Ask The Pros
Pregnancy Photos
Pregnancy Calendar
Birth Plans
Birth Stories
Bookstore
Boy or Girl
Cesareans
Chat Room
Complications
Doulas
Educators
Episiotomy
FAQs
Feeding Baby
Fertility
Finding a Class
Health
Interactive
Labor
Message Board
Monitoring
Newborns
Postcards
Postpartum
Pregnancy
Reviews/Awards
Search
VBAC
Week by Week

Kaitlyn's Water Birth

I thought I had been sick with stomach flu for 2 weeks. I was throwing up and I didn't feel like eating at all. I finally called the doctor to ask what I could do to ease the "flu". She asks if I am pregnant. No, I laugh. I go into the doctor anyway and they order an ultrasound. Yep, pregnant. 9 weeks along. My fiancee and I were very shocked. But happy. I always wanted a baby. I knew she was a girl. I picked out her name and bought all kinds of little girl things, even though everyone told me I should stick to unisex stuff. They all though I was nuts.

I was very tired through the whole pregnancy. Always tired. And always up a zillion times a night. That burst of energy and nesting thing- I never got it. All I wanted to do was sleep. When I could. At 39 weeks I was told that I was 3 centimeters dilated. Okay, so that's what all this cramping is doing. I thought labor would start at any minute. My contractions got stronger and closer together but stayed really irregular. Six days of this- contractions continuously waking me every half hour or so- I was getting extremely irritated. I called my midwife. She told me to take a relaxing bath. I took a shower instead and that's when they really hit. I had to have my fiancee help me out of the shower and calm down. I started freaking out. It hurt! Natural childbirth??? But once I got to the birth center the contractions calmed down. I was even able to sleep a little. So my midwife suggested breaking my water. Then I got into the birth tub and the next few hours were kind of a blur. I was in so much pain and swaying in and out of control. Finally I had to push. My midwife gave me the go ahead and I started pushing (along with making a lot of noise). 25 minutes later, Kaitlyn was born weighing 5lbs and 12 oz. - 17 inches long. She was born right on her due date, December 19, 1994. I would have stayed longer in the water with her but I had to get out to deliver the placenta. My fiancee just stood there with a dumb look on his face for the longest time. It was kind of funny.

My daughter is now 3 and the love of my life. She is also the most beautiful child I have ever seen. (I know, all mothers say that. But she really is!!)