The Birth Story of Finley Nathaniel {Planned Homebirth, Unplanned Unassisted}

February 13, 2013

I never imagined I would have an unbelievable birth story to share. I prayed for an easy, fast birth – who doesn’t! – but didn’t really think it was something my body could do.

On Wednesday January 16th, I began feeling different enough to tell Michael that a baby would be here by Friday. Nothing painful or distracting, but I could feel that dilation was occurring. I had a cough for the past few days, and I knew that was the reason for the strong Braxton Hicks I was feeling.

I slept well (such a relative term) that night and woke up Thursday at about 7:30am. I didn’t feel much different than the day before except that now the “contractions” were a little more uncomfortable. I put contractions in quotes because I really never thought of them as that. They were only concentrated in my cervix, no back or uterus pain.

I texted Michael, who was in class, and told him to come home after Greek Exegesis. I knew that would be about 10:30am and I could parent the kids from bed no problem. I also sent a text to my prayer warriors just to let them know that “today was probably the day”. Honestly, I sent it thinking that sometime much later in the day I would say “this is it”. The text was sent at 8:21am as I was heading upstairs.

I figured it would be a good idea to go upstairs to my bed and lay down for no other reason than I was just tired. By the time I got to the top of the stairs I felt like I needed to use the restroom. I headed to the potty and tried to go. It was a very odd feeling because I was trying to go but pushing hurt. I just figured it was because the baby was much lower.

Once I went I thought all was good. Then I got up and it hit. A real contraction. I moaned out and had a moment of panic because I had never experienced a real contraction on my own. Michael had always been there for the hard part.

At 8:25am I told God I couldn’t do it alone. As soon as it was over I quickly texted Michael – “Come now!”

The next contraction started less than a minute later. I knew I needed to change positions so I went on hands and knees. Once there I thought “maybe if I just push it will help”. I was in complete shock that pushing made the baby move a LOT. I put my hand down to figure out what was happening and felt the bag of waters and half the head! At this point I pushed the whole body out at 8:27am. I kept thinking “this didn’t really happen”! And, this baby must have the smallest head! There was no pain in pushing; the only pain came down my legs when I stood during the first contraction.

I then yelled for my 10-year-old daughter Haley who was already on her way up after hearing my “growl”. I told her to grab the baby and wrap it up. Once the baby was wrapped up Haley held him until I could turn over and take him.

At 8:30am I snapped a few photos and sent one to Michael… He was completely shocked! It had only been 5 minutes since I texted him to come home.

unnamed

I then called my midwife Renee and said, “I know this is crazy, but I just had the baby.” She was more shocked than Michael. Renee told Haley how to get me comfortable on the floor until she got there.

The kids and I talked about how crazy it was that I had just had the baby! CRAZY! The last they knew, which was just 10 minutes earlier, I was going upstairs to rest. Then they heard me cry out. I am so glad Haley wrote out her story and is old enough to remember all of today’s events. What a blessing this has been to all of us!

I can only imagine what was going through Michael’s head as he was driving home. Michael got home a little before 9am (the kids ran down when they heard the garage door open and said “Daddy jumped over the front of the van!”).

Michael checked the gender and announced BOY like he expected it to be. Of course, we didn’t have a boy’s name. Renee arrived about 10 minutes after Michael, and I was finally able to deliver the placenta and Haley cut the cord. I don’t think I stopped laughing about this whole story until late afternoon. NEVER did I think a birth like this could be part of my story.

By lunch Michael and I decided on the name Finley Nathaniel. I have always loved the name Finley and Nathaniel means “given by God”. He certainly was given by God as was his blessed birth.

Morning after conclusion: Whether you have a fast or slow, hard or easy labour you still feel like you’ve been hit by a train the next morning.

Many readers have asked if my previous 5 births were fast.  Absolutely not! This is what makes Finley’s birth all the more unbelievable for me.  I have very long and painful transitions that typically last around 3-4 hours.  Praise the Lord for His mercies in this birth! I’m not counting on having another birth THIS good but I am so grateful for my shockingly fast and unexpected birth of #6.

