Successful Homebirth Stories!

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Permalink Reply by Summer J Hill on August 28, 2009 at 11:29am

Ziah Storm's Birth Story!

A contraction woke me up at 5:30am on Friday, January 4th, 2008 (I was exactly 39 weeks along). This one felt pretty powerful already and I needed to breathe and moan through it. Casey woke up and was listening to me and we were both wondering what was in store for us today. Contractions continued for the next hour every 5-8 minutes and were powerful ones. Since I was already moaning through them, and having to move my body to get comfortable each time, we were wondering if "this was it".

With both my other labors my water broke at the start of labor before contractions began. So this was new to me, to labor a bit with waters intact. At around 6:30am Casey suggested I take a shower. I wasn't quite ready to do that, but wanted him to, just in case he would go in to work and the day would move forward like a regular day. As he was showering my contractions continued and I think it was then that I knew that he wouldn't be going into work. I decided to hop in the shower too…and see what happened to my labor with that change. The shower felt wonderful, I loved putting my whole face in the water and blowing raspberries under the water…it felt really good. My contractions came closer together and grew in intensity while in the shower. I was feeling everything very far down and low, it seemed as if there was this huge weight in my pubis. I had wondered if my waters would break this time, since they did with both other labors, and thought I had better get out of the shower so if my water did break, I would be able to tell out of the shower easier than I would in the shower. I got of the shower in between contractions and grabbed a towel and sat on the toilet seat when another contraction came on. And with that one, my water broke. It was now 6:30am. We called Fran, our midwife, to let her know our water had broken. Since with my last labor, my water broke and a short 3 hours later Luna was born, we had decided together that she needed to be called right when that happened to make her way from Lawrence…a good 1 hour drive from her house to ours.

After that I called all my birth team (family, doula and friends) and alerted them so they could be here at our house when we needed them. Tevan and Luna, our older boys, were still sleeping…bizarre, as they are usually awake and are moving by 6:30 or 7am. It wasn't long until they were awake too, a little after 7. We both went downstairs lumbering our birth kit down too and we labored some in the sunroom. The boys awoke and Casey got breakfast going for them. Luna, our 3 year old, wandered over and looked at me with mystery as I had a contraction and moaned my way through it sounding like more of an animal than his mom. Casey came over and looked at Luna and Tevan, as he hugged me, and said, isn't this exciting, mommy is having labor and that means our baby is coming soon! Luna's eyes immediately changed to eyes of wonder and he said, "Yeah!" while he looked at me and giggled. Tevan, our 5 1/2 year old, was there for the birth of Luna, and remembers what noises labor entails and so he knew and was already excited. We had prepared both boys for being a part of this labor and birth for a long time, by reading books about childbirth, watching all the birth videos together that we show in class and sharing the most amazing hardcover book about a homebirth, Welcome With Love.

My contractions were continuing to be about 4-5 minutes apart and they were demanding my attention and my moaning really helped me through it. I asked Casey to bring up the birth ball from downstairs, and using that was really nice. I sat on the couch and then as a contraction came on I leaned over onto the ball and just melted into the ball and rocked away. The boys were up at the table eating their breakfast of fruit, yogurt and granola while Casey would massage me as a contraction came on.

We were hoping Fran, our midwife, would be here soon. And then we saw her cute green car appear. Ahhhh, a sigh of relief waved over me with seeing her pull into our driveway. She came in, and I couldn't say hello since a contraction was waving over me - and more moans. Fran set her things down and came over and immediately encouraged me with loving words and caress. I remember Fran saying to me, "WOW! We are very far along here, I can tell just by listening to you and looking at you." (Fran never gave me a vaginal exam the entire time, which is how I wanted it, and isn't it amazing that babies come out and labor still progresses without a vaginal exam! *laugh*) "Where is everyone else?" Fran said. (meaning our birth team) I told her we were waiting for her to get here before we made any calls. She said, "Well get going…it's time, we got to get that birthing pool set up and need help doing it." So Casey began the phone-tree to my mom & dad, sister, my good friend, Kari and Kristy. And soon everyone starting coming in.

