archer's birth story

After a morning walk I began to feel some stirrings in my body but I was unsure if they were contractions so I ate a meal, took a bath, and generally tried to ignore them. During this time I texted Nichole to just let her know that the vibes were changing to keep her in the loop. After a couple hours I called and let her know I was having contractions but they seemed to be far apart still and I was still able to breathe and talk through them. While things progressed I settled into doing movements on the birth ball to help ease any pains. I went upstairs to grab a few things I knew I would want and I think going up the stairs pushed me into a new stage if more intense contractions. 

So I once again called and asked for the birth team to start heading my way as it seemed things were progressing more and more quickly. After coming back downstairs, I truly settled in to the birth ball trying to move through contractions while my husband rubbed my back and squeezed my hips to relieve pressure. My only strategy at that point was to just hold things in until the birth team arrived. I felt at this point like I was slipping into the zone in the best way possible as I felt really in touch with the work my body was doing and the rest of the world seemed to become background noise. I vividly remember the relief I felt when the birth team arrived and began buzzing around me preparing for baby’s imminent arrival. This whole time I’m still just doing movements on the yoga ball as if it’s the only option in the world and I know vitals were taken and some gentle massage was given as the birthing pool was filled. My strategy of holding the baby in until the pool was ready was being pushed to the wire and when told the water temperature was good and I could get into the pool I remember thinking it was going to be physically impossible for me to get the two steps from the ball to the pool and saying “I can’t”. 

I don’t remember what was said to me to soothe me but it worked to convince me and I let the midwives support me on both sides off the ball (at which time my water broke) and the two steps into the pool. I leaned forward onto the side of the pool with knees together and feet apart as I’d talked about with Nichole before as a good position. The intentionality of getting into that position once I had stepped into the water almost felt like it was in slow motion. And when I had placed my limbs into this configuration, I felt another contraction come and I just relaxed completely because I had “made it” into the pool and off the ball. This relaxation into the contraction allowed my sons head to just pop out- there was no pain, no intentional push, just a pop outward into the world. I heard someone say his head was out almost in disbelief at how quickly it happened after I got into the pool. Things seemed slow and quiet for me as I awaited the next contraction to move the rest of his body out. And with a push of intense pressure (but not pain) he was fully out! Nichole moved him through the water through my legs and I pulled him out of the water and onto my chest and as hearing an immediate strong cry. Bliss.