As women, we have evolved over millions of years to birth our babies, to birth our future. When we share our birth stories we strengthen our bonds as women and as mothers. We recognize each other in our own truth - Sat Nam.
If you would like to share your birth story, please email grandforksyoga@gmail.com. All stories are welcome.
Tammy's Birth Story
I didn't sleep much on Thursday night. I kept getting up, walking around, going to the bathroom...I just couldn't sleep. Then when i woke on Friday morning I had a strange feeling and ran to the bathroom. My waters broke and continued to leak. This was around 9:30am, so I had Andy time the really mild cramping that I felt. About 8-10 minutes apart, so I called Katie, my midwife, to tell her that something was happening and I'd call her again later.
It was now about 10am and I got up to eat some breakfast and go for a walk with Andy. Well, by the time Andy was finishing his coffee I told him that I didn't think that a walk was a going to work out because the contractions were getting a lot stronger and seemed to be coming faster. Turned out they were about 4 minutes apart (what they classify here in New Zealand as the beginning of labor), so we again called to let Katie know the progress. but told her not to come yet. I didn't want her to come too early and then be here for hours on end. Better to have her come when I needed her. For that time, I felt like I could handle it. She said she'd be along in awhile, anyway. Meanwhile, Dave (our very good friend who shared our flat with us) and Andy began setting up the birth pool. It was now 11:30am. My contractions continued to progress quite quickly. Poor Dave and Andy were struggling to set up the pool and at the same time Andy was trying to help me out with some of the contractions by rubbing my belly or my back. I was leaning over the back of the couch while kneeling on the cushions and just trying to cope. I think at one point I just started crying uncontrollably for a minute or so - things were happening so quickly that I hardly had time to deal with one level of contraction before the next level began. At times I just couldn't get my mind around all of it. I switched positions to kneel on the floor with my elbows propped on the edge of the couch. About now it was after noon and the contractions were 2 minutes apart. Andy called Katie and told her she'd better come now. She was already on her way.
Katie arrived around 1:15pm and finished setting up the birth pool and getting things prepared while checking in with me often. Andy was now able to pay his full attention to me and Dave went out for the day. Around 1:45-ish Andy and Katie encouraged me to get into the pool, as the contractions were really full on and the hot water might ease my back pain. I didn't want to move, but the heat did sound good. So I got into the water and they were right - the pain began to ease, but only a bit and not for long. I didn't feel like I was in the pool for but 20 minutes or so, but actually I didn't get out until 3pm, when the contractions were absolutely unbearable. I was so hot and in between contractions Andy and Katie would rub my face with a washcloth that had been soaking in ice water. It felt so good. But I also thought that I was going to faint. I'd been trying to drink water between contractions but it wasn't going so well. For breakfast I'd only eaten a piece of toast, so I was weak. My muscles shook uncontrollably between each contraction. It was crazy and, in my mind, I often cursed the women who had epidurals while wondering how I was going to finish this. About that time Katie and Andy helped me out of the pool and Sue (second midwife) came along. From here on out I'm not all that sure what was going on. I know that at one point I threw up. I know that I started pushing while on all fours, but the pushes weren't doing much, so I switched positions. Andy sat on the edge of the couch while I sat between his legs on the floor in a squatting position. Pushing was much better this way (I have no idea how women lay down to push or get through labor on their backs - this seems very painful - the tailbone can't move in this position). The last hour I never sat down (Andy says he now knows why my prenatal yoga dvd has so many yogic squats!).
I braced my arms on Andy's knees during contractions while Andy supported my weight and tried to give me strength. I thought I just couldn't push anymore and looked to Katie for encouragement, constantly asking her if I was making progress (I didn't feel like I was doing much and wondered if I could go on). She assured me that his head was an inch from being seen and this encouraged me to push harder and longer.
I got my second wind and that was all it took. He was out about 20 minute later and in our arms. I was so happy and exhausted and a whole bunch of other feelings that I can't even describe. He didn't really even come out crying, but rather just gazed up at me and Andy with big eyes and wonder. As for the pain, yep, labor does hurt. But it isn't a fearful pain, it is a working pain. It isn't horrible - it is something I can't quite describe. I guess it is something to work with, not against. And I feel like it was good and astonishing and I can't quite believe that we did it! I go over it again and again in my mind, but I can't seem to wrap my mind around it all. I guess that is why they say it is a miracle, even though we know how it happens.
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