Raya Elaine

Short story: Raya Elaine was born Friday morning into her Daddy's hands, at home. Quite the over-achiever already, she insisted on racing the Midwives--- And won by about 10 seconds. 1:27am. 7 1/2 lbs and 20 1/4" long.
Pics at the end in case you want to skip the story. :)

Long story:
Thursday evening about 9:45 I decided to get out of bed to go to the bathroom. I was having light contractions and they made me feel like I needed to go every time one happend. I was hoping to get some sleep as I was already sure labor was going to be happening soon, so I grunted and groaned my way out of bed and just as I got to the toilet I had a small amount of fluid come out. I wasn't sure if my water leaked or if I wet myself!

I called our Midwife to let her know something was happening and then tried to go back to bed. I started having stronger contractions, but they were only coming every 15minutes and lasting maybe 30 seconds so I didn't think it was much.
I couldn't sleep though so I came downstairs to clean and get things ready "just incase". After a while, I noticed that they were coming quicker, but still pretty short and far apart. They felt wierd to me too. They were strong with a sharp pain, but just in the lower part of my belly.

Finally about midnight I texted my friend Sara and told her I thought this was it. She said she'd head over right away. After a few minutes I got up off my birth ball to unlock the door and had a good gush of water. Finally, the sign I needed that I was ACTUALLY in labor!
I called our midwife on my way up the stairs- 12:10am. She said she was on her way and would call J, the other midwife and tell her to head over.
I made it upstairs and the contractions really started. Told Wade that this is it and I'd want my birth pool asap. These weren't like any contractions I had with the other 2 kids because of the sharp pain with them. I was pretty sure baby was sunny side up, but decided not to think about it.

Made it back down stairs and started timing them - 3 minutes apart lasting 1 minute. Sara was there by then and she & Wade started setting up.. blowing up the pool and the air mattress.
At some point, while the pool was filling, Wade came over and put counter pressure on my lower back. It felt very good.
Finally the pool was ready. But, I got in and it wasn't as warm as it should be. It still felt ok though. Wade put the warmer in but then after a few minutes took it out.

He started putting counter pressure on my back again and after about 2 contractions in the pool, I had one where more water gushed out-- And then I felt her move down quickly.
I told Wade "They'd better get here soon!" He replied, "Who?" LOL!
With the next contraction I felt down but wasn't sure what I was feeling. I knew she was right there, but her head must not have been what I was feeling at the moment because I had a moments worry that she was breech. I decided just to take my hands off and not say anything to worry anyone.
Sara asked if she should call the Midwife and I nodded, but she didn't see me. With the next contraction, her head was coming out. Sara jumped for the phone but the Midwife didn't answer.
I told Wade, "She's coming. Right now." He just calmly replied, "That's ok, we've got this. when her head was coming out I told him "Her head's coming out!" And he said "It's fine, I've got her!" He was SO calm about it.
Her head came out and after a moment, her whole body came sliding out. I didn't even push! I was in a sitting position on my hands and knees. Wade was behind me and camly caught her. He was awesome.
I was able to turn around and grab her right away. We sat there with her for just a few seconds and our Midwife walked in the door! She didn't answer her phone because she was just pulling up!

A minute later the other midwife walked in, heard crying and went "Oh! I missed it!!" M said "I did too!"
Raya Elaine was born at 1:27am, 1 hr and 17 minutes after we knew "This is it!" and called our midwife.
And, she was posterior. I had been right.

Afterwards was touch and go for a little bit. Just like with Barrett, the placenta didn't want to come out right away and I actually wasn't bleeding at all. No blood had come out with her.. there was none coming out at all. After an hour I was given some herbs. We went over to the toilet to try on there and as I was getting there, a huge gush of blood came out.
After I delivered the placenta, they were helping me back to the living room where the mattress was and I got very dizzy, so they laid me down on the kitchen floor. They gave me a spoonfull of honey to get my bloodsugar up. More blood so my midwife gave me a shot of pitocin. After a little bit, she gave me another one in the other leg.
Then after a few more minutes, she gave me a shot of something else-- can't remember what.
I cralled back to the mattress and kind of crashed. I felt like I needed to puke but couldn't. I was starting to think about taking a chunk of the placenta because I was misrable and knew I needed something quick. Just about then my MW said "If I thought I could talk you into it, I'd see if you'd take a bit of the placenta." I told her I thought I should do it as I had already been thinking about it.. I knew I needed something else and soon. She decided to cut a chunk up really small and fry it. So I ate it. And it wasn't bad!! I was able to easily eat the whole thing. It tasted like duck.
I was feeling much better then thankfully. It makes me even more glad that I wasn't in the hospital for that. I know a Dr. would have ended up trying to manually extract the placenta and they would have given me a whole bag of pitocn and freaking out about the bleeding. I am thankful to have a Midwife who could deal with it though.

In the end, Wade & I both got what we both wanted.. Me, a quiet calm birth with pretty much just me and Wade and Wade catching. Wade got his experienced midwives to take care of any problems that could come up.
I am so thankful. In the past week before she was born, I was moved to pray that this would be a gentle birth, that I wouldn't loose control like I felt like I did with Barrett's birth. (His was one never-ending contraction at the end.) That I could accept the contractions and the pain and focus on the baby.
My prayers were definitely answered.

Sara got this shot just after she was born. Right before our Midwife walked in.

Jessi checking her out. Jessi missed the birth, again. There was no time to go get her when we realized that the baby was coming NOW.

That afternoon. First outfit!

Ready to go to town on Monday for a checkup with our Midwife.

This morning!