Dad walked in with his bundle of firewood to make a fire in our old fashioned
wood-burning stove, like we'd talked about. Then he got directed to start pumping up the pool. A few minutes into it they realized the pool wasn't blowing up, since it should only take a couple of minutes to inflate. Fran came over to inspect and then it was decided that we forgo the birthing pool, since it would take more than an hour to fill the pool with warm water, and Fran knew (by her wondrous wisdom) that we didn't have that long until this baby would come. She came over to me and said, "Okay, second choice for you to give birth in?" And I said, "No I want the birthing pool!" And she then explained to me the situation. I remember feeling oddly doubtful and excited that she thought I was *that* close to giving birth. And then I said, "my own tub!" So my bathtub was filled up and I couldn't wait to get in! Each contraction was feeling lower and heavier and I sooo needed that water! It couldn't have been filled up sooner, and I threw off my shirt and lumbered over there (in between contractions) and got in. Ahhhhh…. warm water…. my dream. Yes, this was nice…this was what I needed.

Another contraction…so low…so very heavy. It felt like there was a bowling ball visibly in-between my legs already, yet there wasn’t. Contractions were now coming every couple minutes it felt like, though we weren't literally writing them down since things were happening so fast. And each time I had one, it felt so heavy in-between my legs. It was overwhelming, so all-consuming, and this I knew meant we were very close. At this point everyone was here, all squeezed into our little house's bathroom, and it gave me great strength to see all of them and hear all of them. I remember now was when my needs felt urgent. At one point I wanted a cold washcloth all over my face, and Casey had been putting it just over my forehead during contractions. Well during the next contraction, I needed it on my face. And I said, "my whole face, my whole face!" And Casey started wiping it around my whole face, which was NOT what I wanted. So I said again, urgently, "my whole face!" And finally he spread out the washcloth and just set it on my face. Which was exactly what I wanted. It's funny how during late labor our needs become very urgent and also how dumb we laboring women become. And by dumb, I mean, how we can't seem to intellectually explain what we mean, we almost become one-worded, or cave-man-like. Bless Casey's heart, he is such a wonderful coach, and just giggled his way through that one. So now with each contraction Casey would be stroking my upper back down to my hips and I would sit asymmetrically in the tub, lean over the edge and rock my head and moan. I remember at this point getting my typical transitional worry. I sort of get shaky and worried and scared. This time I needed to hold someone's hand, and I wanted it to be Fran's. I said, "Fran, I need you. I need you to hold me. Hold my hand Fran." And of course she did. She held me and said, it's going to be okay, your baby will come, breathe the baby down, Summer, breathe the baby down." Here is my transitional head talking now, I said, "Is it? Is it going to be okay? I don't think the baby is going to come." She repeated her encouraging words again to me. I starting breathing the baby down, while chanting our name for the baby, "Ziah, I want to meet you", in a very shaky voice. And then everyone in the room started saying, "Ziah" all in a chant-like form and I to was chanting. It was really neat.

Then not long after that with a contraction my body said, "UGH" as everything pushed downward and low, the heaviest ever. That was when I knew this baby was coming and now was the pushing time, my favorite part! Right after I said "UGH" I remember hearing Fran say, "Good girl, that's it" and everyone else in the room saying, all right, you are doing great, and all that was so very encouraging. It was at this point when Casey said, "Summer now blow some raspberries" What a good idea, that's my man the rock star coach! We had both talked (prior to labor) how we wanted to try letting my uterus do all the pushing itself and to help that by only breathing and blowing raspberries during the pushing stage. So that's what I did. I breathed and blew some raspberries and then I felt some serious stinging, a clear indication that Ziah was crowning. So I blew some more raspberries. At this point, Fran wanted to make sure that I remained "intact" and without a tear, so she was applying perineal pressure and that's when she found that Ziah's head was presenting along with his fist smack up against his cheekbone! She started trying to push his fist back inside so only his head would come out, and I knew that only by feeling it. Because when she started to do that, something felt wrong and I quickly and instinctively pushed her hand away and said, "What are you doing, STOP that!" She apologized and explained what she was doing, and I told her that it felt worse when she did that, so to leave it be and he'll come out how he wants. She understood and we kept going.

With the next contraction Ziah's head and fist came out under the water! Then Casey hopped into the tub (fully clothed) and lifted me up out of the water to a full standing position and with the next contraction out slipped the rest of Ziah's body! It was 9:27am and our third baby boy was here! All 8 pounds 9 ounces of him! I sat back down in the tub and snuggled him and cried and we were all filled with wonder and amazement at the accomplishment of our first homebirth! Ziah Storm was covered in vernix and we rubbed that "good stuff" right back into his body. Casey and I were thrilled! Luna came over and saw the umbilical cord and wanted to touch it. So his little hand reached down into the water and touched it and I'll always remember how his face lit up with amazement. Tevan was so thrilled by the experience he was already rambling off about when they all grow up how they will share a room with a triple bunk bed and what level each of them would sleep. It was the most amazing experience to have a homebirth. It was so perfectly what we wanted and needed. It was so wonderful to have the intimacy and comfort in our own home and how great to be able to give birth and then just walk over to my couch and rest with my newest baby boy! Now it seems to me that there is just no other way to give birth other than at home! Or, as Tevan says to me now, why have a baby in a hospital, that is for sick people and there are so many germs there…babies are supposed to be born at home! That's my boy, 5 1/2 and already an activist!

