Anastasia's Birth Story

(My birth stories make more sense when read from first to last...starting with Alexandra, then Max, Anastasia, and Natalie)

On a rainy December morning in Oregon, I woke up from bothersome cramps. In a half asleep state, I dragged my tired, swollen feet to the bathroom and found I was spotting. I became wide awake with the realization that my labor had started! It was thrilling to realize that on this day I would finally get to hold my new little baby.

My last pregnancy had gone past my due date by about two weeks, so I was completely unprepared mentally to give birth two weeks before my due date. But I didn't really have much choice in the matter!

We waited until the contractions were uncomfortable enough that riding in a car was not fun, and then we headed to the birth center to experience waterbirth.

My first two babies had been born in two different hospitals, in two different states, and both experiences were deeply disappointing. We had done some research and discovered a wonderful little place called Andaluz Waterbirth Center in Tualatin, Oregon. We were so impressed with the wonderful midwives there that we knew without a doubt that we wanted to have our baby there. I had never heard of waterbirth and found it intriguing.

The fifteen minute drive went by quickly, despite the pain of contractions every minute. As we approached the birth center, the sun had come out, it had stopped raining, and a snow capped Mt. Hood could be seen peaking over the mountains in the distance. It was a beautiful site.
Soon after I had arrived at the birth center and had been checked for dilation and the baby's heart rate checked, I was free to move about, go for a walk, gently bounce on a birthing ball, or pretty much whatever felt best for me. I didn't want to relax in the warm tub just yet. I had been warned that sometimes the warm water would slow labor down, and I just wanted to get on with it!

After about half an hour, the contractions were totally intense, and I was feeling the urge to push, so I climbed into the tub. What an awesome feeling! The warm, deep water enveloped my swollen body and it was such a pleasure to be there, despite the pain.
At this time my husband did something that was a first for us … he had gone out to the waiting area to be with our two children! During our first two births, my husband stayed with me every minute. He only left me after the babies came out to stay with them when the hospital people took them away for a while. He is very protective, and he refused to let either of them leave his sight for a moment unless I was with them, but now, after observing the staff at the birth center, he could see that I was in such good hands, this time he felt as though he was not needed at all. It really takes a LOT for him to have that kind of trust to leave me alone like that, but that is how we both felt at that point.

Between contractions my mind kept wandering back down memory lane to my last two hospital deliveries. I felt like I was relaxing at a bed and breakfast inn now instead of enduring a medical event in a cold hospital room filled with people I had never seen before and would never see again. This was so much better!

I pushed for about half an hour in a squatting position, head in hands on the side of the tub. I can't even begin to convey how much better it was to have the freedom to push in a position that I was most comfortable in instead of being strapped on my back on a delivery table. The contractions and pushing were still painful, but the warm water had a relaxing effect and the thought of wanting drugs or an epidural never crossed my mind.

During one push, I felt a big burst, such as a giant water balloon popping between my legs. It was obvious to me, even a tub, that my water had broken. The pain intensified at this point, and a short time later her little head crowned. When I reached down and felt her head, it gave me a burst of strength and energy to finish the job, push my baby out and welcome her to the world. My wonderful midwife caught her and placed her into my arms.

I was not allowed to hold my first two hospital babies until at least half an hour had passed, and many other people had held those babies before me. It was such a joy to be the first one to hold and cuddle my new baby. It seems only fitting that the mother be allowed to do this. I carried her around for nine months, talked to her, felt her kicks, her knees and elbows. I earned the right to hold my baby, and treasured the moment.

After two disappointing birthing experiences, I was thrilled with this labor and delivery. The whole experience lasted five hours. There was pain, but the warm water was such a great pain reliever and de-stresser. It was wonderful to be clear headed and focused, not fuzzy from drugs. I highly recommend waterbirth.