Jameson's Birth Story- A healing home birth

June came and there I was again past my “due date”. I was so worried about this baby being a big baby or having complications with my birth again. I feel like I was even more anxious for this birth than I was with Georgias. For those who don't know, Georgia is my second. We had an amazing labor with her (took castor oil at 42 weeks) but we had a scary delivery. She had shoulder dystocia and had to be in the NICU on a cooling blanket for days to help her brain catch up. It was scary and a lot, so finding out we were pregnant just a year later was, a little jarring. I hadn't been able to work through a lot of Georgia's trauma yet. When I found out I was pregnant again I knew I needed to go into therapy to work through that birth trauma so I did.

From the beginning when we found out the due date, Justin kept saying June 2nd she would come. I kept hoping for sooner, but knowing it’s normal and okay for women to go up to 42 weeks I was fully expecting to go past. I woke up the morning of June 2nd- not feeling a thing and had no signs of having a baby anytime soon. The girls and I went about our day and tried to plan a birthday for Justin. We went shopping, ate lunch and played outside. I kept trying to take a nap just in case but it just didn’t happen. Nicole texted me late in the afternoon and said “I have a feeling about tonight” and sure enough not long before that I started having some contractions. Justin came home from work and the waves really picked up. Didn’t stay consistent, but man were they intense.

I went downstairs to try and lay down and rest, thinking it wouldn’t be anytime soon and Justin stayed up with the girls and fed them and played and kept them busy while I was working through the early stages of labor. At that point I thought we had better get in touch with my birthing team. It was around dinner time and I got into the bath hoping for some relief. Couldn’t really find a good position or any relief so I decided to get out. As the tub was just about finished draining and I was in it still, a big pop and gush! My water had broken! I was texting with Nicole at the time and she was already on her way. Justin called my midwife and said she would be there around 830. I asked Justin what time it was and he said a little after 8 pm. I stayed on the bathroom floor for a while working through the waves that were even more intense now, losing my plug and Justin holding me and reassuring I was doing a great job and that I could do it. I was already at that point where I was saying I couldn’t.

I thought how am I supposed to go through hours and hours of this? So I kept on roaring, and screaming and moving through it all. All of the things I had ready and prepared to help me with this mental exhaustion and physical pain just completely went out the window and I just knew it was all on me to pull it together and birth my baby.

By this time my mom had showed up to help with the girls and for support and everyone else from my birth team did as well. I went from the toilet, to the floor, the bed and back and forth over and over. Hanging from Justin for physical and emotional support. Raquel- my midwife said to me that maybe if I used all the energy I was using for yelling and roaring towards pushing and moving baby down that it might help. And I think sure enough it clicked and I was able to focus in on getting this baby out. I was being offered sips of water and honey, and reminders to keep my body moving to try and find what worked.

I had finally decided I was most comfortable and supported on our bed. (I had wanted the birth pool but everything was moving so quickly that we hadn’t much time to set it up) . Hands and knees was what worked best and I just remember working so hard and feeling her moving down and was told to reach down and feel my babies head for some motivation. Sure enough I felt her and that’s just what I needed to make it a little more. A couple more pushes, my body doing it on its own and her head was out. This is where it all went wrong with Georgia so we all knew she had just a few moments to get her body out and seconds later the rest of her slid out and I flipped over and Justin brought her right to my chest. Just as I had wanted and needed. I looked at her with such awe and looked at Justin and we heard her make a little cry and we both let out sobs of joy knowing all was okay.

I had such a rush of adrenaline and pure joy. Kissing on Justin and soaking her in. I look over and see Luci and Georgia both standing there, a little shocked as well at their new baby sister and called them over to come check her out. Both a little hesitant but happy.

As baby was on my chest still, I was in shock from it all happening so fast. At this point it was just a little after 10 pm- that’s when she was born (10 pm exactly) and just as soon as everyone had showed up, it was time to clean up, get our bed made and settled in for the night with our new babe and everyone leave.

My mom made me a sandwich (the best sandwich of my life) my sister and dad showed up to come see us and we all got a little placenta tour and baby checked out. My mom got us all tucked in with Nicole’s help. My mom took the older girls with her so we could have some one on one time with baby- who still wasn’t named yet and get some rest.

We needed some rest but we’re both still high from everything that just happened. We couldn’t stop staring at our beautiful, tiny baby. She was a perfect 7.14 lbs and looked just like Georgia when she was born- just much much smaller.

We had a few names picked out and tried them out through out the night seeing what was a good fit.

We turned on some tv and justin and I laid in bed relaxing and sleeping on and off while he fed me strawberries and gave me sips of water.

It was pure bliss and just what I needed for my (most likely) last birth. As the early morning crept in we woke up and I said “happy birthday daddy” as June 3rd was Justin’s birthday. She came one day before his- and Georgia had come one day before mine.

That day we stayed in bed all day still soaking in this baby and loving on each other. Later that day my mom brought the girls back over with some delicious food and cake to celebrate Justin and the new baby.

We finally came to an agreement on a name. Jameson Eloise. Born June 2nd 10 pm. A perfect last piece to our family.