Happy Birthday "Born Baby"

One Last Picture of Me Pregnant, Hooray!

Membranes stripped at 11:00pm

My contractions regular since about 2:00pm

My water broke about 7:00pm

We arrive at the Birth Center at 9:45pm.  

Contractions were 4 minutes apart and I was at 7 1/2 cm.

Got into the water about 10:15pm

Progressed quickly to a ten ready to push 11:20pm

Baby came 11:42pm.

Makes it sound so simple when I write it all out like that.  

It was a lot of work, but I was so glad to have a baby in my arms.

I recognized him right off, he is surely our baby.  

He looks just like our other Wiseman babies.

Birthing in the Water

This was a new and amazing experience.  I felt at peace in the water, even with all the power I felt surging through my body.  It was like a protective shield for me to have the water surrounding my body as a worked to get my baby here.  I was so happy not to be attached to any machines.  I was able to birth our child on my own, trusting that my body would work as it was intended to.   There was a point when I thought "what was I thinking, I can't do this."  That is when I called in my sister Hillary.  She had done this before and so I needed her support.  She was so good at comforting me, encouraging me and helping me stay relaxed.  Casey was at my head the whole time,  touching my forehead and shoulders.  I was so glad to have him there quietly comforting me.  Three of my four sisters were there Jessica, Hillary and Stephanie.  It was wonderful having them there.  Sisters strengthen you.  Especially in times like this, you need women surrounding you.  Soon, I could feel it was time to push, but didn't want to.   Then I thought, then I will be pregnant longer, I have to do it.  I was laying on my back and didn't feel like that was working.   I decided to turn over to my hands and knees.  Still in the water I pushed a few times.  Then I gave out the loudest yell.  The "lioness roar" is what those who heard described it as. That is when his head came out.  I reached down to feel the head, I had never dared to do that before.  It was crazy I couldn't believe it was almost over.  Then I pushed a couple more times the shoulders came.  My midwife had me turn over and she helped get him out the rest of the way as I pushed.  All this time he had been underwater, then he came out into my arms.  I was so happy, relieved, and amazed that I had done it.  All the anticipation, preparing and he was here.  I was overjoyed and feeling great.  That is definitely the hardest thing I have ever done.   He wasn't crying, but no worries, he was fine.  He was just so calm and peaceful.   I held him for several minutes.  Then I delivered the placenta, I had never seen my placenta before.  I was always to nervous to see it.  It wasn't bad at all and delivering it in the water helped ease my anxiety about the afterbirth.  Casey cut the cord.  The baby and I got out of the water and they checked us.  We were both were doing so great!!  

He's perfect and it looks like

 he's got curls like his siblings.

Happy New Dad and Mom!

8 pounds 12 ounces 21 inches