Two days before our daughter was born I went through sweet cravings, which was something I tried not to indulge on throughout my pregnancy...however...they grew so intense I gave in the night before she was born, eating ice cream and whatever else I could get my hands on.
Sunday evening I started experiencing cramps and slowly but surely, every 10 minutes small, light contractions came, until about 2:30 pm Monday afternoon, where they suddenly started coming every 3-5 minutes and were back-to back, very strong.
I used the Mongan Method for hypno-birthing for my labor, using the slow breathing techniques and visualizations. It made the contractions very easy to deal with and subsided any fears I might have had as a first time mother.
At 5:30 pm we checked in to our birthing center and I was already 6 centimeters dilated. For the next hour or so I laid in the birthing tub, with soft music and just let my body 'do it's thing'.
The water made the pressure significantly less powerful. I pushed for about 1 hour, in the tub, with my midwife and her assistant guiding me, but not 'forcing' me to do anything. Their prompts for pushing were a chant of 'keep it coming' and praise and not 'push push push' like many doctors in hospitals state.
They kept me well informed of my progress and encouraged me to touch her head as she came further and further down, which was exciting and changed the focus, making the pushing phase positive.
But it wasn't all perfect ;)
As my pushing approached the 'end', I had a hard time with the size of the tub and staying 'a float'. At one point, water was up to my eyes and i was literally pushing under the water...lol...which was not making my midwives very happy...but I kept reassuring them that I was fine. Which, I was. Oddly, it was somehow more relaxing that way.
A few more pushes and our baby was born gently at 8:08pm, in the water, being placed on my bare chest after, where she lay until it was time to cut the cord and birth the placenta. We then passed her to her father so I could get out of the tub (it was pretty cold at that point) and then she was placed back on my chest as I lay in bed and began breastfeeding her soon after.
My first thought after seeing Pella's face was how much she looked like her father.
My first words after giving birth was to the midwife where I told her, "That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." and she laughed, looking at me like I was crazy.
My only sight of my husband was as Pella crowned and I saw him sitting backwards on the bed, trying to hide his eyes. ;)
Hypno-birthing is amazing...
Our birth was easy and uncomplicated. I did not use any medications or interventions and my body remained intact, allowing me to focus on being with my new baby and not 'drugged up' or in further discomfort.
Pella weighed in at 7lbs 4oz, measuring 20 inches long.
