On December 19, after 12 hours of labor and 4 rough hours of that was pushing, I finally gave birth in our 28 foot long RV home. Our third and last child!
I had intended to birth him in the inflatable tub we purchased and set up. Even though it was full of warm water and beckoning for me to have another water birth, I couldn’t bring myself to get off the toilet while pushing. So, with my husband leaning in to provide me with a verbal support and a literal foundation to hold onto, my midwife reached in just in time to catch our beautiful baby boy.
He is our first boy boy and we named Cedar James. Cedar was 7 lbs. 3 oz., 21 inches long, and 100% perfection.
Giving birth in our RV was actually pretty amazing, because I never had far to go for anything. My photographer caught this perfect image right as I brought my son to my chest screaming, “I did it!” Over and over again after doubting my own abilities.
Every time I look at this picture, I am reduced to tears from remembering every single thing I was thinking and feeling in that moment. It is a very powerful an accurate representation of the extremely difficult different polarities I was experience in that moment. Doubt, courage, shock, belief, warrior mama, helpless little girl, birthing goddess. And above all, it shows all the love I was feeling for that little boy in my arms.
Image: Kristi Williams Photography
2 Comments
Oscar
Congratulations to you, your husband, Cedar and your two other little ones. That is awesome that you were able to do this. Great capture too!
Molly
Congratulations on your first boy! I’m 33 wks with my second baby and my family and I live in a 31ft RV. I have insisted I can’t birth in it because there is no place for a birthing tub. Where did you manage to put yours?! I want so badly to just stay home but I also want a water birth.