Adalyn Ruth

I was feeling sick to my stomach evening before my baby was born, so I excused myself from the games we were playing with our next door neighbors and I went home.  My husband stayed to play.  I started having contractions around 10:30 p.m. They were about 20 minutes apart lasting under a minute.  I managed to sleep for about an hour when they started getting too intense to sleep through. I got up and took a shower and I was still having them. It was around midnight.  I told my husband (just going to bed) that I thought I was in labor and that I wanted to time my contractions.  Since I'd been having contractions for the past few days, he asked me if he could get some sleep (he didn't really think I was in labor).  So, I went into the living room and I started timing them. They were 4-6 min. apart, lasting 45 seconds.

Whenever I felt a contraction starting, I closed my eyes, breathed slowly and naturally (as if I were asleep), and thought positive thoughts:  "My body was perfectly designed to give birth," "I'm one contraction closer to having my baby," etc.  I also used visualization--imagining each contraction to be like a wave.  I imagined warm water washing across my abdomen, numbing wherever it had touched.  As the wave washed back, I imagined all my tension melting away with it.  These techniques were extremely effective.  I felt no pain whatsoever.  Each contraction felt really neat--my stomach would get hard and it felt like it was lifting up.  It was an awesome sensation.  I felt so powerful.  In between contractions I read from C.S. Lewis' A Horse and His Boy from The Chronicles of Narnia series.

I called my midwife at 1:30 a.m. because my contractions were 3-5 minutes lasting 60 seconds. I remember her asking me if I could still walk and talk through my contractions.  My answer was "Yes, but it's getting more difficult."  I wasn't in any pain and I wanted her to come so I told her what I thought would get that result.  She said she'd get her things together and come over.

As soon as she said she was coming, I felt a little flutter of nerves.  Was I really in labor?  Was I really going to do a homebirth?  Then I calmed myself and told myself that everything would be wonderful.  I wandered around my house, picking things up (I'd cleaned it earlier that day so there wasn't much to do).  I think I did a load of laundry!  I sat or stood or walked in between contractions--whatever I felt like doing.  I loved being able to do whatever I wanted.  I loved not having anyone bother me with questions or tell me to be in this position or that.

My midwife got here at around 2:15 or 2:30.  She could tell by the way I was acting that I was serious about having my baby that day.  She brought her equipment into the house and started setting up the birthing tub in my bedroom (my husband was asleep on the guest bed).  After the tub started filling, my midwife did a vaginal exam.  I was 4 cm, 50% effaced.  She also listened to the baby's heart rate.  I preferred to be alone during the birth process, so I went back into the living room. 

Every once in a while I wandered back into the bedroom to check on the tub.  I remember sitting in the rocking chair (next to the tub) and feeling impatient.  At one point, my then-22-month-old daughter woke up.  My midwife brought her to me and I rocked her back to sleep (still reading my book).  I put my daughter back in her bed.

My husband was asleep this whole time.  I went into the guest room a couple of times to wake him up (when I called the midwife and again when the midwife was here), but he fell back asleep both times.  45 minutes after my midwife got here she did my second (and last) vaginal exam.  I was 5-6 cm and fully effaced.  She also listened to the baby during a contraction.  I was lying down on the bed and that contraction hurt.  As soon as it was over, I was up and moving again.  I don't think I could have had a pain-free birth lying in a hospital bed.  My midwife called her assistants.

I woke up my husband, but my daughter woke up, too. While he was trying to get her to go back to sleep, I was having very intense contractions lasting 90 sec. with about a minute in between. This was where things got uncomfortable.  I lost my focus because I was so impatient for the tub to finish filling.  If I had been listening to a relaxation tape (I even had one specifically designed for labor), I think I would have been fine.  My impatience caused me to have mild discomfort (like menstrual cramps).  It was still way, way more comfortable than I was before my epidural with my daughter (which I got at 4 cm).  This was where I started to doubt myself.  As soon as I thought that, I was like--"Hey, I must be in transition!  I can do this, it's almost over!"

As soon as the birthing tub was filled (finally!), I got in. This was at around 3:50 or so (I think). I remember feeling relief because my contractions had spaced out a bit.  My midwife was calling her assistants again (they were on their way) because she knew the baby was coming fast.  I asked her to get my husband because I wanted him to sit behind me. He came in and was being really slow about stuff (he thought we had a lot of time). He set up the video camera and then started to look for his bathing suit. I was feeling pressure (no pain). He finally got in with me and I felt the urge to push (that was a lot stronger than I expected it to be). After about 4 minutes of pushing, she was out! Born at 4:07 a.m. She was born in her bag of water and she had her hand up by her face. My midwife moved her hand (breaking my water) and I pushed a couple of more times and the rest of her came out.  My older daughter came in just minutes before my baby was born, so she witnessed the birth.  She started bringing toys right away.  It was cute.

