Our water baby (HBA2C)

Prudence Magnolia Love - born December 30th, 2010

Adam and I with our water baby. My favorite picture of our journey.

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So for the longest time, I've been putting off our daughter Prudence's birth story. I wasn't exactly sure why because it was such a great story to tell. I guess the only thing I can say is, when it's the right time, it's the right time. So here we go!

With Prudence I labored off and on for about 4 days before she was born. It is also known as "prodromal labor". I remember distinctly the night after Christmas, while in the kitchen making tea, I rubbed my belly and said okay Prudence whenever you are ready. Sure enough at around 2am on the 26th of December the surges began.  I woke Adam (hubby) just to give him a heads up that that they had started. They weren't super heavy but I could tell they were doing something. They continued the same pattern for the next 4 days. They would start up at night and taper off by noon the next day.  It was a bit discouraging at first, but only because I was excited for this brand new journey I was beginning. When it started I had this expectation that it meant I'd have a babe withing the next day or so at least. What I didn't know what that my body had a different agenda. After a couple of days of laboring off and on my wonderful midwife Jill and her assistant Sarah (who happened to be my local ICAN chapter leader) came over one morning to check on me and give me a little spiritual boost. It didn't take much from them because their presence alone was enough to remind me that everything was going just fine and I soon realized that this was just the way I was meant to labor. This was what my body needed to do. I know now that this very thing was most likely the reason the first two of my pregnancies didn't have the outcome that I had wanted. We worked on some visuals and birth art and it everything just came together for me and made perfect sense. After that, when the night hit, I welcomed the surges even more, and relaxed during the day, when I had some off time.

The night of the 29th I had gone to my parents house to celebrate the holidays with my brother and his family, who are from out of town. I remember being pretty cranky and feeling sick. I thought I might be coming down with something. I ended up going home and just wanted to lay around.  At about 11:30pm I decided to finally take a nap on the couch, while hubby relaxed and watched some television. Well no sooner then 5 minutes after laying down I felt a pop. I knew instantly what it was and told hubby what had just happened. I stand up and he asks me if I was sure. I said I was positive because I felt the trickle of fluid as soon as I was in the upright position. I then made my way to the bathroom to clean myself up and give Jill a ring. She reminded me that sometimes even after your water breaks it could be hours or even longer before anything starts happening. I know she was just making sure I prepared myself in case I had a good amount of time before the babe made her appearance. She said she would get herself ready and to call if anything changes. No sooner that I hang up the phone BAM! (Haha, there's honestly no better way to explain it.) The surges start coming one after another and they. are. strong! I call Sarah and let her know. She asks if I would like her to come over. I immediately say yes because I knew I would need the support. After that my memory gets a little fuzzy for a bit. What I do remember for sure is at one point telling hubby that he had to start blowing up the pool and getting the water in, so that I could use it to labor. If you know me, then you aren't surprised that I waited to the very last minute to have that done. I also have to add that Adam had been sick for a few days beforehand. So the poor guy, who was super congested already, had to sit there and hurry to blow up the pool by mouth (cause we're awesome and never even considered getting an air pump, haha). He told me awhile later that there were several times where he felt like he was going to pass out. Yikes! (Love you babe!)

While Adam takes care of that I start pacing from the living room to the kitchen. For quite awhile it seemed that the only way  to ease the pain was to do that, and to continuously hum "dear prudence" to my baby girl. Sarah had arrived pretty quickly, and right away started to tell me how wonderful I was doing, which was great to hear because to me this was uncharted territory. [I'm pretty sure at some point she called Jill to let her know it was time.] I continue to pace and hum until it doesn't seem to be helping anymore. I then decide to move to the bathroom again. Once I'm back in there is when Jill arrives. I remember standing in the bathroom in the dark and wanting no one around me. I just needed to let my body take over. The feeling of what I was going through was incredibly intense. I felt my babes body moving down further and further. I began to make these sounds that were so different. I believe it was then that I started to transition so Jill asks if I wanted to try out the pool. When getting in I take a glance at the clock and notice it was around 3:30am. As soon as I'm all the way in I took my hubby's hand layed back and continued to let me body take me where it needed to go.