Permalink Reply by Monique Nolan on August 28, 2009 at 12:12pm

Wow! What an amazing birth story! Really well written, too. I felt like I was there myself! So amazing! I love that your whole family got to share in the experience!

Permalink Reply by Wendy Robertson on September 1, 2009 at 7:56pm

What a great story! I love family births!

Permalink Reply by Penz Otto on September 19, 2009 at 9:15pm

OMG...this is absolutely beautiful...thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience! I've had 2 emergency c-sections and am looking forward to a h/b in december:)...your story has given me some great ideas and tips...thanks again:)

Permalink Reply by Tanashia Roberts Huff on September 25, 2009 at 10:55pm

Beautiful! I am planning my first homebirth....due in January. My daughters LOVE "Welcome with Love." Our Midwife let us borrow it and my three y/o has to look at several times a day. Such an encouraging story. Thank you for sharing. Tanashia

Permalink Reply by Monique Nolan on August 29, 2009 at 2:47pm

Wow, Cherylyn! What an incredible birth story! Congrats!

Permalink Reply by Penz Otto on September 21, 2009 at 12:30pm

That is soooo beautiful..God is good and He knew bubs was okay hence you and hubby knew bubs was just fine...Congratulations and thanks for sharing as I've wondered what would happen with a breech bubs but I've got faith too that God and Bubs will know what they're doing when the time comes...:):)

