Birth story - Julianna and baby Richard

I arrived at my birthing center to Kickstart labor as my body was already 2cm dilated 90% effaced. I had a membrane sweep 2 days before. On June 1st I had lost my plug and had a show all day following with cramping and my stomach tightening. But nothing undoable or painful at all.

I got to the clinic at 10:15am where we started cytotec. My stomach was tightening and I told my midwife. She placed her hands on my belly and said, "Thats a good strong contraction.... you don’t feel that?" I said, "No just feel my stomach tightening." The cytotec helped regulate my contractions but again... Nothing painful just my stomach noticeably super tight on the sides and top of my belly. Noon rolled around and we check my cervix. I was almost at 5cm but still in no pain. We did one more dose of cytotec and my husband (whose birthday it was!) decided we should grab lunch and walk to the mall to help get things going.

Contractions picked up a little (maybe every 4-5 mins) but nothing to where I had to stop. Walking actually helped alot. After playing in the arcade and eating sushi we headed back to the clinic. At 5cm we decided to break my water which was at 2:45pm. As soon as she did and I stood up... shit got real.

My doula arrived and I felt every contraction then, and the pressure got intense. Here I was in no pain not feeling anything to 8 - 9 intensity level. I tried to sit on the toilet... I couldn't get in control of my breathing. We got the tub ready and sat in. I was able to stay in for about 40 mins... breathing through every surge trying to stay calm. Trying not to compare to my 1st birth. This was different, but oh god the contractions were strong. Trying to breathe down into them. But I could do this for a minute. I had my husband run water on my back. My doula squeezing my hand, "You can do this, breathe down, you're doing amazing. You are in control." In my head with every surge I wanted to panic... but stayed calm.

Finally I just wanted to lay on the bed. Here me thinking I wanted a water birth but all I really wanted was to lay in bed on my side. I made it to the bed before another contraction took over, I was starting to cave in. I was thinking how the epidural made me feel, how it took it away... but I wanted this. This is what I wanted. My doula kept telling me, we need to keep your knees open." but here I am just wanting to kind of curl up in a ball. All of a sudden I wanted every drug you could think of. One of the midwives came into the room to check his heart rate. In the moment I was having a strong contraction and felt such pressure with it. "I'll wait until this contraction is over,” she said.

I tried to turn over but started to have another one and all of a sudden my body took over and I was thinking, "oh my word I need to poop." I called out as my voice started to change, "I'm sorry I think I'm gonna poop myself." And I let out growl of urgency and pushed and my baby was already crowning. The midwife rushed out to call my main midwife who barely made it down the stairs of the two story clinic. It was all happening so fast. I didn’t realize in that moment my husband was holding my hand and also supporting my leg open with one of the midwives. I pushed again his head out, my eyes closed pushing with the contraction feeling some relief. But I yelled and growled into 2 more pushes and they laid him on my chest.

It all happened so fast I was in utter shock and disbelief. I started to cry and repeated over and over again, "I did it, I fricking did it. He's here." My husband looked at me so proud and said," You did it babe, Good job!" And here I am still going on, " I did it. Holy crap I really did it." I was so overcome with emotion.

Richard came out with both his hands to his face. AND NOT A SINGLE TEAR!!! He was born on his daddy's birthday weighing 8lbs on the dot and 21in long. And he came in a hour of active labor. Nobody can truly prepare you to be in the moment, but you can do anything for a minute even when it feels like there's no light at the end of the tunnel. But believe me, there's a rainbow with that light in the end. However you choose to birth, you’re strong and powerful in every way.