Our Natural Childbirth Experience

When Greg and I found out we were pregnant we knew we wanted a midwife for the birth, but thought that we would deliver at the hospital "just to be safe." Our orientation with the midwifery group was at the birth center and after touring and learning about the set up there we both felt comfortable with delivering at the birth center instead of the hospital.

On Monday, October 8th, at 2am I began experiencing contractions. This being my first pregnancy I was paranoid about "crying wolf" so I told Greg we should just try to get as much rest as we could before we made any calls. I always pictured my water breaking and that I would know for certain that I was in labor, but that wasn't the case. Around 6am my contraction were regular at about 7 minutes apart. We waited until 7am to call our midwife and she told us to keep her updated until contractions were 2-3 minutes apart. We called Greg's mom Mona to let her know that we were in labor (she lives in Tillamook and would have about a 3 hour drive). I waited to call my parents until 8am and my mom was upset that I had waited so long ha ha. Mona and my parents both arrived to our home around noon.

I continued to labor upstairs and got myself into the shower to wash my hair and shave my legs (I figured it might be a while after the birth until I could do that again). I felt as though our contractions were stalling at about 4 minutes apart so we all decided to go on a walk in the beautiful sunshine. We maybe got 50meters when my contractions became so strong I knew there was no way I was going for a walk. Once back at the house Greg timed my contractions for an hour and they were consistently 2-3 minutes apart. We called our midwife and she had us come in to the birth center.

Leaving our house around 3pm. 

Outside the birth center

When we got to the birth center they checked my progress and I was 6cm dilated and 100% effaced. They suggested we go for a walk around the birth center to help progress. 

This was the path we walked on and I labored on for about an hour.

When they checked our progress again I was 7cm dilated and our midwife Miriam suggested I get in the tub to help me relax throughout the contractions.

Our room

Bathroom connected to the room

 I labored in the tub for about an hour or so, but my midwife wanted me to get out to empty my bladder. Surprisingly enough the toilet was a nice laboring tool for me for another hour or so. In our childbirth classes our Doula mentioned that the toilet was a great place to labor, but I didn't believe her until it worked so well for us. Greg pulled a small stool up and sat directly in front of me and helped me through each contraction. He was a complete dream during the whole thing. He was so focused and supportive, I cannot imagine having a better birth coach.

Our midwife checked my progress once again and my water broke as she did so. She suggested I start pushing at that point.

 After 3 hours of pushing (approximately 6:30pm-9:52pm) she arrived. They put her directly onto me and did not move her from me until around midnight. It was so wonderful to have her in my arms and not have her taken away to be weighed, measured, and cleaned. She was all our's and we got to spend those crucial first minutes and hours together as a family.

It was incredible, as soon as Greg started talking she turned her head to look at him.

I was thrilled that Greg was excited to have skin to skin time with her. I knew it was just as important for her to smell him as it was for her to smell me.

They didn't even move her from my bed to weigh and measure her. 7lbs 4oz and 19 inches long

 They did not bathe her at the birth center. They said that we could do that there if we wanted, but they had wiped her off well enough that we decided to wait until we got home. At 2am, four hours after delivery and 24 hours after my contractions started we were released to go home. We were in bed by 3am and she slept soundly on top of my chest (I was out like a light as well) until 6am when she woke up to nurse.

Two days after she was born, our nurse Janell came and weighed and measured her again, gave her vaccination, and took her footprints. Janell also followed up with me about breast feeding and answered any questions we had. It was so nice to have the nurse come follow up with us at home instead of us having to go in to the doctor's office.

I'm not gonna lie, natural childbirth was A LOT OF WORK, and something that even 24 hours later I could not look back on fondly. A week later I am finally to the point where I have a true appreciation for it. My cousin had text messaged me shortly after and said, "God got you through it" and all I could say back was "He alone got me through it!" How empowering though, to think about such pain and labor, to pay such a price, but then to receive a miraculous gift at the end of it all. I feel like I have that much more of an understanding of God and how He loves His children unconditionally and would do anything for them, even send His son to die on a cross.