My VBAC Home Waterbirth Story

This is my vbac home waterbirth story

I attended Hypnobabies classes, and reread my Bradley books as well as all my doula materials. I knew this time I would not be coerced into something for the sake of "regulations."

Aria Rose was not even conceived when I started shopping around for VBAC home waterbirth friendly midwives who would consider delivering twins - I wanted ALL my bases covered just in case because twins run on both sides of our families.

After determining I was not a candidate for the birthing center - VBACs are high-risk insurance wise - I trolled through all my contacts for any midwives who operated semi locally. Out of the multitudes of midwives in Southern California, only 3 did VBACs. I talked with each of the three and determined that Del Balgas was the midwife for me. I told her I would call her as soon as I was pregnant because she let me know she only takes 2 clients a month, and gets booked pretty quick.

My VBAC Home Waterbirth Story: The Pregnancy

I discovered I was pregnant in September 2009 - around 4 weeks along - and immediately called Del. We got confirmed as clients, and paid the initial deposit out of pocket since our insurance is one of TWO that she cannot bill because they have written policy specifically excluding homebirths as well as midwives AT all EVER!

I started pregnancy overweight. This time around had terrible morning sickness - with Lark I burped once - I wound up losing about 20lbs - went form a size 20 to a size 12 in 2 months.

The second trimester was a joy though. I started showing at around 8 weeks this time - with Lark I didn't look anything other than fat until the 8 or 9th month when I FINALLY had a belly. I'd been talking to Lark about being a big sister, and as my tummy expanded, she started getting it - as much as a toddler CAN anyways. She would come up to my tummy and kiss it and pat it and talk about baby Aria.

My VBAC Home Waterbirth Story: The Third Trimester

Third trimester was mildly annoying because didn't REALLY have Braxton Hicks so much with Lark but man oh man I DID with Aria. I was worried I'd pop early because she was my 2nd, so we were on high alert from April 25ish - which was interesting because my final doula client was due April 30th with her 2nd baby, first vbac. I had an ultrasound at 17 weeks to determine when I was due because I did not know which day my last period started.

I had to get a second ultrasound at request of my midwife because I was measuring 4 to 6 weeks ahead starting around 20 weeks and we have twins running in our families. Both ultrasounds proved to show one baby girl. The first ultrasound gave me the EDD of May 26th, the 2nd gave me May 16th.

I was measuring ahead nearly the whole time, but as the countdown started to the 16th I was 42 weeks in fundal height. The 16th came and went with no noticeable difference in Braxton Hicks. The 26th showed up and I started contracting closer and with a bit of a different feeling, more in my lower back and belt-like around my hips and belly. My mom took off the 27th because I was having a hard time with Lark. My husband had taken off on that Friday the 28th because I nearly lost it with Lark teething and me contracting. Twice in the next few days, I started contracting hard, but it stopped dead because Lark started wailing in massive teething pain, and slamming her fingers in a door.

By this point my doula, midwife and I were collaborating trying to plan "important things" so Aria would want to come and "disrupt" our plans. It didn't work. She was too polite. On the 29th, I went on a date with my husband while my midwife went to a paid scrapbooking class and my doula went on a date with HER husband too. Nothing. On the 30th, my husband and I took Lark to Knott's, and I helped a friend reorganize her bedroom after moving. Nothing. The 31st we went to a BBQ at my mom's. Nothing.

Now I was 6 days "post-date" past the latest EDD. My hubby was still off work - day 2 out of 10 available - which was stressing me out, because I wanted him to be home when Aria was OUT, not in, but I was so stressed and huge and Lark was so off I needed him home at the time anyway.

We went to Knott's again on Tuesday the 1st, nothing happened with labor though.

Wednesday the 3rd - 7 days overdue - my pangs started again. I was excited beyond belief, because I timed them and they were staying steady! Randy kept Lark out of my hair and happy so I could keep them coming, and I texted my midwife and doula about how I was contracting, but told them not to come over yet because I just felt it wasn't time, and I had been having 'pre-labor' for so many days I didn't want people to come over and make me feel pressure to perform which I was worried would stop my contractions.

They kept up the whole day relatively steady, between 2 to 6 minutes apart for about 30 seconds in duration. I went to bed and kept contracting through the night on and off.

I woke on Thursday, and they had spaced out to 5 to 30 minutes apart!

Thursday stressed me out, especially with the contractions slowing. I felt broken. Logically I knew nobody stayed pregnant forever, but emotionally I was a wreck. Friday was worse, practically no contractions, only sporadic Braxton Hicks.

Now 9 days "overdue," I consoling myself with women who'd been overdue, worried about my body failing me again, and whether my baby was ok. I asked my midwife what I could do, because she mentioned how she was a bit concerned since I was now measuring 46 weeks, and even with the baby's head fully engaged in my pelvis, the feet were still able to kick my ribs, which is not normally happening.

My VBAC Home Waterbirth Story: Overdue!

I trolled for "natural" ways to kick a stalled labor back into gear. I drank a bunch of carrot juice (eww), 2 Green Machine Naked Juices (mmm!), red rasp leaf tea by the bushel - boy was THAT a pain in the bum to find! - and finally I took a specific set of homeopathic pills twice.

