Welcome Silas Raines - Birth Story

July 30, 2013

Welcome Silas Raines - Birth Story

Between nursing, napping, and diapers I have managed to write Silas' birth story. I was so anxious to share this amazing experience and to write it all down while every detail was still fresh in my mind. I truly believe there are few things in a women's life as powerful as an awesome birth and Silas' birth was life changing.

As Silas' due date approached my discomfort and anticipation grew. I had wrongly assumed all labor started the same way with contractions and ended with a baby. However, Silas taught me contractions can start and stop and start and stop before you actually receive your prize...the baby!

Monday evening I started having sporadic mild contractions and whether it was nesting or excitement I felt the urge to accomplish everything. I stayed busy cleaning, cooking, Taegan and I even walked up and down our quarter mile driveway in an effort to kick start things. When Brandon and I laid down in bed that night my contractions were still mild but regular. Around 1am I texted my doula to let her know I was having contractions that were around 10 minutes apart and while they weren't intense I couldn't sleep through them. Unbeknownst to me she had just arrived at another clients birth. So she sent her back up and contacted my Midwife. I questioned whether or not we were "jumping the gun" because I still felt pretty good. Everyone arrived at our house around 2:30am checked me over, set some things up in case this really was the real deal, and then suggested we all try to get some sleep. Surprisingly I actually did drift off to sleep around 4:00am and even more surprisingly when I woke up at 5:30am I wasn't having regular contractions anymore. Talk about disappointment!

It was now Tuesday July 24, 2013...Silas' DUE DATE!

I was exhausted and had no baby to show for it. I took a nap and rested from my eventful/uneventful night and when I woke up that afternoon I was having those stupid sporadic contractions again. I tried to ignore them and not get my hopes up again. Brandon and I canned 11 pints of dill pickles, watched a movie with Taegan, and went to bed. At 1:30am I woke up to regular more intense contractions. I decided I was not going to "call the troops" just yet nor was I about to wake up my husband. So I laid in bed timing my contractions and praying they would get stronger and not disappear this time. Around 5:30am I decided it was time to let my doula Laurie know. I texted her and she said she would take a shower and come on over to assess me herself. Laurie got here around 6:30am and quickly decided I was still in early labor but that she would hang out for a while and see how things progressed. She let my midwife Degra know what was going on and told her she would keep her updated on my progress.

My Mom came over to get Taegan and take her to her house for the day and Brandon cooked us breakfast...eggs, bacon, and toast. Laurie told me I should probably try to lay down and rest because I would need my energy later. I remember asking Laurie what was the longest she had ever been at a birth, I didn't want to break that record. We decided to go outside while it wasn't unbearably hot and see if walking up and down the driveway would help speed things up. Much to my delight it did! On the way down our driveway I was able to continue walking during my contractions by the time we were walking back I had to stop walking during a contraction. We came back in the house and I tried laying down for a little while, which proved to be much more uncomfortable than before.

Around 11:30am I was sitting on my birthing ball (which ended up being one of my favorite things to do during labor) and I remember Laurie saying your contractions are getting more intense but in order for it to have switch over from early labor to active labor you need to be having around 10 contractions in an hour...by 12:30 I had had 12 contractions! It was official I was in active labor there was no turning back! Laurie let Degra know things were picking up and she should probably start heading our way. Around that time my sister also arrived. Only a few weeks prior I had asked her if she wanted to be at the birth and take pictures for me (don't worry I spared you the explicit pictures). I wasn't sure how she would feel about it but she said yes and looking back I am so glad she was there to witness Silas' birth. I feel like it only made our already tight sister bond even tighter. I ate some watermelon and cantaloupe (I knew these would be things that would be appealing to me during labor and had been making sure I had both on hand for weeks, I can finally say I have mastered the art of watermelon thumping) in between contractions and drank what felt like galloons of water at Laurie's request.

My contractions were getting strong and Laurie suggested I try taking a shower and see if that offered a little relief. The shower was wonderful, probably my most favorite place during labor and if not for the fear that I would use every last drop of hot water we had I would have stayed in there even longer. When I was in the shower Brandon and Laurie checked on me frequently. The HOT water beating down on my back felt wonderful. Sometime while I was in the shower Degra and her assistant arrived and started setting things up.

I remember praying fervently for God to take care of me and Silas and help me through each contraction.

My time in the shower was the most alone I was during labor and I had a powerful conversation with myself and God. However, much to my own surprise not once during my labor and birth did I feel fearful or unsafe. After making the decision to have a homebirth there were moments I questioned my decision but once labor began I had an overwhelming sense of peace and calm.

The next hour and half are a blur, things had gotten intense and I felt like I was in a zone wandering slowly around the house trying to keep move until a contraction hit and then I'd grab Brandon's shoulders and sway with him trying to stay focused. Then the much anticipated moment occurred Laurie asked me if I was ready to get in the pool. I knew from talking to other women and reading lots of homebirth stories this meant the end was near. I wasn't in the pool for long before I remember telling Degra my body was starting to push when I had a contraction. Shortly after that my water broke, clear amniotic fluid, I breathed a sigh of relief and then worked through another intense contraction. Pushing seemed to take forever in my mind I was so anxious to hold my baby in my arms I just wanted it to be over. Afterwards, Brandon and Laurie told me I really was only pushing for about 20 minutes (compared to almost 2 hours of pushing with Taegan).

Degra asked me if I wanted to catch the baby, I wanted her to catch the baby, or Brandon to catch the baby? I quickly responded that I wanted Brandon to deliver his son. Being a paramedic Brandon has delivered several babies and I couldn't think of anything more special than him getting to deliver his own son.

Laurie traded places with Brandon and after about 6 strong contractions Silas' head was out. Degra asked me if I wanted to feel my baby's head and I reached down touched his hair covered head and the next contraction couldn't come fast enough. I remember saying I'm not having a contraction I want him out. Soon enough I had another strong contraction and out he came. It was perfect! I remember hearing my sister crying and looking into Brandon's teary eyes as I pulled our baby boy out of the water and on to my chest. He was all tangled up in his cord and everyone was trying to pry my hands off of him to get him untangled. I had such tunnel vision I wasn't letting go when they were telling me to.

Silas' birth was completely flawless...I am still in a state of pure bliss.

Once his cord stopped pulsing it was cut and he was handed to Brandon so I could get out of the pool to deliver the placenta. I remember Degra kept saying you aren't bleeding much at all, another prayer answered. I took a quick shower and climbed in my own bed, while I waited for our parents and Taegan to get there.