The Home Birth Journey Begins

Baby #2 is on the way! Due around March 8th of 2008. My husband (Jay) and I have decided to be surprised about the baby's sex and not find out ahead of time. We were surprised with our son and it was one of my best memories.

Clayton was born in our home in 2006. We didn't decide to have a home birth until my 30th week of pregnancy. It was then that I met with our midwife and our journey began. The sound of having a water birth was abosolutely divine to me and we reserved a large portable tub for the occasion. We opted to set the tub up in what would become the baby's bedroom. It was a warm cozy spot with all the privacy I could ask for.

When my labor began just 3 days after my due date I was ready to go! It was late in the evening when I decided to take a bath and see if it would help the painful contractions I was begining to have. I remember thinking "Is it really supposed to hurt so bad already, maybe something is wrong." I called my husband into the bathroom and asked him to get our midwife on the phone. She said she would get ready and head over soon. She would also call the "midwife in training" and tell her to come too.

Once the heated tub was up and running I spent the majority of my labor in it with my husband rubbing my lower back during contractions. When I was finally ready to push after 17 hours of waiting for full dialation, he hopped in the tub with me to support my back and hold my hands. What an incredible man! It took another hour before Clayton would begin to emerge with my bag of waters still intact around him. It is pretty rare, but a baby can actually be born still in the bag! Some say this is the sign of an auspicious birth. We would have to agree!

Jay and I reached down to catch Clayton as he slid out into the tub. Our hands brought our new baby up to my chest. Slowly he began waking up and taking the quite room around him in. When babies are born in the water they take a bit longer to come around or even cry. As he laid on my chest I asked for someone to help me lift him up and see if he was a boy or girl. My stepmom reached down and taking a quick peek announced "It's a boy!". Just as I had thought for the last few months. Our sweet newborn was just 6 lbs 2 oz and 17 inches long. A tiny but healthy little bundle.

As we plan for Baby #2 I often think about our beautiful and natural birth experience with Clayton. I look forward to doing it all again with high hopes for a quicker labor and another healthy baby. It is funny now, I can't imagine having my baby in the hospital. Our experience at home was so beautiful and relaxed. Just minutes after he was born I got a quick shower and then crawled into my own bed. The midwives examined the baby on the bed and helped Jay to dress him for the first time. Then the three of us just snuggled for hours. We were exhausted, but couldn't take our eyes off of our new baby. Clayton looked around with big blues and rarely cried. Now he is almost 2 years old and we still have moments when we just stare at him and thank God for the most auspicious little boy.