Evelyn Rose was born on May 8, 2009.
On the previous morning, Grant and I left Maddie at home with Mum, who was staying with us for the birth, and went to see Leslie, our midwife, for a stretch and sweep procedure that might help to start my labour contractions. I was 40 weeks, 3 days pregnant. Afterwards, when we left the clinic I was in great spirits and felt quite sure that it would work, as I had had the same thing done to get my labour started with Maddie, and that I would see my little girl soon. On the way home we stopped to do some grocery shopping (nesting) and I had several regular contractions and became quite crampy. It was so exciting!
We spent the rest of the day quietly and I had a call that evening from Leslie to find out how I was feeling. My contractions were still light, and the crampiness had increased a bit. I was feeling very calm and happy. I felt such wonderful peace, and I knew I was in early labour.
We went to bed early and fell asleep without a problem. At 3:30AM I woke up and heated up a barley sock to wrap around my lower abdomen to help ease the discomfort of my cramps. It felt lovely. I woke again at 5Am, feeling the first of my stronger contractions. I lay in bed for the next 45 minutes, timing the contractions and getting more and more exciteed. This was it! I woke Grant and let him know, then went downstairs to email Robin (in Nepal) and my online friends (Renegade Mothering) to let them all know that I was in labour. Then I called Leslie. She told me that she had woken around 3AM, thinking of me. I let her know that my contractions were about a minute in duration and between 5-8 minutes apart. We decided that she would come shortly, but not rush; it was just under an hour's drive from her home in Carleton Place to ours in Manotick. Then I went back upstairs to help Grant get the bedroom and bathroom ready for the birth. I had candles by the tub, and we began playing soft music. My contractions were strong and regular.
Leslie and Grace, who was a student midwife and ex-Doula, arrived around 7:30AM and began to set their things up. They listened for the baby's heartbeat, which remained in the 140s throughout the whole birth, and timed my contractions. For the most part they left me to labour peacefully and from time to time I could hear them quietly talking on the other side of the room. Anne-Marie, our secondary midwife,arrived around 9:30AM. I remember being so pleased that Anne-Marie would be present, as she had been with us at Maddie's birth, too, and I liked her very much. The exact time of her arrival is a bit of a blur to me now, my contractions had strengthened by that point and there was not much time between them. I do remember smiling and joking with Leslie and Grace, though.
Things became very serious for me just prior to and during transition. It was becoming increasingly hard to remain relaxed and hum through the contractions and there was no longer a rest between them. After a while, Leslie asked me if i wanted her to break my waters to help things move along faster. I agreed, and we moved up onto the bed. My amniotic fluid was clear and as she broke it I immediately began vomitting - luckily Grant was ready with our pail! Ah, things escalated to pain beyond pain. It took all my strength to make it to the end of my labour. I was awash with beads of sweat, concentrating on my breathing, trying to let my body remain relaxed as I swayed on my knees holding on to the side of my bed for support. It felt, as it always does during transition, that it would never stop. I never did move into the tub to labour, it just felt easier kneeling on the big soft quilt that Grant had laid out by the bed. Finally, I began to feel some small urges to push, and in pushing lightly I found some relief in the pain.
We moved to the birthing stool and Grant sat up on the side of the bed with his arms around me from behind, supporting me both emotionally and physically. I pushed, lightly at first and then with more strength as the girls and Grant encouraged me. I remember reaching down to feel Evelyn's head crowning. It is always a frightening experience for me, likely heightened by the rushes of adrenaline that my body was producing. I pushed so hard, and I found it nearly impossible to get her to move through my birth canal, each push took so much effort and produced such little effect. She crowned for a very long time, then her head moved partially out and I felt incredible disbelief that I could not get her to be born, as both of my other babies came quickly once the head began to emerge. Leslie then asked me to slip backwards onto the bed, onto my back to help get her out. Anne-Marie slid me across and they eased my legs up and asked me to push hard as Leslie pressed on my abdomen to aid Evelyn's shoulders through the canal. I remember roaring with my final pushes, like a lion! Later Leslie would explain to me that she used the McRobert's manouevre, as Evelyn's shoulder's were a bit 'sticky', but not in true dystocia. Finally Evelyn slid out, warm and wet. Leslie cut her cord immediately to transfer her to the resusciatation station they had set up, but Evelyn began crying heartily after just a few seconds and they brought her onto my tummy. What a beautiful moment, hearing her cries. It was so perfect. Bliss, holding my little darling, nursing her for the first time just a few moments after the birth. I remember having blankets placed over me to stop my shivering. We were bundled up together, our skins wet and warm. Evelyn was born at 12:00PM. Welcome Evelyn!
After William's birth and passing, having a home birth meant so much to me, and yet it was the relaxed atmosphere and ease that mattered most in the end. It all just seemed so laid-back and calm, and it was everything I had hoped for. My Mum looked after Maddie downstairs, while the excitement all happened up in our bedroom. It was planned that Mum would cut Evelyn's cord, but in the end, Leslie had to cut it swiftly. Having Maddie so close, and having my mother present were gifts during the birth. It was perfect. My whole team rocked Evelyn's birth, and made it possible.
Brand new:
First family photograph:
Weighing Evelyn, 7 lb. 15 oz.:
