Well.. Maya is 2 months old.. So yea.. Perhaps i should post a blog?! Its really hard to blog with four kids by the way... It's hard to do lots of things with four kids.. lol
So, as I had discussed before going on blog hiatus, I was planning (Very excitedly) for a home birth of our fourth and final child. Our precious Maya.. Also known as, Mayalou, May-leen, My-leen, Mayleenie... you get it.
On Christmas Eve contractions began late at night, they continued on into Christmas day.. Nothing crazy, but consistent.. I wanted to get through that
day for the kids. Make them special Christmas dinner as I always do, presents, etc. I got through it!
On the 26th the contractions continued, 5-7 minutes apart. I was losing it! Days of the same.. I couldn't sleep because of them and I was going a bit nutty. The next day on the morning of the 27th, I called my midwives and explained the situation. I needed someone to talk me down from the ledge! lol. I was 40+ 2 days at that point and was content to be pregnant for WEEKS more of that is what Maya wanted, but please, get these contractions to STOP!!!!
My midwife Roxie did a non stress test and Maya was fantastic, she checked me- there was tons of "Bloody show" Which I had never experienced before with any of the three other kids but I had confirmed to her it had been happening for two days now.. She felt my pain, she gave me such a good talk that I was content to go home and wait. For however long it would be. She was confident it would be "In the next day or two!"
I went home and the contractions continued.. The same as they had been for the past few days. I sat on my yoga ball on the computer and played games for awhile, stopping and leaning over it with each contraction, Still, I wasn't convinced "This was it" .. I am quite a drive for my midwives and I didn't want to call them until I was "Sure" but with labor like this.. How would I be sure!?
My husband felt that this was it so he went up to get some rest. I stayed downstairs for awhile more, then went up to bed. Couldn't sleep, so I decided to run a bath.. I got in and the contractions continued. I just honestly didn't know what to think.. With my fourth you'd think I'd just know.. But it didn't work out that way. So sitting in the tub I swayed back and forth.. I sang to Maya.. I moaned.. And then..
I prayed.
I said "Please God. If this is "it" please let my water break. Please because otherwise I just don't know if I should call anyone" It wasn't two minutes later that I felt POP. POP. And my water broke. I yelled from the bathroom to Husam to please call my midwives. This was it. My water had broken !! IT was 11 pm. My midwife got immediately in her car and headed over (Thank Goodness) My other midwife and doula in the practice headed over too (though they didn't make it in time for the actual birth they were fantastic after the fact!)
Husam told me to stay in the tub and just relax and he'd start setting up my birthing tub. It took him awhile to get it blown up, and then he slowly began to fill it. I was desperate to get in it. I knew I was getting closer as the contractions picked up. There was no denying it. I was in transition..
I got out of the tub because I had to use the bathroom and i paced around.. I had called my sister while Husam was on the phone with my midwife and she arrived shortly after. She came in and asked me if I was okay, and then went in the kids room to lie down (She didn't want to see the actual birth- just not her thing)
I went and laid down on the bed and knew she was coming. Fast. I could feel her moving down the birth canal and though "no no no! I want to get in that tub!!! I want my midwife!!! " I called to Husam and he was nervous, clearly... He knew it was almost time too and I don't think he mentally prepared himself to deliver the baby on his own... I yelled at him to call my midwife and see how far she was.. She told him she was about 10 minutes away.. I think she made it there in about 5.. But it seemed like the longest five minutes of my life.
I heard her car come up our hill.. I told Husam that I thought she was here .. (My midwife was shocked at my calm for the given situation)
He went downstairs to meet her and i felt so relieved when I heard her voice downstairs.. She rushed up and found me on my side on my bed holding the babies head in.. yeah... She really should have been out. lol. She leaned over and felt the water and the birthing pool on the walk to my bed.. It was way too hot.. And only a quarter of the way full. She told me it just wasn't going to happen and she was sorry...
She sat down on the bed and told me "Let your baby out" It was very intense.. Birthing a baby outside of the water is much more intense than having a water birth. Husam walked up and held out both of his hands to me.. I remember thinking I didn't want to hold his hands, but reconsidered in those few seconds that I would need the support. So I grabbed onto his hands.. I pushed and I felt her emerging .. Though not comfortable, always an amazing exhilarating feeling none the less. It burned, for sure, but it was also a warm feeling. My midwife told me to stop pushing and just breath her out the rest of the way so I wouldn't tear ... I remember saying that I just wanted to get her out at that point. Even though I had only pushed once really.. But I resigned and said okay and began to pant. I felt her slip and slide the rest of the way. The entire time I remember Husam in the backround (Though right next to me) shouting encouragement. I could hear the excitement in his voice and it was nice, but I had really been concentrating on getting her out!!!
It took her a moment to cry, my midwife had to give her a breath... She had sat for a few minutes in the birth canal and the cord around her next, but before I could even realize anything she was pinked up and crying! My midwife is amazing, and calming, and I love her so much. She handed me Maya, and I looked and pronounced it was a girl! Husam had said all along she would be, and he was right. My midwife told me to be careful as her cord was short. We left it attached until it stopped pulsing, and probably for some time after..
I held her and looked at her. She was so beautiful... She was born just as the clock turned over to December 28th... at 12:10 am. She weighed 7 lbs 8 oz,. (Husam guessed exactly right) And was 20 inches long. So beautiful..
After Husam cut the cord and I got cleaned up a little we had my sister wake up Nadia to come meet her new baby sister.. She was so excited.. She came in while I was nursing Maya for the first time. And it was very special.
For me. Being at home for my birth was wonderful. Maya was born and conceived in the same spot. I think it's very special.. Made with love, and born into love. Our angel. I didn't have anyone waking us up in the middle of the night or bothering us, just my husband taking care of me (He did a fantastic job btw!) and my beautiful children loving over the new addition... It was wonderful... Not how i planned my home birth to go, but happened exactly as it was supposed to... I wish I had more pictures of the labor and the actual birth, but it just happened so fast!!
But there it is. The birth of our beautiful baby girl Maya..
Well it appears Spring has sprung here in New Jersey! This has been one of the mildest winters I can ever remember! Last year we were slammed with several feet of snow.. I remember the last storm bought nearly 2 feet alone.. And it followed a storm that had just dropped over a foot. It was miserable and late in the winter.. I'm thinking mid-March.. You know, that point where your really ready for winter to be over!!!