I believe the homebirth process is much gentler and more inviting (for both mother and baby).  When my baby daughter was born, she gave one little squawk and then just looked around with bright, inquisitive eyes.  I actually worried about her because my older daughter screamed bloody murder when she was born, but my midwife assured me that my baby was just perfect--and she was!

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Eva Lorine

I'd been having surges (contractions) fairly regularly since 35 weeks.  I kept telling Eva that she needed to stay in for another week or two.  At 36 weeks is when I decided to switch to a home birth for sure (I had been planning a hospital birth due to unresolved emotional issues).  At my 36 week check with my doctor I was 2 cm, 70% effaced, which I knew meant absolutely nothing.  I met with my midwife on Wednesday, October 6th.  I picked up my birth kit and a birth tub just in case.

On Thursday, October 7th, I went to book club as usual and told my friends there that I thought October 10th would be a good day to have my baby.  They laughed.  On Friday, the 8th, I felt more crampy during the evening than I had previously.  On Saturday, the 9th, I had a few hours worth of fairly regular and strong surges.  We set up the birth tub (but didn't fill it).  My husband, Matt, was totally wiped out with what turned out to be strep throat, so I told Eva that it probably wouldn't be good to come that night.  My surges stopped at around 10 p.m. and I went to bed.

I woke up having surges at around 6:45 a.m. Sunday, October 10th.  I wondered if my wish to have a baby that day would come true.  Surges came every 10 -15 minutes and they felt pretty serious.  We had asked Matt's sister, Elizabeth, to care for our girls during the birth.  She was just getting off the night shift as a nurse so I told Matt to call her and let her know that it might be baby day.  She decided to come over to our house and sleep in the guest room just in case.  Thankfully, Matt was feeling better that morning after a good night's sleep.

I went around the house picking things up, still having surges every 10 - 15 minutes.  When I had one I would use my hypnosis skills and relax through it.  Things stayed pretty spaced out throughout the morning.  I listened to affirmations and wrote some of my own about opening and releasing.  A little before 1 p.m. I wondered aloud to my husband and sister-in-law if maybe we should go to church (since things obviously weren't happening).  They both looked at me strangely and said that we should stay home.

I got a little discouraged that things weren't picking up more quickly and I asked Matt for a priesthood blessing (something we do in my church).  In it I was told that Heavenly Father was pleased with me--that I was a model daughter for choosing to birth my babies in such a natural way.  I felt the peace and comfort that I sought and I was able to let things go and be patient.

At 4:30 p.m. my surges picked up to around 6 - 8 minutes apart.  We decided to call my doula, Laura, to let her know it would probably be that night.  We left a message on her voice mail.

Laura called us back to say she was at another birth so she called her back-up, Monica (another HypnoBirthing® Practitioner in the area) to let her know.  I knew Monica so I felt comfortable with the change in plans.  My surges suddenly jumped to around 2 minutes apart at 5:30 p.m.  Matt was on the phone with my midwife, Suzanne, at the time and I yelled at him to tell her they were two minutes apart now.  Suzanne called back at 5:53 p.m. to ask if I had a preference for her apprentices.  The only one I knew was Jules, so I told her to ask Jules to come.  We called Monica after that.  Given my quick history they both jumped in the car to get here as quickly as possible.

We had filled the tub by this time and I got in.  It was wonderful.  I had a water birth with Addie, but not a water labor so I was happy to have time in the tub.  I listened to more affirmations and then put on my Hypnobabies Birth Guide tape.  Monica arrived at around 6:20 p.m. and she kept up a stream of helpful imagery during each surge.  Because my surges were so close together I was grateful to have her keeping my focus.  Suzanne arrived around 6:30 p.m.

My membranes released at 6:54 p.m.  Suzanne checked me after that and I was 7 cm.  Suzanne's assistant, Jules, arrived at 7:03 p.m. and her other assistant, Adrianna, arrived at 7:10 p.m.  Due to some special circumstances it became important for me to birth my baby as quickly as possible.  I'm very grateful for my hypnosis training.  My midwife and doula were able to give me suggestions to open and I dilated rapidly in response.

Eva Lorine, 7 lbs. 20 oz., was born at 7:23 p.m. in a birth tub in my bedroom.  She had long, platinum blonde hair. It was wonderful to greet my new little daughter in such a peaceful environment, surrounded by the loving support of my husband, my sister-in-law, my children, my midwife, her assistants, and my doula.  Nothing can compare to giving birth in such an environment.  I like to think that my baby appreciated being welcomed into the world in this manner as well.

Photo Slide Show of Eva's Birth

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Leah Virginia

I started having birthing waves at around 9:40 in the morning on September 18th. At first I didn't think they really meant anything since I'd had birthing waves on and off for weeks. These felt a little different, though, and they kept coming throughout the morning. At 1 p.m. I decided to go listen to my Hypnobabies Fear Release cd. Eva lay down with me and fell asleep. I dozed lightly as I listened and the birthing waves stopped. I'd called Matt (my husband) earlier to ask him to come home. He came in at 2 and my birthing waves started coming again as soon as he walked in.

