Wow, I have neglected my poor blog...
I have grandiose plans of staying up after the kids go to sleep and getting massive amounts of stuff done. Reality is that the new kiddo stays up till about 10 and by that time all I want to do is crawl into my bed and sleep for a few measly hours before I am up and at 'em, back to work.
I have to admit: number 4 has by far been the easiest adjustment. He is a mellow little guy, goes with the flow. I want to get my birth story out before I forget it completely, so here it is.
A word of caution-If you cannot handle birth stories and the details that go along with them this blog entry is not for you and you should go ahead and move on NOW. :)
My official "due date"-I hate that word-was March 19th. I knew the entire time I would go passed that as all of my babies were quite comfy and waited. I really, really wanted March 27th as the birthdate (basically, because all of my boys would have a "7" in their birthdays, and also I like odd numbers, and that day was a Tuesday, and the other kids were all born on Tuesdays...yeah, I know...). So I decided to have the baby that day. Much like my third pregnancy, I spent the latter months in a bit of pain, discomfort, but overall good spirits and complication-free. I opted to be "surprised" and not find out if we were adding a boy or girl, but deep down I felt he was a "he". (Psst! I was right!)
On Sunday, March 26, I somehow willed my mammoth proportions out of bed after a horrible night of "sleep". I got maybe 4-5 (non-consecutive) hours, but I figured I'd just go to bed early that night and go into labor the next day. That did not happen. I was starting to get the kids ready for bed that evening, and noticed I was having my usual Braxton Hicks contractions. By the time the kids were in bed it was around 7 pm and I decided to sit down and see if the contractions were going to turn into the real deal. They did, and I let my friend (we'll call her Sussie, heh) know that things were happening so she could be prepared to come over when it was time. I called her around 10 pm and told her I didn't think the baby was coming yet, but maybe she could come just to make sure she and the kids (her 3 kids) settled in for the night, and also for the labor support.
I also called the midwife to give her a heads-up; she ridiculously told me to "get some rest". Oh, sure, lady I'll just go fall into a deep sleep and ignore the raging adrenaline and more-than-mild contractions...no prob! Needless to say, there was no way to rest. I called her back at my hubby's insistence because the contractions were picking up. Not being my first rodeo I knew it was too early to call, but he is a typical man and was panicking at the possibility-no matter how remote-of having to deliver a baby alone. So I made the call (I felt silly) and she began the hour process of gathering the other midwives and driving to our home.
Sussie beat the midwives here of course, and I think I remember sparing a wave to her sweet children before retreating to my happy place in my mind where no one was around but myself. I'm not sure what happened to the kids, but apparently they made themselves scarce/went to sleep, because the next thing I knew Sussie was rubbing my back and we were chatting a little between pains. When the entourage (two calm midwives and a sweet barely-English-speaking student) arrived, they set up their tray of supplies, dumped pillows and blankets on the couch, checked me out, and generally made themselves at home while I labored in various places on my living room floor. (If you haven't gathered by now, I had a planned homebirth).
At some point in the middle of the night all of my support fell asleep (thanks, y'all! haha), and I roamed around the house I suppose, searching for some magical location to make my pain disappear. Once, I noticed I had somehow wound up in my bedroom, with the footrest from my rocking chair as a support. Sussie was asleep in a heap next to me; she must have looked for me and once I was found my breathing put her to sleep again..? Sometime after that I realized the contractions were painful enough to warrant waking someone up, and I crawled-literally-back to the living room. It looked like a weird sleep-over; grown women scattered on the floor and couch snuggled in blankies.
I opted to wake the student and right as I was about to cling to her for dear life she opened her eyes and realized I needed support. Over the course of the next 5-10 minutes everyone woke up and checked on me; I think it was around 5:30 am. I have no idea when the six children woke up, but I do remember seeing some of them running around and peering in on me occasionally throughout the morning. I wound up on the back patio in and out of the hot tub. I knew it was early morning because of the sunlight. I also know that is the point when the labor was intensifying (those familiar with birth would call it "transition" ;) ), and all modesty flew out the window. I could not care less what I looked like, how naked I was, or who saw what. It was completely up to the helpers to get me from place to place. The pain was very bad and I felt that I was ready to deliver. From my past experiences I realized that delivery was imminent, so despite the overwhelming pain I told myself it would be over shortly. The baby felt otherwise apparently...little did I know that I would stay like this for hours.
I had no idea where I would wind up for the big moment. I had visualized every place from outside (hot tub area) to the living room floor. I did not think I wanted to have him in my bed. I know...sounds weird. It honestly never showed up in my forethoughts. I did wind up in my bedroom, however-on the floor, in the bathroom, and lastly, on the bed. I kept shooing everyone away, trying to get myself together-yes, even during childbirth I need to be in control of myself, haha. I spent so much time in the bathroom, moving between the shower and the toilet. The women tried to help-they must have switched my position 539 times and someone started praying, as if that would force me to come to my senses and get the baby out. Eventually, they gave up. I felt the change in the atmosphere.
I knew my time to get this baby out was limited at this point, and began to panic that I would be transferred to the hospital. The midwives left me alone in my bed around lunchtime while they ate lunch in the kitchen. I was exhausted. No sleep combined with a second sleepless night due to hard labor left little energy to help the baby down. He was ready, my body was ready. I was too tired. Instinctively I knew that they were debating transfer during my "alone time" so I mentally prepared myself for delivery, and when they returned to the room I told the lead midwife I did not want to go to the hospital, and I COULD do this. I tried. I failed. Baby was not coming. I remember telling someone I thought I'd do better on the bed so they hoisted my huge, exhausted body onto the bed and I made a mental note how ironic it was that I had wanted a homebirth in part for the freedom and there I was making a last-ditch effort by assuming a traditional hospital birth position.
Immediately I knew this would work. Sussie got behind me and held under my arms while I leaned back onto her, and the midwives stayed down at the important end. After a few minutes I asked for a pillow under my lower back/bottom and I felt my baby FINALLY come down. YAY! I stopped fretting about not being able to move him and focused on the miracle of childbirth. After a while of pushing and many cheers and encouragement from all of the ladies, we called for my husband and the children. My small bedroom was packed with kids-they were on the bed with me, on top of dressers vying for a good viewing spot, and at the foot and sides of the bed. It was awesome; the baby was out, on my chest...he didn't cry as he took his first breath in front of his family. He was actually really cute (no, really!), and he did eventually let out some cries. After a while the midwives cleaned him up and left us alone while they did their midwifey thing (cleaning, load of laundry, inspecting and wrapping the placenta for us to freeze, etc).
We all took turns holding him and then we got his stats:
9 pounds, 8 oz and 22 1/2 inches. Born at 1:17 pm on Tuesday...just like I'd planned. ;)
He remained nameless for about three or four days, and then I decided that Joseph was perfect. After three boys it was about time to honor Saint Joseph.
On Joseph's 2-week birthday we planted a satsuma (really yummy tangerine tree in our yard with the placenta.
-"Every precious gift comes from above" - James 1:17
Thank you, Lord, for Joseph. :)
