I chose a home waterbirth because I wanted a safe and gentle environment
For me and my baby. Women have been giving birth for centuries. It's a
normal process, not a medical event. The more research I did, the more
confident I became and the more maddened I felt by the standard managed
medical approach. My waterbirth was and forever will be the most
cherished time in my life as a woman. There are no words that can
describe that great triumphant feeling. But I will try:
The light through the water cast blue waves across the ceiling and wall.
I wearily climbed into the inviting water and my body instantly started
to give in and relax. The awful pain and pressure was gratefully reduced
from the buoyancy. It felt like a warm blanket safely shielding me. My
body listened to what it was saying without my mind even having to think
about it. I kept reminding myself to take a deep breath from my stomach
whenever another contraction started; one more contraction closer to
holding my little one in my arms. "Let the contraction do the work"
Paulette softly reminded me.
I reached up inside between my squatting thighs to see if anything was
happening. Fully dilated, I thought; that's good, the time is near. I
was getting tired and agitated from the long wait. I tried to pierce
the barrier between me and my baby with my finger. It was like trying
to go through leather. No such luck. I gave that idea up. A few more
contractions, then POP, all on its own, it happened. "Oh?" I said, "My
water finally broke," that feels SO Good! Well, about only 2 seconds
went by. "Oh shit, that doesn't feel so good now." (It gets worse, I
thought) "I can't take this any more" I said, despairingly. I felt
like giving up. I was starting to feel like a failure.
"I think it's time for you to get in the water." Paulette told Shane.
She knew. She didn't even have to check with any protruding devices. My
hips swayed in the water like sea kelp flowing with the tide. I could
feel him coming down closer to the moment I have longed for. I reached
down and touched the wet grassy bulge coming out. I wondered if the
pressure from my canal hurt him as I felt across the wrinkly ridge on
top of his head. OK, now this was really getting exciting. I couldn't
stop pushing, no matter what. I just wanted him out and now; I was
getting sick of waiting. I spun my hips around to face Shane. We felt
the cord around the neck. Out he shot with the cord untangling itself
when he was out.
TOTAL TRIUMPH!!! I did it. I really did it. Shane lifted him up to my
arms and to my chest. He was so calm and relaxed, like nothing major
had happened. The cord was still pulsing. We rubbed him until he
started to breath. "Hello little one of mine, nice to meet you."
What a relief. I instantly had enough energy to run a marathon. I
joyfully licked the salty water that streamed down from my eyes. My
smile just about reached each ear. "It's a boy" I told everyone. "We
have another boy!" I kissed him and held him to my breast. He quickly
latched on. After a little bit Shane got out of the tub and woke
Brandon and Wyatt to meet their new brother. Down the steps they ran. I
held him in the palms of my hands as he gently floated in the water
looking up at me with those big dark eyes. "Well, hi, Logan Skye. I
love you."