well, cottage birth really...

here's the story, written the day after.

who has a baby on her actual due date eh? only fussy little capricorns like me, that's who!!

it's a girl and she's gorgeous. my labor was SO flipping fast, holy crap. i lost the mucus plug at about 1pm and had REALLY mild contractions until about 10-11 that night. just like last time they were about 1 minute long and 3-4 minutes apart and just got a bit stronger and stronger over time. i laid down at about midnight thinking i had at least 8 hours until the birth. HA! my water broke at 1-ish and by then i was having medium-mild contractions and Still thought i'd have time so i went between lying down in bed and sitting on the toilet (i threw up into the sink, eww!!), passed some more bloody mucus, did some breathing and such and just chilled out almost falling asleep in between the longer spaced contractions. at about 2 things were picking up but i still thought i'd have plenty of time so i didn't call my mom or sister or anything, but little woke up and i felt him get into bed with me and put his sweet little head on my shoulder. he started tapping his fingers along my upper chest and talking about how excited he was to see his baby sister or brother born. he was just so terrific, totally calm and just awesome. what a great six year old. so by 2:30 things were actually pretty intense. i went to the toilet again thinking to pee, threw up some more and then couldn't even move to wipe the sweat off my face for the next half hour. i had contractions straight through, strong and even stronger, it was WILD! little was amazing, just totally calm and observing, talking to me about how the "reactions" (contractions) were really big and the baby must be coming soon. of course I think i'm just having a spate of strong ones and it'll calm down so i can get to the phone, get some water, wipe my face, tie my hair back, get off the toilet, etc. that is until my uterus gave a HUGE push, and then another one, and another. just like last time, i didn't push at all, my body did it for me. i stood up when i felt the perineal pressure and two more pushes and her head was out. little was in total awe, he was shouting "look at the baby's head mom, it's backwards and purple!" she pivotted and then she was out (3am). i sat back down and when i could breathe again i asked little to get the phone and helped him dial my sister. she came over from next door and came into the bathroom saying "what is it honey? did your water break?" i just laughed. same reaction from my mom, she got there and was so surprised to see an actual baby already that she forgot to even ask about the sex!! no one has had any sleep yet and none of us care, it was just such an amazing and magical experience and she's an absolute doll. no crying, no fussing, just eats, sleeps, @#$%& and looks like a princess. i'm so flipping happy i could BURST!! and i feel FINE too. aside from the extra stomach weight, which i know will disappear soon, and being a little bit tired of course i feel totally normal and good. and am i EVER glad i made those two slings. has anything else ever come in more handy?
now for the crunches. i still look pregnant!!

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wayyyyyyyyyyyy to go coco congrats on your new baby girl !! what a great story !

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Congratulations coco, that's fantastic! Amazing story. Hope you recover well.

Cheers,
Jx

I'm so happy for you all


I'm keeping the photo window up so I can keep looking all day.

brings back emotional memories for me!

oh my. this is so amazing and intense, but light and joyful at the same time! i hope that if i ever have children it will be similar to this.

forgive my ignorance, but, do women always throw up in labor? did you throw up with little? did your bowels release also? did you have to go to the hospital afterwards? was there alot of bleeding? sorry so many questions.

ha ha, yes to the throwing up and, uh, other stuff. if your body isn't empty and it wants to be it will find a way. the bathroom is a good place to give birth.
there wasn't much blood, i didn't tear, lots of fluids though.

i did go to the hospital afterwards to have someone fill out the neccessary paper work to apply for her i.d. but i wish that i hadn't because they were NOT pleased that i had her at home unassisted and that i hadn't been going to a prenatal doctor. i suppose they felt very threatened by that, and with good reason too, they get paid enormous sums to steal women's birth experiences from them! it's a fear based system. i refuse to be owned by it.

we are doing great, she's big and beautiful and little is a tremendous big brother and a great little helper.

there's a picture link there at the bottom of the post, didja look? she looks hillarious of course, she's only a few hours old.

awww she`s adorable. very alert. nothing like the experience of childbirth
patty

what an amazing experience! congrats again!
what a beautiful family!

Wheatgrass, it does a body good!!!

So coco, what is littlest's birthday?

Was confused about whether it just happened or happened 10 weeks ago.

june 27, i wrote the above the day after. she is 10 weeks today!

congrats!

Hi Coco,

Congratulations on your new baby; little girls are so precious! The photo is great -- your little boy looks like a sweet kid. I never heard of throwing up while in labor, either.

Lois

in hospital they starve you before hand so i guess it just doesn't happen there! it's not bad, it just happens and then you're done, empty, body can focus on the task at hand.

here she is again, looking a little less new.

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