and trying everything I knew of, except castor oil, to get labor started, on Friday night May 7th after briskly walking 2 miles I decided to give it up and realized that Kai would come in his own perfect time, nothing I could do would make it happen any sooner. So I went to sleep like normal, having no contractions or any twinges at all.
Saturday Morning, May 8th
Kristian, my 6 year old had a soccer game at 9am, Kris came to wake me up and I felt like I was in a dream world, my body was so tired. I felt like lead bricks had been placed all over me. He asked if I wanted to stay home and not go to the game, but I knew I may miss the next one or more so I got up and went. On the way home I was still feeling tired, and just tired of being pregnant, so I called our Doula, Rosemary to talk to her. She told me I was doing everything possible to start labor and again Kai would come in his own time, so we went on home.
Kris cooked brunch for all of us and then I decided to take a short nap. Well this nap turned into a 4 1/2 hour sleep. My Body knew what it needed. When I woke up I wasn't having any contractions, but things were starting to happen. We were supposed to go to Kris's brother's house for a Mother's Day get together with all of his family, it is about 30 or so min away and I knew there would be TONS of people there. We decided to go ahead and go, but I didn't want anyone to know if I was having contractions because I had my vision of my labor and I didn't want anyone else involved. So Kris was well aware if I said I need to leave we would quietly slip out and go.
While at Kenny's house we ate a good dinner and I had a couple of mild contractions, nothing too bad just a little uncomfortable. Kris and the kids rode the 4-wheelers, and I later found out that Kris had wrecked on the motorcycle and hurt his shoulder, but he did not let this on to me until much later.
8pm, we left Kenny's house and on the way home I began having contractions that were every 10 min, they were uncomfortable but I could still talk and breathe through them so I wan't ready to head to the birth center at that time.
9:00 we got home and I called Rosemary and let her know about the contractions, then I called Dinah our midwife just to give her the heads up, with Kayden I had contractions that were 10 min apart for hours, so I still thought I had a while to go. Dinah was getting ready to go see a movie, so I told her that I wasn't ready to come in yet, they weren't that strong.
9:45 The contractions started coming about every 5-6 min and they were stronger so I went to take a shower to see if they slowed down at all. I was ok while in the shower, but once I got out they were coming every 5 min again and much stronger. Kris took the kids to the babysitter at 10:30, when he got home we called Rosemary and then Kris called Dinah and she said to come on in.
The ride to the Birth Center was a hard one. The contractions were coming very fast and strong, it was surreal. The lights from the passing cars were trailing, it was almost like I was in a drug induced haze. Kris said at one point I told him to stop hitting bumps, but I don't remember that. Still I wasn't in pain, I just felt ALOT of pressure with every contraction.
We arrived at the Birth Center around 11:30 I think. Dinah checked me and said "ok guess how far dilated you are" I thought she'd say 4cm or so, but then she said you are 9cm!!!! I was amazed, I knew it wouldn't be long before Kai made it into the world.
I got on the birth ball and Kris and Rosemary began massaging my back. They were putting pressure on my low back which felt really good and at one point Rosemary used a Lavender Oil which helped to relax me. Pretty soon the tub was filled and warm and ready for me to get in.
I never realized the power of water to help relax you, but it felt so good. With every contraction Kris, Rosemary, and Dinah helped me to relax and really listen to my body. My water never broke, so I wasn't feeling the urge to push yet, but I could feel Kai moving down in my body. I know at one point I held my stomach and said "ok Kai I feel you still kicking me" That was such a cool moment to be able to realize your baby's last few kicks inside your body. Kris was amazing during all this, he stayed so calm and knew just when to massage me or give me words of encouragement.
Finally after me trying to push several times and just not feeling the "urge" Dinah decided to break my water. Almost instantly when she did I pushed 2 times and Kai was here. The only true pain I felt during this was when he was crowning, but as soon as he was out it was instant relief.
Kai Matthew Howell was born at 1:38 am on May 9th, Mother's day. He was 8lbs, 13 oz and 21 inches long. He was immediately put on my chest and when the cord stopped pulsing Kris cut it. We relaxed in the bed and established breastfeeding, once the placenta was finally delivered (that's a whole different story) I was able to take a shower, have a good meal, and everything checked out, we were able to go home. We were back home in our own comfortable bed by 4:45 am.
This was the birth I had dreamed of. it was totally amazing, Using a midwife, Doula, having a supportive husband, and going to a birth center made all the difference. IF we ever have any more children (probably not) I would want to try to go the same route again.
