Dane's Birth Story
Here it is! I've also included some photos. I would say some aren't safe for work because of him just out. None of me except one of my upper back.
Well, here is my birth story for Dane.
Obviously the 27th was Thanksgiving. We went to my moms for dinner and ate at about 2:30pm. We left at 20 to 7pm and came home. I was tired and just over done. About 8pm, I had a snack (popcorn) and Jason and I just relaxed. We were discussing Black Friday as he had planned on going out early in the a.m. to get a few things. We were making our list, I bought a few things online so he didn’t have a ton of things to shop for. Everything was fine and I was still pregnant and planning on being pregnant.
We decided to head to bed so he’d get some sleep and I was tired anyways. Went to bed at 11pm, put in a DVD of Golden Girls to watch while we fell asleep. At 1130pm, I started having contractions. They were stronger then my previous ones. I waited it out, I didn’t pay attention to how long they were or how frequent. After about 5 painful ones in a row, I woke Jason up and told him I didn’t think he was going to be heading out.
He jumped up immediately and asked if I was sure. I assured him I was. So we canceled the alarm and headed back into the living room. We decided to kill time and do some more shopping online. By this time we were able to get the prices.
I started timing my contractions, they were staying steady at 40-50 seconds every 7 minutes. Then once they got to 1+ minutes and were 4-5 minutes apart we called my midwife. She said she was on her way.
Jason filled the tub (this was about 2-3am) and I hopped in. It felt great during this time and contractions. We put in a movie to keep ourselves occupied. Golden Girls wasn’t on Lifetime anymore so in went “Groundhog Day”. I wanted something stupid to watch that I could listen to but not have to pay attention to.
While I sat in the pool, Jason used my computer to time the contractions. I’d tell him when they started and when the peak ended. Breathing through them and relaxing as much as I could in the water.
Once they started to become 4-5 minutes apart, I told Jason to call Kathi. This was about, 3:30am. He called her and she said she’d get her stuff together and be on her way. In all honesty, time was noting to me. I have to ask Jason right now as I write this to know what times certain things happened.
Kathi showed up what seems like forever later. I highly doubt it though. Maybe 30-40 minutes later. By this time, I was a prune but did not want to leave the tub. The water was helping me relax and get through the contractions. I wasn’t in transition yet. Jason put in another movie “The Road to Wellville”, another one I could listen to but not have to pay attention to. I had to pee a lot, that was the strangest thing to me haha. The hardest part before I hit transition was having contractions while in the bathroom. Moving was becoming harder and harder as the contractions became longer and stronger. So going to the bathroom was becoming more of a pain then It should have been. Once she got there and the first time I went pee after she arrived, she checked me. I was 5cm and Danes waters were bulging. So we were getting somewhere.
About 4:30am, Katie, my midwife’s student showed up. They finished preparing all their supplies and Katie started writing down everything that was happening. I spent time on the couch, probably an hour and a half. Constantly going pee in between the contractions. I still am not sure how long they were lasting and how far apart they were. They did get a lot closer and stronger, I never asked though.
At about 5am a little after, Jason and I got into the tub. I could no longer sit on my contractions. I started kneeling and Jason rubbed my back. He honestly helped me get through this whole process. Without him, I don’t think I would have held out. We spent the next hour and a half to two hours in the tub. Drinking water and emergen-C.
The next few hours played out the same. I finally hit transition and the pain was something I wasn’t prepared for. I mean, I was but not completely. The contractions were back to back. I couldn’t stay in the tub anymore. They hurt so much more in the water then they did on land. So I went and laid on my side in our bed. Jason was behind me rubbing my back and coaching me to breathe through my nose and out my mouth. I was shaking through them because of how hard they were. I stayed in the bedroom for an hour. With Kathi and Katie, checking on me every once and awhile. Laurie the other midwife was there also, but I don’t remember her coming in while I was on the bed.
I could no longer stand laying on my side, so I tried to move back into the living room. The contractions would only let me get so far. I got just outside our bedroom door and spent probably another good 10-15 minutes standing there through the contractions. Breathing in my nose and out my mouth. Kathi, Katie and Laurie standing there encouraging me and telling me I was doing wonderfully.
Kathi told me the next time I had to go pee, she wanted me to have at least 3 contractions in there. So I had to sit through 3 painful contractions on the toilet. I could have screamed, it was the most uncomfortable position ever for me. Jason helped me up and I made my way back to the living room. By this time, we shut the t.v. off and Jason put on the Foo Fighters for me. Kathi had me lay on the couch again so she could check me. I was 7 almost 8 cm dilated and Dane’s head was extremely low and the waters bulging.
