On Thursday morning, the day before he was born, I was getting very anxious for him to be here. I felt like the time was approaching so I took a little castor oil to give my body the “push” that it needed. I was hesitant to do this because of all the varying opinions about it and because my main desire was to have a waterbirth with the Barefoot Boy. Some people believe that meconium is most often passed in the womb when the mother drinks castor oil. I figured if midwives around the world recommend it, then I was gonna try it. I had tried everything else to get contractions moving along but nothing was working. I know he just wasn’t ready!
I had decided before Barefoot Boy was even conceived that I wanted a very different birthing experience with him. I wanted everything to be natural, with no pitocin and no epidural. I didn’t want to be hooked up to machines or forced to sit flat on my back. I wanted to be able to move around during labor in varying positions with my husband supporting me through it.
Anyways, I went to bed on Thursday night after the castor oil had definitely cleaned me out and woke up at 2am with some contractions. I got out of bed because I couldn’t sleep through them. For the next few hours I did stuff around the house and let my husband sleep. When he woke up at 5am, I told him what was going on and he called into work and said that he wasn’t going to make it in. I went for a walk at 5:30am to keep the contractions coming. When I got home we both agreed that I should rest, just in case this was “it”. I went to sleep and can’t remember having any contractions. I woke up an hour later to my daughter giving me hugs. I told my husband that I think the contractions had stopped so we thought it would be good if w got out of the house and walked around the mall. We both were very unsure if this was actual labor. The contractions I had with my daughter were “pitocin contractions” which were much stronger and way more painful, so that is the only thing I had to compare them to.
We got to the mall around 10am and headed to a coffeeshop to get some coffee! A friend from church owns the place and I popped in to say hi and get our morning Joe. I told her I was pretty sure I was in labor and we were walking the mall to get things moving. She grabbed my hands and prayed for me. It was one of many times throughout this birthing experience that I just felt the Spirit of God giving me peace and strength for the day ahead. We drank our coffee and walked the mall for hours. Hubs was timing my contractions and they started at 15 minutes apart and then by the end of our walk they were about 7-9 minutes apart. We didn’t know if we should go home or keep walking and I suggested we go home and rest a little bit. My feet were quite sore from all the walking!
Once home, things picked up very quickly. Contractions were coming about 5 minutes apart but they were still so tolerable and not too painful (compared to my contractions with Arianna). Hubby was my support through each one of them. I hugged him face-to-face through them while he rubbed my back. I had back labor because Barefoot Boy’s head was on my pubic bone. Still nothing like the pain I had with The Daydreamer, so I still was unsure if I was in labor. I told him to call the Birth Center and see what I should do. They said to come on in so they could do a pelvic check to see how far dilated I was. I grunted to my husband because I didn’t think I was making much progress and didn’t want to waste my time going in. We took our time getting moving and called our friend who was going to take care of the Daydreamer.
We arrived at the Birth Center at 3pm on July 22 with goosebumps on my skin and tears in my eyes because I, once again, felt the presence of God so strong and with me. They put me in a room to check to see how far I was. I still didn’t think I was in labor at this point and was getting myself prepared to be sent home. She checked my cervix and announced that I was 9 centimeters dilated!!! I looked at her confused and she said, “get up and lets get you in a room to deliver this baby.” I walked down the hall without my pants on to the Beach room. They remember I was GBS+ and would have to have 2 doses of antibiotics 4 hours apart. Well, that wasn’t going to happen. I was able to get one dose in while going through transition in my labor and while they were filling the tub up. The contractions were coming pretty fast and close. Once the dose of antibotics was in me, Nancy broke my water so I could push the baby out in the tub. I got in and the water felt so amazing. I leaned over the tub as a flood of contractions came over me. My hubby got in to and supported me from behind. I leaned into his arms and they wrapped around me and I knew I could do this. I asked when I could push and Nancy said to push whenever I felt like it, but to wait for a contraction. I started pushing and I felt his body move into my pelvis in a way that is indescribible. I pushed with each contraction and had terrible back pain with each one. Frankie’s head was on my pubic bone cause he was turned a little sideways. Nancy reached in and readjusted him and the back pain immediately went away. I kept pushing with the contractions and had a moment of self-doubt. My husband reminded me how much I wanted this and Nancy told me I was going to do this. It was the words I needed to hear. I prayed for God to give me strength for this moment. I reached down and felt his head right there. With the next contraction he crowned and his head was out. I can’t explain it but my body took over and pushed the rest of him out. Nancy put him on my chest and he looked so beautiful. Our little boy that we had waited for was here! Once his cord stopped pulsating, Hubs cut it and I got out of the tub and onto the bed to deliver the placenta which came about 15 minutes later. Me, Hubs, and Barefoot Boy spent the next hour together on the bed. He latched on a nursed with ease. We praised God for this amazing life He had given to us.
I ended up pushing for only 18 minutes and Barefoot Boy was delivered at 4:28pm, 1.5 hrs after we arrived. He would have came quicker but the antibiotic drip had to be administered.
Nancy came in to weigh him and he turned out to be 9lb 4oz and 21.5 inches long!!! He is a chunk! Nearly 2lbs heavier than Daydreamer was. Another hour of bonding and nursing passed and Nancy came in to check to see if I tore or not. I ended up having a tiny tear that required 4 stitches. Not bad for such a big boy! God designed the female bodies so incredible! We were able to go home shortly after and the Daydreamer got to meet her baby brother.
I could not think of a better way for Barefoot Boy to come into this world. The birth’s of both my children were amazing, but being able to have Barefoot Boy naturally without any medication really made this experience empowering and something that has forever changed my life as a woman and mother.
Thank you Jesus for a perfectly healthy little boy!