Positive Birth Stories are here to revolutionize the way we look at birth (and change the world 🙂 )! Fear and stress associated to birth are one of the main reason why women don’t manage to achieve a joyful birth experience. And it doesn’t have to be that way! You can read more about Positive Birth Stories here. Or head to my birth story: How I had a natural and pain free birth thanks to hypnobirthing.
Jessica’s Birth Story
After struggling with infertility for several years, we were able to get pregnant naturally. In our struggle to get pregnant, we completely changed our lifestyles. This change in lifestyle to a more simplistic, natural life gives me passion to share all things natural for moms and moms-to-be at Mama Expedition. I am sharing with you my fast, amazing birth story today.
While pregnant with our first born, I wanted a natural birth. I read and prepared for birth but wasn’t upright during labor. We had a beautiful, natural birth with my son, I had much to learn for my next birth.
I am sharing with you the story of how having a rough (2nd) pregnancy became a beautiful, short birth.
Fertility & Trying Again
With my son just over a year old, we thought it was time to try for a second baby. We planned on it taking a long time, perhaps not as long as the first time, but we still anticipated a lengthy time of trying to conceive.
Six months in, we were surprised with a positive pregnancy test! We were overjoyed. Not knowing if we would ever get pregnant again, we found such joy in knowing that our change in lifestyles once again enabled us to get pregnant a second time after infertility.
My pregnancy was beautiful, however, at 21 weeks, we received stressful and agonizing news-our baby’s head was not measuring normal. And our baby most likely had microcephaly. Not only that, but my umbilical cord did not attach in the center of the placenta, like it should, causing more potential problems to the baby. To add to the stress, the baby was breech and I also needed to get genetic testing done to see if our baby had more abnormalities.
This stressful news ate away at me during the following weeks as we waited for the next scans of our baby. I love to research, so during that time, I researched as much as possible and prayed for a miracle. Friends and family gathered around us to pray for our baby and for us.
Pregnancy Ultrasounds & Testing
At 26 weeks, my baby was measured again, and our prayers were answered! Our baby was no longer breech and her head measured normal.
The rejoicing couldn’t begin because my cervix now measured extremely low, and I would need to get testing every two weeks to see if my baby would come early. My daughter’s abdomen measured in the 6th percentile, which was not good either. We continued to pray and receive testing to monitor our daughter’s health.
Week after week, my daughter stayed warm in my belly and prayers were answered. We were so thankful for every day that passed by, knowing that she was growing stronger and stronger.
Preparing for Labor & Birth
Despite all the stress in pregnancy, I knew that I wanted a natural birth. I knew the benefits of it both for mom and baby and I knew that with all the “complications,” that a natural birth was exactly what we needed.
Throughout my pregnancy, I took birth seriously. I tried as best as I could to prepare my body and mind for labor.
After my firstborn, I realized that to help my labor progress and to be even more beautiful, I wanted my husband to coach me through birth. My husband prepared too. We practiced together so that when the time came, my husband could really coach me through contractions.
In addition, this time for birth, I wanted to be upright as much as possible so that I could be moving and helping baby descend. I also wanted hot showers for pain management and relaxation.
Our birth plan was “relax”, we just wanted to incorporate walking, being upright and hot showers into a natural, drug-free birth.
Related:
- 23 Tips for a Natural Birth without Epidural
- How to Give Birth Naturally without Pain (17 Tips from a Mom who did it!)
A Fast, Beautiful Birth Story
Twelve days before my expected due date, my husband went to bed early-a very unusual thing for him. I followed along, needing the rest too.
I woke up at 12:38 am, feeling “not quite right”. Not sick, but not normal-I felt off. I tried to go back to bed and fell into a tireless sleep.
At 1:09 am, I woke up again. This time feeling worse than before and feeling even more “off.” I woke my husband up and said that I didn’t feel well that I might be in labor and was going to take a shower for a while to see if anything changed.
I got in the shower, turned on the hot water and started relaxing. Soon I began to feel contractions coming, so I started timing them.
Thankfully, I had a handy waterproof notepad that I keep in the shower to track my thoughts and write things down. Writing down the times of the contractions, I quickly realized I was in labor and that my contractions were 3-4 minutes apart.
Trying to stay in the shower for as long as possible, I pounded on the bathroom wall to wake my husband up. At this point, the contractions were strong enough to cause my natural instincts to take over. I began to bend over during the contractions and let out slow, deep moans.
When my husband got into the bathroom, I told him I was in labor and that we should head to the hospital. He quickly snapped into action, got the car ready and began to coach me.
Hospital Birth Story
Arriving at the hospital at 2:20 am, I was escorted up to the labor and delivery room. Because of the pandemic, my husband was not immediately allowed up.
However, when the doctor on call measured me, I was fully dilated so they called my husband up as well as my midwife.
I waited for my midwife to arrive to begin pushing. During this time, before I felt strong urges to push, my husband coached me through my contractions. In fact, I was so relaxed due to his help, that I could joke with the staff and my midwife in between contractions.
Eventually I began to feel the urges to push, my body was working with me. Several pushes later, at 4:17 am, my husband caught my beautiful little girl and brought her to my chest for skin to skin and nursing.
Looking Back
Despite having an erratic and stressful pregnancy, we were blessed with a beautiful, healthy little girl. She has already brought so much joy into our world.
I am so grateful for this beautiful little girl and her beautiful birth story. I am overwhelmed with love and joy for the strength that my husband had to not only coach me during contractions, but to help me have a natural birth. He took it one step further by catching our daughter and being the first person to lay hands on her as she exited the warmth of my womb.
Having that connection to her father is so beautiful and wonderful. Without my husband coaching me and encouraging me during contractions, I would have a completely different birth story.
While my birth was not that long ago, I am so overjoyed that my husband could take such an active role in my pregnancy and our daughter’s birth. They will forever have such a beautiful connection and I look forward to the day I get to share her birth story with her.
Even with my pregnancy having ups and downs, it goes to show that a beautiful birth can happen. Birth is such an amazing event and for that, I am grateful for every mother that goes through labor. It is truly a blessing to be a mother.
If you are looking for more tips or information on how to prepare for birth and postpartum, also have a look at the following related articles:
- Printable Natural Birth Plan Template (FREE Word + PDF)
- How to Give Birth Naturally without Pain (17 Tips from a Mom who did it!)
- 15 Signs that Labor is 24 to 48 Hours Away
- Hospital Bag Checklist for Mom, Baby and Partner (with FREE Printable)
- 12 Must-Have Clothes for After Delivery in Hospital
- Postpartum Care Kit Checklist (with all Essentials!)
- What to REALLY expect with your Postpartum Recovery
Jessica is a mom who suffered through infertility before getting pregnant naturally-twice. Using a nutritionist and cleaning up her family’s lifestyle made the difference for them and she is on a mission to empower you to take control of your fertility and pregnancy. She wants you to find success through a healthy fertility and healthy pregnancy options instead of accepting the norm.
Links:
https://mamaexpedition.com
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