Birth Story of a Rainbow Baby: One Mother’s Reflections
We love a good birth story around here. This tender contribution comes from a beautiful home birthing mama and friend, Dorothy:
Her due date was November 21, 2021, and I was so excited that she would be here in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas, two of my favorite holidays! I honestly thought she would debut early since both of my sons were born two and three days sooner than their expected date. Around 3 am on her due date, I was so happy because I was feeling contractions. At first, I wasn’t sure if they were Braxton Hicks but it was consistent at 8-10 minutes apart. It lasted for two hours, and I thought I better take a quick nap before baby girl arrives. I figured my next contraction would wake me up, but I woke up a few hours later with no signs of contractions. Confused, I texted my midwife, Kelsey, immediately. I almost thought I had dreamed it. Sure enough, it did happen as my wonderful husband, Tony, was timing it and assured me it wasn’t a dream.
Kelsey explained to me that I was in prodromal labor, where I was in active labor for a time, but it stopped for whatever reason. She was so reassuring and told me to drink red raspberry tea and take nice long walks. The next day, she could tell I was anxious for Emery to debut and drove about 40 minutes to my house immediately to offer labor prep herbs, homeopathics, and techniques for optimal fetal positioning. I felt so grateful for her availability and amount of attention and care she provided. It was really nice to have her wonderful support.
On Thanksgiving Eve, we hosted a small, intimate Thanksgiving feast for my family. Everyone left around midnight, and after cleaning up a little and settling down for the night, I started having contractions around 2:30 am. After 2-3 contractions about 8 minutes apart, I texted Kelsey and she was immediately on her way. She arrived and expertly prepared all of the equipment and set everything up while having me take more herbs and tea. She had Tony draw my bath and had me try various positions to help me get through the contractions.
Having a water birth in my very own home was quite meaningful to me. I loved having a planned home birth this time.* I thought, how lucky am I that she’s a certified professional midwife in the midst of a pandemic? She’s become family to me and helped me through my miscarriage in 2020. Her emotional support had been tremendous during that devastating time, and she’s still amazing to this day. She’s very thorough and knowledgeable and prepares me for all possible scenarios. So for Emery’s birth, she helped me through the intense “piggyback” contractions. She rubbed Arnica homeopathic remedy onto my lower back. The warm bath water was nice as healing music was set and lights were dimmed. Labor happened so fast . My water broke while I was using the toilet. Before I knew it, I was back in the tub, and Kelsey guided me and had me bear down.
We could see Emery’s beautiful head of hair emerge via the midwife’s strategically placed waterproof mirror and light. She descended a bit more, but she had what Kelsey later explained to me as “sticky shoulders.” We tried a lunge right outside the bath. She maneuvered Emery out tenderly and suddenly this beautiful baby was laid into my arms as I burst into tears with happiness. All I ever wished for was the safe delivery of my beautiful, healthy baby. It’s one of the best feelings in the world to first lay eyes on my baby, each of them. I was nervous during my pregnancy about being a girl mom, but it all dissipated once I held Emery in my arms, encompassing her with all of the love I have for her. It’s truly a miracle and God’s greatest blessing. I also had the advantage of having her angel sister watch after us and give me strength to get through it all.
Kelsey clamped her umbilical cord, and we were ready to cut the cord when I suddenly had large blood clots expelled from me. She expertly prepared pitocin (a medication for bleeding) while explaining everything to me and receiving my verbal consent to administer it. Again, I felt taken care of and in such great hands. Sure enough, the pitocin has regulated my bleeding. Labor was 4 hours in total duration, and my baby girl was delivered on a beautiful, miraculous Thanksgiving Day weighing 9 lbs 7 oz at 21 inches long. I loved having my husband and Kelsey by my side throughout this birthing process and would do it all over again. The look on my boys’ faces when they first saw their sister was priceless. We have so many precious memories here at home, and I can’t help but feel beyond grateful.
*Side story: I unexpectedly delivered my second son on my bed in January 2019. I still count my lucky stars that my OB/GYN at the time recommended I hire a doula. I had no idea what a birthing coach was and am so thankful that a random stranger told me about Kelsey, who I contracted back then as my birth doula. She did an amazing job introducing me to the natural birth world. With my second son, my labor was very calm and as soon as my water broke my son immediately crowned. Although I was nervous and scared, Kelsey delivered my baby with such calmness and professionalism. I knew we were in the best hands.
