Reid Patrick Smaha's Birth
Well, I think I have found some time to sit down and finally write the story of my homebirth on August 5, 1998.
I am Marlena, and this was my second birth. The birth of my first son on March 7, 1993 was a hospital birth. It was a pretty easy birth (unmedicated), and I was luckily able to escape many of the interventions that transpire in hospitals. The things that I wanted to avoid, and eventually led to me deciding on a homebirth were: rude nurses, continuous fetal monitoring, being told I couldn't walk around, transport to a delivery room (instead of birthing in the labor room), told to push before I had the urge, on my back while pushing with three people holding my knees practically to my ears, baby taken away immediately and not seen for three hours, and it all finally ended with the nurse asking me "do you think we were mean to you when you got here?" Anyway, this is the story of my homebirth…so here goes!
My husband and I went to see a movie on Monday night, the day before my due date. We came home, and I was feeling overly hormonal. I was very bitchy, and wanted to argue for no good reason. I got in the shower to calm myself down, and it was while in the shower that I thought, "this isn't right-I think I'm going to have the baby soon." Sure, I was hormonal and irrational during my pregnancy at times, but I knew that this was just not right. We finally went to bed close to midnight, but I was unable to sleep. Partly because I felt bad for being so bitchy to Randy, and I was increasing uncomfortable everyday. I had been SO ready to have this baby for WEEKS. I was one week late with my first, and I knew I was going to go crazy if I had to go through that again.
At 1:15 (after not sleeping at all) I felt a tiny pop inside, and got up to go to the bathroom. I was surprised to see my mucusy, bloody show, with a little leakage of fluid --and ON my DUE DATE! I was so excited and called Randy in. All I kept saying was "it's finally happening, it's finally happening". Contractions started immediately, coming about every 5 to 10 minutes apart. I knew we had to sleep/rest, and we tried that for a while. We moved out to the living room to watch TV, and sleep in between contractions. We called Randy's mom at 6:00 AM to tell her she could come down because the baby would probably be born sometime that day.
At 8:00 AM, I called Faith, our midwife. She said she would be down after a homevisit she had to do later that day at 1:00, unless I called her to tell her things were changing. She wanted contractions to be regular 5 minutes or less apart. The contractions were very manageable with the help of my wonderful husband. We talked about a lot of different things throughout the day during contractions, but by far my most favorite thing he did was tell me I had to "open up to let the baby through". I could just focus on that through all the contractions.
Faith arrived shortly after 2:00 that afternoon. I was very happy to see her because I thought for sure that it wouldn't be long before I had the baby. Wouldn't you know it, but contractions petered out when she got here…coming about every 7-8 minutes, lasting only 45 seconds. Because we were pretty sure my water had broken, we didn't do a vaginal exam. She asked us to call her later that night, after dinner, to let her know the progress. We also discussed prophalatic use of antibiotics if my labor continued without much progress, due to the (questionable) fact of if my water was broken.
I called Faith again at about 5:00PM. Not much had changed in my labor pattern, but I was getting increasing agitated. Weren't second labors supposed to be quicker than first? I had been so certain throughout the day that I would have had my baby by then. My call to Faith at 7:30 was to ask her if she would PLEASE come back. Randy had been laboring with me for about 18 hours, and he needed a break. I was not coping well with contractions by then.
Faith got to our house at 9:00PM, and Elena, her apprentice, at 9:30. A vaginal exam revealed that I was 90% effaced, 6-7 cm, -1 station, and had a BULGING BAG of water! My water hadn't broken the morning before like we had thought. If anything, there was a high leak that still produced liquid when I contracted. I had thought for sure that I just couldn't control my bladder!
I had been in the bedroom with Randy for most of the afternoon, so Faith suggested that we sit on the porch to cool off. We had reached a record 101 degrees that day, and it was HOT! I didn't last long outside, I was too embarrassed of the noises the neighbors were hearing. I decided to sit in a chair that Faith had put in the shower. FINALLY I found something that helped me cope. I was exhausted. In the hot, hot shower I could actually fall asleep in between contractions. I was in the shower for 30 minutes.
11:00: I was pretty upset. I was disappointed about the pain. I was crying and throwing up. I had started a fever. We started an IV since I could not retain fluids, and the fever could indicate dehydration. Vaginal exam at 11:30 revealed 8 cm, 0 station and the bag of waters ruptured. I called my mother in law in to pray for me. We were minutes away from August 5th--my mother in law's birthday. She mentioned that that was what the baby was waiting for.
12:20AM: I felt SO much better, and the fever was gone. I was able to cope with contractions. I sat on the birthing stool. Then I stood up. I leaned against Elena. Then I kneeled against the bed.
12:35AM: Finally an urge to push! According to my labor progress chart at 12:45, "back on birthing stool-agitated, moaning-NOT coping!" I'd say so! So much for liking the pushing stage! I hated it! I remember telling someone "I don't know HOW to push!' I asked Elena "will the baby come out if I just don't push?" Faith started scrubbing up. Elena told me that it was a good sign and that it wouldn't be long before my baby was born. It was around this time when I noticed Randy was in tears. Between contractions I held him and told him I was okay, and to stop crying. Faith told me "don't tell him to stop, men have to let their emotions out during birth also."
1:00AM: I wanted to lie in bed. I was exhausted, and I let everyone know. I just wanted to sleep. Faith told me I could sleep once I had the baby. She was wonderful. She wanted me on my side. I didn't want to be on my side, I wanted to be on my back. Duh! Even though I knew that was not a good idea, it sounded good to me. We compromised, and I lay at diagonal angle.
1:14AM: Crown visible. I didn't like the burning.
1:17AM: Reid Patrick Smaha entered the world! I reached down and picked him up so quickly. I wasn't going to let anyone take this baby away from me. I asked my friend, Amy, to wake up my 5-year-old. Faith asked if we could wait just a few minutes until I delivered the placenta. I'm glad we waited. Ten minutes after the birth of the baby, and five minutes after the separation blood, there was still no placenta. She gave me a shot of pitocin to help the uterus clamp down.
1:40AM: Placenta delivered. It was the largest placenta Faith had ever seen. It was the size of a twin placenta. My estimated blood loss was about 1000cc, twice what normal blood loss should be. Estimated weight of the placenta was 2.5 pounds.
After we got everything cleaned up, it was time to assess the baby and weigh him. Randy had rolled over and fallen asleep by this time! A whopping 11 pounds, 2 ounces, and 22 inches long!
Although not everything went as planned, (you know--no pain, no screaming, my son watching as the baby carefully slid into the world), it was a beautiful experience. I look forward to having more babies right where they belong--a home surrounded by supportive and loving friends and family.