It wasn't very long before things started to change significantly. I thought before that my body was awesome, well now it just started pushing all on it's own! I wasn't intentionally pushing her out. There was no "okay, push, 1, 2, 3 Lamaze kind of stuff going on. I was merely a passenger. My body new EXACTLY what to do and was doing it. I am in such complete awe of what our bodies are capable of!

I'll tell you now why this was all new to me. It was because my first two babes were brought into this world so completely different. The first two "attempts" I had made at a natural birth both ended in cesarean. The doctors of course told me that my best bet would be to stick with cesareans if I planned on having anymore children. They told me numerous times that my pelvis was too small for a baby to pass through. I knew better though. I didn't feel like what they were telling me was right. It felt like a cop-out. I did my research which led me to where I was now, in a pool, my body birthing my daughter the way it was meant to. After Jill and Sarah caught Prudence, the only thing that repeatedly ran through my head was I'm not broken, I'm not broke, I'm not broken!  And you know honestly from the beginning I had no doubt in myself. I knew that I could birth her the way I wanted, no they way I needed to, but still the second she was born, it was proof.

Prudence Magnolia Love swam earthside at 4:00am, and the moment that consumes my every thought when I think of her birth is what happened right after. As they helped me bring her up to my chest there was this peacefulness. The birthing process for her was so calm, almost uneventful if that makes any sense. It's  as if she didn't even realize that her surroundings had changed. She hadn't taken her first breath yet, was still receiving the remainder of oxygen and blood that she needed from the placenta, and lay there completely still. It's a picture that I can't do justice to with words. There was no worry or rush for her to be taken away from me. She didn't need patted on the back, or suctioned or anything else for that matter. There was no need for anything else to be happening. She was welcome to do everything at her own pace. When she was ready she let out a little gasp, gave her first breathe, and then out came the tiniest cry. I kissed her and said "why hello there.". Even with this being our 3rd babe, I couldn't believe that my husband and I made this perfect little being. The whole experience was just surreal and I glance over at my husband and with just one look I could tell how proud he was of me.

An Understanding Of Me

My Scar

I know I haven't been around much. I have seemed to almost completely abandoned my blog entirely. But nevertheless I have returned.  I needed to take time to think about what direction I really wanted to go with it. And after finding out we were expecting our third little one I've decided to dedicate a good portion of the blog to this chapter of my life.

I'll admit I'm hoping that this serves as a bit of therapy for me. I'm sure you're probably thinking what the heck is she talking about. Well some of you may know, and some may not, but my first two "births" were Cesareans. And the one that obviously was most affecting was my first. I honestly have never really discussed what happened to me physically or emotionally to anyone. It's been extremely hard for me to share this part of my life with anyone, even with friends through my biggest support network, my local ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network) Chapter. I want to throw out there that I totally support medically necessary Cesareans. But believe that there are so so so many times that woman are put through such horrible experiences, like myself, when they aren't educated or aren't given the opportunity to have their bodies birth their babies the way nature intended.

Side note:  if you haven't figured out yet, I'm not the best at writing and hope you understand the gist of what I have to say ;)

Here goes:

I'll admit that I wasn't the most educated person on the whole pregnancy/childbirth subject while pregnant with my first son London. All I knew was that I was ecstatic to be pregnant and having a baby! But by the time I was 40 weeks the only thing on my mind was I wanted this thing out of me! I went to about 41 1/2 ish weeks when I made the OB check me because she had been telling me all along that if I was at least a finger tip or more dilated anytimer 40 weeks they would induce me. So when she did I just so happened to be 1cm. She then asked if I wanted to be induced the following day. Of course I said yes!  I was done being pregnant and have that little boy in my arms. The thought of the whole labor process never even crossed my mind.

