Positive Home Birth Story

Larissa was six days overdue, and it had been hard to wait.

She tried to remember to take her vitamins and had taken evening primrose oil for two weeks in order to help her cervix. She went on walks everyday and used a birth ball to prepare her body for labor. She would do low squats. She went to the chiropractor to have her hips adjusted, and she had a membrane sweep.

Larissa had been having tightening for a week now. She and her family had eagerly anticipated the arrival of their third child, and they wondered when this baby would be born.

It was 10 PM on Friday. Larissa was six days overdue, and she was getting contractions about five to six minutes apart. They didn’t hurt, but it was hard to sleep. Larissa got out of bed, and at 11 PM, she texted her doula. She told her that she had had an hour of contractions.

At midnight, Larissa got her husband, and the doula arrived. Suddenly, as if on cue, her contractions got really intense. Things felt harder and more serious, so much so that Larissa knew it was time to call her midwife. She told her that she had had contractions for two hours, that they were three minutes apart, and that they were getting stronger.

The midwife said she would come right away.

Larissa, her husband, and their doula headed down to the basement, where Larissa planned to birth their baby. She had a pool set up.

Halfway down the stairs, Larissa had another contraction and had to stop. It was really difficult.

They got to the basement living room. Keeping the room dark, Larissa was able to relax a lot more. She found it much nicer without the lights on.

Larissa had already been listening to her birth playlist, and she continued to do so now. Worshiping and praying, she had been so thankful to actually be in labor after a week of contractions.

The doula used the 10’s machine on her back. She ate five spoonfuls of honey between contractions which really helped her energy.

The midwife arrived thirty minutes after she called.

Contractions were ramping up, but Larissa’s water hadn’t yet broken. The midwife told her that she was going to call her partner (the midwives always worked in a pair), and if Larissa’s water hadn’t broken after she did that, she could do it for her.

It didn’t break, and Larissa agreed to have it done.

There was a lot of meconium in her water (the baby had pooped inside), and the midwife was worried that the baby could have inhaled some, affecting breathing. EMS was called just to be on standby. Larissa let the midwives do what they wanted to do.

She stayed in the zone. Stepping into the pool, Larissa continued to labor for just four more minutes.

At 2:30 AM, their baby was born.

She brought the baby to her chest and sat back. Breathing was just fine, and the EMS was canceled.

“Check!” her husband and doula encouraged, wanting to know if the baby was a boy or girl.

Larissa checked and double checked.

He was a boy.

Her husband announced his name.

There was a lot of blood in the water, and the midwife had Larissa come out right away. There was a steady stream, and they didn’t want her to pass out. She got into bed, and the midwife asked if she could give her a shot of Pitocin to help. Larissa agreed, and she had some snacks.

Larissa’s husband did skin to skin with the baby. Everyone was very poopy due to the meconium in the water and the baby having a bowl movement once he was born.

Because Pitocin makes the uterus contract, Larissa birthed the placenta pretty quickly. Her bleeding toned down, and she didn’t feel faint.

The baby latched easily and started nursing.

When asked what she learned from this birth, Larissa said that it was to be patient. It was to let her body prepare which was what it had been doing through all the tightening she had experienced. Larissa learned to appreciate the preparation process.

She doesn’t recommend getting the membrane sweep, something she did out of impatience. She thinks it may have caused some distress to the baby and contributed to him pooping in the water, something that had happened with her first son. She had had a membrane sweep then too.

Larissa, her husband, and their children are so thankful for this sweet, new addition to their family. Praise God for this new life!

FAQ About Home Birth

1. Why did you opt to have a doula and midwives?

I have only ever experienced prenatal care with midwives. I love the time and care they put into each appointment. I also appreciate they don’t over medicalize pregnancy and birth. My doula has been at all 3 of my births now and she had always been such an amazing support to me and my husband.