The Amazing, Unexpected Homebirth of Rascal

I’m not quite sure when we could say that “real” labor began. I started having contractions on Sunday, Feb. 7th, but they were irregular and went away that night when I went to sleep. On Monday I had contractions all day, but they were spaced out and didn’t feel like much. Just kept me on edge, wondering if it was the beginning of something or not! I got emotional and started doubting myself, but a quick call to L, our doula, got me focused and reminded me that the most important thing was to rest and be ready for the contractions to turn into the “real thing”. So I hopped into bed and tried to sleep through the light contractions.

At about 6am the contractions actually woke me up. I started timing them and they were about 10 minutes apart. While I had to stop and focus on them, I didn’t find them all that painful. After a couple hours of consistent contractions, I began to hope that we would be having a baby that day! So I called my doula, my mom, and a friend to get Diva Girl, and began to put things in motion at about 9 am. Since things seemed to be going slow, L planned on coming at about 1. I spent the next few hours just breathing through the contractions and getting things ready. At about 11:45 the contractions were still 8-10 minutes apart, but felt a bit stronger. I decided to put in a movie to help distract me, as though Pride and Prejudice would keep me from noticing and overanalyzing my contractions.

At about 12:30 I had a particularly bad contraction and felt like someone punched me. I went to the bathroom and my water broke! Right then and there the contractions started to pick up. They were suddenly every five minutes, then every three, then they just seemed to come in right after another. Hello transition! I called L to make sure she was on her way (she was) and called the midwives office to see if they wanted me to go straight to the hospital. I guess I sounded too calm despite my contractions coming every two minutes, because they told me to go in to the office first.

I knew that if we just waited for L, we could hop into her van and go straight to the hospital. So I had Husband help me into some sweatpants and socks and shoes, and tried to get through the crazy contractions. This is the only part I remember as being particularly painful...I think I said I was dying, that I couldn’t do it, and so on and so forth. All the time, Husband held me up and encouraged me. He kept reminding me that I not only COULD do it, but that I was actually DOING it! He was as calm as he always is, and it was exactly what I needed.

By 1 o’clock, the contractions were bringing me to my knees. I think it was around this point that I just couldn’t imagine getting into a car. That’s also when I realized that I was feeling the need to push with my contractions. Actually, I was pushing with the contractions, I just couldn’t help it! So I had Nate get me un-ready to go, taking my socks and shoes and sweatpants back off, and had him go get towels to lay on the floor. I had no idea what I was going to do, but I was instictively getting ready for Robert’s arrival, without actually acknowledging that I was going to give birth at home. I just knew what was NOT going to happen...leaving.

L arrived at 1:15 to me starting to freak out. I’m not entirely sure what was really said, but it was made very clear by me that there was no way I could imagine moving from the floor. Thank God we chose a doula who is also a midwife! She sent Husband out to her van to get her medical bag, and immediately took control, which calmed me down immensely. She got out the doppler and checked Rascal’s heartbeat, then checked my blood pressure. When she checked to see how dilated I was, she told me that his head was right there! At that point we were all pretty sure that I was having this baby on the living room floor. So L had Husband call 911 for backup, since we didn’t have any oxygen. She quickly pulled out her supplies and got things ready, seemingly unshaken by the change of plans!

The paramedics were there in what seemed like the blink of an eye. I was so in the birthing zone, I didn’t even care that there was suddenly a team of men standing around watching me give birth. One did dare to grab my arm in between pushes, and I confusedly asked what he was doing. When he replied that they needed to put in an IV, I growled “NO IV!” and then I was left alone. Apparently, some of them were under the impression that we were going to get me to the hospital right then and there. L calmly told them that we were going to “stay and play” because the baby was crowning, and then looked me in the eyes and told me I needed to push. I’m not sure I have ever zoned in on a person so intensely before, but with her there telling me to breathe, telling me I could do it, I felt this surge of energy and strength and focus that I have never had before. Husband was behind me, I was propped up against him, and he gave me his hands and his strength and encouragement. And before I knew it I felt the most intense pain, followed by the most amazing relief...and then my baby boy was placed onto my stomach.

Nothing else mattered in that moment. He was absolutely beautiful and completely perfect. I held him and forgot about everyone else there. I think I kept saying things like “He’s perfect!” and “I DID IT!!!!” over and over again. I don’t think I’ve really stopped saying those words! I will never forget that moment. I felt so strong, like I could do anything. I was filled with love...for Husband, for Rascal, for Diva Girl, even though she wasn’t there.

Rascal was born at 1:56 on February 9th 2010, and weighed in at 6 lbs. 14 oz, and 20 inches long. We made our way to the hospital after he was born, with me holding my precious boy in the back of an ambulance. There was such an air of celebration, even with the paramedics. They seemed happy just to be around a happy story, and I think they enjoyed getting to tell everyone that we were healthy as they wheeled us into the emergency room. I don’t imagine they get to see nearly enough happy endings in their line of work. I was grinning from ear to ear, and I felt like I was floating around on a birth high until about 3 am! I even kept my good mood while they repaired my small tear. Everyone seemed happy for us, and it was fun hearing the nurses exclaim their surprise about my VBAC at home! I think I’m still surprised at myself, as well. But I do know one thing...I think we’ll just go ahead and PLAN on L catching our next baby at home!