My Husband and I checked into the hospital at about 6am, did all the paperwork, and sat around for a bit. The doctor came in and explained to me what was going to happen. The plan was they were going to start me on Pitocin and increase gradually and then hopefully contractions would dilate my cervix and we would eventually have a baby.  Nurses then came in and started the IV and pitocin. They must of started me off pretty slowly because I remember the contractions didn't seem to bother me much. I had been experiencing the practice contractions since about 6 months along and they didn't feel much different then that, I was just having them a bit more frequent now.

Around 8am my mom got there. And not too long after that the doctor came back in and checked me and said I was still only around 1-2cms so she was going to break my waters and they would up the pitocin to see if they could move things along a bit more. And this is when things started to get tough. Contractions started coming on hard and fast almost instantly. I was still tolerating the pain for the most part. But it seemed as time went on it the contractions became more and more unmanageable. I remember turning down any pain relief offered numerous times. I kept thinking in my head my Mom did this naturally, I should be able to too (not realizing that the Pitocin can bring on MONSTER contractions not like the normal ones). Eventually I gave into the nursing staff and they ended up giving me some meds through the IV that was supposed to take the edge of the pain off, when in actuality the result was me being a bit out of it and feeling extremely dizzy, nothing more. Pain was still at a 10+.  So around noon they check me and I'm at about 4 or 5cm and I demand an epidural. I feel like I'm definitely not going to make it through this with out it. It wasn't long before they came in and rescued me from what I thought was near death.

After the epidural everything is wonderful,  except the fact that I can no longer feel my legs. I didn't expect the epidural to work that well I guess. So from about noon to 5pm I only dilated to 7cm and they tell me that I'm not progressing as fast as they would like. And that it being almost 12 hours being in labor it was time I start thinking about a C-Section. I was confused. I thought that 7cm was pretty high up there. Only 3cms more to go and I was almost done...So I thought about it for a little over and hour. They came back in to check me again and I was still at 7 so they pressured me again and I gave in. I signed some more paperwork and they tell me my pelvis was just too small to birth my baby and he wasn't coming down at all. And it would most likely be the case for any other pregnancies down the road.

This is when I start to get a bit emotional. I don't share it with anyone, but the only thoughts going though my head are that I've failed. And now I just want this whole experience to be done with and just want my baby. People now start to run in and out. Giving me more meds, upping the epidural, coming in to shave me and prep me for surgery. Not really even explaining half of the things they are doing to me, or what it's for. I am kind of now just laying there in a trance. It doesn't take long and nurses come in and tell me that it's time for me to be taken to the OR and that my Husband would be left there to get suited up and would eventually join me. I say goodbye to both him and my mom and then I'm off.

They wheel me into the OR with bright lights and what it seems to be like at least 10 people in there already waiting for me. It takes about 5 minutes and they already have everything set up around me. I'm strapped down, arms and legs, and have no view of anything except the blue curtain in front of me and the white ceiling above. The anesthesiologist tells me he is going to give me a bit more meds and I automatically start vomiting. I'm pretty sure they've already started to cut me open and I ask where my Husband is and they say "Oh we'll bring him right in.". The doctor and nurses are all around me talking and joking about their day and every so often trying to include me in the conversation but I don't care to hear anything they are saying.

Adam comes in, sits next to me, and looks at me and asks if I'm okay. He really hasn't ever talked to me about that exact moment but I could see in his eyes that he was scared and nervous about what was going on. It was then that I start to feel the horrible pushing, tugging and pulling sensations. I feel as though the baby is being ripped from my insides. I begin to throw up some more. The anesthesiologist tells me it's almost over. And my son cries. My husband and I look at each other and both instantly start to tear up. Out of the whole experience that was the only perfect moment. The moment is cut short and I start shaking uncontrollably. They tell me it's normal. My husband goes to check on the baby and comes back to sit next to me. I tell him to make sure that once the baby leaves that he goes with him. They bring London over for my husband to hold and for me to see. And one of the most crushing things for me is that I have no recollection of what my first born son looks like at that moment. The only thing I remember is kissing him when my husband attempts to put him as close to me as he can. My Husband then leaves with London and I'm laying there as they close me up. I remember feeling like I'm about to pass out over and over again, and in between those episodes I'm throwing up and trembling.