The ‘birth text’

Autumn is a homeschooling mommy to 6 gorgeous children, and the owner of All About Cloth Diapers

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67 Comments

  • Melody

    February 13, 2013 at 3:59 pm Reply

    This is just incredible! Your daughter, the texts, the baby being born… all incredible! Congratulations to you and your family.

  • Cindi

    February 13, 2013 at 4:32 pm Reply

    She’s a rock star and miss Haley was as cool as a cucumber. God has huge plans for that precious little girl. Such an amazing birth story, I cry every time I read it.

  • Kadi Mahoney

    February 13, 2013 at 5:39 pm Reply

    Thank you for sharing such a beautiful story. I really enjoy reading all different stories about homebirths especially since I tried my hardest with my third to have a natural birth but she just did not want to come so C-section it was for her.

  • Tracy

    February 13, 2013 at 5:51 pm Reply

    My son Nathaniel (baby #4) was also born at home, unexpectedly and unassisted. He was 5 weeks early but everything turned out fine and he is happy and healthy 4 year old. Currently expecting #5 and this time I hope I at least can wake the hubby before baby comes 🙂

  • Megan Casey

    February 13, 2013 at 5:58 pm Reply

    wow i thought my delivery was quick at 45 mins, 15, 5, and for my last one about 1 min. But none o those include the contraction phases just delivery
    AWESOME story, I bet Daddy had his tummy in his throat the whole trip.

  • Renea Pike

    February 13, 2013 at 6:02 pm Reply

    Amazing. I think the part that really got me is that your daughter delivered the baby. What an amazing, awesome experience to have at such a young age! Congrats!

  • Jenny

    February 13, 2013 at 7:15 pm Reply

    What a most wonderful birth, and absolutely love the photo of the baby self attaching. How long did it take for baby to do that? Love to you all, Jenny Home ED mum with one at Uni now, and a BfN Breastfeeding Supporter in the UK. x. (Hence the self attaching question 🙂

  • Jennifer McC

    February 13, 2013 at 7:47 pm Reply

    Absolutely amazing! Your story had me in tears. Finley is adorable and will love being able to read his birth story some day.

  • Guatejen

    February 13, 2013 at 8:29 pm Reply

    Totally jealous right now… My labors were 3.5 and 2.5 hours each, but incredibly painful. Hoping baby #3 arrives like this one did… 🙂

  • Val

    February 13, 2013 at 8:51 pm Reply

    That is so neat! My 6th was fast too. Midwife told mom I had another 3 hrs to go. Mom went quickly home to turn off pool pump. After sge left, my water broke, baby was born 2 pushes later. Mom got back and said what???? She couldn’t believe baby came when she was gone for just 20 minutes!

  • Stephanie

    February 13, 2013 at 10:51 pm Reply

    What an incredible story! What a beautiful new son. And love the nursing pic. Man, I miss those days. (My youngest, of 4, is 7.5, sniffles.)

  • Sommer

    February 14, 2013 at 12:50 am Reply

    This is awesome, I bet Dad was in a hurry to get home when he saw the pic of baby Finley! It is wonderful you had such a short, easy labor and birth. I think every mom would love to have a story like yours 🙂 Congratulations!

  • Lisa Marie

    February 14, 2013 at 10:30 am Reply

    Amazing. 🙂 I saw your text posted on FB and had to pop by. I all but laughed hysterically at your story when I realized that he was born on Jan 17th. 🙂 My super fast birth was the same day in 2006. 🙂

    Not quite THAT fast. But 1 hour. Baby was born in the front hallway delivered by hubby.
    I’m expecting #4 now and we wonder how fast this one will be. (After my #3 was also a speedy unassisted birth too! lol).

    3 cheers for crazy birth stories. 😀

    Amazing to have such a brave and calm daughter. And I love the “daddy jumped over the front of the van!” hehe. 🙂 Beautiful story and congratulations on a safe delivery and birth. <3

  • Janelle

    February 14, 2013 at 2:03 pm Reply

    Congratulations! My 6th was also that fast – a 10lb baby in 30 minutes of labor & 3 pushes/minutes. I also believe his birth was SO covered by God’s providence. He was born this past Christmas morning.

