The littlelest duckling - Amelia Joyce

[Mother Duck]

A summary statement of my homebirth experience –

Overall I found that my ability to be in touch with my own birthing body was nothing short of incredible. I would never have realised that you are so very finely tuned in to what your body is telling you to do if I had not been at home. In my opinion it is purely because I was in my own space and could do things the way I wanted, I was just so completely relaxed. In fact twice that I can think of the experience was one of complete euphoria, I actually felt quite ecstatic and found myself smiling as if in a dream state. There were two peaks in particular that were nothing short of cloud nine. (It is difficult to compare and certainly not quite the same but this high point really was almost like a sensual or sexual sensation, not easy to explain that bit!) Not to say that the whole thing was without discomfort and effort, but most certainly the environment and the mindset allowed me to birth in a way that allowed these natural highs to occur. Just awesome!

The more technical aspects! –

Little background notes! –

My mum was here (didn't know until the night before how I felt about that) and she did a great job of supporting, very loving and strong. It was a huge experience for her and strangely enough the baby looks very like a mini version of her mum! Scott was here and the middie (Annelle) was with me - I leaned on Annelle more than anyone in reassuring me when I needed it - Scott and Mum came and went as they wanted and being at home made that so very easy, it was SO peaceful. Annelle called them back whenever it looked like bubs was coming ( a couple of times!) otherwise I was just left in peace to birth as I wanted to.

It had been hard slog in the last few weeks - was kinda expecting her from 32 wks on (eta 15th Jan) as I had gone early both pg before. In the last couple of weeks I kept going in and out of contractions and it became SUPER hard work to maintain the 'positive birthing mindset'

By the 27th Jan I was most pleased when the middie suggested a strip and stretch - OH YES PLEASE!!! (Don’t think many women get quite SO excited at the thought of being poked and prodded at a time like that!!)

So ....enough babble .... on with the facts!

The Birth of Amelia Joyce -

10am - s & s - middie confirms that yes indeed I am 3-4cm dilated which was a big relief as this fitted with what I could see in my mind's eye (iykwim!) I would have cried if she had said there was no dilation at that point!

11am - shared a cuppa and a yarn with the middie

11:30 another s & s just for good measure

12 noon - Jess phones middie who is by now on her way to K'roy "ummm - everything in me says you should be coming this way not going that way!" - spent a good portion of time on the phone trying to time the contractions and work out if they were 'it' - decided to run the birth pool anyway and I would call her again soon

12:30 ish - Scotty trying to fill birth pool (with a rather dodgy improvised method created by his darling wife!) - contractions getting very strong but still not as full on as they did with Jake - little Mickayla is now trying to rub mum's back to make her feel better - mummy is finding it hard to explain the "don't touch me" concept to such a beautiful gesture and decides not to try, mummy feels very grateful when daddy gets the neighbour to take the little ones to play! Daddy requests with an underlying sense of urgency "um please do get the midwife to come now not later" - Jess phones middie and tells her time to come now

1pm - in the birth pool (looking out my back door onto the luscious green grass that this blessed rain has brought - the gentle breeze kisses my cheeks between contractions and is SOOOO soothing) – at this point it is definitely GAME ON!

The contractions were certainly enough that I had to breathe through them and focus but it was nowhere near as intense as it had been last time - I could actually find my way through them fairly clearly

OK - I am going to try and be a bit concise in the next bit (I keep this birth story for myself later so this is why it gets a bit detailed sorry!)

Spent most of my labour time in the birth pool– had a minor setback of an anterior lip (have had this both births prior too) that ended up bruised by premature pushing and an attempt at manually holding it off through a contraction or two – this was very painful and it took about an hour to settle itself – also had the irrational fear that the whole thing was going to stop yet again and that I was going to have to wait for another week or more for bubba to come!!

Towards the end (at around 4:30pm) I forced myself to get out of the water and go t’lav for a piddley-woo and to put a bit of good old 9.61ms-1 (gravity) into the birth path! I got Scotty to come with me (swallow the pride!) and there I sat until I knew that the time was getting close again – I could feel the anterior lip was settling away because the edge was gone from the contractions. Then I went to the couch in the birth room and settled myself with a couple of towels. I could hear thunder rolling outside with a storm brewing and asked Scotty to tell me stories. He is not really the story telling type and thus to sit there on all fours with my baby closer every moment and listen to him telling me a beautiful story about being in a special place and listening to the biggest storm ever…..well it was just amazing! All the while I knew that my middie knew where I was up to, and knew that mum didn’t and neither did Scotty. Annelle knew that I wanted to try to freebirth the baby if possible but to have her help where needed and she had a perfect arms length but always there way about her.

My waters broke with a weeny gush and Scotty got a bit freaked out. I grabbed his knee as he went to rush out and call Annelle and said “It’s fine honey, everything is good, just keep talking to me” – I had my head bowed and could see Annelle’s legs appear in the door of the birthing room. I could sense Scott’s relief to have her there and I could tell that Annelle had said something reassuring to him and gone out again. We sat there for not that much longer and then WHHHOOOOOAAA bubs was on the way – the whole time I had been kinda chanting deeply and breathing really well to some awesome Tibetan Meditation music but as Amelia made her way into the world I screamed like a banshee!!! In hindsight I am not sure that I would have actually caught my bub without Annelle there, it was just SO intense I think she would have landed on the floor! I could barely hold my own weight up - the whole world spun and I pushed so hard I felt I was going to explode, one, two, three pushes and there she was. I picked her up and put her straight to my breast where she drank like a docked sailor - And that my friend’s is where the photos take over the story!

What an absolute delight this birth was, in so many ways. Just AMAZING.

Thanks be to all the parts that have fallen into place for me to be able to experience a homebirth!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MrsO]

Absolutely fabulous!!!

I'll have what she had thanks very much!!!

[QTB]

awww thats beautiful Jessie!

I love hearing beautiful birth stories!

Welcome to the world Amelia

[TinyStar]

Aren't I the lucky one to hit "new posts" tonight and find such a tremendous birth story!

Jess that was inspirational, I am so happy for you and your lovely family.

Welcome Miss Amelia Duck you are the luckiest baby on the earth.

Hugs n kisses

Tinystar.

[V8]

Oh, i'm so glad i was still up to get to read your story!! YAY, you've put me in a great mood to go to sleepies now just dreaming of a birth like that. Way to go and welcome once again to Amelia.

[GraceUnhearing]

wow what a great birth story!
i would love to have a homebirth!

but could never afford it

well done!
and welcome to the world little one!

[Mother Duck]

Originally Posted by TinyStar

Welcome Miss Amelia Duck you are the luckiest baby on the earth.

Awww - that's nice!

Thanks all

It is such a pleasure to share a birth story!

Here are some pics for those what want em!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...0&id=529461714

[freeranger]

Wow....... how do I order one of those births?

Congrats on your beautiful birth and even more beautiful little girl!
Gorgeous pics...... (I commented on one - I'm Zoe - thought I'd let you know so you know who I am )

Congrats again

[AM]

Great stuff! It's all true, isn't it? Homebirth is simply an incredible experience

[Ruby Slippers]

What a wonderful Birth story
you have a way with words
Welcome to the world little one .
thanks for sharing your pics .