Beautiful Birth Story by Leah ......

I have been greatly blessed in my life to have been nurtured and guided by many wise women in the ways of natural childbirth and gentle parenting. I wish to share a bit of my birth stories so that I too may help and inspire other mothers. I have given birth to three babies…one in the hospital, one at a birth center and one at home.

I experienced a completely pain-free yet sensation filled birth with my second child who was born peacefully in the water. This child's labor began with my water breaking at 4 am but not many contractions for several hours. At 9:45 am I had several big pressure waves and we got ready to leave for the birthing center. We arrived at noon and I was feeling like the intensity of the waves were increasing but the waves were still about 5 min apart. I asked for an internal exam and started taking off my clothes the minute we got inside the birth center birth room. My
midwife listened to baby and found my cervix to be about 4 cm. I was feeling like this labor was going to be fast. I felt grounded and focused during the waves and very comfortable. My husband lovingly read hypnobirthing scripts in my ear and that helped keep my relaxed. I was in out of the tub for the next hour then I started feeling “pushy.” I asked my midwife to check to see if my cervix was complete. I was unevenly dilated to 8 cm. My midwife suggested hands and knees to help finish dilation. I tried this position for about 20 minutes and I was uncomfortable. I knew I needed to stand up. My husband and doula (who had just come in) helped me up from the bed.  

As soon as I stood I felt the baby's head drop onto my pelvic floor I then walked a few feet to
the toilet. I reached down and felt between my legs and I felt hair! Just then the nurse wandered into the room I said "baby hair" but she just smiled and wandered out. I guess she must have thought my brain was in labor land. I knew giving birth on the toilet was not what I wanted so I gathered myself and walked two more feet to the full tub. My husband helped me in. I immediately started pushing.

The sensation of this baby coming down the birth canal felt good and satisfying. My husband leaned over the edge of the tub and I hung on to him grunting and moaning making very sexual sounds I'm sure! I felt very connected and close to him. After 3 pushes I leaned back on my hands and looked down. My baby was out to his navel, his eyes were wide open and he
was looking at me. Time stood still. It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life seeing him half inside me and half out.  Then he slide out and I picked him up with the help of the nurse who had come back in. I remember her calling for the midwife and laughing that I had birthed the
baby by myself. I did have some bleeding after the placenta. My midwife and nurse took such good care of me and for this I am forever grateful.