The Birth Survey Booby Traps

Homebirth Stories
Skyler's Birth

labor and childbirth

August 1993, It took about four months, but we were finaly pregnant with our first child together! It was my second and my husband's fourth! (This was also the first time we had planned for a child.) We had decided to go with a midwife and a home birth for a few reasons: 1) our insurance was terrible on maternity coverage 2)I had wanted a natural birth with my first (Wesley James), but was coaxed into medication in the hospital. I knew at home there would be no access to medication.

My first visit with Jennifer (midwife) was fun, but I wasn't sure if we'd be as close as I knew I had to be to trust her. Every visit got better and I found myself staying for hours when it should have only been thirty minute visits. We always ended our sessions with a hug.

April 13, 1994; After a few false labor experiences, the time had come (and one day early too)! It was 6am and my alarm still hadn't gone off for work yet. I felt as though something from the night before had caught up with me so I went to the restroom. With some success, I laid back down for awhile and found that I was still hurting so I decided to time them. At 7am I woke up my husband and told him it was probably time (for the umptenth time) My pains were coming about 10 minutes apart at this time.

I decided work was not possible at the moment so my husband and I drove my son, Wesley, to school. We stopped at some friends house around 8:30am for a short visit. Tommy and I arrived back home about 9:15am and I was still feeling good with the contractions. Tommy called Jennifer at 10am when we agreed this was the day. Jennifer said to call her back when the contractions were 5minutes apart and or I felt I needed her. As soon as we hung up, I had a whopper! Jennifer was called right back!

Jennifer arrived around 11:15am and her assistant, Marnie, was on her way. Earlier that week, Tommy had rented the movie "Twins" for me and I had yet to watch it. So Jennifer, Tommy and I sat down to watch "Twins". I was not sitting by the end! Jennifer checked me at 1pm and I was 6cm, this was the first pelvic exam in labor. Shortly after my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, two friends, one friend's child and my two step children were all in our house.

I ate some crackers around 2:30pm for energy and threw them up soon after. I decided to walk around and then sat in the sun on our porch. I had a chain of people were ever I went, it was comforting though! I was easily able to tune things out. At 3:50pm, Wesley was now home from school and I was draped over the end of my bed (on my knees). Wesley was very concerned, but I was able to talk to him (some!) between contractions to soothe him. Jennifer checked me again at 4:15pm and I was at 8cm going on 9cm! Through this I found that squeezing a washrag in one hand and relaxing the rest of my body with contractions made it bareable. It was really weird, but great that I had some how found a way to channel all the pain and tension into that one hand!

Its 4:55pm and I'm finally dilated and ready to push. I still feel comfortable in the squatting position to push. Jennifer shows Tommy how to stretch the pernium area to help fan the muscles over the crowning head. Half way throughg the pushing Jennifer says to push as hard as I can because the baby's heartbeat was dropping. She would not give me an episotomy. I felt as though I was splitting up the middle every time I pushed. The baby's head is born, the umbilical cord is around the neck twice and the face is "black/blue"! Tommy was catching the baby and was horrified at this point.

Jennifer unwraps the cord and two more pushes, Its a BOY!(5:15pm) Skylar had his eyes open, but was still black faced and gulping at air. Jennifer gets her oxygen tank....EMPTY! Theres a leak! I am not fully aware of things because everyones quite and Marnie is helping me with the placenta. I hear the ambulance nearing our house and turn to see Skylar's face. All I could do was rub his chest and tell him "Mommy is here, hold on". We luckily had a fire station down at the end of our street. Skylar was given oxygen and checked. He pinked up immediatly and was screaming! Yeah!

Jennifer checked me out and then made an herbal bath. Skylar and I bathed together and he loved the warm water. I only had "skid" marks which to me hurt worse than an episotomy. Skylar was weighed at 9lbs 1oz and 20in long! (Wesley was 8lbs 13oz and 22in.) Tommy wouldn't hold Skylar for almost 5hrs from shock of his birth, but soon came around. 7:30pm, Jennifer and Marnie left and Jennifer would return in the morning. Skylar slept on our chests' that night, when there was sleep. I had problems with a with a hospital and a home birth, but received wonderful gifts! I am now in my third trimester with my third child (Tommy and I's second child together). I have decided to go to the hospital this time and plan to have my first epidural (planning to have a tubal ligation after the birth). I have also been called back for more tests on "possible" gestational diabetes. Wish me luck and prayers. Its true when they say no two pregnancies or births are alike. I'll write in September with the trilogy--hoping for a girl!

Shannon Harris

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