I was still contracting irregularly. Dad & Jon were on contraction timing duty and I would let them know the second I was feeling one and then they started predicting on when I was going to get one. They were making a game out of my pain ;p. We watched tv, we played cards and we just relaxed. At around 6pm my contractions had been every five minutes, lasting a minute long for the past hour and a bit and feeling pretty intense. Dad and Jon got my pool ready, mom was entertaining Willow and I was working through my contractions. I kicked my parents and Willow out of the cabin because unfortunately when I go into labor I go into my own little world and can't have any distractions. Jon called the midwife to let her know where I was at and she came 10 minutes later.
When she arrived she told me I was much too chipper and she wanted to come back when I wasn't so cheerful. She did a check and I was only 3cm dilated but my cervix was completely thinned out. She left to go and get changed ( the poor girl showed up in her party dress as it was Christmas Eve) and have a nap. She told us she would call the cabin at nine and see how I was doing at that point. She had said to call her before if I felt that one contraction that was different from the rest. I had asked her if I should go for a walk, bounce on my ball, and/or squat to make things progress. And she said do what you want but I would suggest watching a funny movie, relax and make out with Jon. I watched a little bit of Seinfeld but than that annoyed me, I turned on some tunes but they annoyed me and making out with Jon at that point was out of the question. Cat called to see how things were and I told her everything was fine and we would call her if anything had changed. I had just asked Jon to open the window so I could listen to the ocean and than boom I had THAT contraction. I felt him move his head and engage and my water broke a minute later. This was only five minutes after we had talked to Cat on the phone when everything was manageable. Jon called her and told her we needed her and the attending midwife, Emma asap. I hopped into the birthing pool to relieve some of the tension. The only thing is it wasn't filled up enough. I tried to enjoy the warmth as much as possible but I felt like I needed to push so badly. Jon & I were pretty worried the midwives wouldn't make it in time and I was trying my darndest to hold that baby in. For relief I was squeezing Jons arm really really tight and making the most obnoxious sounds. With Willow I internalized everything because I didn't want to be loud in the hospital, in my own space I let loose.
When she arrived she told me I was much too chipper and she wanted to come back when I wasn't so cheerful. She did a check and I was only 3cm dilated but my cervix was completely thinned out. She left to go and get changed ( the poor girl showed up in her party dress as it was Christmas Eve) and have a nap. She told us she would call the cabin at nine and see how I was doing at that point. She had said to call her before if I felt that one contraction that was different from the rest. I had asked her if I should go for a walk, bounce on my ball, and/or squat to make things progress. And she said do what you want but I would suggest watching a funny movie, relax and make out with Jon. I watched a little bit of Seinfeld but than that annoyed me, I turned on some tunes but they annoyed me and making out with Jon at that point was out of the question. Cat called to see how things were and I told her everything was fine and we would call her if anything had changed. I had just asked Jon to open the window so I could listen to the ocean and than boom I had THAT contraction. I felt him move his head and engage and my water broke a minute later. This was only five minutes after we had talked to Cat on the phone when everything was manageable. Jon called her and told her we needed her and the attending midwife, Emma asap. I hopped into the birthing pool to relieve some of the tension. The only thing is it wasn't filled up enough. I tried to enjoy the warmth as much as possible but I felt like I needed to push so badly. Jon & I were pretty worried the midwives wouldn't make it in time and I was trying my darndest to hold that baby in. For relief I was squeezing Jons arm really really tight and making the most obnoxious sounds. With Willow I internalized everything because I didn't want to be loud in the hospital, in my own space I let loose.
At one point Jon said "there are car lights, thank god. Not to worry they are here". Nope, not them. I replied very hastily "why Jon, No! That's not fucking them". I decided they were never going to arrive and Jon hoist me in he car and head to the hospital. Jon insisted they would be here soon even though the look of sheer terror and panic was all over his face. They finally arrived ten minutes later which clearly felt like an hour. The first thing I said to Cat was " I am not chipper ANYMORE!!!!!!!!" They came rushing in and immediately started setting everything up. They bring a lot of stuff with them, they basically have everything a hospital room would have all jammed in a bunch of duffel bags.
