This is the story about how my sweet baby girl came into this world. Besides my son being born, this was the most tender moment of my life. I've never experienced such strong loving emotions of admiration, enchantment, gratitude, love and peace. I'm so happy that the day has finally came to be able to write this story.
A little background first
With my son I planned an all natural birth at the hospital. I managed to have him without pain management like I wanted, but it didn't come easily or peacefully. Being at the hospital gave me too much unnecessary stress and harassment from doctors who wanted things done their way, not mine. In the end I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, we were both completely fine and healthy and that's all that really mattered. When I found out I was pregnant again I knew I wanted to do things differently. I had a new found confidence in myself after having my son. I was involved in an online baby wearing group and an attachment parenting group. I noticed people talk of home birth every once and a while and the thought intrigued me. So I started asking questions and doing research. Eventually I was introduced to my local home birthing group, and I couldn't have been more grateful! Everyone was so sweet and helpful and I knew this was what I wanted. Zach was on board with the idea which made me ecstatic. This was exactly what I wanted! Throughout my pregnancy I delt with a few concerns which had nothing to do with me or my baby, but my midwife; so I ended up switching to a different birth team towards the end of my pregnancy. A couple of awesome ladies in my home birthing group helped me to make that decision and guided me to finding my new team. I am so thankful I did. My midwife and her team were absolutely wonderful. They were everything I hoped for and more!
Azalea coming into the world :)
Thursday night (May 22) I started having what I assumed were Braxton Hicks. They were coming around every half an hour or so but weren't strong or consistent. They were definitely tightening my stomach and making me uncomfortable, but I didn't really think much of them. I was able to go about my normal routine without any difficulty.
Friday morning (May 23) they hadn't gone away and some were happening closer together. I told Zach we needed to get any last minute laundry and cleaning done incase these "Braxton Hicks" turned into the real deal. But I still assumed they were only nothing and would go away before long. My estimated due date was 4 days away and I always thought I would go past my due date. This was just my body preparing me, I thought.
I soon realized that they weren't stopping or slowing down, but they were very sporadic. I started keeping track of them on a contraction tracker app. Even though I decided to go ahead and keep track of these contractions I kept dismissing them as real and thought for sure I was having false labor. I was able to do things around the house and go about my day while have contractions every 15 minutes or so. I thought there was no way these were real, sure they were uncomfortable, sometimes I had to breathed through them, but I was able to go on with what I was doing, and I was able to talk through them.
I turned to Dr Google to help me determine if I should be expecting the real deal or not. It told me "if you are having any of the following, you may be in true labor. Contractions every 10 minutes or more than five contractions in an hour"
I checked my contraction app and realized I was starting to have around 5 an hour. But I was still in denial that these were the real deal. 'These are such a peice of cake' I thought, 'labor would probably come soon, in the next couple days.' I told myself. Again, complete denial.
Through out all of this I was talking to my good friend and doula Tammie. I wanted to keep her updated about my "false labor". She kept telling me she thought it was the real deal. I kept telling her there was no way. They were so easy!
But, as the day went on I started to have to stop and breath through the contractions. I still thought it had to be false labor, but they were definitely getting more uncomfortable. Zach had me take a nap, but I couldn't sleep and the contractions kept coming, and some were getting closer together. I finally thought that maybe, just maybe this was real. I started listening to my hypnobirthing music and getting my mind ready for birth. I kept Tammie posted. I talked to her throughout everything and she gave me so much encouragement. My husband wasn't really able to give me all his support at the time. He was taking care of our son and getting the house and birth pool ready. So it was so awesome to have her to talk to. At this point in the late afternoon I just tried to rest and focus on my hypnobirthing music. Since contractions weren't hard for me I figured I had a lot longer to go, maybe even days. I knew I had a lot more work ahead of me and that I was going to need a lot of strength and energy, so I tried to rest and focus. A few hours later I went to the bathroom and noticed some pinkish brown in the toilet. Then when I went to wipe I had mucousy blood in my toilet paper. Luckily a few of my friends love all things birth because I sent both Tammie and Kasondra a picture of it for their opinion. They both told me it indicated cervical change for sure, and that it was my plug, or part of it. Well it was my plug, I lost it around 9:30pm.
Through out all of this I was talking to my good friend and doula Tammie. I wanted to keep her updated about my "false labor". She kept telling me she thought it was the real deal. I kept telling her there was no way. They were so easy!
But, as the day went on I started to have to stop and breath through the contractions. I still thought it had to be false labor, but they were definitely getting more uncomfortable. Zach had me take a nap, but I couldn't sleep and the contractions kept coming, and some were getting closer together. I finally thought that maybe, just maybe this was real. I started listening to my hypnobirthing music and getting my mind ready for birth. I kept Tammie posted. I talked to her throughout everything and she gave me so much encouragement. My husband wasn't really able to give me all his support at the time. He was taking care of our son and getting the house and birth pool ready. So it was so awesome to have her to talk to. At this point in the late afternoon I just tried to rest and focus on my hypnobirthing music. Since contractions weren't hard for me I figured I had a lot longer to go, maybe even days. I knew I had a lot more work ahead of me and that I was going to need a lot of strength and energy, so I tried to rest and focus. A few hours later I went to the bathroom and noticed some pinkish brown in the toilet. Then when I went to wipe I had mucousy blood in my toilet paper. Luckily a few of my friends love all things birth because I sent both Tammie and Kasondra a picture of it for their opinion. They both told me it indicated cervical change for sure, and that it was my plug, or part of it. Well it was my plug, I lost it around 9:30pm.