The contractions in transition hurt so much in the water I opted out of the tub. The only comfortable position for me was on my knees. So Katie suggested I lay at the end of the couch and kneel over it. I was to the point in my contractions I wanted to push but Kathi could still feel my cervix covering and not just a lip. She said I could push if I felt the pressure/need to. So I did. Jason sat on the floor next to me encouraging me. My right leg, well hip/butt area kept hurting, like it was going to give out. So he rubbed that for me. He and Katie also kept putting cold wash cloths on me because of how hot/sweaty I was. I refused to drink water for a little while because I felt so nauseous the whole laboring process. I did throw up once, but that was it.
Jason was able to finally get me to drink more emergen-C . The urge to push push was finally there. I let Kathi know and she told me to go with it. So I did. It took about an hour and a half of pushing before he was out. I remember seeing Jason’s reaction to his head starting to come out. “Wow” and this excited look on his face. It helped me know that I could continue because at that point in my mind, Dane was our last kid haha. Jason’s reaction and encouragement helped me finish pushing.
Dane’s head was finally born, she had me pause for a second and then push the rest of him out. At 1:47pm November 28th, 2008 Dane Valentine was born, at home. He came out crying and I instantly started to cry myself. I turned around and they immediately handed him to me. Jason ran into his nursery to grab more receiving blankets and less then 2 minutes of Dane being out, I pushed out his placenta. Jason cut the cord and took Dane so they could clean me up and help me into our bed.
Dane was immediately handed back to me. I didn’t tear except for one small scrape like a papercut.
They checked him out and weighed him. 7lbs 14oz and 22 inches long. Everything was perfect. He was so alert and calm.
I am so happy with how his birth experience turned out. I had moments where I wanted the epidural and I didn’t think I could make it through. Jason and Kathi reminded me that I could and I did. I’m so proud of myself, so happy. Our future babies will be born at home as well. This was the best experience ever. His birth gave me hope and power to know that if I set my mind to it, I can do it.
Getting the tub ready
Last belly photo at 41 weeks exactly
When the tub felt good
Gage woke up at 4am. My mom came and got him and took him to her house around 8am.
Contractions in the tub with Jason.
When I was pushing
Happy Birthday!
Jason holding him for the first time
Weighing him
Katie checking him out
Cutie!
:)
Well, here is my birth story for Dane.
Obviously the 27th was Thanksgiving. We went to my moms for dinner and ate at about 2:30pm. We left at 20 to 7pm and came home. I was tired and just over done. About 8pm, I had a snack (popcorn) and Jason and I just relaxed. We were discussing Black Friday as he had planned on going out early in the a.m. to get a few things. We were making our list, I bought a few things online so he didn’t have a ton of things to shop for. Everything was fine and I was still pregnant and planning on being pregnant.
We decided to head to bed so he’d get some sleep and I was tired anyways. Went to bed at 11pm, put in a DVD of Golden Girls to watch while we fell asleep. At 1130pm, I started having contractions. They were stronger then my previous ones. I waited it out, I didn’t pay attention to how long they were or how frequent. After about 5 painful ones in a row, I woke Jason up and told him I didn’t think he was going to be heading out.
He jumped up immediately and asked if I was sure. I assured him I was. So we canceled the alarm and headed back into the living room. We decided to kill time and do some more shopping online. By this time we were able to get the prices.
I started timing my contractions, they were staying steady at 40-50 seconds every 7 minutes. Then once they got to 1+ minutes and were 4-5 minutes apart we called my midwife. She said she was on her way.
Jason filled the tub (this was about 2-3am) and I hopped in. It felt great during this time and contractions. We put in a movie to keep ourselves occupied. Golden Girls wasn’t on Lifetime anymore so in went “Groundhog Day”. I wanted something stupid to watch that I could listen to but not have to pay attention to.
While I sat in the pool, Jason used my computer to time the contractions. I’d tell him when they started and when the peak ended. Breathing through them and relaxing as much as I could in the water.
Once they started to become 4-5 minutes apart, I told Jason to call Kathi. This was about, 3:30am. He called her and she said she’d get her stuff together and be on her way. In all honesty, time was noting to me. I have to ask Jason right now as I write this to know what times certain things happened.
