The Second Time Around: A Beautiful Homebirth Journey

I wasn’t new to home birth. I had very recently experienced the journey 2 years prior, and as my stomach grew heavier and 40 weeks came closer my anxiety began to peak and the memories of contractions and the hours of labor rose to my memories. 39 weeks and 1 day before my “due date” I prepared soup and Stroganoff in case I went into labor and was unable to cook for my family for awhile. From there we rush to Zen’s swim class and as we return home I begin to feel pressure in my pelvic area. The waves. The surges. I text my doula, Klarque and midwife to give them a heads up but tell them not to head over too early because I knew we could be in for a long night..or two. They insisted. This was baby #2 and they had a feeling he would arrive soon. I oblige. I shower. I eat the soup. I rock on my exercise ball. Klarque arrives, Ulrike (our midwife) arrives and moments later I remember the contractions start to intensify. I cry. Klarque reminds me of my innate power. She acknowledges the road ahead will not be easy but I have the strength to birth my baby. Our midwife begins to prepare the tub. Klarque rubs my feet. We walk together, we use the walls, we sway. The bath is finally ready and I go to the water and root. I don’t want to be anywhere else. The water is soothing. My husband nervous, holds my head, hands, reassures me I will be okay. He’s holding space and caring for our birth team. He talks to cover up his nerves. As my contractions grow intense I ask for silence. I don’t want to move but I am encouraged by my birth team to move my body in order to move this baby. I shift my body on all fours begrudgingly and quickly return to sit and float in the birth tub. At one point I begin to silently communicate with my son. I tell him I’m ready to welcome him to the world. I tell him I’m ready to birth him. As time goes on I get the urge to push and so I begin to push. My birth team prepared to support my husband in supporting me. Finally, they see his head. I roar and push and push. Finally, he’s here. My husband brings him from under water to the surface. Our midwife gently supports him in unwrapping the umbilical cord that’s wrapped around babies neck. Gabe places him on my chest and finally we can rest. It’s golden hour!