Catherine

Catherine Elizabeth’s Birth Story

Written by her mother Osha.

Prior to her arrival I would talk to Catherine about creating this storyline for her birth. Trying to convince her that after a restful night and maybe some breakfast we could then work together to help her come Earthside. Well like all births we can try to create some control but in the end the control needs to be released into God’s Almighty hands and to let go – which is very hard for humans but for me it was truly hard.

I knew I would be pregnant still on my due date. 40 weeks was June 10th. June 10th was the last day of school for the kids. When your due date comes and there is no baby it may create anxiety thinking how far pass my due date will I go before baby comes? How far pass due date before I will have to talk about inducing labor? My anxiety did grab hold of me on June 10th as there were no true signs. Looking back as I sat in my car waiting in the pickup line for Brian and Charlotte I did have a stronger contraction in my lower abdomen and back that caught my attention and the thought of maybe labor was going to start did run through my head but nothing happened after that.

After picking the kids up we drove to the yard sale at church, ate lunch, bought a few things and then headed home. At around 4pm Charlotte fell asleep, Greyson fell asleep and I decided to nap as well. Brian was playing his games. We all slept for a good 2 hours before Dad got home. We ate dinner and then we went to play mini golf together as a family of five.

When we got home we got ready for bed and I fell asleep around 930. I had been having Braxton hicks since like 20 weeks gestation and the last week I had been getting up every 2 hours to empty my bladder at night. So the night of my due date, June 10th, I was doing the same thing – emptying my bladder at 1130 and then again at 130am.

At the 130 time I noticed some waves happening again in the lower front abdomen to the lower back but it almost felt like gas pains. As we know constipation and pregnancy like to go hand in hand. So I was thinking I had to have a bowel movement to relieve some of the pains. But I had no luck. I tried to go back to bed but noticed the waves happening again. I got up around 2am again to the bathroom. At that time Brian (husband) came to check on me as he heard me up. I told me I was unsure if the waves were gas pains or the beginning of labor and to give me a minute to figure my body out. I started to make note the “waves” were happening about 10 minutes apart. So I started to really time them around 230am. At about 315 the “waves” were same in intensity but getting closer together and lasting 30-45 seconds in duration.

I told Brian to call Sandra (midwife). I told her the waves were happening for almost an hour and I wasn’t sure if this was the beginning of labor or not because the intensity was not picking up as I could still talk through them. We agreed I would call in 30 minutes for an update. I did not last 30 minutes. I got through maybe 3 more waves and said out loud to Brian “Nope! These are the real deal we need to call Sandra back.” We told her to come as she had an hour to drive from Lansing and last time she made it to Greyson’s birth within 5 minutes!

I had made a checkoff list for Brian to go through to get the labor/birth supplies around as well as a call list. He called Hanna (doula), Abba (my sister), Emily (his sister), and my mom. I received a text from Sandra her ETA would be 435am. Brian decided to take a quick shower and I went back into the bedroom to work through the waves. I got my diffuser going with lavender and started to play my birth song list. My son, Brian noticed I was awake and came in to check on me. I told him that his baby sister was coming. I was having a contraction and said my lower back was hurting. I got on all fours and then I noticed my daughter, Charlotte had come in the room too.

As I tried to breathe, relax and do all the things to get through the waves – Charlotte told lil B to push on my lower back and so he did. Lil B then told Charlotte to get the signs that we had made earlier that week. He told her and Greyson to hold the signs so I could read them.

Hanna arrived first. I could not tell what my husband was doing as I wanted him to get the tub situated because I knew it was going to take time. I told Hanna that Sandra said she would be here at 435. Hanna talked me through some waves. The waves were again all in my back and I was starting to get a bit frustrated because I had done all the things to make sure Catherine was not posterior. The waves were picking up in intensity and I noticed that I was relaxing my jaw and shoulders but I could tell that I was not relaxing my bottom half.

My mom arrived and so did my sister in law. I am thinking my sister in law kind of took over care for Greyson and Charlotte as lil B was still being involved with comforting me. I asked about my sister and my mom called to make sure she was okay and headed over. My sister arrived. We called everyone around 330 and once everyone showed up besides Sandra and her intern, Leona, I was feeling every ounce of the waves. I started to feel as if I was losing my control. I remember doubting myself. I remember feeling scared. I remember feeling as if I did not want to do this anymore. I remember feeling angry that this was happening so fast again. Just all this negative energy. I kept asking if Sandra was coming and what time it was.