Kathi showed up what seems like forever later. I highly doubt it though. Maybe 30-40 minutes later. By this time, I was a prune but did not want to leave the tub. The water was helping me relax and get through the contractions. I wasn’t in transition yet. Jason put in another movie “The Road to Wellville”, another one I could listen to but not have to pay attention to. I had to pee a lot, that was the strangest thing to me haha. The hardest part before I hit transition was having contractions while in the bathroom. Moving was becoming harder and harder as the contractions became longer and stronger. So going to the bathroom was becoming more of a pain then It should have been. Once she got there and the first time I went pee after she arrived, she checked me. I was 5cm and Danes waters were bulging. So we were getting somewhere.
About 4:30am, Katie, my midwife’s student showed up. They finished preparing all their supplies and Katie started writing down everything that was happening. I spent time on the couch, probably an hour and a half. Constantly going pee in between the contractions. I still am not sure how long they were lasting and how far apart they were. They did get a lot closer and stronger, I never asked though.
At about 5am a little after, Jason and I got into the tub. I could no longer sit on my contractions. I started kneeling and Jason rubbed my back. He honestly helped me get through this whole process. Without him, I don’t think I would have held out. We spent the next hour and a half to two hours in the tub. Drinking water and emergen-C.
The next few hours played out the same. I finally hit transition and the pain was something I wasn’t prepared for. I mean, I was but not completely. The contractions were back to back. I couldn’t stay in the tub anymore. They hurt so much more in the water then they did on land. So I went and laid on my side in our bed. Jason was behind me rubbing my back and coaching me to breathe through my nose and out my mouth. I was shaking through them because of how hard they were. I stayed in the bedroom for an hour. With Kathi and Katie, checking on me every once and awhile. Laurie the other midwife was there also, but I don’t remember her coming in while I was on the bed.
I could no longer stand laying on my side, so I tried to move back into the living room. The contractions would only let me get so far. I got just outside our bedroom door and spent probably another good 10-15 minutes standing there through the contractions. Breathing in my nose and out my mouth. Kathi, Katie and Laurie standing there encouraging me and telling me I was doing wonderfully.
Kathi told me the next time I had to go pee, she wanted me to have at least 3 contractions in there. So I had to sit through 3 painful contractions on the toilet. I could have screamed, it was the most uncomfortable position ever for me. Jason helped me up and I made my way back to the living room. By this time, we shut the t.v. off and Jason put on the Foo Fighters for me. Kathi had me lay on the couch again so she could check me. I was 7 almost 8 cm dilated and Dane’s head was extremely low and the waters bulging.
The contractions in transition hurt so much in the water I opted out of the tub. The only comfortable position for me was on my knees. So Katie suggested I lay at the end of the couch and kneel over it. I was to the point in my contractions I wanted to push but Kathi could still feel my cervix covering and not just a lip. She said I could push if I felt the pressure/need to. So I did. Jason sat on the floor next to me encouraging me. My right leg, well hip/butt area kept hurting, like it was going to give out. So he rubbed that for me. He and Katie also kept putting cold wash cloths on me because of how hot/sweaty I was. I refused to drink water for a little while because I felt so nauseous the whole laboring process. I did throw up once, but that was it.
Jason was able to finally get me to drink more emergen-C . The urge to push push was finally there. I let Kathi know and she told me to go with it. So I did. It took about an hour and a half of pushing before he was out. I remember seeing Jason’s reaction to his head starting to come out. “Wow” and this excited look on his face. It helped me know that I could continue because at that point in my mind, Dane was our last kid haha. Jason’s reaction and encouragement helped me finish pushing.
Dane’s head was finally born, she had me pause for a second and then push the rest of him out. At 1:47pm November 28th, 2008 Dane Valentine was born, at home. He came out crying and I instantly started to cry myself. I turned around and they immediately handed him to me. Jason ran into his nursery to grab more receiving blankets and less then 2 minutes of Dane being out, I pushed out his placenta. Jason cut the cord and took Dane so they could clean me up and help me into our bed.
Dane was immediately handed back to me. I didn’t tear except for one small scrape like a papercut.
They checked him out and weighed him. 7lbs 14oz and 22 inches long. Everything was perfect. He was so alert and calm.
I am so happy with how his birth experience turned out. I had moments where I wanted the epidural and I didn’t think I could make it through. Jason and Kathi reminded me that I could and I did. I’m so proud of myself, so happy. Our future babies will be born at home as well. This was the best experience ever. His birth gave me hope and power to know that if I set my mind to it, I can do it.
Getting the tub ready
Last belly photo at 41 weeks exactly
When the tub felt good
Gage woke up at 4am. My mom came and got him and took him to her house around 8am.
Contractions in the tub with Jason.
When I was pushing
Happy Birthday!
Jason holding him for the first time
Weighing him
Katie checking him out
Cutie!
:)