Sarah's Birth Story
The birth was a very positive and powerful experience.
My water broke at the stroke of midnight on Sunday 8/31. (My birthday is 8/30 so I think the little bug wanted a day to himself.) Things got busy right away...no early labor to watch movies and send emails. I went inside myself pretty quickly and stayed there for the duration.
I don't think I realized that I could go so deep. I used breathing throughout labor and during transition a low moan that I haven't been able to demonstrate since then. I thought that I would use music, massage, and yoga poses, but I relied mostly on breathing, moaning, spiraling, rocking, and hot water.
My doula (Michelle Haskins) arrived at our house at about 5:30 a.m. She was incredible, offering advice on position changes, applying counter pressure, and keeping me hydrated. When my contractions were about two minutes apart (around 8:00 a.m.), we drove to OHSU. I never felt the need to have any medication. I was able to get through the contractions from my faraway place. I began pushing at about noon, and he crowned right away.
We thought that phase would go quickly, but I just didn't progress. After completely exhausting myself with pushing, my midwife suggested a small episiotomy. When I looked at Kelly and my doula for some guidance, they both nodded there heads because they could see how hard I was working with little end. After the episiotomy, he came out after two pushes.
There weren't a lot of surprises during labor and delivery, but I am surprised by the recovery. I am sore in places that I didn't know I could be sore. Needless to say that the episiotomy will take time to heal, and the rest of my body is still regaining strength. I have been using a lot of upper body stretches from prenatal to counter the hunch-over-ness of nursing. I am really looking forward to returning to yoga in a few weeks.
Thank you for all of your support and helping to prepare me for this magic experience. I am sprinkled in baby dust and stuck in a time warp and couldn't be happier.
Many thoughts and lots of love,
Sarah