I don't exactly know where to start my birth story, because in reality I feel it must include the entire week leading up to it.
On a very cold and windy night, Jan. 1 to be exact, I was walking from my in laws' house to the car after dinner. I started to feel a contraction coming on, which wasn't uncommon and I disregarded as a braxton hick, and took a deep breath in. All of a sudden I heard and felt a pop, and no, it wasn't my water. I had pinched/pulled/strained a muscle in my back and could not move. I'm sure you can imagine this would make things difficult at 38weeks and some days pregnant. We shuffled to the car and hurried home. After an excruciatingly painful night of what I guess you would call sleeping, I called my sister early in the morning in tears, asking her what chiropractor she had gone to when she was pregnant and living in Boston. I immediately made an appointment for that day. After shuffling Jack off to the in laws', Chris and I headed to my appointment. I won't go into how terribly long I waited, but will only say I was adjusted and sent on my way. Next stop, acupuncture. I had at this point been going once weekly to acupuncture anyway, but she offered to help with my neck problem. Saint Sharon whom I adore. She did some work on my neck and I felt a little better. By the end of the weekend, my neck was almost totally healed, and Chris and I had tried, pathetically, to have what I guess you could call sex, to try and encourage Little Firefly to find it's way to the exit. Nothing.
On Monday, January 5th, I wrote an e-mail to my midwife and dear friend Susan, and my doula, Lauren. I needed major cheer leading. I was feeling hopeless. Exhausted from the months of worry, and just ready to know that Little Firefly would survive and be healthy and happy and beautiful. I had no idea what to expect from the start of labor since I had been socially induced with Jack. Lots of unproductive contractions. No baby.
Wednesday, January 7th was my regular, weekly appointment with the midwives. I had practiced in my head for months. That I was a doula, that I trusted my body, and that I would not be checked, stripped or induced in any way. Well, after a horrific stomach bug at 36weeks, being 3cm dilated, 80% effaced and -1 station for weeks, and the neck pull, I needed a little encouragement. The midwife who I saw that day, Tamra, said that she felt more than comfortable stripping my membranes, and so I folded like a house of cards. Strip me! Please! I went home, felt slightly crampy per usual, and had a bit of bloody show. Woo-hoo!
Thursday, January 8th was just like any other day with Jack. No school on Thursdays, so I always try and have something fun to do. On this particular Thursday we set out to buy a baby bjorn potty for the training Jack and to exchange a christmas present at the curious george bookstore in Harvard Sq. I can't even begin to describe the perfect day we had. First to buy the pink and yellow potties, then on to Harvard Sq. where Jack had never been, and into the magical toy store. He picked out a solar system puzzle and dinosaur placemat. We came home, had a wonderful lunch, did the puzzle and split for nap time. I was still just having my normal contractions throughout the day, but felt no different than any other day. After nap time I had this insane urge to get to costco. I mean, we couldn't buy bulk fast enough. After walking through all of Costco and enduring a million "Oh my gosh! You must be due any minute!" comments, we rested with a berry smoothie before loading up the car. Oh, and funny story, Amy was on her way to visit us from NYC. When we got home, we unloaded the car and quickly made dinner for boy wonder. I was definitely not hungry. I had a quick trip to the bathroom where I pretty much emptied out my entire system, or so it felt. It was followed by lots more of my plug and some show. Went back downstairs and started chatting on the computer with Susan. I can't even begin to describe what it meant for me to have Susan in my life at the time of this birth. When we first connected at my doula workshop, I just felt so capable around her. She was this strong, intelligent, remarkable woman. I feel so lucky to now have a friendship with her. She and I talked for a bit, and she helped me let some emotion out, put me in check and sent me on my way. This was at 7pm. I still felt only crampy, and was having mild back aches. Around 9:30, Chris left to pick Amy up from the bus station. At 10, I started chatting with a friend on the computer, who is also a doula. Occassionally mentioning that I was feeling weird, uncomfortable, but that it was nothing. By 11 I was feeling pressure in my bottom, menstrual cramps, and was noticing a pattern. The next bit is kind of a blur. Chris and Amy came home at some point. I was in the shower for a bit. Phone calls were made to the doula and Susan. And by 12:15 I couldn't take it anymore and we had to get to Mt. Auburn. Amy was so wonderful. Helping me through contractions when Chris had to go into the other room and panic. We arrived, almost screaming, at the ER entrance where wonderful Susan was waiting for us. Chris endured the painful (and I mean in the ass) process of checking in while Susan helped me labor. By the time we got upstairs I was in this strange place. The contractions were intense to say the least, but the in between time I was completely coherent. Chatting, joking. Susan almost thought she'd have to send me home! I went to the bathroom, had lots of show and then was checked. 8cm, -1 station and 100% effaced. "Shut the fuck up! Are you serious?" Susan replied "Yes I'm serious!" to which we all high fived. Too cool. Then there was the fetal heart monitoring. Little firefly didn't want to be found and gave us all a scare. Finally. A heartbeat. Now, onward! Susan had to get the water in the tub warm and I had to sit on the bed and labor, which was misery, while we waited. At which point I had the most monsterous contraction, and broke my water all over the bed and Chris. To which I exclaimed "ahhhhh get me in the tub!" Plop. In I went. I can't describe to you the feeling of a water birth. It was the single most amazing experience of my life. My baby in me, in water. Me birthing my baby in water. Floating and writhing and breathing and melting. My husband, baby making partner, talking lovingly and encouraging me. My mother stroking me sweetly, just as I remember it when I was little. The doula doing some neck massage, but mostly just being the photo documentarian. And somewhere between the time we checked in, at 12:50am, and 1:53am, I pushed out little baby firefly.