We decided to go to the grocery store to pick up a few last minute items and hoped the walking would encourage things to move along. We were living with my parents while our new home was being built so all of our stuff was in storage. We stopped by the storage unit to get some things we'd need for the birth and the baby. On our way home we picked up take-out from my favorite restaurant. Yum.

We got home around 4:30. We ate and fed the kids before heading upstairs to rearrange the rooms to accommodate the birth. Matt and the girls cleared the room. Matt hung two paintings we'd purchased for the new house. One of them was the inspiration for my Special Place (a Tuscan garden) and the other was of a mother holding a sleeping baby. He also set up the birth tub.

At 6 I called my massage therapist doula friend, Olivia, to ask her to come work on my pressure points to see if that would help move things along. She arrived at around 7:30. Matt put the girls to bed. It took him a long time to settle Eva. My birthing waves were strong, but fairly spaced out. I tried not to be impatient and frustrated, but I wanted things to get going already.

After doing massage and walking stairs and doing the birth hula things did pick up and I got in the tub. I listened to my Birth Affirmations for awhile. I felt hot so I got out of the tub. At around 12:30 a.m. on September 19th I was feeling tired and decided to try sleeping. I put on my Hypnobabies Birth Guide and lay down on the bed. Matt and Olivia took naps, too. My birthing waves continued to come, but I did get some rest.

At 1:30 I had some heavy birth show, called my midwife, and got back in the tub with strong birthing waves. She got there at around 2 or so. I asked her to check me. I was 5.5 cm with a very posterior cervix. It seemed that was why it was taking so long. We got fairly chatty for awhile and the waves spaced out. At this time the newspaper reporter who'd contacted my midwife about doing a story on home birth and the assistant midwife had arrived. I was 7 cm.

My midwife sent me and my husband out for a walk. My parents live on a steep hill. We walked down the hill and that brought on some more birthing waves. At the bottom of the hill we decided it was too cold to walk around the block so we turned around and went back up. I told my midwife I could probably try sleeping so she and everyone else except Matt went downstairs.

After another hour-long nap or so I woke up with stronger birthing waves. I called my midwife back upstairs and got back in the tub because they were too intense for me to want to do them out of the water. But again they spaced out. My midwife had me sit on the birth stool while she tried holding my cervix (which was still very posterior at 8 cm) forward. Even doing that for a few birthing waves it still moved back if she let go. I was feeling tired and frustrated at this point. I'm not sure what time it was but the sun started coming up pretty soon after so it had to have been around 7 in the morning. I asked her to break my water, which she did. Then she cleared the room while I lay down again.

Things finally really picked up and I got back in the tub. It didn't seem like much time had gone by before the birthing waves got really strong and long. I'd had a lot of low pressure throughout the birth (maybe because of the posterior cervix) and that got very intense. I also felt more pressure in my lower back. At one point it kind of felt better to push a bit so I asked my midwife to check me. My cervix had moved forward, but wasn't completely gone yet so I worked through another few birthing waves.

I was about ready to get out thinking I needed to go to the bathroom when I pushed really hard. My midwife asked me if I could feel the baby's head. I didn't know if she meant could I feel it moving down or could I feel it with my hand. I reached down and Holy Cow, there was her head! I provided my own perineal support as I gently pushed her head out. I had to push again for her shoulders before the rest of her slid out and I pulled her to my chest.

She was born at 9:24 a.m. after nearly 24 hours of labor and only 1 min. of pushing. She has short dark hair and a darker complexion with facial features like Audrey (who also has dark hair and a darker complexion). I pushed the placenta out about 5 minutes later (I think--it seemed really quick). It was one of the largest placentas my midwife had ever seen--it seemed to be as large as a dinner plate. No wonder my belly felt so crowded.

After nursing in the tub for awhile I got out, passed the baby off to Matt, and took a quick shower. When I came back into the room they were finishing the baby exam and Audrey helped to dress her. We've named the baby Leah Virginia (Virginia is after Matt's mom). She weighed 7 lbs. 11 oz. and was 20" long. She's a very sweet baby and we're so glad to have her here.

Click here to view a photo slide show of Leah's pregnancy and birth.

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Smaller file version of Leah's Birth Slide Show.

Birth Professionals

Home birth midwife Suzanne Smith, CPM, LDEM (my primary midwife for both births)

Home birth midwife Jules Johnstun, CPM, LDEM (an assistant midwife at Eva's birth, now with a solo practice of her own)

Hypno-doula Laura Bikman (who was unable to attend Eva's birth, but was wonderful at our prenatal visits) ~ laura@katalus.com 801-763-9087, 801-231-1959