| Alexander's Birth Story |
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The Birth of Alexander Robb Mastbrook
As I sit down at my computer to finally type Alexander’s birth story out, I can’t help but
reflect at how completely different this experience was from Nicholas’ birth. A few words
that immediately come to mind with regards to the birth and caregivers are: control, caring,
gentle, empowered, satisfaction, safe, support, peace, love. I feel like I’ve waited a lifetime to
get to this point – a point where I finally feel at peace with myself, my body, and both my
sons’ births into this world.
Making the decision to homebirth wasn’t an easy one for me or one that I went into lightly or
without thought or research (lots of research!). Family support was limited and even I
questioned my decision for several months of the pregnancy after the tragic loss of a very
dear friend of mine’s child. She was a very important support person in my decision to
homebirth so when it happened, my life was turned upside down. Between my sorrow for
her loss and my own emotional loss, I struggled to find answers to what was the right decision
for me. But I know today that through that grieving and learning process emerged a
stronger, more confident and more whole person than what I was when I began this journey.
I suppose it’s time to talk about the actual birth. Alexander made his way into the world
on Monday February 6th, 2006 weighing in at 7pd 10oz and measuring just over 19inches in
length. But the birth itself began on February 4th, even though I didn’t know that was what
was happening just yet. I had been having Braxton hicks contractions on and off for the past
several weeks so when I felt them on Saturday, I didn’t think much of them, even though I
seemed to be having them consistently throughout the day. I went through the night with
them and found them more of an annoyance than anything else but proceeded to continue to
ignore them. On Sunday they not only continued but I started to feel crampy with them as
well when they would come. By evening (Superbowl Sunday), they were more consistent and
more noticeable. I called my midwife and doula to let them know that I was having
consistent Braxton hicks (or at least I thought they were at the time) and was told by both to
drink a half a glass of wine and take a warm bath to stop them. After all, I was just over 36
weeks at the time so no one, including myself, thought that this was the real thing. I
proceeded to take their advice (who would turn down a warm bath and a glass of wine?). It
didn’t stop the contractions though and they continued on through the night. I was able to
sleep in between them until about 4:30 in the morning when Scott got up to get ready to fly
out for work. He left for his flight about 5:15 and I got up after that and started to get more
worried as they seemed to be getting closer together and stronger. About 7:30 I gave my
doula/close friend Cori a call and told her what was happening. I still wasn’t sure I was in
actual labor at this point, although looking back I think it was pretty obvious that I was. She
told me she would be right over and we left it at that. I called my midwife next to let her
know what was happening and she was shocked to hear that the wine and bath hadn’t
stopped the contractions. She told me to have Cori do a full check (Cori is just a handful of
births away from being a midwife herself) when she arrived and call her with the details. So
for the next 2 hours I labored through the contractions while Nicholas played and ate
breakfast. Cori arrived around 9:30 and I can’t begin to tell you how relieved I was to have
her there. She proceeded to check me at proclaimed me to be 3cm with effacement and a
bag of water that was starting to bulge. So it became official: I was in labor and the baby
would come that day. Cori called Molly (the midwife) to let her know she should head over
and I called Scott to let him know he needed to turn around and come back home on the
next flight. Scott ended up getting back on the same plane he flew over on and had the same
flight attendants who talked his ear off about his wife being in labor.
It’s kind of a blur as to what time Molly and the other midwife arrived, but I’m thinking it
was sometime around 11am. I had started my laboring in the kitchen, but by the time the
midwives came, they helped me to try out some new positions that really worked well. One
was sitting on the birth ball next to the bed and completely relaxing into Cori’s arms while a
contraction was happening. The best position though, was a slow dancing position of sorts
with Molly where I basically just relaxed my entire body into her and rocked back and forth
while the contraction was happening. I did this position during transition and I have to say I
felt no pain through any of these contractions, just pressure below. I could have labored like
that for another 10 hours and been fine, but I was found to be complete by 1:30 so it wasn’t
to be. It should be noted that when I started out in labor Alex was actually malpositioned just
like Nicholas was, which was definitely a concern to me, but through position changes during
labor they were able to easily get him into a favorable position for birth – something I still
find amazing as that was the reason for my first c/s with Nicholas.