Besides the fact that my body cavity was now lacking an 8+lb appendage, I felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders. A boy. A beautiful, beautiful, healthy, crying, wonderful boy. He was real, and I hadn't lost him, and I could accept that. After we hung out in the water for about 15 minutes, the cord was cut and he was off to be weighed. 8lbs 2.1oz and 20inches long. Perfect. Placenta was delivered, I lost lots of blood like I did with my first birth, some scary moments, but in the end, we were brought to the post partum suite, with our new little boy and all the people we love around us. Baby Firefly was not named until the day we left the hospital. It's a strange thing to name your second child. Due to his silver hair, people commented on his "mane" and Leo was in the runnings, and it's a family name. And it's who he is supposed to be. Leo.
Wednesday, January 7th was my regular, weekly appointment with the midwives. I had practiced in my head for months. That I was a doula, that I trusted my body, and that I would not be checked, stripped or induced in any way. Well, after a horrific stomach bug at 36weeks, being 3cm dilated, 80% effaced and -1 station for weeks, and the neck pull, I needed a little encouragement. The midwife who I saw that day, Tamra, said that she felt more than comfortable stripping my membranes, and so I folded like a house of cards. Strip me! Please! I went home, felt slightly crampy per usual, and had a bit of bloody show. Woo-hoo!
Thursday, January 8th was just like any other day with Jack. No school on Thursdays, so I always try and have something fun to do. On this particular Thursday we set out to buy a baby bjorn potty for the training Jack and to exchange a christmas present at the curious george bookstore in Harvard Sq. I can't even begin to describe the perfect day we had. First to buy the pink and yellow potties, then on to Harvard Sq. where Jack had never been, and into the magical toy store. He picked out a solar system puzzle and dinosaur placemat. We came home, had a wonderful lunch, did the puzzle and split for nap time. I was still just having my normal contractions throughout the day, but felt no different than any other day. After nap time I had this insane urge to get to costco. I mean, we couldn't buy bulk fast enough. After walking through all of Costco and enduring a million "Oh my gosh! You must be due any minute!" comments, we rested with a berry smoothie before loading up the car. Oh, and funny story, Amy was on her way to visit us from NYC. When we got home, we unloaded the car and quickly made dinner for boy wonder. I was definitely not hungry. I had a quick trip to the bathroom where I pretty much emptied out my entire system, or so it felt. It was followed by lots more of my plug and some show. Went back downstairs and started chatting on the computer with Susan. I can't even begin to describe what it meant for me to have Susan in my life at the time of this birth. When we first connected at my doula workshop, I just felt so capable around her. She was this strong, intelligent, remarkable woman. I feel so lucky to now have a friendship with her. She and I talked for a bit, and she helped me let some emotion out, put me in check and sent me on my way. This was at 7pm. I still felt only crampy, and was having mild back aches. Around 9:30, Chris left to pick Amy up from the bus station. At 10, I started chatting with a friend on the computer, who is also a doula. Occassionally mentioning that I was feeling weird, uncomfortable, but that it was nothing. By 11 I was feeling pressure in my bottom, menstrual cramps, and was noticing a pattern. The next bit is kind of a blur. Chris and Amy came home at some point. I was in the shower for a bit. Phone calls were made to the doula and Susan. And by 12:15 I couldn't take it anymore and we had to get to Mt. Auburn. Amy was so wonderful. Helping me through contractions when Chris had to go into the other room and panic. We arrived, almost screaming, at the ER entrance where wonderful Susan was waiting for us. Chris endured the painful (and I mean in the ass) process of checking in while Susan helped me labor. By the time we got upstairs I was in this strange place. The contractions were intense to say the least, but the in between time I was completely coherent. Chatting, joking. Susan almost thought she'd have to send me home! I went to the bathroom, had lots of show and then was checked. 8cm, -1 station and 100% effaced. "Shut the fuck up! Are you serious?" Susan replied "Yes I'm serious!" to which we all high fived. Too cool. Then there was the fetal heart monitoring. Little firefly didn't want to be found and gave us all a scare. Finally. A heartbeat. Now, onward! Susan had to get the water in the tub warm and I had to sit on the bed and labor, which was misery, while we waited. At which point I had the most monsterous contraction, and broke my water all over the bed and Chris. To which I exclaimed "ahhhhh get me in the tub!" Plop. In I went. I can't describe to you the feeling of a water birth. It was the single most amazing experience of my life. My baby in me, in water. Me birthing my baby in water. Floating and writhing and breathing and melting. My husband, baby making partner, talking lovingly and encouraging me. My mother stroking me sweetly, just as I remember it when I was little. The doula doing some neck massage, but mostly just being the photo documentarian. And somewhere between the time we checked in, at 12:50am, and 1:53am, I pushed out little baby firefly.
Besides the fact that my body cavity was now lacking an 8+lb appendage, I felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders. A boy. A beautiful, beautiful, healthy, crying, wonderful boy. He was real, and I hadn't lost him, and I could accept that. After we hung out in the water for about 15 minutes, the cord was cut and he was off to be weighed. 8lbs 2.1oz and 20inches long. Perfect. Placenta was delivered, I lost lots of blood like I did with my first birth, some scary moments, but in the end, we were brought to the post partum suite, with our new little boy and all the people we love around us. Baby Firefly was not named until the day we left the hospital. It's a strange thing to name your second child. Due to his silver hair, people commented on his "mane" and Leo was in the runnings, and it's a family name. And it's who he is supposed to be. Leo.