Cat didn't like the position I was in the pool. My vagina had to be completely immersed in the water or totally out for the baby to be able to breathe properly when born. She just told me to completely submerge myself when pushing or to lift my butt up. I decided I didn't want to have the worry and hopped out of the pool. Well not really hopped, more like breached (think whale) myself out. I thought at that moment it would be a good time to go to the bathroom. When you are fully dilated and ready to give birth, I highly advise against walking anywhere of you don't have to. It's pretty hard work. They tried telling me it was just my baby wanting to be born which was giving me the sensation to poop but me being stubborn me insisted on going to the toilet. When I got on the toilet I had the immediate sensation of relief and I started to push right away. Finally, so much of my pain diminished. To be honest pushing is my fave part, I feel like every sense is heightened and I am on some euphoric drug. Perhaps I am an adrenaline junkie and don't even know it :p. The midwives were telling me I didn't want to have this baby on the toilet and I could go anywhere else in the cabin but I really really didn't want to leave my throne. Cat insisted it wasn't safe for her to try and catch my baby in the toilet so I got up and crouched on Jon. And after gently pushing a couple of times, grunting and deep breaths out came Sawyer on the bathroom floor... at 10:20pm weighing a whopping 9lbs14ozs and 21inches long. Cat said when he came out he had his hand on his face, I was wondering why after the head came out he didn't come flying out of there. With willow I remember after the head the dr. popped her right out there. This little fella felt kind of stuck. It's because the crazy guy had his elbow sticking right out, hand on face. She tried to maneuver his arm as fast as possible and he grabbed her hand to help guide him out. Her first reaction was holy, he's huge, it's Frank the Tank! The little man gave her a cheezy little smile in his first second out of the birth canal. So while I had to push the placenta out we were making Old School references. After the placenta came out I hemorrhaged a bit. They got me onto the bed and gave me a shot of pitocin to make my uterus contract. I guess since Sawyer was so big my placenta was huge to feed such a big guy. So naturally the wound site of the placenta was quite large.
Cat didn't like the position I was in the pool. My vagina had to be completely immersed in the water or totally out for the baby to be able to breathe properly when born. She just told me to completely submerge myself when pushing or to lift my butt up. I decided I didn't want to have the worry and hopped out of the pool. Well not really hopped, more like breached (think whale) myself out. I thought at that moment it would be a good time to go to the bathroom. When you are fully dilated and ready to give birth, I highly advise against walking anywhere of you don't have to. It's pretty hard work. They tried telling me it was just my baby wanting to be born which was giving me the sensation to poop but me being stubborn me insisted on going to the toilet. When I got on the toilet I had the immediate sensation of relief and I started to push right away. Finally, so much of my pain diminished. To be honest pushing is my fave part, I feel like every sense is heightened and I am on some euphoric drug. Perhaps I am an adrenaline junkie and don't even know it :p. The midwives were telling me I didn't want to have this baby on the toilet and I could go anywhere else in the cabin but I really really didn't want to leave my throne. Cat insisted it wasn't safe for her to try and catch my baby in the toilet so I got up and crouched on Jon. And after gently pushing a couple of times, grunting and deep breaths out came Sawyer on the bathroom floor... at 10:20pm weighing a whopping 9lbs14ozs and 21inches long. Cat said when he came out he had his hand on his face, I was wondering why after the head came out he didn't come flying out of there. With willow I remember after the head the dr. popped her right out there. This little fella felt kind of stuck. It's because the crazy guy had his elbow sticking right out, hand on face. She tried to maneuver his arm as fast as possible and he grabbed her hand to help guide him out. Her first reaction was holy, he's huge, it's Frank the Tank! The little man gave her a cheezy little smile in his first second out of the birth canal. So while I had to push the placenta out we were making Old School references. After the placenta came out I hemorrhaged a bit. They got me onto the bed and gave me a shot of pitocin to make my uterus contract. I guess since Sawyer was so big my placenta was huge to feed such a big guy. So naturally the wound site of the placenta was quite large.
I will continue part 2 tomorrow :)
Your story is amazing! I was literally on the edge of my seat the whole time. I soak up every detail and can't wait to hear more...not to mention see more photos of this amazing HUGE creation of yours! I am astounded by your stamina, and I didn't realize you were going to have the baby at the cabin, how perfect and cozy. I am so glad you didn't have to hoist yourself over to the hospital after all.
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