Permalink Reply by Darcel on August 28, 2009 at 12:00pm

Ava's Homebirth


My EDD was May 7th.
I had been having contractions off and on for weeks. Finally on the 25th they developed somewhat of a pattern 10-15 mins and were getting stronger.
I called my MW and doula to give them a heads up.
On the morning of the 26th I called my doula back and she came over at 5am to sit with me for a bit.
I got in the shower while she was on her way.
I alternated between the couch and the birth ball.
I had contractions that were 10 mins apart while she was here, and would lay across my ball while she would put counter pressure on my lower back.
She would also do light touch to my back and down my arms….it felt heavenly and took my mind off the contractions.
She had called me earlier in the week to tell me she had made plans a while a go to see her kids that weekend.
She told me not to worry, she had a replacement and I could do this, it was ok to have my baby.
So we both knew it was a possibility she wouldn’t be able to attend my birth.
She felt bad, but she had made the plans 6 months ago, plus we didn’t think I would go so far over my edd.
She left around 9am for her trip since my contractions had slowed and we both concluded it was early labor.
DH was on standby at work and one of my friends from our birthworks class told me she could come over if I needed her to.
Around noon my contractions picked up again, every 15 mins on the dot and I couldn’t sleep anymore.
I was so glad I had told DH to take dd to my parents that morning.
There is no way I would’ve been able to handle her the way I was feeling.
I called my friend to come sit with me, and then called dh to let him know they had picked up again.
Now they were coming every 10 mins.
My friend arrived about an hour later with food and movies, that was so sweet of her.
I remember my doula telling me that sometimes you just need people around to take your mind off labor and things will pick up.
She was right as usual, my contractions started coming every 5-7 mins shortly after she arrived.
We sat on the couch talking and laughing, and I would just let her know when a contraction was coming because I needed it to be silent.
After DH got home, they picked up again.
This was shortly before 4pm….they were now coming every 3-5 mins and lasting anywhere from 60-90 seconds.
We LOVED www.contractionmaster.com
At 4 I felt a contraction coming on…they always started inmy back and would wrap around to my lower abdomen, peak and then go away.
This was felt a bit different…I was waiting for the peak, but instead I felt this pressure and my waterbroke. I was so excited!
I sat there laughing and screaming my water broke!
DH asked if I wanted him to get the bed ready, and I had already written out for him the way the bed should be made.
My friend brought me another pair of pants and I used dd’s diapers to help soak up the rest of the fluid that kept leaking during and between contractions.
I went to sit on the toilet and it made my contractions more intense and closer together, which was what we wanted so it would help bring the baby down.
I had 3 very close together while sitting on the toilet and I knew things were about to pick up.
I walked around for a while and I need a break from the contractions, so I sat on the couch and they slowed a bit.
DH sat right beside me and would put counter pressure on my back or do the light touch to my back with each contraction.
I called my MW to let her know my water had broke and the contractions were picking up.
I also called the replacement doula and let her know I needed her asap.
She said she would be over in 30 mins.
I had my parents bring dd over. I missed her and just wanted to see her for an hour or so.
I got in the shower, my parents and dd arrived and they ordered pizza and wings.
The doula arrived and my friend left to go have dinner with her family.
My friend was amazing, I’m so glad she was able to sit with me and be such a great support for me and dh.
After I got out of the shower my contractions were becoming closer together and more intense.
Our replacement doula was a massage therapist too…how lucky can a girl get? lol
She asked me what scents I liked and used them to rub my back during contractions.
We moved to the bedroom because it was quiet and dark in there and dh had lit the candles for me. He was so sweet.
DD came in and out a few times and would hug and kiss me, it was usually towards the end of a contraction….kids have great timing :)
I would hug and kiss her and tell her that mommy was tired and her baby would be here soon.
My parents left and took dd with them and that’s when things really got intense.
I think it was around 9pm when my MW arrived.
My contractions were 1 min apart and I felt like I wasn’t getting a break between them at all.
I needed to use the restroom, but as soon as I got up I had another contraction.
I swear that was the longest walk to the toilet for a little trickle.
More contractions in the bathroom and I would hold on to dh or slow dance.
I was feeling sick to my stomach and thought to myself “I must be getting ready to hit transition”
I walked out of the bathroom and another contraction hit, I had to lay on the floor in the hallway….then I threw up.
I was really having to breathe through my contractions and I felt like I was starting to lose it.
We moved back to the bedroom and I asked the MW to check me, I really wanted to know where we were.
She had to do it quickly because my contractions were so close.
I was 6-7cm and completely thinned out.
My cervix just needed to finish opening.
I told dh I wanted to use the tub…it wasn’t even full, but I had to get in anyway.
I started saying I couldn’t do this anymore, I wanted to go to the hospital, and they all kept telling me I was doing a great job.
I had made it clear before that if I said I wanted to give up or go to the hospital, I didn’t mean it. I only wanted to go if there were an emergency with the baby.
I really did mean it at the time…..everytime the doula and mw left the room, I would beg dh to take me to the hospital.
He was so great, he kept telling me over and over that I was doing great and the baby would be here soon.
The water didn’t really cover my belly, so he used a washcloth to keep pouring hot water over my belly.
There was something different about the contractions, and I felt like I needed to push, so I would push a little with a few.
In between contractions I felt like I wasn’t in myself anymore….I was so relaxed and listening to the sound of the water.
I told dh I wanted to go back to the bed, but my contractions were one on top of the other.
The water was cooling off, so dh started to drain and refill the tub…He also turned the shower on and directed it on my belly.
I’m not sure how much longer I was in the tub, but I got this sudden burst of energy and climbed out of the tub by myself.
DH was going to help me, but he was too slow, lol
That is the fastest I have ever moved at the end of my pregnancy.
I got down on my hands and knees on a towel in the bathroom and started pushing.
Dh yells that he sees blood and the doula comes running and she’s like “OMG The baby is coming! Go get the MW!”
She had run down to the car to get her instruments, and 20 mins before that had run home to get her youngest daughter.
I could feel the baby moving down and the doula kept telling me to blow, but I wanted to push.
It was so hard not to push….dh kept giving her some type of oil that she was using so I wouldn’t tear.
Finally I was instructed to give little pushes and then to blow some more.
I felt the ring of fire, and her head was right there.
DH said she was crowning as soon as I got down on the floor.
Her head came out and I felt her rotate and I pushed again and felt her shoulders slide out.
It was amazing!
DH kept asking what we had, but they knew not to say anything….I wanted him to be the one to annoucne the sex.
He was so excited to say we had another little girl.
I kept saying “I did it!” I was so excited and proud of myself.
The doula had dh pass the baby under me so I could hold her.
We had planned on dh catching the baby, but we had no idea I was only going to push for 2 mins before she came flying out.
DH cut the cord, and helped me walk back to our bedroom.
They got me and Ava all snuggled in and she nursed within the hour.
The mw checked for tears and I didn’t, so we just applied cool compress to the area.
My parents came back over with dd, she was sleeping.
We loved how the mw and doula stayed out of the way and left us alone unless we asked them for something.
The doula offered me water or juice every now and then.
Everything was absolutely perfect.

