I knew this birth would be different from Odyns, from all that came in between, and it was my second baby after all, but I don’t think I could’ve seen this. Since around December 12 I’d been having start and stop contractions and felt like labor would come at any time. Of course the next weeks were torture because nothing ever came of any of it. 

New Year’s Eve I finally felt surges I had to breath through, “this is it” I thought, sure I would have a baby before sunrise. I called the team in (two midwives, two assistants, two doulas, and two grannies ) and I warned my photographer to be ready to run. My midwife LeaAnna arrived around 1:40 am and at that time I was only 3cm. I was a little disappointed but we all expected things to progress quickly. Fast forward to the next morning, I was still 3cm and baby was high even after contracting all night. My team decided to stick around and wait it out. We ate, we laughed, and of course we brainstormed and did all of the maneuvers we could think of to get baby engaged. 

My contractions spaced out, so we decided to go downtown to White Hart for some coffee, fresh air, and to utilize downtown Lynchburg’s many stairs. After exhausting the list of things to get baby engaged and still hardly any contractions, we decided another shower was due. Sure enough contractions came on while in the shower and by 8:30 they had decided to stick around. I curled on the bed as contractions started to build. It was like I had started sprinting through the labyrinth     I had finally given in to where I needed to go. 

I began asking for help, for touch. The team started to trickle in, probably due to the amount of noise I was making. Something that was so different from Odyn, where I hardly made a sound birthing him, Noli commanded that I let go, there was no holding back at this point. I gripped my husband’s hand through every surge, doulas rubbing my back and legs. It felt as if I was holding on so that the strength wouldn’t rip me away. I’ve seen moms experience this birth, I’ve held their hands through it. Though I hadn’t experienced it, we liken it to standing in front a freight train. I didn’t know what that had truly meant until now. I could feel my body pulling in, pushing baby down. I knew she wouldn’t be waiting much longer. Thoughts started to pop into my head as I realized how close I was. “Check me” “how far is the photographer” “who’s behind me, do they have wipes?”

Jenny let me know I was almost complete, and had a bulgy bag of waters. I had almost forgotten, how had my water not broken yet? All these thoughts, yet I felt completely out of control. I felt a cameras flash and I must admit, felt like I could stop holding back what little I was. One of the next contractions, my water hit my feet, immediately presenting the top of Noli’s head. The team commented on her head full of hair.

Finally. It was like a wave of stillness came over the room. The moment I had been waiting for. I had been dreaming of catching my own baby, of feeling her little head, I dreamt of what it would look like to be in control of this. And after the previous hour I hadn’t thought I was getting it, but here it was. I couldn’t help but smiling and taking my time. Two pushes (maybe three) and I felt her sweet little head, followed by slippery little shoulders that my midwives helped me grab, and I pulled the sweetest little vernix covered baby onto my belly. Everything I imagined, into reality. This time I felt the complete amazement of what had just happened, the love I had for this little girl. She was here.

Positively Prepare for your Birth with Pleasurable Birth Essentials

I knew this birth would be different from Odyns, from all that came in between, and it was my second baby after all, but I don’t think I could’ve seen this. Since around December 12 I’d been having start and stop contractions and felt like labor would come at any time. Of course the next weeks were torture because nothing ever came of any of it. 

New Year’s Eve I finally felt surges I had to breath through, “this is it” I thought, sure I would have a baby before sunrise. I called the team in ( two midwives, two assistants, two doulas, and two grannies ) and I warned my photographer to be ready to run. My midwife LeaAnna arrived around 1:40 am and at that time I was only 3cm. I was a little disappointed but we all expected things to progress quickly. Fast forward to the next morning, I was still 3cm and baby was high even after contracting all night. My team decided to stick around and wait it out. We ate, we laughed, and of course we brainstormed and did all of the maneuvers we could think of to get baby engaged. 

My contractions spaced out, so we decided to go downtown to White Hart for some coffee, fresh air, and to utilize downtown Lynchburg’s many stairs. After exhausting the list of things to get baby engaged and still hardly any contractions, we decided another shower was due. Sure enough contractions came on while in the shower and by 8:30 they had decided to stick around. I curled on the bed as contractions started to build. It was like I had started sprinting through the labyrinth     I had finally given in to where I needed to go. 

I began asking for help, for touch. The team started to trickle in, probably due to the amount of noise I was making. Something that was so different from Odyn, where I hardly made a sound birthing him, Noli commanded that I let go, there was no holding back at this point. I gripped my husband’s hand through every surge, doulas rubbing my back and legs. It felt as if I was holding on so that the strength wouldn’t rip me away. I’ve seen moms experience this birth, I’ve held their hands through it. Though I hadn’t experienced it, we liken it to standing in front a freight train. I didn’t know what that had truly meant until now. I could feel my body pulling in, pushing baby down. I knew she wouldn’t be waiting much longer. Thoughts started to pop into my head as I realized how close I was. “Check me” “how far is the photographer” “who’s behind me, do they have wipes?”

Jenny let me know I was almost complete, and had a bulgy bag of waters. I had almost forgotten, how had my water not broken yet? All these thoughts, yet I felt completely out of control. I felt a cameras flash and I must admit, felt like I could stop holding back what little I was. One of the next contractions, my water hit my feet, immediately presenting the top of Noli’s head. The team commented on her head full of hair.

Finally. It was like a wave of stillness came over the room. The moment I had been waiting for. I had been dreaming of catching my own baby, of feeling her little head, I dreamt of what it would look like to be in control of this. And after the previous hour I hadn’t thought I was getting it, but here it was. I couldn’t help but smiling and taking my time. Two pushes (maybe three) and I felt her sweet little head, followed by slippery little shoulders that my midwives helped me grab, and I pulled the sweetest little vernix covered baby onto my belly. Everything I imagined, into reality. This time I felt the complete amazement of what had just happened, the love I had for this little girl. She was here.

BHĀVANĀ MAMA BIRTH SUPPORT

Taylor is a birth doula and midwife assistant in Lynchburg, VA. She is blessed to have the privilege of welcoming babies and mothers to the world. Bhāvanā Mama Birth Support offers doula services to help women find their own strength in walking the path that is conception, birth, to postpartum. You can learn more about her and her services on her website bhavanamamabirth.com/ and follow her on Instagram

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