They are finally finished and tell me that I will be taken in to a recovery area. I'm wheeled into another room and left there. I lay there for a bit and my Mom comes in with my Husband to check on me. We discuss how London was born at 6:32pm, weighed 8lbs 2oz and was 21inches long. I don't really remember hearing that during the actual surgery. And after what it seems like to be forever (I'm positive at least 1-2 hours because of the time lapse) I ask the nurse when I will be able to see my baby. Her reply is "Soon enough, don't know why you're worrying, it's not like he's going to die or anything". We all look at each other in shock, wondering if we just really heard that. And instantly my mom scolds her for saying it and she apologises and leaves. Eventually my Husband and Mom leave and I'm alone again. Nurses come in and out just to check on me and remind me that the convulsing and sleepiness is normal.

I'm eventually wheeled into what is to be the room we will be staying in for the rest of the hospital stay. I just lay there, completely numb physically and emotionally. They bring in London and I honestly can't even remember smiling. I didn't feel anything really. Someone handed him to me but it was really hard to hold him because my arms still had little feeling. I did what I could for a bit and then people started pouring into our room, one after another, demanding to hold the new baby. I just sat there feeling helpless. Between my husband and I, I am normally the one to speak my mind and I couldn't even tell people I didn't want them there. That I wasn't quite ready for visitors yet, that I wanted to spend a few special moments with just me, my husband and our son. I'm sure Adam wasn't even sure what I wanted because I didn't say much. The whole time there was just this awkward feeling in the room.

Eventually people leave and I attempt to breastfeed London and that is the moment we bonded. That is when I felt like he was mine. I don't know what would of happened if I had not chosen to breastfeed. I don't know how long it would of taken me to connect with him. I feel very fortunate that I chose that route for my babies, not only because I feel it's the best for them, but it ended up being something I needed as well.

For the following three days I'm in pretty severe pain, but I deal and just want to get home and forget the whole experience, which coincidentally is what I end up doing. This is honestly the first time in over 4 years that I've gone back to this birth entirely. There have always been little bits and pieces that creep into the back of my mind every now and then but until now it's been too hard for me to put the whole thing out there. I hope by reading this you have gotten to understand a little bit of who I am and why I advocate so hard for people to avoid the UNNECESSARY Cesarean.

A recent conversation i've had has given me the idea to post about extended breastfeeding. I myself nursed by boys until around 20 months and 15 months. Both self-weaned. Had I been given the opportunity I would of nursed as long as my boys wanted to and feel that every woman out there should not be put in the situation where they feel they have to discontinue breastfeeding unless they themselves or their child is ready. 

I've always known that overall breastfeeding is heavy on the nutrition for the little one. But I never specifically researched the stats of exactly how much nutrition is available after a certain length of time. Here is what I found:

In the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL of breastmilk provides:

• 29% of energy requirements
• 43% of protein requirements
• 36% of calcium requirements
• 75% of vitamin A requirements
• 76% of folate requirements
• 94% of vitamin B₁₂ requirements
• 60% of vitamin C requirements

-- Dewey 2001

"Human milk expressed by mothers who have been lactating for greater then 1 year has significantly increased fat and energy contents, compared with milk expressed by women who have been lactating for shorter periods. During prolonged lactation, the fat energy contribution of breast milk to the infant diet might be significant."

-- Mandel 2005

Now apart from nutrition benefits there are other pros to extended breastfeeding. Toddlers tend to have fewer illnesses and when becoming ill they seem to last in shorter duration. And they also seem to have fewer to no allergies. There's also a list of cancers that extended breastfeeding helps to reduce risk of for the Mama! 

Although I could most likely research and list the benefits and stats until I turn blue I think the biggest thing that Mama's are confronted with is being judged by family and peers. The stares themselves almost seem worse then the criticism sometimes.  Here are a few lines that I had learned to use when a family member or friend asked if I was STILL breastfeeding?