  • Rebekah

    February 14, 2013 at 4:51 pm Reply

    Huge congratulations! My first 2 babies were long labors – 48 and 24 hours respectively. My 3rd baby? We prayed hard for a short labor. I was driving about 4 hours before 3rd baby was born! Such a huge blessing! Thanks so much for sharing!

  • Nicole

    February 14, 2013 at 7:49 pm Reply

    I have read and reread this story several times! It is so amazing!!! Congrats to Autumn and her lovely family! Thank you for sharing wonderful stories like these! I have had 2 natural hospital births and my 3rd was just at an hour of contractions and labor- I was in the tub at home and so tempted to just have my sweet little baby at home (I clearly remember the ‘growl” that made my husband order me into the car! 🙂 ) …It really makes me long for one more try for a home birth!

  • Abigail

    February 14, 2013 at 9:56 pm Reply

    I had a 17 minute labor with my 7th with no preceding contractions. Didn’t want to do that again. My next two were a bit longer. By the last one I had it figured to the point where when the midwife said,”Your at 6″, I said,”You want to see me go to 10″ and I did, in one contraction, by doing something with my muscles. Of course, once I had it all figured out, I went into menopause.

  • Homeschool on the Croft

    February 15, 2013 at 9:31 am Reply

    So wonderful! I’ve had four babies – first was okay (for a first!); second was 20 mins and was *intense*; 3rd – ‘popped’ out with my first and only push – yes, I was shocked! 4th one came with one (slight) push, and there you go, there he was!

    So, I have had two of these ‘arrivals’! (Sadly, I was ill after my 4th and can’t have more…. i really wanted to ‘pop’ out some more 😉

  • Megan

    February 15, 2013 at 1:38 pm Reply

    What a great story! Mine was very similar. Delivered at home quite unexpectedly one night. Thought i was constipated and then out he came. Main difference was mine was only 27 weeks, instead of being full term. So glad Finley’s birth went so well considering how surprising it was and that you have a healthy baby boy!

  • Julie

    February 17, 2013 at 9:19 am Reply

    Thank you for posting this! I am going to bookmark this page, in case I am ever pregnant again. My last 5 births were NOT fast, either. All were attended by midwives, the middle two at the birth center, the last two at home. The last one was downright hard. One reason I fear having another baby, is that I fear the birth itself. Your birth story is something I can hang my hopes on. What a beautiful family and what wonderful (I assume home schooled) children you have. Thanks again!

  • Cait

    February 22, 2013 at 8:21 pm Reply

    What a beautiful story! So much fun to hear about! God has truly blessed you with your children and with an amazing birth. Congratulations! (And I only have one baby so far, but know several women with upwards of 5 children, and they each say that number six and on they felt significantly worse in recovery, compared to number 2, 3, and 4. It was nice to get some advice from them since we hope to have a large family too!)

  • Aimee

    March 7, 2013 at 11:10 am Reply

    I love it! I saw the text posted on FB a week or so ago, and showed it to my husband. We joked that for our next baby, that’s probably what will happen. My last two babies (#2 & #3), were very fast deliveries, the last being 1hr 15 min total, surprise unassisted. What a fabulous story! And how cool for your oldest daughter! 😀

  • Amanda

    March 7, 2013 at 12:11 pm Reply

    WOW! And I love the text conversation! Ha ha, what an awesome story to share! I kind of hope my birth goes like that, but it’d be great if my hubby were here at least. That’s pretty cool that your daughter helped you deliver him. What a story she will have to tell, and what a bond they will share 🙂 Awesome 😀

  • Tara Orr

    May 19, 2013 at 8:05 pm Reply

    Awesome job mama! Beautiful! I am expecting my 5th child in October and planning a UC but have hired a lay MW for anything I *may* need her for if I decide to call her in labor. If you ever have time I would love some tips and inspiration …. You can email me anytime 🙂

  • Betsy

    May 22, 2013 at 4:52 pm Reply

    Omg, I literally laughed when I read your husbands reply…”what?” Oh God is so good and you!, you are a rockstar! I pray my second labor is quicker than the first, but not quite that quick….

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