They just let us be and do whatever we wanted….I couldn’t have asked for anything else.
It was the most peaceful birthing experience and dh was my rock the entire time.

Ava Elizabeth
May 27th, 2007 12:35am
10lbs 10oz and 22in

Permalink Reply by Monique Nolan on August 29, 2009 at 2:56pm

Wow, the end of your story had my eyes welling up! I had a bathroom floor baby too! Congrats!

Permalink Reply by Andrea Rose on January 13, 2010 at 1:58pm

Aww great story!

Permalink Reply by Kasie on August 28, 2009 at 2:24pm

The unassisted home waterbirth of Nikolai Francis~May 5th, 2009

I knew I would be meeting my baby that day around 6:30 a.m. That's when the contractions started coming regularly. It was still early labor, so I was able to get Gabriel and Joseph off to school, and finish up some things around the house. I put in a load of laundry, and swept the floor. Once the boys left for school, around 8:00, Stephen and I got in the shower and I started to have more intense contractions, but still not too bad. We had been planning on going grocery shopping that day, and I briefly contemplated going along, since I'm kind of particular about certain things that I like to buy, but I quickly thought better of it. The contractions were coming faster, every 6-7 minutes, and stronger. This was around 9:30. Stephen, Bobby, and Persephone left for the store at that point. I did the dishes, because I knew that would be the last thing I would want to think about once he was here!

The birth pool was already inflated, so when I was done with the dishes, I started filling it. The water felt amazing! The hardest part was having to get out of the pool and walk to the kitchen to shut the water off when it went cold. I was on my hands and knees to keep my belly underwater, since it hadn't filled enough yet. I was having intense contractions at that point, breathing and moaning through them. Stephen and the kids got home around 10:30, and he was back and forth between checking on me, getting the kids settled, and putting groceries away. Once we had hot water again, he finished filling the pool. I lost track of time around then.

I stayed in the pool for awhile, and started to feel the urge to push. It wasn't constant, so I just went with it, and did what my body was telling me to. I reached in and felt my bag of water bulging, and the baby's head. What an awesome feeling! I continued to push when I felt like it, but after awhile of the baby not coming down at all, I was getting frustrated, and hot from being in the water. Stephen spread some blankets on the bed, opened the window, and helped me out of the pool. The cool air felt good, and I continued to moan through the contractions, pushing when I felt like it, and taking full advantage of the rest in between. In those few short minutes in between contractions, I felt like I was in another world, totally removed from everything around me.

I had expected my water to break on its own, but it hadn't, and it didn't feel like I was making any progress bringing him down. On top of that, I was experiencing very intense back labor, which led me to think that he was posterior (face-up), with the hardest part of his head pressing against my spine. I told Stephen if he did nothing else, I needed him to lay into my lower back, to put all of his weight into it. I told him not to worry about hurting me. The counter pressure was the only thing that brought any relief. I started to get cold then, so I climbed back into the pool. I alternated between moaning and being completely silent with each contraction.

I felt my water bulging again, but couldn't feel the baby's head anymore, so we decided to break it on our own. Stephen sterilized a pair of fingernail clippers and tried to do it himself, but said he couldn't feel what he was doing. I took the clippers, reached inside, pricked the sac, and immediately felt the fluid rushing out. I was on my hands and knees, so I asked Stephen if it was dirty or not, and he said no. All of a sudden, I felt a massive urge to push, and went with it. In between urges, I'm telling Stephen to get the video and digital cameras ready. I remember saying "He's coming, he's coming". and Stephen asking me if he was crowning yet. I was still on my hands and knees, but flipped over when I felt his head crowning. I eased his head out, and what a wonderful feeling! Once his head was born (he was face down, so he must have turned in the birth canal), I checked for a cord around his neck, but there was none. I was just in awe as I held his head in my hands. He was between worlds. His shoulders came in another few pushes, and his body just slid out. There was no pain in the actual pushing, crowning, and birth of his body. It felt good and such a relief!

I brought him up to my chest, and just wept. I'm crying as I type this. As much as I planned and hoped for a wonderful birth experience, I could never have imagined something so beautiful. There are no words to do it justice. I will carry this experience with me for the rest of my life, hold it close to my heart, and be forever thankful that I was able to bring my son into the world in such a peaceful, gentle way.

Permalink Reply by Monique Nolan on August 29, 2009 at 2:59pm

Aw! How amazing!

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