I am pregnant with my fifth child and my little Sophi is due to arrive any day now. I will be having another in-home water birth which I am excited about. This is my second water birth. My last delivery was at home in a birthing pool and it was by far my best birthing experience and the quickest. I have had two other natural births and one hospital birth.
My first child was born in a hospital. I had an Epidural, which did not work, and Demerol. The Epidural wore off and when the anesthesiologist administered it she did it wrong and thought she paralyzed me. It was horrible and thankfully I was not paralyzed. The Demerol made me hallucinate which was awful. My room turned into a circus. You'd think I'd be laughing but it wasn't funny. I was bed bound in the infamous lithotomy (lying on my back) position. Not only was it uncomfortable but my pain increased and labor seemed to come to a halt. The lithotomy position is the most unnatural position to be in and is advantageous only to the doctor.
Thankfully my labor was only 12 hours but had I known then what I know now I believe that my experience would have gone a lot smoother and faster. I was clueless when it came to birth and had no idea what was going on with my body. I kept going to the restroom because I thought I had to defecate when in fact it was the baby. After making my third round to the toilet and nothing passed my pastors wife said Hun, I think it's the baby. I remember being placed back on the bed and pushing for what seemed like an eternity. I also remember feeling my doctor cut me which was unnecessary. I would have rather torn than have gotten an episiotomy. Some may prefer to get snipped but I did not want that. I delivered a healthy 6 lbs 12 ounces baby girl who was taken and ran though a mill so it seemed before they handed her over to me.
Shortly after being transported to my room I started to develop intense headaches due to the Epidural. I even lost my hearing for a few seconds. Although it was only a few seconds it was very scary. My husband was talking to me and his voice started to fade and then I could not hear him. I started to freak out. Thankfully it was only for a few seconds. I wish I could say that about the spinal headaches I developed. The headaches lasted six days and those were the worst six days of my life. I told my husband I'd rather die then have to live like that. I was bed bound and when I did make the attempt to get up I felt like my head was going to explode. Literally. There was so much pressure from the center of the back of my head down to my neck that it felt like it was going to blow up. Giving birth was more tolerable.
For the next six days the doctors visited me daily. I was constantly being poked with needles and had an I.V. struck in my arm. I felt like a guinea pig, like an experiment. Six days felt like an eternity, especially with spinal headaches. Around day five I had what is called a blood patch done which I unfortunately cannot explain. Most of it is vague considering that I was drugged. I believe they gave me morphine but I am not 100% sure. What ever they gave me left me in this deep sedated state. I could not open my eyes but I could hear. When I was transported back to my room I heard my husband praying. It really was encouraging considering everything that was going on with me and what I had just gone through. I remember him laying hands on my head and praying and I kid you not I could almost hear the sound of angels or what sounded like a choir of angles. I cannot really describe the sound itself but I never heard anything like it prior to it or since that day. I know it may sound surreal to some but it was very real to me. I am not sure how long it was but after he prayed it was the first time that I could get up and walk without intense pain in my head. I could not move very fast and my balance was a bit off but I was standing and we were praising God in that hospital room. I don't remember if I was discharged that day or the next day but I was able to go home and be with my family.
After such a traumatic experience I did not want another hospital experience and I definitely did not want drugs. A friend told me about her experience with a midwife and helped me get in contact with her. I had met up with her shortly afterwards and that was the beginning of my natural birthing journey. I say journey because here am I with baby number five and this will be my fourth in-home birth. I will have to post on my experiences at a later date. In the mean time I strongly encourage those who are considering on having a baby or who are already expecting to educate yourselves. Get to know you, your body, and your baby. Having a good doctor or midwife is a must. Do your research and do not settle for the first person you meet. You want someone you can trust and that will allow you to be in control and not try to dictate what you do or who will make you feel as if your body is incapable of doing what God has designed it to do. You don't need a whole lot of medical intervention, in fact next to none if you are healthy and if the baby is healthy. You don't need drugs. Birthing naturally gives you control. Too often doctors intervene because of their schedule or protocol and make birthing mothers feel incapable of delivering their baby. All there medical interventions only delay the process. It really is not necessary. Each labor is unique and takes time but there are reasons for this and God only knows why each one is so.
I have learned a lot over the past 9 years and have found the more I know the smoother and more pleasant my birthing experience is. It is always encouraging to read other birth stories especially those done at home or in water.Remember you have a choice. You can be in control. There is so much information out there.
Below are a list of sites that I encourage you to check out.
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