In retrospect, I wish I could somehow separate the normal euphoria of
birth, from the overwhelming sense of pride in a birth that was done
on my own with just the support of my husband. But the emotions are
inextricably tied together and the birth just seems exactly, rightly,
so…So, let me just say this, when I was preparing for the birth I
visualized my perfect birth plan, but reality was much, much, much better.

And this is the story:

At 12:30 am on June 29 (23 days past my due date) I
heard a POP! Then a gurgle and then a SPLASH and water poured out from
between my legs! I half yelled “Kevin my water broke!” (Quiet, don?t
wake the kiddos) He looked at me HUH? And then jumped out of bed and
ran into the kitchen or ‘the birthing room’ as we imagined it and started
moving the table and chairs out to make room for the pool. I, meanwhile,
am floundering on the bed with torrents of water gushing out of me.
And you know what I’m thinking? I’m remembering that I am on the mattress
WITHOUT a mattress pad. Kevin finally comes to the room and sticks his
head in to see if I need anything? Yes, a towel would be nice.
While he sets up the birth pool I stand in the bathtub
for a few minutes, then I sit on the toilet and have the first contraction,
then two more about 2 minutes apart, then a doozy that makes me think
that the bathmat looks really comfortable. So the next time Kevin sticks
his head in the door I am lying on the bathroom floor. I decide soon
after that contraction that in actuality the bathmat is a very uncomfortable
place, so I head into the kitchen.
I announce that I am really hungry, but Kevin talks me
into a glass of water and we chat for a minute about what a crazy feeling
that was to have my water break like that out of nowhere! Then I got
into the birth pool. It was full about a quarter of the way and I told
Kevin to stop filling because I wanted to be able to add warm water
as it cooled and I was sure my labor was going to be many more hours.

I sat in the water through about 8 contractions that
were fairly easy. Then I thought I was going to throw up, but assured
Kevin that the desire to hurl cookies was completely normal. He gave
me a pot. I allowed this sign of impending transition to pass without
notice because I was so sure that I still had hours left. I had a couple
more contractions that I vocalized through. Kind of like a moose singing:
OOOOOOHHOOOOOWOOOOWOOOH like that. Kevin asked if I should get out of
the pool and move about a bit which seemed like a good idea.

I made it into a chair that was right by the pool in
time for 2 contractions on top of each other that got me really howling.
Kevin wiped off my face because it was incredibly hot in that kitchen
what with the giant pool of really hot water and all the windows being
closed (we live in a 750 square foot apartment with neighbors all around
and it was the middle of summer.) I asked for something to drink and
experienced the laboring phenomena I had heard of, where you are holding
a cup and you can’t get it to your mouth. I’m staring at it and can
not bring it closer! I want to drink, but my arm will not cooperate!
I now realize why bendy straws are included in every birth kit, unfortunately
there was no time to get one out of the box.

I asked Kevin to set up a nest by the couch, still determined
to move around to help the baby come, without realizing the birth was
imminent! While he was arranging things I had a couple of massive contractions,
and then he helped me to the living room ‘birth annex’. We paused for
another doozy of a contraction, and I’m beginning to think that I don’t
have the capability to withstand much more of this, but am still sure
that I have 2 more hours at least?

I sit on my knees by the couch and have a contraction
that lifts my body into the air and feels almost like I’m pushing! My
litany of phrases during the contraction totally changed from the moose
like stuff from before to Oh no Oh NO Oh NO and then Oh oh oh oh oh
and stuff like that. I have 2 of those before we decide to go back to
the pool.

Just in time for another one, Oh no Oh no Oh no I am
facing the birth pool wall on my knees and lifting up with the contractions.
There is a pause. Then another contraction in which I am totally bearing
down. Unmistakably. As soon as that contraction stops I tell Kevin that
I’m pushing. I don’t know if this was news to him or not, but he got
into the pool [which is impressive considering that there is...um...poop
in there]. The next contraction I put my fingers inside myself to check
and I feel a little lump which is decidedly foreign, could it be head?
I tell Kevin the baby is coming! Another contraction and then Kevin
tells me that he can feel the head too. The next contraction I start
to feel the ring of fire, so I add that to my litany too, oh no oh no
oh o and then owy ow ow it burns oh ow oh no, like that. Another one
and more of the head and then HEAD! Kevin announces it, but I already
knew. I ask which way it’s facing (for some reason this late in the
game I still need to know the babies position.) Kevin says its facing
him. I feel Relief. I tell Kevin not to worry, this is the lull, and
during the next contraction the shoulders will come. But there was one
more with no change, and then I said, “don’t pull!” and Kevin said,
“I’m not pulling!” so I knew that the baby was turning and VOILA! I
felt a little body squirm around inside of me and then with a push,
out slid Gwyneth. Kevin caught and then I turned around and he put her
right into my lap, pale and still for about a second and then a little
cough splutter and then a hearty cry! Yes!

It was 3:00 am.

We decided we best get out of the pool which quickly
became less miracle water and more of a cess pool as the minutes passed.
We were exhilarated and goofy psyched with giant smiles on our faces.
I moved over to the couch nest in the ‘birth annex’ and when Kevin went
to the bedroom to get more blankets for Gwyneth he saw my eldest daughter
Isobel sitting up in bed. She claims to have heard the baby crying.
(I want to remind you that our apartment is 750 square feet and neither
daughter heard me carrying on! What is up with that?)

Isobel came to pay her respects first, then went back
to wake up Fiona, they all gathered around in time for me to expel the
placenta with a lovely plooping sound. Kevin tied the cord with 3 pieces
of braided embroidery thread, so that Gwyneth’s stump looked all festive
like a little party and then we cut the cord (about 45 minutes after
the birth). She had remained gurgly for a little while, but once the
placenta was out I put her feet a bit higher than her head, and after
about a minute she sneezed out a bunch of snotty stuff and that was
that.

We all shared a big breakfast and then went to our bed
which was now a little less roomy with our new addition and fell into
a well deserved sleep.