Now writing this I realized time was moving at a snail’s pace. I wanted Sandra because I wanted to have her check my cervix to see if all the hard work I was doing was opening me up. I needed reassurance that baby girl was tolerating labor and I needed her to be there to listen to Catherine’s heartbeat. So back to everyone was there – they were supporting me, talking to me and helping me understand things were happening fast and it would be over soon. The tub was not ready yet and that was making me angry too. I was feeling very nauseous. I was drinking water with every wave but then my body started to vomit all the water back up. It was not fun at all – but when I was vomiting I was thinking “good bring this baby down.” I knew my body was going through a lot. Since the tub was not ready I needed to lie down. So I laid on the bed – I noticed how warm I was and I was sweating. But lying on my side helped so much. I was finding myself resting in between the waves better. And then I noticed they slowed a bit. I said out loud “they are giving me a break.” Hanna said, “see you know the process continue to trust it.” At this time, I was thinking okay if I am having a break maybe I am almost completely open and my body will begin to push soon. But then I had a strong wave again all in my lower back and lower abdomen – it felt like my body was radiating with fire and intense needles. I needed to get into the water.

The birthing tub was a lot bigger than with Greyson’s birth tub, so it was taking longer to fill. The water heater stopped producing hot water, but I needed to immerse myself to feel some relief, so I got in. I asked again where Sandra was and what time it was. No one would tell me just that she was on her way. More waves hit me. I felt as when they would start, I was quiet but as soon as they peaked, I had to be vocal with the reminder of low tones and relaxed jaw. I also began to feel pushy and began to push a little with the waves. I asked again where Sandra was and again no one gave me a time. So, I looked at Hanna and asked if I could check my own cervix. Hanna said sure you can do what you want and if I could reach it. I tried to check my own cervix it was too far back and it agitated things because then I had another big wave hit me.

Finally, Sandra showed up! I knew it was after 435am. The first thing she said to me was that if I started to feel baby come, I needed to lean back into the pool because there was not enough water, and she didn’t want baby to come half in water and half out. Then I told her that I needed her to check my cervix and to listen to baby’s heartbeat for my peace of mind. I felt my body had done so much work and I felt like I was at least 8cm and into the transition phase of labor. She started to check me and then needed me to tilt my pelvis and then told me I was 5-6cm.

I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. That information was not what I needed. She listened to baby’s heartbeat it was in the 130’s. Sandra told me not to push because it was not time to push but my body was telling me too. I was so confused. I started to say things now looking back that were silly. I started to doubt the process, I started to say I wanted to go to the hospital to get an epidural, I started to say I couldn’t do this anymore if I was only 5-6cm. I was starting to doubt if I was only 5-6cm how could I relax enough to open completely? Of course, everyone was encouraging. Sandra said if we drove to the hospital, I wouldn’t get relief for an hour or so. I remember saying “no I will call, and they will have everything ready for me.” Again, silly statements.

Sandra wanted more water in the tub, so my support people started boiling water on the stove top to get more warm water in the tub. During this time the waves were hitting me back-to-back. With each one I kept hearing do not push, use duck lips, focus just on the breath. I tried so hard not to push and surprisingly focusing on the breathe did help. I do not know how many more waves I had until I really could not hold back the urge to push. Sandra said she could check me again in 30 minutes to give me time to open and I said “I do not want more time.” I felt I did not have 30 minutes to keep opening and that this baby was coming. With another wave I was thinking I could ask Sandra to break my waters and then the baby will come. And then the next wave hit and I thought to myself as I tried not to push but push at the same time “please make my water break.” And it did! I felt the pop and said “my water just broke.” I heard Sandra say clear water. With the next contraction I felt her coming down even more.

The waves kept hitting and the urge to bear down was overwhelming. It did not go away. I heard myself making the low grunts. I felt as if my bottom was going to fall through me. I then felt the oh familiar ring of fire. I did not want to miss the opportunity to feel everything and get the chance to catch my last baby. So, I built up the strength to reach down.

I felt her head every diameter of the 15-inch head. Someone told Brian to get the tub behind me to catch baby too. I leaned back on him and tried to reach in the front to feel where she was, but I could not reach. I leaned onto Brian and was getting worried because I did not know how far her head was out and I was getting nervous it might be stuck. (I know hindsight it was another silly worry). I felt her stretching me and I was waiting patiently for the next contraction because I knew it was going to give me another boost to have her enter the world completely and that is exactly what happened. She left my body, and she was born.

She was born at 5:06am. She transitioned perfected. It took a second for her to let a cry out, but her color and breathing was good. We were able to continue to stay in the tub until I delivered the placenta which was about 15 minutes later. Timeframe: Started tracking contractions at 230 and she was born at 5:06. Cervical check around 440 – 5-6cm to complete and having baby 5:06.