Maggie Mae’s birth story

I had been having days of prodromal labor that would start and stop but never amount to anything. I had a visit with my midwife on Thursday morning January 18 and I thought I was in labor then but was only dilated to 2. The CNM, Lee Ann, thought she would see me some time that evening but things slowed down considerably later that day.

The contractions started up again early on Saturday morning January 20, around 5:30. I thought, "Here we go again," with contractions starting and then petering out. Thankfully, it was the real thing this time! I knew I was in active labor at around 7 a.m. and had "show" so I called Lee Ann and my doula Andrea and they both arrived by 7:45. Lee Ann checked me and I was a good 4. She had a patient to discharge from the hospital, which had to be done by 11 a.m. The hospital is literally right around the corner from my house, about a minute away, so she asked if I thought she could do that and get right back. I felt fine with that so while she was gone, Andrea and Gregg prepared the bed and I labored. The contractions were becoming very painful by 8:30, much quicker than I had expected. Lee Ann returned in about 20 minutes from the hospital and things got going. The nurse arrived to help Lee Ann but neither of them did very much at first. Andrea and Gregg massaged my back and shoulders with some wonderful oil Lee Ann brought. I’ve never felt so pampered and cared for in my whole life!

The labor became intense very quickly. I begged Lee Ann to check me at around 9:30 and I was only to 6. At that point I became very disheartened because the contractions seemed much more like transition to me. Once labor started for real, it was intense from beginning to end.

I was not progressing well because the baby was not in a good position. Lee Ann said that she seemed to be positioned off to one side rather than straight down on the cervix. I was so discouraged. I don’t remember ever feeling that discouraged before in labor. I wanted to labor lying down but Lee Ann wanted me to try sitting on the birthing stool. I think I hated that piece of equipment, and her, more than anything else in life during those 6 or so contractions I had while she made me sit there! It was torturous!! The stool intensified the pain and didn’t seem to help bring the baby down either. I couldn’t take it anymore and got off. We decided to try squatting, so Gregg sat on the end of our bed and held me up while I squatted. I did that for another 6 or so contractions and was just worn out. I then moved to hands and knees on the floor at the end of the bed. Lee Ann checked me again and I just had a lip of a cervix! I remembered praying to Jesus the whole time during the labor and my doula prayed with me and for me. I know at one point she (the doula) was a little concerned with how I was doing because I was in so much pain but the end of it came very quickly once the baby descended properly.

Andrea called the other children and they sat in the doorway of my room watching their sister be born. I was facing them so they didn’t see the "business" end of things but they were still an intimate part of the birth. I pushed past the cervical lip while the midwife did perineal massage. She came out in 3 or 4 pushes at 11:46 am. Lee Ann had me stay on hands and knees for a couple of minutes and kept the baby below the placenta. She had a tight cord around her neck and Lee Ann wanted to let the cord blood to drain back into her. After I held her for a time, Hunter cut the cord and Lee Ann weighed and measured her. She was 9lbs even and 21 inches long. This was my biggest baby yet and shortest labor being only 4 hours and 46 minutes from the start of active labor.

I was completely and utterly exhausted. I don’t think I’ve had a harder labor or birth but I loved being at home. I mainly loved that my midwife had only me to take care of and not a floor full of patients. I loved that the nurse and my doula were there and how much they helped. I loved that my children were there. I loved that I could lay down in my own bed after and sleep with my baby. It was wonderful. I wish I had done it with previous babies. Gregg too. He was mainly the reason we’ve never done it before but he completely supports home birthing now.

Maggie joins 3 brothers and 2 sisters who all adore her!