The Birth Center Birth of Avett

I had been having painful contractions since Monday afternoon, and that night we had a false alarm- although they were very close together, I had only dilated to 1cm so they sent me back home. Contractions continued though Tuesday, accompanied by extremely painful cramping. My water broke in the bathtub while Brandon (my husband) was downstairs, I called out for him but he couldn’t hear me…

Well, Tahoe (my dog) had been watching me like a hawk since Monday and right after my water broke he began running up and down the hallway barking which got Brandon’s attention so he came and helped me out of the tub and we headed down to the Birth Center. This was about 9:00pm on Tuesday night.

After the midwife checked me, she determined I had only dilated to 2cm so she sent me back home to labor more before being admitted, so back home we went (this was about midnight). On the way home, the contractions were becoming more intense. I had to really stop and breathe through them. At home I started to vocalize through them to relieve the pressure and I started to slip into another state of consciousness.

They got closer together and at that point, Brandon was loading me in the car to go back to the Birth Center. It had only been two and a half hours! I was in labor land, I don’t remember much. We got back to the Birth Center at 3:00am (it was now Wednesday), I walked inside between contractions and got on the bed while the tub was being filled.

The midwife checked me and I was at 8cm! The midwife frantically paged the nurses, she knew at that point I didn’t have much longer! I remember laying on the bed, on my side and my contractions were like waves crashing over me but all I could think of was my trust in God’s perfect design. My body had taken over and at that point I had let go of any hesitation or fear.

Finally the tub was done filling, I got up off the bed and got in the tub- nothing had ever felt better! I truly know now why they call it the “midwife’s epidural!” I could feel Avett’s little body wiggling, anxious to meet his family. I was in bliss, my mind completely at ease, my body doing the pushing. Brandon told me that at one point, I tried to stand up!

I was at peace as he was crowning, I knew he would be in my arms soon! I let out a “battle cry” as I called it, and he was born into the world at 3:48am! Right then, the first nurse arrived, so my midwife did all the work by herself. I have never felt more accomplished, brave, empowered, and blessed that the first time I felt him in my arms.

I looked at my little boy and he was perfect. His cord had actually severed itself so the midwife clamped off my end and while she was making sure I was stable, our son was handed to my husband to begin bonding immediately. I was fine; his umbilical cord was only 6-8 inches long!

And let me just tell you, the HIGH of a completely natural childbirth (no monitors, no IVs, no cords, no ANYTHING) is unrivaled by any drug. The endorphin release in a woman’s body after childbirth when unhindered by drugs can’t be duplicated by any man-made chemical. When Avett was 3 minutes old, I was up and walking to the bed… At an hour and a half, I was able hop out of the bed and walk to the bathroom! The nurses even joked about how I was up and bouncing around!

I feel absolutely wonderful and his fast and furious labor made me feel like a rock star! Moral of the story, don’t EVER let anyone tell you that you are not capable of the things you desire! I have a healthy baby boy and I couldn’t be happier!