(Submitted by Mandi Wojtowicz)
November 24 2016
Arya Grace’s Birth story
I woke up to go to the bathroom and when I went to lay back down the contractions started. I had one, two, and three right in a row. They felt really amazing, starting deep down and moving their way up and over my tummy. I didn’t want to get too excited as I had had Braxton Hicks the two nights before. I didn’t know for sure if it was the real deal or not. I told myself to lay and wait until I had 10 contractions in a row. When the tenth wave came, I got up to go lay on the couch. On the way, I went to the bathroom again and sure enough there was a bloody show.
“This is it!!” I told myself. At 3:18 am November 24, things were starting!
At 4:15 am, I texted my doula to let her know.
At 5:45 am, I called the midwife to make sure she knew. There was another mom in my birthing group ready at any time, and I wanted to be the first message in just in case we were both in labour at the same time. I absolutely loved my midwife and really wanted her to be at the birth.
At 6 am, I called our child care to come watch Jacob and my contractions slowed down a bit.
At 6:30 am, my doula called wondering if I was holding baby yet. I assured her I that I wasn’t so she made her way over to the house.
At 7:30 am, we walked the block a little and then we went to chill in the basement. We have a fire place and cork flooring so it allowed me to just roll out on the ball and let my contractions to continue naturally.
At 11:30, we made our way to the birth center and I had to brace myself through the contractions.
At noon, the student midwife checked the baby’s heart rate and all seemed well. I hit the stairs and tried letting the shower help with contractions. But instead of helping, my contractions slowed down, almost to a stand still.
At 2:00 pm, I was back on the ball. I was checked and only 2 cm dilated. I got a membrane sweep and was told that if I didn’t progress any further I would be sent home. I looked at them and said no way in heck am I heading home without a baby in my arms. I knew I needed to get things rolling.
At 3:00, I drank caster oil to help get contractions going. Wow, was that ever gross and it made me feel nauseous
At 3:20, I got a cranial adjustment. I was in the Lucina center, so I popped into their specialist’s room for some help. What a great benefit!
At 4:00 pm, I paced the room and labored against the wall, in the bathroom door jam, or or leaning against the chest of my husband. The contractions the whole time felt so amazing, I was smiling through them all. As my first labor was all back labor, I didn’t know how awesome contractions felt over the front of your body.
At 5:20, it was finally go time. I hopped into the birth tub & felt a pop, and realized it must have been my water breaking. The water seemed so warm and I had to keep my eyes closed to focus on my breathing. I shifted and moved around so much in the tub trying to find the most comfortable way to birth this baby. Feet up on the walls of the tub, kneeling, back to sitting, nothing felt right. Finally I decided to squat with my feet braced on the bottom of the tub walls and my hubby jumped in behind me to steady me, this was the right way for this baby to come!
At 6:00 pm, in three pushes her head came out and my midwife told me to hold on for a moment and allow the next contraction to come. It seemed like an eternity just waiting and at one point it almost felt like her head was getting pushed back in. But then I could feel the contraction building and growing stronger over my body and with one final push at 6:10 pm her whole body came out, she was world side. All 9lbs 8ounces & 20.5 inches of her.