Denver Health Birth: The Beginning of Their Becoming
WRITTEN BY THE BIRTHING PERSON
RELEASE
In the early hours of the morning on April 10th, my waters released. To be honest, I was shocked that it actually happened. I kept on repeating to my husband
“Am I just peeing myself? I bet I’m just peeing myself...” as my husband continuously looked at me shaking his head “... You can’t just keep on peeing every single time you stand up... that’s not pee...”
and I knew it wasn’t.
But if I accepted it wasn’t in fact pee, it was to accept that this was actually happening.
I was finally going to meet my baby.
But this whole process wasn’t starting how I envisioned it.
I envisioned my surges (contractions) beginning at home where I would stay throughout the course of my labor until the very end. Then I would notify my doula, Lindsey when it was time to head to the hospital, and I would have a gloriously fast labor.
But here I was, standing in my bedroom feeling only the waters dribbling down my leg, no surge (contraction) in sight //
My vision of how my labor would unfold quickly evaporated like the early morning dew outside
and I knew that this was the moment where
I had to fully surrender to the process
My original plan was to labor at home for as long as possible but with my waters breaking before my surges began, I knew that I would be like a sitting duck waiting at home for things to begin.
I could feel my anxiety start to rise.
I weighed the pro’s + con’s of heading to the hospital, because I knew once I arrived, they would want me to stay.
I could stay and relax at home for twelve hours and see if my body would naturally start to open
Or I could head to the hospital and wait for twelve hours to see what my body would naturally do but also have access to a birthing ball + peanut ball + a birthing tub.
Since I did not have those available at my home, I decided that it was best for my husband and I to go ahead and head to the hospital so I could fully relax + set up my home away from home
BEGINNINGS
Once at the hospital, I was elated to see my fellow coworkers, yet even more so to go to my room and set up
my home away from home //
The first thing I did, was turn off all the lights
and turn this salt lamp on
filling the room with
it’s faint warm glow
I infused the room with the sweet aromas of lavender + orange
&& stayed in my own clothes //
Peaceful.
I remember feeling at peace
For the next twelve hours, I wanted to see what my body would naturally do, as I saw no need to rush this sacred process at that time.
Instead I gave my body the tools to help it to start to naturally open
Thanks to one of the midwife’s I work with (thanks Ashleigh!) who provided me education on the mile’s circuit, I started my own version of it.
+ thirty minutes of laying in bed with a peanut ball between my legs
+ thirty minutes of gently bouncing && swaying my hips on a birthing ball
+ Walking ten laps in the hallway
This became the song my body sang for the next twelve hours
a song to encourage my baby to make their way down
To gently tell them
it’s time, little one
it’s time to start our dance
EYES
Twelve hours passed
and my surges were coming in
gentle infrequent waves
I knew I was still in the earliest stages of opening
so my midwife at the time suggested taking a medication called cytotec (misoprostol)
to help give my body a boost or,
I could continue to wait && see what my body would naturally do //
My choice.
She would respect + honor either option.
However, I knew that the longer my body was exposed due to my waters open
I was at risk for getting an infection called Chorioamnioitis (chorio)
Especially if it approached twenty four hours and beyond //
I looked at what the next twelve hours could look like
I could easily continue what I was doing,
however yet again I could feel my anxiety rising.
Even though I trusted my body
I did not want to get Chorio
So I decided I wanted to actively use these next twelve hours //
I took the cytotec
and felt peace
I decided we would reconvene in four hours to see if I wanted to take an additional one
Four hours passed and my surges were still gentle waves coming every five to ten minutes
I decided to take another //
Around three hours after taking the second one
I remember I was lying in bed
with the peanut ball between my legs
when all of a sudden
a strong surge burst through
a tidal wave
multiple tidal waves
a change
I could no longer lay in bed
Suddenly, I needed to move
TRANSITION
And I found myself
drawn to the bathroom
Sitting on the toilet
breathing through the surges
I thought to myself
is this the moment
the moment
where my doula, Lindsey
said I would know
a shift would occur
a transition
I texted her
saying that this could be it
as a strong surges came through
I needed to stand
and use my husband as a support
I remember him speaking
yet I could not respond
I texted her to come in
as I got into the tub
and let the calming waters
flow over me
it felt heavenly
the edges of time separated
and soon Lindsey was at my side
my whole team was at my side
I could feel the dance
my baby and I were doing
coming to an end
a crescendo
as low moans escaped out of me
my baby announced
the beginning of their becoming
it was time
EMBERS
Time to get into bed
as my body
felt as if it needed
a tether
a tether to this world
my soul on the edge
the surges
raw power
threatening to push me over the edge
As the surges brought my baby down
embers ignited
And the words
“ I don’t think I can do this “
whispered out of my mouth
the embers
now a raging fire
burning the old self
burning me
to birth anew
every part of me
wanted to resist
the power raging within
but I realized
while clinging to the bed
that the power was not greater
than me
because I was that power
it was in this moment
where I knew
all I had to
was to take a deep breath
and to simply let go
EMBRACE
to simply let go
of the fear of pain
of the fear of starting this new chapter
of the fear of losing myself
and to simply
embrace
embrace the
feeling of a new life
entering into this world
and to welcome in
the change this new life would bring
and the welcoming of my new self
and as I blew out the fire
once again returning to embers
a cry emerged
as a little soul entered this world
and
a mother was born
as she reached
in between her legs
dipping into crimson streams
cradling her baby
in her arms
their home
my heart
and as the sacred dance
was ending
a new beat began
the beginnings of
a sweet new melody
mother + son