This is where the real excitement began. I had made it to 10 with Nicholas’ birth and even
pushed for 2 hours, but he never went anywhere. So I knew this was the point where I
would need some extra reassurance. Scott walked in the room just as pushing began and was
a wonderful coach throughout the whole process. The first push I thought I would try in the
slow dancing position since it worked so wonderfully for labor. No way. It was so intense
and painful that I almost lost my legs out from underneath me! Somewhere around this
point my water broke. I have to mention I thought this was amazing as well as with Nicholas
my water broke before contractions even began! The next position that we tried was the
birthing stool. I worked with the stool for five or six contractions and made a little progress
but it was still slow at best. So then we decided to try the good old supine position (on your
back feet pressing against a person for leverage) and this did actually work to help bring the
head down a bit more. I couldn’t believe when they told me I was plus two station. I had
never been anything more than zero with Nicholas so I was past my stuck point from last
time! This was a huge relief to me. I was starting to have terrible leg cramps though with
each contraction that were inhibiting my ability to push so finally the midwives had me get up
and try pushing on the toilet. At first I pushed sitting backwards on the toilet. I did this for a
couple of pushes and nearly crumbled the porcelain on the top of the toilet I was grabbing it
so hard so they had me face forward and push. This was what finally did it. Two pushes and
the head was full on crowning. We then moved back to the bed because they didn’t want me
to tear and needed the crowning to be more controlled. Now there’s an experience: walking
across the room with an almost 14” head between your legs. I laid back down on the bed
and gave a couple more cough like semi pushes (and a few animal screams to go with it) and
the head was out. A minute and half later, Alexander was born. I can’t tell you what an
intense and amazing feeling it is to feel your child come out of your body like that. It was
absolutely surreal.
In retrospect, I know that I had a lot of fear associated with the pushing and there were
many times I wanted to give up (although that’s of course not an option). I think I probably
could have gotten him out in half the time if I had a relaxed more with it, but despite this he
came out and helped me prove to myself that birth actually does work and my body’s not
broken or defective despite what I was told by the numerous OB’s I saw who told me I
wouldn’t be able to have a child vaginally. I am just so grateful and thankful to have had the
support I did from my midwives and Cori. Having a homebirth was an amazing,
empowering, and safe experience and one that I will definitely repeat when and if we have
more children.
As I sit down at my computer to finally type Alexander’s birth story out, I can’t help but
reflect at how completely different this experience was from Nicholas’ birth. A few words
that immediately come to mind with regards to the birth and caregivers are: control, caring,
gentle, empowered, satisfaction, safe, support, peace, love. I feel like I’ve waited a lifetime to
get to this point – a point where I finally feel at peace with myself, my body, and both my
sons’ births into this world.
Making the decision to homebirth wasn’t an easy one for me or one that I went into lightly or
without thought or research (lots of research!). Family support was limited and even I
questioned my decision for several months of the pregnancy after the tragic loss of a very
dear friend of mine’s child. She was a very important support person in my decision to
homebirth so when it happened, my life was turned upside down. Between my sorrow for
her loss and my own emotional loss, I struggled to find answers to what was the right decision
for me. But I know today that through that grieving and learning process emerged a
stronger, more confident and more whole person than what I was when I began this journey.
I suppose it’s time to talk about the actual birth. Alexander made his way into the world
on Monday February 6th, 2006 weighing in at 7pd 10oz and measuring just over 19inches in
length. But the birth itself began on February 4th, even though I didn’t know that was what
was happening just yet. I had been having Braxton hicks contractions on and off for the past
several weeks so when I felt them on Saturday, I didn’t think much of them, even though I
seemed to be having them consistently throughout the day. I went through the night with
them and found them more of an annoyance than anything else but proceeded to continue to
ignore them. On Sunday they not only continued but I started to feel crampy with them as
well when they would come. By evening (Superbowl Sunday), they were more consistent and
more noticeable. I called my midwife and doula to let them know that I was having
consistent Braxton hicks (or at least I thought they were at the time) and was told by both to
drink a half a glass of wine and take a warm bath to stop them. After all, I was just over 36
weeks at the time so no one, including myself, thought that this was the real thing. I
proceeded to take their advice (who would turn down a warm bath and a glass of wine?). It
didn’t stop the contractions though and they continued on through the night. I was able to
sleep in between them until about 4:30 in the morning when Scott got up to get ready to fly
out for work. He left for his flight about 5:15 and I got up after that and started to get more
worried as they seemed to be getting closer together and stronger. About 7:30 I gave my
doula/close friend Cori a call and told her what was happening. I still wasn’t sure I was in
actual labor at this point, although looking back I think it was pretty obvious that I was. She
told me she would be right over and we left it at that. I called my midwife next to let her
know what was happening and she was shocked to hear that the wine and bath hadn’t
stopped the contractions. She told me to have Cori do a full check (Cori is just a handful of
births away from being a midwife herself) when she arrived and call her with the details. So
for the next 2 hours I labored through the contractions while Nicholas played and ate
breakfast. Cori arrived around 9:30 and I can’t begin to tell you how relieved I was to have
her there. She proceeded to check me at proclaimed me to be 3cm with effacement and a
bag of water that was starting to bulge. So it became official: I was in labor and the baby
would come that day. Cori called Molly (the midwife) to let her know she should head over
and I called Scott to let him know he needed to turn around and come back home on the
next flight. Scott ended up getting back on the same plane he flew over on and had the same
flight attendants who talked his ear off about his wife being in labor.
