Paisley June
April 11 9 pounds 5 ounces 19 1/2 inches long
One year ago, I would have never envisioned myself birthing my first born child, in the peace and quiet of my own home with my husband holding my hand supporting me through my bodies capabilities, my decisions and my birth story.
It’s amazing what a supporting community can do for someone’s confidence, mindset and insight on practices and concepts that one may have never thought of for themselves.
After planning and preparation of our bodies through nutrition, exercise and prayer, my husband and I found out we were pregnant early August of 2021 and that moment we knew we wanted to bring our baby into this world with no intervention. We knew through the creation process, my body and baby, were absolutely capable to make informed and intuitive decisions and that we could allow my body to guide me throughout the process.
We started searching right away for opportunities to deliver our precious baby at home while growing and nurturing them from the inside - out. After finding a supportive midwife team at West Michigan Midwifery, we knew they were the perfect fit to educate us around informed consent and decision making in addition to supporting us with whatever path we chose throughout our pregnancy and labor.
We focused so much on healthy foods, staying away from toxins as best as possible and limited any medical intervention or screening along the way. My husband is a chiropractor so we heavily focused on our nervous system health to prepare our bodies to bring baby into this world pre, during and post pregnancy. I was gifted the best Christmas present from my parents of a prenatal yoga program through Live Unprocessed and highly recommend any pregnant momma to do a prenatal program early on in pregnancy and throughout third trimester. I was able to meditate and focus on myself and my baby growing through this program in addition to learning partner techniques for my husband to be apart of this journey and support me where needed.
Fast forward to our 40 week guess date… and no baby…yet. The anticipation was killing me however I knew that baby would come when they were ready and I continued to focus on that as my mantra. I would repeat daily that I was ready for baby, that they would come when they are ready because they are growing to the perfect size!
2 days later on the week of a Full Moon, I woke up at 3 AM on 4/11/2022 feeling menstrual like cramps, innately knowing something good was going to come out of it but wanted to let my body tell me when it was time.
I tried to fall asleep and rest during this time as I knew I couldn’t control or change what was coming next and needed to allow baby and my body to work together to make the following steps happen!
Carrying out my typical Monday, as best as I could, attempting to let my body take control and guide me through 10 hours of contractions getting seemingly closer, I knew around 2:30 PM ET that day, that I was ready to meet baby any moment from that point on.
My husband intuitively didn’t go to work that day, because he wanted to support me as best as he could with not knowing when baby would arrive. Thankfully I work from home, so I continued my day as best as I could. Early afternoon, with the sun shining through the windows, my husband filled up our birthing pool.
After working through my own rhythms during my contractions, my husband helped me through one “ball, wall, crawl” series to boost comfort and oxytocin and sure enough, I was ready to get in the pool after that point! I was able to make myself comfortable in a position on my knees, leaning my body over the pool to set my focus on my body and my baby.
It’s amazing what your body and mind can do. I had goosebumps almost the entire delivery, but I wasn’t cold being 1/2 in and 1/2 out of the water. I was so focused and in the zone that I didn’t want to move out of the position I was in, but my right arm was almost completely numb when I was done delivering our baby. I even remember in between contractions when i was resting, my face was tingling but I didn’t think anything of it or let it distract me. My body put itself in a position that it was comfortable and ignore everything else in its way to meet our precious baby.
My main goal was to be mentally focused, fearless and tough. Prepping for birth, as much as I could mentally prepare, I still had fear of not knowing what could happen or what should happen. I am a big planner… i am a project manager in my career so of course not knowing was against all things in my world. But what I found incredible was that I was so empowered during my pregnancy and I channeled negative thoughts into motivation and positive channels that I didn’t focus on the timing, or the “perfect” birth or the control around it. I was able to let go, let nature run its course and be right there to support and love on my baby when they were ready. With my husband being my biggest supporter, he helped me center my mind around my strength and capability of birthing our baby. Telling me I could do it, that I was strong, able and determined.
It’s amazing what your body and mind can do when working together. The moment I had contractions, the moment I realized baby was ready and coming, all I could focus on was baby coming into this world and us being able to wrap our arms around her when she entered it. No fear, no pain, no uncertainty… just absolutely faith in God, my body and my baby.
Our midwife team arrived 30 minutes after our call at 3:27 PM and my intuition feeling like baby was on their way and sure enough, the team arrived, set up their materials for support and allowed a quiet atmosphere for me to focus on my waves of contractions and baby making its appearance earth side when they were ready.
My midwife provided light counter pressure during contractions.
Breathing through my contractions, at 3:30 PM ET, my body and baby were ready to work together again and bring baby earth side. In a quiet room, focused on myself and baby, sipping water and juice between contractions, my husband and team supported in different ways as baby made their way down to enter this world. My midwife provided light counter pressure during contractions while my husband held my hand the entire time, hunched over the birthing pool. Feeling babies head so close to this world, I worked through challenging but life changing contraction cycles and babies head was finally out in the water. Baby started crowing around 4:34 PM.
My husband held my hand the entire time, hunched over the birthing pool.
I honestly couldn’t even describe that moment outside of it being miraculous and feeling like such a milestone knowing that baby was that much closer to being in my arms. Baby’s head was finally out in the birthing pool at 4:42 PM.
Baby’s head was finally out in the birthing pool at 4:42 PM.
Mustering up my strength and working with my final, but lighter waves of contractions to allow baby to come into the world, they came out about a minute after at 4:43 PM where I was able to bring baby up to my chest - finally - to meet them!
Because everything was so normal, one of the midwives was able to take photos of the birth.
It was so surreal knowing she was just in my belly, growing so strong to make her appearance and finally, here in my arms. Coming out of the water, baby made a little gargling noise taking their first breath and rattled off a few peaceful, strong and safe cries around 4:44 PM, knowing they were finally with mommy and daddy in this world!
Soaking in all the oxytocin and excitement, at 4:48 PM we realized if we were holding our baby girl or baby boy in our hand and sure enough, it was the most precious 9.5 lbs 19.5 inch girl we have ever laid eyes on and nurtured.
At 4:56 PM we attempted her first latch at the breast and at 4:58 PM she finally latched to start our nursing journey
Sitting in awe and thanking God for the amazing things a momma can do, I snuggled with my little baby girl, Paisley June, while my placenta worked it’s way out. I didn’t have as much strength pushing the placenta out sitting down. We chose to let the umbilical cord drain completely to transfer the remaining blood to baby from the placenta, so Blake cut the cord at 5:10 PM so I could deliver the placenta and Blake could have skin to skin time with Paisley June. She also received her first chiropractic adjustment during this time. Squatting and standing, I finally delivered my placenta with the help of the midwives.
I was able to make my way out of the birthing pool when ready and get comfy in my own bed, in my own home, to snuggle my little one. My midwives, and amazing husband lended all the support I needed, when I needed and I let my body and natural instinct do the rest - setting aside any fears I may have thought of leading up until birth and driving them out with confidence, innate intelligence and love for my little baby.
Of course, after an eventful day birthing Paisley, I had so much adrenaline I barely could sleep that night. Just sitting, staring in awe at my little one was enough rest for me. It’s amazing what we can create as humans and if we set our minds to it, you and your body can do anything, anywhere… with support, love and a kind atmosphere.
A home birth was what I needed, was what worked best for me… however I truly encourage and empower any momma or momma to be - to think about how they want their birth story to go and set their mind to it. Of course we can’t always control the outcome or the journey along the way, but with the right mindset and trust in God, it will be the way that it should be!!
