My Hospital Home Birth

To begin a birth story is to try to start a story from the beginning of time. So many emotions, occurrences, moments of doubt, and moments of pure overloaded joy.

My firstborn had turned two. My very well-calculated Virgo of a husband thought adding to the family at this point was best, so the Libra in me went with the flow. Best to not push the sometimes stubborn Virgo, so my move was just as calculated as his. Within a short amount of time, my body was yet again home to a precious being.

His estimated arrival date was November 2, 2010, yet another November baby for me and that was perfectly fine. I don’t get caught up in “picking” when my kids will be born, nor do I try and play mad scientist to “try for” a certain gender. You get what you get. Like our first, we never wanted to know this one’s sex. Knowing we had a healthy baby was good enough.

This gestation was “uneventful” in the medical sense. Baby was maturing in utero quite well, an active soul with a strong and galloping heart rate. I quite enjoyed all my pregnancies. I felt stronger, healthier, and more beautiful. My body was in charge of so much more than I could ever create with my own hands.

I awed at every wiggle, squirm, and hiccup I could see from the outside. I cherished my round belly, my expanding waistline, and “curvier” face. I envisioned the fun we would have if this baby was a girl and the same went for a boy. I couldn’t believe we would be a family of four!!

Spring turned into summer, and soon fall was upon us. We picked our pumpkins for the last time as a family of three, of course including one for the baby to be. October neared it’s end and the weather turned hot like summer! On October 27, I had my husband snap a picture of me, ratty comfy clothes on and overstuffed belly resting on my pasty white legs. I just didn’t want the next week to pass and forget to get a final pregnancy pic. I’m so glad we did this! We went to bed that night not knowing our bundle would be with us the next day.

Early in the morning, this person woke me to let me know that they weren’t waiting any longer to get better acquainted. After laboring by myself for four hours, I woke my husband, told him he wasn’t going into work, and I called my mother who was at the ready to come and care for our two year old son. Upon her speedy arrival, it was time to go.

Our plan was to birth at our local community hospital. A place I felt comfortable laboring and bringing our baby earthside at. The nurse in me was able to relax more knowing emergency equipment was available even though the likelihood of needing it was rare. As I waddled to the car pausing for a contraction with my trusty sidekick of a husband at my side, my emotions surfaced.

I was excited to become a mother again. I was also torn up looking back at the face of my son who was crying and telling me “I miss you mommy” and my mother who held that little boy tight and prayed that I would remain healthy and safe as well as our unborn child. I allowed myself to cry once we were out of sight. I released my emotions and felt my body relax and take over. I surrendered to birth.

Our L&D admission was routine and uninvasive. My nurses, husband, and I got friendly quickly (maybe it was the Halloween candy I packed for them) and off on the right foot. They were tender and supportive and per my wishes, gave my husband and I time alone in our room so we could bond, labor, and relax better. I moved around lots, rocked in a chair, drank lots of water, and then I transitioned. I wanted back in bed quickly. That’s where I felt most comfortable.

Soon enough, the waves were coming one right after another. I was out to sea and unable to get back on my surfboard. My breathing got a bit unruly and the nurses pulled the room together lickity split because they are skilled and knew this baby was coming fast. I was on my side trying to regain a rhythm when that baby was suddenly so far down in my pelvis I thought I was going to poop the biggest poo ever.

See, I had an epidural and a 36 hour labor with my first, so this rapid and anesthesia-free birth was blowing my mind. I told the nurses and OB I was ready to push and holy crap was I ever. Within 5 minutes my husband announced to me that we had another son. 9 pounds and 21 inches, he was black and blue from being born so rapidly. He cried, and I nursed him immediately.

Besides normal birth excitement, my joyful nurses told me that he was born “en caul”. He was born with the amniotic sac still covering his body and face. This is incredibly rare and means that these folks are blessed with an extra sense of sorts. Regardless, he is special indeed. And complicated. He’s deep, and pushes me to be the best mom I can. He’s the first Scorpio in our entire family. I’m intrigued by him, enamored with him, confused by him, and he makes me work the hardest to prove myself. He is the “blessed” one, yet it is me who feels like the luckiest mother on earth. He gave me the gift of a beautiful hospital home birth, just as I hoped and wished for.

 {submitted by Lindsay Miller RN-BSN}