My husband and I - in an effort to get my mind off labor and to get me relaxed - had 2 of our friends over on Friday night - like we normally do- to play games with us. I started the 2nd set of pills at 8pm - had to take them every 30 minutes for 4 hours, then wait 4 hours then start again - and in the middle of our Settlers of Catan game I started getting regular contractions again! They started coming closer, and it was getting so I had to stop what I was doing and squeeze whoever's shoulder was nearest - the boys were cool about it too, not entirely sure what to do because both are bachelors - but trying to be calm and not worried about me.

I stayed awake - in case the sleeping was what stopped my Wednesday contractions - until 1:30am, when Lark demanded I come to bed and nurse her, and I passed out. I woke up a few times randomly to contract and in the morning the - Saturday the 5th of June - the pangs were still strong and really regular and lasting about a minute long. I called my midwife and doula both at 7:09am and asked them to get over here. I walked around and around my apartment, ate some Cheerios and took a shower. Nothing changed, I kept contracting throughout.

My mom woke - she had been sleeping in Lark's playroom - and was excited! She prepped Lark's food and played with her so Randy could concentrate on me. Lark was totally chill with me contracting even though I was moaning and occasionally crying out. Then, the midwife, midwife's assistant, and doula arrived.

Lark freaked because while she accepted Del (midwife), she hadn't seen Colleen (doula) enough to be calm around, and had never met Chris (midwife's assistant) ever. She needs to be approached slowly by strangers, while she resides in the safety of her daddy's or my arms.

My mom took her out to the park around 9am (relatively soon after the posse arrived) as soon as my little brother could get there because my mom couldn't lift Lark due to a bad back.

My VBAC Home Waterbirth Story: Finally in Labor!

I had been contracting regularly since 7am, every 1 to 3 minutes, and Randy had been there by my side for each one, so I could hang on him and he was just an excellent coach. What I didn't realize 'til later was that his being there so completely for me, meant that he'd neglected himself, no potty breaks, no drinking etc, and he was exhausted by the end of the birth, which is why he vanished once Aria came out, and he kissed me and I got her latched on.

Anyways, I contracted painfully still at 9ish am, when Del (MW) and her assistant arrived and started inflating the birthing tub and getting the water heated (our water heater would've normally been turned up to expedite this, but we'd shoved the pantry in front of it ages ago and forgot to move it pre-birth, so we wound up commissioning all the cooking pots in the kitchen and heating them on the stove when the hot water ran out).

Around 10am, I got to go into the tub and it was AMAZING the difference it made. My contractions instantly went from sharp (pointy like spikes wrapped around my middle) and quick (aka can't tell when one is starting until it hits me hard) and painful (aka can't talk or move through it) to dull (like a slightly overtight belt) and slow (I could tell when one was coming and was able to switch position to the most comfy BEFORE it hit) and some didn't even hurt AT ALL.

I labored in the tub from 10am 'til about 5pm, floating and flipping back and forth and side to side. I ate a toasted peanut butter and jelly sandwich around 1pm, and had lots of water, tea and juice and red Gatorade. I talked about the tutoring swap and my sister's trip to Australia. Around 5pm the contractions got harder and I felt them more along my bum, like a pressure. I tried laboring in a squat out of the water and it was BAD, so I dove back in.

Around 6pm the contractions were getting unbearable and I was growling at Randy to rub my hips during each one, but I kept switching positions so he couldn't find the same spot easily. My doula Colleen, and Chris, Del's assistant, poured water on me during the contractions and gripped my hands and let me use them as leverage when I was contracting.

Del, Colleen, Chris and Randy all kept asking me if I felt like pushing, and the interesting thing is, I NEVER did. I never had the bearing down urge, but I was so tired by this time I started yelling during the contraction and pushing with all my might anyways. Del told me to try and empty my bladder because it was full and Aria couldn't get past.

My VBAC Home Waterbirth Story: The Birth

I was taking breaks through some contractions at this point because I was so tired. I didn't want anyone touching me except Randy and kept yelling at poor Colleen and Chris when they tried to rub my arm or leg. I couldn't tell where/how close her head was and since I didn't feel the urge to push I was getting discouraged. Del then told me she could feel the head was descending and I gave about 3 hard pushes and Aria slipped out so fast NO ONE saw her being born, and the only was super fuzzy.

As I pushed her fully out (hubby later told me) I screamed "I love you, Randy ." Del immediately put Aria to my chest, and my mom and Lark came rushing out of the playroom 10 feet away. Everyone was crying except for me. The only time I cried was much earlier, when Del checked my dilation around 4pm (I wouldn't let her near me before then because I was terrified the OB and hospital were telling the truth when they told me at Lark's birth that I'd never dilate past 7cm and would always need a c-section or my baby would die or be in NICU because I was selfish) and she told me I'd dilated to 10, and was fully effaced and at a +1 station. I laughed through the next contractions in giddy delight.

Aria latched on within the first 3 minutes. My midwife checked me for tearing (none) and bleeding (very minimal) and informed me Aria had been a persistent posterior and had come out with the side of her head first, which was normally incredibly difficult/impossible to birth, except I apparently have a perfectly shaped pelvis.

Everyone cleaned up and Randy and I took Lark into bed and put her down, then we came back out and my mom had ordered Subway and we all had dinner together with Aria in a sling eating too.

We all slept together for 10 hours that night.

Aria was 10lbs even, 22 inches long, born June 5th, 2010 at 7:09pm.

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