Everything Lora: Jacks Water birth Story

In the kitchen today, preparing for My sons Birthday party, I suddenly remembered how I prepared for his Birth, 5 years ago. I even made the same chocolate cake recipe, although this time as cucpcakes for all the little friends he's made. And still today I remain mesmerized by the way pale swirls form as you stir the vinegar into the cake batter.

As with all of my births, I planned for a natural home birth. We have an addition built onto our 1950s backsplit. Its a big split level room, with a little bathroom, hot tub, couch and enough space up top for a bed and some chairs. The room is raw cedar, square tile floors and a huge wall of windows making the room conducive for all sorts of plant life and well, Birth. We typically refer to the room as the "back room", but for awhile we called it the "birth room" as we have had a total of 6 births there, 3 of my own, 3 of my friends and also another who came to spend part of her prelabour in the tub. Soft natural lighting, candles at night, the big windows overlooking the garden and the cedar make it a cozy, earthy and comfortable space for giving birth.

Jack was due in February, he was 10 days late, and so I had gone to the grocery store for the last time, lots of times, cleaned the birthroom , decorated it with my magic scarves, big cozy pillows, art work, candles, and anything eles that served as a reminder that birth is natural, beautiful, and totally MY expreience. I wanted to own that.

On March 1st, I woke up with the sort of telling contractions that let me know that this would be "baby day." With my husband and first born we set out for a walk. I had some things I had to get into the mail and we thought we'd stop for lunch. When we got to the restaurant I couldn't eat, I could only cry! My husband embraced me with a long hug out side the fish and chip shop where I realized it was time to get home and into the tub! I took a dose of pulsitilla ( a homeopathic remedy) because I was feeling weepy and kinda sorry for myself! I decided to change my attitude and became excited because I knew that in no time at all I would meet my baby and hold him or her in my arms for the first time. All of the sudden I was energetic, happy and looking forward to the inescapable journey ahead of me.

My water broke while I was nursing my 2 year old to sleep for his afternoon nap. I remember jummping up because I was laying on my white duvet cover! With my little guy asleep I set off downstairs to get in the tub. My Birth team arrived; freinds Piper and Katie along with my midwife Eddie. We all just hung out together in the birth room, with me in the tub, riding the waves, cocooned and protected by the little tub walls around me. Personal space and the absence of intereference are very imporatant to me while birthing, so the tub worked great because nobody would really want to come in anyways! I could feel my contractions getting stronger, not painful but more productive. I really didn't have to push, my body knew what to do and I trusted that. I was actually feeling a bit mischievous when I didn't tell anyone in the room that he was about to be born. I didn't want all the excitement around me, or the unnecessary worry or fuss. I wanted to remain quiet, grounded and inward. With my next contraction his head was born, and then the rest of him. I announced his head was out and everyone turned to watch as I brought him up above the surface of the water to look at him for the first time. By the time he was out everyone surrounded the tub and I'll always remember the look on my husbands face. He look amazed, he looked in love. We named him Jack.
I wanted to wait until the cord stopped pulsing, then Katie proceeded to cut it. I drank the best hot chocolate I've ever had just then. Edie placed the placenta in my grandmothers copper pot. I wish she were alive to meet him. She too had 3 boys, my Father was her first born.

I felt blessed by the support and love around me, mostly because my "team" believed in me and let me do what I needed to without question, only encouragement and support.

After that amazing experience I really felt that I could do anything! In the process of our birth, not only did I receive a perfect baby boy, but also the confidence, trust and belief in my abilities as a powerful capable woman and mother. What a gift!

Here are some pics of my natural water birth, only 5 short years ago. The water was untreated and hovered around body temp.