Birth Story

On Tuesday April 10th I was 40 weeks.  I had Sue check me again and I was 90% thinned. Wednesday I went with Noelle and walk around superstition springs mall. I was sad because Joycelyn had to go back to Florida for work and I still hadn't had he baby. It would have been nice to have him while she was here but oh well.  I had regular contractions about 10 minutes apart that evening. Mom and Casey even took me on a walk at 10 pm and that helped keep them going. I didn't want to go to bed because I was afraid the contractions would stop. Alas I got tired and went to sleep...which I was very grateful for. 

We went to bed and I slept very well until 4:00 AM when I woke up and started having contractions. This was Thursday April 12. They were 8 to 10 minutes apart and I had to breath through them. I stayed in bed till 5:30 just trying to relax. Then I got up and went to the family room to watch tv. Yea for America’s Test Kitchen. Casey and Adria joined me around 6:30. At 6:45 I texted my mom and told her I was having steady contractions and thought the baby was going to come today. Its funny because now that I was actually in labor I didn’t want to walk or do anything. So the contractions were getting stronger and I had to stop and relax and couldn’t talk through them.

Finally at 8 I called the midwife because my contractions were five minutes apart and lasting a minute (that's when she told me to call her). I didn’t know how long I was going to be in labor. I told her she didn’t have to rush over. We decided she would take her son to school and the come over. Dad and Casey gave me a blessing and I was very grateful. Sue sent her student midwife Selena over first because she lived close. Casey started vacuuming the office floor and getting ready to fill up the tub. Mom Lawlor woke up to the vacuum and knew right away we were getting ready to have a baby. She was very excited! I wanted to wait to get into the tub until after Sue could check me. So I labored in bed for a little while.

Sue arrived and when she checked me I was dilated to a 6/7. I was thrilled!!! I had progressed so far. I happily got into the tub and enjoyed the warm water. I was worried about the water being too warm so Sue checked it with her thermometer and it was 104. Casey added some more cool water and brought it down to 100 degrees. I kept having strong contractions every 4-5 minutes but by then I stopped keeping track because I knew I was really in labor and having a baby today.

It was so peaceful and calm laboring in the tub. It was so nice to relax in the pool. I sat with my back against the side and my legs straight out infront of me. I loved being at home. We had some quiet relaxation music going, which was nice. I felt so at ease and happy. My mom was so good at reminding me to relax and talking me through the contractions. Casey was so good at running his fingers through my hair and helping me stay calm. I felt happy and confident knowing I was bringing my baby into the world in such a nice home. To let them know I was starting to have a contraction I would say ok and then close my eyes and focus on deeply relaxing and letting my body take over and do the work. 

Adria was there at home with us. Katie was a huge help with her and she adored the attention. I had arranged to have Adria go to Noelle's house. But when I was laboring, and she was doing so well(not being needy), I wanted her to stay and be able to see her brother right away. So Noelle came over and got to be there for the birth.

I thought my water broke, but then I decided I had just peed without realizing it. Sue told me it was fine to pee in the pool because there was so much water to dilude it that it didn’t matter. That was a huge relief! I was drinking water and Gatorade and it was going through me. Around 10:30 I had Sue check me again and I was at a 7/8. She said I still had bag of water. Sue told me I had a little more cervix that needed thinning towards the front. I changed positions and faced the side and leaned over the edge of the pool. Casey and I had some nice alone time and he did so good at helping me keep calm and relax. The contractions were more uncomfortable in this position so after a little while I went back to my first sitting position.

My water broke! I knew for sure because I felt a pop and a rush of water. Casey even saw a little blood. I was getting close to having my baby. The student midwifes were good at checking my temperature and listening to the baby’s heart beat. Now the room was full of midwifes and mothers. Casey, Mom Durfee, Katie, Mom Lawlor, Noelle, Sue, Selena, and Becky were all in the room for the birth.

I was very focused at this point wasn’t talking and visiting any more. I kept my eyes closed and breathed. My body took over and started moving the baby down the birth canal. I was carefully breathing him down and stretching my cervix out. I really didn’t want to tear.  Later I realized how cool it was that I didn’t have to tell them I wanted to push, wait for them to check me to see if I was fully dilated, instead I just let me body take over and do what it needed to do.

After 20 minutes of gently breathing him down and stretching out I decided I was ready to push. his head was crowning and it felt like the right time. For two contractions I pushed and then he came out. He was born at 11:52 AM.

I was so happy my baby was here!

  I held Casen in the water and let the cord pulse. 

Sue told me that was to most graceful birth she had ever been to (and she has midwifed over 400). 

 Adria came in and was so excited to see her baby brother 

 She said, "Baby Casen came out!" to Grandma Lawlor.

 After a while Casey cut the cord. 

 Casey also go to weigh the baby... that was pretty cool. Casen weighed 8 pounds 8 ounces, he was a good sized baby!

 He was 19.25 inches long

 Checking his palate

 It was just the birth I wanted and I'm so happy with how everything went.

 I so thankful for Heavenly Fathers help, my husband Casey for supporting me, my mom for being my duela, and Vicki for helping prepare everything and letting me have a baby at her house. It was a beaitful birth and I will happily do a water birth at home again.