It’s kind of a blur as to what time Molly and the other midwife arrived, but I’m thinking it
was sometime around 11am. I had started my laboring in the kitchen, but by the time the
midwives came, they helped me to try out some new positions that really worked well. One
was sitting on the birth ball next to the bed and completely relaxing into Cori’s arms while a
contraction was happening. The best position though, was a slow dancing position of sorts
with Molly where I basically just relaxed my entire body into her and rocked back and forth
while the contraction was happening. I did this position during transition and I have to say I
felt no pain through any of these contractions, just pressure below. I could have labored like
that for another 10 hours and been fine, but I was found to be complete by 1:30 so it wasn’t
to be. It should be noted that when I started out in labor Alex was actually malpositioned just
like Nicholas was, which was definitely a concern to me, but through position changes during
labor they were able to easily get him into a favorable position for birth – something I still
find amazing as that was the reason for my first c/s with Nicholas.
This is where the real excitement began. I had made it to 10 with Nicholas’ birth and even
pushed for 2 hours, but he never went anywhere. So I knew this was the point where I
would need some extra reassurance. Scott walked in the room just as pushing began and was
a wonderful coach throughout the whole process. The first push I thought I would try in the
slow dancing position since it worked so wonderfully for labor. No way. It was so intense
and painful that I almost lost my legs out from underneath me! Somewhere around this
point my water broke. I have to mention I thought this was amazing as well as with Nicholas
my water broke before contractions even began! The next position that we tried was the
birthing stool. I worked with the stool for five or six contractions and made a little progress
but it was still slow at best. So then we decided to try the good old supine position (on your
back feet pressing against a person for leverage) and this did actually work to help bring the
head down a bit more. I couldn’t believe when they told me I was plus two station. I had
never been anything more than zero with Nicholas so I was past my stuck point from last
time! This was a huge relief to me. I was starting to have terrible leg cramps though with
each contraction that were inhibiting my ability to push so finally the midwives had me get up
and try pushing on the toilet. At first I pushed sitting backwards on the toilet. I did this for a
couple of pushes and nearly crumbled the porcelain on the top of the toilet I was grabbing it
so hard so they had me face forward and push. This was what finally did it. Two pushes and
the head was full on crowning. We then moved back to the bed because they didn’t want me
to tear and needed the crowning to be more controlled. Now there’s an experience: walking
across the room with an almost 14” head between your legs. I laid back down on the bed
and gave a couple more cough like semi pushes (and a few animal screams to go with it) and
the head was out. A minute and half later, Alexander was born. I can’t tell you what an
intense and amazing feeling it is to feel your child come out of your body like that. It was
absolutely surreal.
In retrospect, I know that I had a lot of fear associated with the pushing and there were
many times I wanted to give up (although that’s of course not an option). I think I probably
could have gotten him out in half the time if I had a relaxed more with it, but despite this he
came out and helped me prove to myself that birth actually does work and my body’s not
broken or defective despite what I was told by the numerous OB’s I saw who told me I
wouldn’t be able to have a child vaginally. I am just so grateful and thankful to have had the
support I did from my midwives and Cori. Having a homebirth was an amazing,
empowering, and safe experience and one that I will definitely repeat when and if we have
more children.