A Young Mother’s Birth Story Told with Photos

“This is my album of my home birth. I labored in water and delivered on land.  I am 18 years old and feel this is my biggest accomplishment in my life already!”

“Painless” contractions have been going on for about 11 hours now. It’s 9 am. I have barely slept 5 hours due to being so uncomfortable and dealing with the annoying back pain.

“I am dilated to a shy 3cm and rocking through a contraction. They are so slow. I received and asked for some pitocin to help me speed things a bit. My contractions were just honestly…very…slow. I finally decide to put some clothes on (boo). Just got done cleaning my kitchen, doing the dishes, and “dancing” through contractions. My midwives and mama were crackin’ up at me because I couldn’t dance for shit!

“I couldn’t stop laughing because my mom was cracking me up, and smiling because I was so happy to be in labor. Finally! After almost 43 weeks (ultrasound due date, I find it highly inaccurate), I was so ready!”

“Things are rolling. 4 centimeters. I decided to moan and ‘wah’ through contractions and managed to get myself another clothing change in a fabulous pink outfit. The pan is for throwing up, which I luckily, never did. But I felt really nauseous!”

“Finally blowing up the pool. Had to wait until I was dilated to a 4 for the teeny possibility that contractions could slow down if I get TOO relaxed. Later I found out after I got into the pool that it didn’t take away any PAIN, but the warm water feels nice and allows you to get more comfortable.”

“Just received some more pitocin, simply because my contractions were slowing down a whole lot again, and I was being too dramatic to walk around. I wanted to lay down, especially hardly getting sleep. Big cry baby. I needed Shane.”

“Connecting with the Universe, God, and my Angels. There is beautiful Tibetan Monk music playing in the background and my Daya (mother) and Shane are helping me so much, supporting my spirit.”

“Ahhhh. Definitely in my zone. I am at a 6 here.”

“Chilled for awhile longer…at a 7. Things are really starting to hurt and “getting real”.

“I am talking to my midwife’s assistant (her daughter). Shane;s having a lolly good time apparently!”

“Stuck at a 7 here. I was stuck there for what felt like forever, but honestly it was probably only a couple hours.”

“8 centimeters. I tell the room, ‘I feel like giving up…but I will not give up!’

This is transition, where most women say ‘F*** this’ or ‘I’m leaving’ or ‘I will do this later’. I know I asked my midwife if she had something to take the edge off, Tylenol to be exact. 🙂 She chuckled under her breath, but I wasn’t mad.”

“I am trying so hard to focus within, but the contractions are so intense and fast. I start hyperventilating because my body is trying to push at 8cm, but I am definitely not ready to push yet. My midwife tells me to put my hand over my mouth and take fast breaths so it will give me something to focus on and help my body stop pushing when its not ready yet!”

“9 cm. Shane is telling me how proud he is of me and how far I have come.”

“10 cm. Holy goodness. Jesus, Mary, Joseph and Scott! Contractions are a bit less painful now. I am ready to push…I look doped out because I’m so tired. :/”

“Pushing. I have been pushing for THREE HOURS now. I am so discouraged. Pushing has shown no progress whatsoever! I have been trying to take a nap, because I’m so sleepy and exhausted! It has been 21 hours and I feel like I’ve had enough. After discussing c-sections and hospitals my midwife kindly asked if she could break my water. She calmly told me that she couldn’t break my water before, because she didnt want me to tear so bad that I would need stitches. The caul has helped “stretch” and Shane has been massaging my back.”

She broke my water and I instantly feel like I have to shit a cantaloupe out. I could feel his head engaging lower and lower. I wobble to the bathroom and sit on the toilet, just to rock through contractions. I ask my midwife’s daughter to come and talk to me. She happily obliges. When I am sitting there on the toilet, rocking, I look into her eyes and tell her she’s beautiful and that her eyes look like my grandfather’s. They were the spitting image. My grandfather died shortly after I told him I was pregnant, so I truly felt his presence through her eyes.

I immediately got up after and KNEW my son was ready. I went as fast as I could to the bedroom, where my mom, midwife, and Shane were patiently waiting for me. My midwife told Shane to sit in the chair, I squat like an Indian between Shane’s legs, both of us facing everyone else in the room, while he helped hold me up.

I start to push REAL pushes, these feel AMAZING. As gross as it may sound to you, it was orgasmic. Not saying I actually had an orgasm, but it felt so good to where having an orgasm is the only physical feeling that comes close to the feeling of truly pushing out a baby. I am scared now and am thinking about stopping pushing, because everything is SO REAL right now! My midwife says “NO! LILY! FEEL YOUR BABY’S HEAD”. I put my hand down to feel his head. Hair. Lots of it.

Immediately I felt the most spiritual presence take over my body, and I YELLED. For the first time during my entire labor. I screamed. “I CAN DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

1st push, his head is out.

2nd push, shoulders.

3rd push, my midwife says “Lily, get on all fours now sweetie.” I did exactly as she said and the rest of his body is out. I feel as if literally a fish has swam out from inside me and an instant relief of pain, the “weight” of pregnancy, and contractions. I am filled with joy and ecstasy!”

“I look on the soft floor, where my son is laying under my stomach (I’m on all fours). My midwife delivered him from behind me and handed him to me with finesse. I say out loud, “He is cute! I mean really really cute!”. He came out with no vernix, slick as a seal and perfectly clean! Shane picks him up with me and I go to lay down on the bed. “It’s all over!! I’m-I’m done!” I say. After 25 hours of labor, IT’S OVER!! ♥ My midwife is sucking out his nose with a syringe bulb.”

“He is absolutely perfect. We are warming up his little white hands to get more oxygen and blood to him. The cord is still attached. We leave it attached until it is a white limp cord so all of the nutrients from the placenta can pump through to my son.”

“Whoohoo! I am in shock obviously. I receive some kind of liquid therapy herb tincture for my dizziness and shock. I have also lost a lot of blood.”

“Shane is blowing oxygen on his face, nothing is wrong, but there’s definitely nothing wrong with blowing pure oxygen to him. I’m sure we both need it! :P”

“Baby’s side of the placenta. Healthy rich and beautiful!”

“Shane finally cuts the cord, weighs him with a fish scale, and puts a white onesie and diaper on him.”

“Shane Robert Tai Cooney II. Big boy at 8 lbs, 2 ounces, 21 1/2 inches long.  The greatest thing of all of this…my son was born July 30th. My birthday is June 30th and Shane’s is October 30th. My grandpa? The one whose eyes reside in my midwife’s daughter/assistant? Born on April 30th. I do believe in miracles.”

“Caught the meconium on his sock!”

“Little Tai. I know I’m partial, But he’s beautiful. We had latching problems. He just couldn’t latch. I felt inadequate as a mother, and terrible that I was so mentally and physically exhausted. I couldn’t do anything to help it. My midwife (thank the Heavens for this woman) came over the next day and clipped his frenulum under his tongue. He latched IMMEDIATELY after. God, The Universe, all of it…Is good.♥”

♥