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Carlee’s Home Birth Story

December 19th, 2008

Sunday, November 9th, 2008 – My amniotic fluid started leaking. I didn’t panic because I wasn’t having accompanying contractions, but I knew we were getting close. And in talking with Erin the next day, the baby is ’supposed’ to be born within 24 hours of rupture of membranes, but I wasn’t sure about just the amniotic fluid since my membranes were still intact.

All that to say, this particular Sunday was quite busy – my parents were finishing their trip to California and had arrived in Houston at 6 am. My mom told me all through the pregnancy: “You may NOT have this baby until November 10th!” She was afraid she’d miss the birth, and I was afraid I wouldn’t have babysitters! But, God is gracious to give us what we need, when we need it.

Also on that day, I had to do closed-captioning for the church service, Alicia was in town from chiropractic college, Kevin and I were meeting our SAM students (adopted A&M students through our church) for lunch over at my grandparents’ house, and Kevin had to run sound for a very involved (and very long!) Derek Webb concert at our church. Plus, I had just finished a week of resting, laundry, propping up my feet, and waiting for the baby to get here.

9 am The Next Day – So, it wasn’t a surprise when I started having contractions. I called Erin, who was on the way to Temple this time, and she immediately turned around and headed to our house. (Side Note: Erin wrote the birth story through her eyes and gave me a copy for the baby book. It’s fascinating, coming from someone else’s vantage point. I’ll have to add that next.) One of the best things about having a homebirth is the midwife making sure she will be at the birth in plenty of time. However, the midwife was a little uncertain she would make it in time, so I called her as soon as I thought I might be having contractions. I got dressed, got the kids dressed and packed, I put on makeup, and picked up some things around the house.

9:30 am – Erin arrived and told me she didn’t have an assistant available. (The previous assistant had jury duty in Houston that day.) So I called my dear friend Rachel, who was planning on being at the birth anyway, and she was so excited to get to assist. I asked Erin to check my dilation, so I could know in my mind if I really was in labor or not, and she said I was at 5 cm and 95% effaced. She never checked me again after that. (She didn’t have to, and she didn’t have to check dilation then either, but I was a little apprehensive since my fluid was leaking.) I also managed to eat some breakfast – a blueberry bagel with cream cheese.

10 am – My mom came to get the kids while I was pacing around the house, gathering clothes and shoes and books for the kids. I kept drinking water when I was thirsty, a huge boost for my stamina throughout labor. I told Kevin I couldn’t bear to hear the “ding ding ding!” of The Price is Right, so he turned off the tv and streamed KSBJ through his computer. My contractions were getting more regular towards the end of this hour, about 5 minutes apart.

11 am – Somewhere in this hour, I decided to use the birthing pool. While Kevin and Rachel were setting it up, I remember reading my church’s recently published cookbook. (It’s funny what you remember.) I also remember feeling the need to do the dishes but not really wanting to do the dishes. Erin told me I could do pretty much whatever I wanted, that the Amish women would iron when they were in labor, so I could pull out the ironing board if I wanted. Yeah, right. My contractions were getting steadier, still about 5 minutes apart but lasting around 1 minute each. (In my pre-labor, my contractions never lasted more than 45 seconds each.)

12 pm – Rachel’s husband Thomas brought Chick-fil-A for lunch. (Although we didn’t get to eat it until about 3 pm.) I ordered an “Arnold Palmer” to drink (1/2 sweet tea, 1/2 lemonade) and it tasted so good during labor. In my birth kit was a flexible straw, and I was really curious as to WHY there was a straw there? And WHAT would it be used for? Of course, it would be used for drinking, duh. And so I did! It served its purpose. I had my drink in the pool, but it wasn’t as relaxed as I might have been, say, if I were in Tahiti. Contractions were getting more regular, about 2 minutes apart and I felt the need to push but I couldn’t push against the inflatable pool so well.

1 pm – I got out of the pool and immediately felt the most horrific pain I had ever felt in my life – I would later know this pain as back labor. I immediately fell to my knees over the birthing stool, grabbed Kevin’s forearms and (I’m sorry to say) dug my elbows into his hands during contractions. I couldn’t find any way to get comfortable. Contractions were right on top of each other and I was entering transition. I remember telling Kevin, “It hurts.” So whenever I would feel a contraction coming on, Erin would press really hard on my low back to alleviate some of the pain. Kevin prayed for me after each contraction and encouraged me when my pain was unbearable. He kept whispering, “God, give us strength.” and he told me to keep breathing and relax my whole body so that the baby could relax too.

I also remember asking if the baby’s head was crowning or if I was close to delivery, because the pain was so strong. And right after I asked, I got no answer, which I took to mean that the baby wasn’t close to delivery. So then I started panicking and worrying that the baby would not be okay. Erin reassured me that the baby was working her way into the birth canal, into my pelvis, and that all the contractions and pain would be worth it soon. Even though I wanted it to be sooner, I could feel the baby in my pelvis, getting ready to be born.

1:48 – My water broke, after only a few pushes, and the baby’s head was born, with her cord wrapped around her neck and her hand propped against her chin. (There’s a scientific name for that…) One BIG push later, and she was here! Since her hand was under her chin, it made her shoulders hard to come out, which was why I had to push so hard.

It’s hard to believe that the hardest part of this labor only lasted about 45 minutes. I am thankful I was able to enjoy my labor and that up until that hardest part, it was so calm and peaceful and relaxing. I loved being at home, in a familiar environment with my own clothes on. I loved being able to set the temperature in the room – with my previous births at the hospital, I trembled after I delivered because the hospital rooms were so cold. I loved not having people coming in and out of the room all the time. I loved not being hooked up to any sort of IV or fetal monitoring device – Erin monitored the baby with doppler.

And, the best part about the birth story was her birth! I scooped my baby girl up in my arms and held her close. I told her she was beautiful and that I was so glad she was here.

Carlee Joy Grubbs
November 10th, 2008
1:48 pm
8 lbs., 15 oz.
21″

Entry Filed under: Carlee, Faith, Family, Life