My Life

Thanks everyone!! If I really stop and think about it...it's really breathtaking to think about!

I usually don't share details of birth stories here but this time, I am going to share MY story. :)

Our client got to the center around 5:00pm. She was laboring really well and handling the contractions wonderfully!! Since it was our first birth there a lot of what we did was a trial run of where we would put things (where to put a chair to make room for the birth pool, etc.). We got busy getting the room ready and making sure our client was comfortable.

Then we waited.

She made excellent progress throughout the night. For several hours she was stuck at 8cm (which was explained when the baby came out...keep reading...) and labored pretty hard. She had quite a group of family with her that was excellent support for her!!! Around 3:00am Tiffany, Kerrie and I went to rest in another room. Our client was resting in the birth room and family was sleeping as well.

After a while she needed some more support and things were starting to change again for her. It wasn't too much longer that she was ready to push! We got her on the birth chair and I sat on her right side, holding her hand. Tiffany was checking her then got up, handed me the olive oil (for those who are going, "Whaaaaaaaaat?"...it's for helping soften the perineum), and said, "Ok Heather...here you go."

We have been talking for quite a while now about me starting to catch. But every time we've planned for me to do it, something has come up that required her to go ahead and do it. Not emergencies, just little things. We had one Mom who was laboring really well, let out one little noise, Tiffany went to check her, and the head was out. Another was sitting on the toilet, was holding on to me for support and I didn't have sterile gloves on. So stuff like that. So I've been ready...I just didn't expect it for this birth. Afterall it was the first birth at the birth center that she's worked SO hard at putting together! I even sat there and said, "No! You get to catch the first birth center baby!!" But she insisted and I moved over.

Our client was bringing her baby down really well and pushed for about 20 minutes. It was so neat feeling the baby's head move down as she pushed! I do remember that with Matthew some (for those who don't know....he was an unassisted home birth. I checked myself to see where he was and how much progress I was making. I caught his head, checked for the cord, and Kevan caught him) but it was really amazing to feel the process/progress in someone else! I would help soften her perineum a bit with the oil (when our clients are in the water...the water helps to do that) and check the baby's progress.

After a few minutes the baby's head came into view. :) And not much longer after that, the top of her little head was in my hand. Instinctively I felt like I needed to put my hand on her perineum for support as the head was coming out. After the head was out and she was rotating around, I checked for the cord around her neck. When I moved my fingers around to the posterior side (for the directionally challenged....that's the side near Mom's bottom) I felt something and thought, "Wow! That's REALLY chubby for a cord!!" Instead of a cord, she had her hand up by her forehead and forearm against her cheek. THAT is why our client was stuck at 8cm for so long! That chubby little arm up there was keeping her head from being on the cervix just right. And THAT is why I felt that strong sense to help support her perineum. Then I felt the shoulder slide out and then helped ease out the other shoulder. Our client pushed and the rest of the body came out into my hands! :) In one motion I looked at my watch and moved the baby up to her Mama's arms.

I think I was in shock for a while about what just happened and also exhausted. I also felt guilty for taking the first birth center birth away from Tiffany. But both she and Kerrie reassured me that they wanted me to do it and they were glad I got the first birth. So for that, I am very humbled and thankful.

After a while and after everything had a chance to sink in a bit, then I started realizing what had just happened. I know I've had four of my own children before and each of their births were amazing! And seeing your own baby that you've felt moving around in your belly is even more amazing!!!! I think with your own kids after they are born you are more caught up being in love, being stunned that this baby you've been growing and feeling is finally in your arms. You start thinking as a parent. But this was different somehow. I started thinking about how this baby I was so blessed to have caught grew from tiny cells into a little person!!! And that little person who grew from those tiny cells slid into MY hands. I helped that baby make a safe entry into our world. It's just absolutely an overwhelming thing to think about!!!