Birth Story: Timothy Daniel
My story starts with my first daughter, who was born via cesarean due to breech presentation in August 2022. She was breech, then turned (hooray!). then turned breech again (boo!) at 39 weeks. Even though my c section was planned, everything about it felt like an emergency. We got behind in schedule because my covid test took longer than expected, and it took three nurses to find a vein for my IV. When it came for my spinal to be placed, I started panicking because it was the weirdest sensation I had ever felt. Once it was done, I could still feel everything, so I was put under general anesthesia, and woke up to my beautiful baby girl.
Because of this experience, I knew I wanted to have a vaginal birth with my second born. When I found out I was pregnant, I searched for the right path, and even though I never considered myself one of ️those️ mama's who plan to have a home birth, I had a strong conviction that this was the choice for this little baby. After meeting with Shoshanah and Jill, I had confidence that homebirth was actually possible for me.
My pregnancy was fairly easy. If anything, it was more emotionally taxing because I had to come to terms with all of the possible outcomes while still working hard to prepare for my VBAC. Jill and Shoshanah worked with me through blood sugar issues (hypoglycemia), moving my baby from transverse lie (shout out to Dr. Chaney for her game-changing adjustments!), a stomach bug, an "irritable" uterus brought on by the flu, and patience going into 41 weeks pregnant.
At 40 weeks pregnant was when I got the flu. I already didn't want to give birth because I felt so unprepared after being sick and getting through the holidays, but the idea of having contractions and pushing with the flu was absolutely terrible. I'm not sure if it's possible to procrastinate going into labor, but I tried my hardest to will labor away... despite having prodromal labor every night for a week (aforementioned irritable uterus). I didn't want to give birth while having the flu, but I also saw a snowstorm looming in the forecast.
After a week of flu and getting back into the swing of things, I met my best friend for coffee after dropping off my daughter at school. I was 41 weeks and 1 day. I felt contractions, but that was normal at this point. They were uncomfortable but irregular. When I got back home, I tried to take a nap (my biggest concern was going into labor already exhausted from not sleeping) but the contractions were too much. I texted my doula an update and she responded that I should do the Miles Circuit and that she thought we could have a baby before the snowstorm. So, I did the Miles Circuit, and the contractions gained in intensity. I ask my doula, Abby Johnson, to come. My husband, who I think was still nesting, was surprised that things were moving quickly, given the fact I had been having contractions all week. He left to get me some food (so thankful he did) and came back. My doula got there right about 5 pm, which coincided with my mom arriving with my daughter. My daughter sat in my lap for two contractions before she left to stay at someone else's house for the evening. I took a shower to ease the pain. When I got out, my doula asked if I wanted Jill to come check my dilation. I hesitated because I didn’t want to find out that I was only a couple centimeters but decided I did want her to come. She came around 5:45 or 6 and checked me, and low and behold, I was already 8 centimeters! My husband started getting the pool situated.
I had found a lot of comfort in hands and knees (mostly because of my doula's magical hip squeezes--you rock, Abby). Baby's heartbeat started declining down to the 60s during contractions, so Jill had me very quickly stand up and try some different positions, but it did not help. Very soon after standing, however, I felt the need to push. Jill quickly checked me again, and I was at 10 centimeters! Huzzah! But no time for the pool! It was time to push. Somewhere around this point, my water had also broken. Jill looked at me very seriously and told me that baby had to come out right then. I heard the numbers being read from the doppler, so I was not surprised. Jill did great coaching me how to push during each contraction and where to focus my energy. She also very manually helped bring the baby out. Between the two of us, baby was out in 8 minutes. Shoshanah walked in right as baby was born. He was wide eyed and very ready for the world. Placenta came out fine. There was a membrane that got trapped in my uterus that Jill and Shoshanah needed to get out. Baby nursed right away despite having a tongue tie. Jill stitched up my second-degree tear after I ate my post birth meal (Chipotle). Despite the situation being slightly dire, bordering on emergent, it never felt like an emergency--unlike my first birth, which was not an emergency at all, but was treated as such.
One concern I had with birthing from home was the thought that once the midwives and doula left, my husband and I would be all by ourselves, unprepared with our little baby. But I tell you, by the time everyone left (around midnight), we were so at peace. We slept for a decent stretch and woke up at sunrise to the falling snow. I will never forget how wonderful it was to sit on my couch, freshly postpartum, with my less than day old baby and husband, watching the snow fall outside through the window. I'm thankful to my husband, midwives, doula, chiropractor, and most importantly the Lord for providing such a sweet opportunity.