That's when I finally decided to call my midwife who told me that was a great sign and that things would probably pick up later that night. She told me to call her when my contractions started getting stronger, an/or lasting longer than 45seconds.
I started feeling excited that I was actually going to meet my baby soon! I tried to go to sleep for the night around 10:30, but I didn't sleep, I just rested and listen to my hypnobirthing music. Meanwhile, Zach was with our son getting him to sleep. He finished up some last minute things and then went to sleep. I wanted him to be well rested for when I truly needed him. Contractions were still coming but weren't consistent so I figured I had a long ways to go still.
Throughout the night I started to have to go deep within myself during the contractions. Around 1:30am the contractions started getting much stronger... I finally knew I for sure was in "real" labor. I called my midwife Tuesday around 2am to update her, little did I know she and Leah (midwife partner) were at another birth! So she had her apprentice Michelle to come over and check on me. She came around 3am and checked me, I was about 5cm dilated.
Throughout the night I started to have to go deep within myself during the contractions. Around 1:30am the contractions started getting much stronger... I finally knew I for sure was in "real" labor. I called my midwife Tuesday around 2am to update her, little did I know she and Leah (midwife partner) were at another birth! So she had her apprentice Michelle to come over and check on me. She came around 3am and checked me, I was about 5cm dilated.
She started prepping for the birth while Zach filled the birth pool. I walked into the kitchen to help her find a bowl for the placenta and suddenly felt a gush. "uh I think my water broke!" I said, standing there sort of shocked. My water broke around 3:30 am. Around 3:45/4am I finally got in the birth pool.
It was instant relief! The water felt absolutely amazing and I was getting through each contraction so easily. I surrender myself to each surge, never tensing up my body because I knew that would only make it worse, I relaxed my muscles and just let go and let the surge take over my body. I went deep within myself, totally calm and relaxed, just like I'd practice with my hypnobirthing. Since they weren't hard to get through I still figured I had much longer to go..... I was wrong. Very wrong! Brady had woken up from all the commotion and Zach was in his room trying to get him back to sleep, and Suddenly out of nowhere after having what I thought was a mild contraction.. I had another one but this one made me loud for the first time ever throughout my whole labor. I lowered my head and moved to a froggy like position in the pool as I began making these very uncontrollable, loud, guttural sounds. I didn't say anything but in my mind I was thinking "where is Zach!? He better not miss this!" Then another contraction and It was like an animal like behavior that came over me, and took over my body. I pushed as hard as I could with the sound and I could literally feel the baby’s head moving into the birth canal, then then moving down which was amazing yet overwhelming. I suddenly felt the "ring of fire" and couldn't believe my baby was already about to come out! I continued my loud noises and suddenly Zach hopped into the pool to support me as I got a strong urge to push. He held me and whispered affirmations in my ear, I was so happy he was there. I had more urges to push and no one had to coach me or tell me to push. Everything was instinctual and on my own. My midwife helped quide her head out because the baby had a hand by her face and she didn't want it to flail out and make me tear, but I pulled her out the rest of the way and brought her to my chest. She was born at 5:58am. It was amazing. I was overjoyed with emotion as I brought her to my chest. I couldn't believe that it was over, that I did it. I kissed my baby over and over.
Zach and I were on such a birth high just looking at our baby in awe, then after a few minutes Zach pointed out that we didn't check the gender. I looked down and cried "it's a girl!" then I said it over and over, with happy teary eyes. About 10 or 15 mins later a mild contraction started again, the cord had stop pulsing and the placenta had separated.
Soon after I had another mild contraction and birthed the placenta out. Zach cut her cord.
Once the placenta was out, I finally felt complete relief.
Soon after I had another mild contraction and birthed the placenta out. Zach cut her cord.
Once the placenta was out, I finally felt complete relief.
I nursed her right away and she immediately took to the breast. Once I was finally in bed with just Azalea and Zach I kept looking at her in awe, thinking to myself.. "wow, that was so much easier than I thought!" Our society always makes birth out to be this painful traumatic event, but it's really far from that. If you give the mother complete control, birth is a wonderful, joyful experience. I was filled with so much love endorphins and felt so happy, I was on this insane high vibration of triumph and love. My midwifes were great, they were aware and checked the babies heart rate throughout the labor, but other than that they left me to do what I needed to do. It was so much more peaceful than a hospital as my team did not feel the need to speed up or micromanage my labor and birth. I felt free to take my time, and move and labor how I felt was best. I had all control of my labor and birth, and it was amazing.
I'm so glad I chose to use hypnobirthing and truly surrender myself to body and my baby. It definitely allowed me to birth my baby without fear. But with determination, because birth is normal and natural. Being in my own home away from any intervention was amazing. I had the perfect peaceful setting with my affirmations hung on the wall next to my birthing pool, low lighting, meditation music and calming essential oils diffusing while in labor. The setting was perfect and allowed me to to really go deep within myself and have zero stress. I didn't have to worry about being checked or being threatened with interventions. Everything was calm, peaceful and perfect.
Azalea Sky Powell
Born May 24, 2014 at 5:58am
6lbs 19inches