Why are you hungry?

Yes, we still have a few minute's on this side before we switch to the other.

Not right now, but most likely in a couple of hour's.

or 

Yes, usually twice a day.

And when they say, No, I meant are you still nursing him/her at this age, just reply "I know what you meant" and leave it at that! Most people's intentions when asking you such a nonsense question is fully intending to start an argument, or to put in their own opinion without you having to ask for it...

All silliness aside the bottom line is that as a community we need to start setting examples and putting the message out there that breastfeeding is NUTRITIONAL &  POSITIVE and most importantly what's best for our kids!

So wow! This blog stuff is hard, haha. I've been wracking my brain on what to write for about 5 days now. I always seem to have this apprehension when it comes to saying anything. So i'm thinking it all boils down to being afraid of being judged. You know that same old highschool way of thinking. Yes i still have that. And i'm only a couple years shy of 30. I'm hoping that with this blog i'll be able to break out of "my shell" as they say, just a little bit more...

So I guess I'll take this opportunity to tell everyone a little bit about myself. I come from a pretty big family. About 9 siblings altogether. I am the oldest, so I was pretty much able to enjoy watching a few of my younger siblings grow up. Even with the ones thats weren't far off in age from me I can remember asking to change their diappies. So needless to say ever since I can remember I wanted to be a mommy.  So it's no surprise that I'm now the lucky mommy of two boys and wanting just maybe at least a few more ;)

Well before I get all gushy and off track I'll continue with my train of thought. I come from a family that is very "traditional" so to speak. Everyone is very formula, crib sleeping, crying it out, pro-spanking type of people. So needless to say when I became a parent and started with my ways of parenting I became known as the "family hippy". Evidently that's what you are called when you do everything completely opposite of "the norm". I've learned to hold my tongue quite often when it comes to the labeling but still find myself being challenged by them. I feel like I'm forever defending my ideal of parenting. And it's not people out right disagreeing with something.  Here are a few examples:  I nursed my first son til he was a little over 19 months and towards the end I was getting comments like, you're stopping when he turns 2 right? or if he's able to walk and talk then maybe he doesn't need to nurse anymore. Or when it comes to co-sleeping, I can't believe you have never used a crib! or don't you think he is old enough and to the point where he should be in his own bed?

Well my response is simply this. My children are only going to be little for so long. I'm not going to push them away from me by over disciplining or make them grow up any faster then they really have to by weaning before they are ready, or shoving them into a crib the first chance I get. I'm going to do whatever I possibly can to help them to grow up to be the most affectionate, caring, intelligent, and respectful people that they can be. And so with that they can pass the same qualities on to their offspring and so on.

So yes i've jumped on the blogging bandwagon!

That i have! I've been feeling a bit guilty by all of the many posts i've been doing on good 'ol facebook lately. Wondering if anyone was getting tired of seeing my natural birthing, breastfeeding, VBAC posts etc...So i figured i would ease up a bit over there and share the wealth on my brand new blog! Super exciting i know, haha. My goal is to not only keep family and friends updated on my fam, but to also educate others and myself on the more natural things out there. You'll kind of be going along on the ride. Sounds fun right? It's something that's become more of a passion lately so i thought why not share?!


So i'm a SAHM of two awesome little guys. London will be 4 in less then a week! He was diagnosed with PDD-NOS (An Autism Spectrum Disorder) in September 2009. I've been learning tons since the diagnosis and have become quite comfortable with everything. It's just so much easier knowing now... I will most definitely be posting lots on Autism Awareness as well! We also have a second little love, Judea, who is about 19 months. And he just happens to be the most adorable thing ever!  And i'm not being bias is any way ;-)

Well i'm not going to write much more. Just kind of wanted to introduce my too cool for school blog to everyone. If you decide to follow me i promise to entertain you every once in awhile!

P.S. Yes i'm a rambler.