Shara's Birth Story

For those who are interested in the details! (a few may find some details gross, but hey it's life).

April 8th 2012 (our EDD) - I had experienced 3 separate nights in the last 2 weeks of what I believed to be early labor. I falsely assumed it would turn in to real labor in a matter of hours as the contractions were strong enough to keep me up and close enough to keep me wondering. By the time we got to 40 weeks I had decided I would try whatever natural interventions I could to make her come. I felt like she would come soon but was grateful to spend Resurrection Sunday with my family at church and then with a family dinner. That evening I conferred with my midwife about whether I had dilated anymore than 6cm or effaced any more. She checked and I appeared to be somewhat more effaced but still about 6cm dilated and was passing some blood as well as lots of mucus. I asked her about herbs, and castor oil. She believed the Castor oil would work well for me so I planned to have myself a castor oil smoothie that evening and see if it wouldn't get my water to break (I notoriously grow tough sacs). About 2 hours after finishing my last dose of the oil and using the breast pump to get things started I was having some regular contractions (2-3 min apart) that I was needing to breath through. I called Salli (MW) and my friend April to head over. I did not think labor would be long and I was feeling the need for help getting through the contractions. I had Dave set up the birth pool.

Shortly after Salli had arrived I had her check me to see if the exam might break my water and get contractions revved up again. I asked April to pray for that. Sure enough it broke and things got really moving. Less than 50 min later I was pushing. My friend Holly and photographer friend Tory arrived some time in there. I moved from tub to shower to tub. I think I had 4-5 contractions back in the tub before I said I am pushing and I can't help it. Salli had been on the phone with her assistant and told her never mind she wouldn't make it. I felt every bit of Avelyn moving down and could even remember what it would feel like from my previous births. As I reached down to feel her head then heard someone say she was crowning I knew it wouldn't be long. Then I heard the words I had heard at a birth before "Shara you need to get up and squat now." Quickly I was pulled up by April and Holly and I tried to push though I didn't feel like I was doing much. In what seemed like an eternity Salli got Avelyn's shoulder unhooked and she slipped in to the water supported by her daddy and Salli. I dropped down in to the water and grabbed my baby. It was an intensely emotional moment but she was ok and so was I. 3:35AM 8lbs 14oz. 22 3/4in.

Quick, intense and perfect. I had an amazing birth team. It makes me cry to think of how my friends physically, emotionally, and spiritually supported me through her birth. My husband did things for me he didn't want to do (like get in the pool) but he did it because I asked him to. Salli freshly bruised her broken arm to intervene and help my baby. My older children have been amazing helpers doing dishes and bringing me water and there are many others like my mom and church family who are continuing to help and lift us up.

So if you were one of those ones that woke up in the middle of the night and prayed, thank you. We needed those prayers and God answered many throughout the night!