At Home with Heather

Emerald Myrah Abigail Collins Birth story


Wednesday, May 27 was Emerald’s due date. That day I felt very crampy and I knew my baby was preparing to enter the world, but I wasn’t sure how far off that was. On Thursday I had an appt. with the doulas and told them all the fun stuff that was going on. They checked her position and said she was right where she was suppose to be. Then they checked me and said that my cervix was a lot thinner and that I was at about 2 cm. Which every pregnant woman knows that 2 cm really isn’t all that much and I could have stayed there for a while. But with all the other action I had explained they said I could easily call them that night in labor. 

Sam and I went about our day, we visited our friend B and her new baby, Reagan. All day I felt very crampy and uncomfortable, but I was trying to distract myself. Later B told me when I was there it was like I was in another world. Looking back, I can say I felt like I was preparing to GO to another world. That’s what Labor is I think, like an alternate universe or something. =)

We got home eventually and ate sandwiches for dinner. I wasn’t feeling hungry at all, but I knew I had to eat if the labor was progressing. At about 8:30 we started timing contractions on the lovely app on my iPhone called Contraction Master. Ladies, it was amazing and made our jobs a lot easier! My contractions were between 10-15 mins apart lasting 30-45 seconds with a few sneaking in that were 7 mins apart. I called Meliea, one of our doulas, and told her what was going on. She told me to take a bath and try to get some sleep while I could. So, after cleaning a bit and trying to make sure things were together I showered and Sam and I went to bed. I wish I could say I got great sleep that night, but I couldn’t sleep at all! The doulas told me to be on my left side while sleeping because it helps keep the baby in the right position and helps to prevent back labor. At the time I was feeling contractions in my back too, which is the worst thing to have while laboring. I always sleep on my right side, so sleeping on my left side was not working. I tried the heating pad on my back and while it helped, I was still feeling the contractions getting more intense. I DID get about an hour sleep twice that night, but that was it.

I talked to Meliea again at about 9:00 am and told her that my contractions were about the same and she said she was going to call Amy, our midwife, and see if there as something I could do to speed up the process and get the contractions coming closer together. After talking to Amy, Bethany, our other doula, came and brought me some Blue Cohash. Blue Cohash is an herbal elixir that helps bring contractions stronger, kinda like Castor Oil without the nasty side effects. I took that every 10 mins for two hours. (During this time I decided to make cookies for the “birthing crew” so they would have a snack while I was in labor. =) After doing that and not having much of a change in my contractions, Sam and I drove to the park down the road and walked for about 30 minutes. We might have been able to walk longer, but it was SO hot!

The time between the walk and what happened next is blurry. I know at about 6:00 Sam talked me into going to Michaels to pick something up (Crazy, right??!!) and if I had a contraction I would pretend to be intently interested in some random product on the shelf and squeeze Sam’s hand until it was over. Then we went through the drive through at Chick Fil A and I got a chicken wrap. Again, I didn’t feel hungry, but I knew I would need the nourishment to give me strength.

When we got home, after I ate things started to get a little more intense. We filled the birthing pool up and called Meliea at about 8:00. Bethany was there by 8:30 and I am guessing they checked me at about 9:00. I was at 4 cm. So they told me to stay out of the pool and change my position frequently to speed things up. Sam and I went for a walk again, just by the house, and I think that definitely kicked things into a higher gear. When we got back to the house the details get blurry. I started to transition not to long after that when the contractions got so strong I had to “moan and groan” or pray really hard. I cannot tell you how many times I said, “God, please help me.” And I tell you what, He must have because I could not have done it without the strength He gave me. At this point I had been up for a long time and my body was so tired. I had back labor the entire time and in between contractions Sam used this ball roller devise which was just two tennis balls tied in a sock that worked wonders on my back or if not that, applied the warm rice sack to ease the pain. 

My contractions were coming probably at least 3 minutes apart and lasting about a minute and a half. Amy was on her way, but before she got there I think I threw up about 3 times, which is another sign of transition. It sounds terrible, but it made me feel better to throw up, it was like a release. After that I had several long, hard, strong contractions were I was groaning very loudly. I had read in the birthing books that your body takes over and it’s almost like animal instincts overtake you. That is how it was for me, I just did what my body wanted to do without even thinking. The moaning and groaning was a release to expel the intensity of the “rushes”
(Contractions). Meliea told me I could get in the pool and Amy would be there soon. I guess Amy arrived at 1:00 in the morning and after that point I lost ALL sense of time. I was 8.5 cm when she checked me and I thought it would be over in an hour. I got out of the pool at some point and needed to move around.

I know that in my hard labor stage, I was moving all around and changing my position all the time. I was on my hand and knees and then I would get up and lean on the couch I would stand up and Amy would say, “Where are you going?” and I would say, “I don’t know!” They were following me all around with tarps underneath me in case my water broke. 

I have no idea at what point Amy told me I could push when it felt right. I know I was out of the pool and had a few pushes and then went into the pool. I was SO exhausted. I know the last few hours I labored I didn’t really open my eyes. I know I squeezed a lot of hands very tight and even bite down on Sam’s hand a few times. Sam got in the pool with me, clothes and all, and literally kept me a float. He was holding me up and through it all there is no way I would have been able to get through this without him. He truly was amazing and I am so thankful that I have such a supportive husband. Sharing this experience with him is indescribable.

I remember pushing and pushing and pushing. Resting between pushes was vital for me. I know Amy, Bethany and Melia kept telling me to, “bear down and push your baby out.” I could feel her coming, but I didn’t know which push would do it. I changed my position in the pool several times. Eventually, Amy said, “if you don’t push this baby out in the next 2 pushes we are going to get you out of the pool because this baby might want to be born on dry land.” At this point I was squatting low in the pool and Sam was holding me up. I guess she knew how close I was because in the next two pushes our amazing, sweet, precious baby girl was finally in our arms. It was so unreal. The first thing I thought when I saw her is, “She looks just like her daddy and she has so much hair!!

Sam was crying and I was just holding our baby so tight against me, in awe of her and the whole event. Bethany got some really great shots of Emerald’s first moments in the world with her mommy and daddy. I held her tight against me for I would guess at least 15-20 minutes until her cord stopped pulsating and Sam cut it. They don’t cut the cord right away so the baby can get all the nutrients it can from her mother. We rubbed the vernix into her skin because it is really good for the baby, like an extra protective layer. She nursed a bit while she was in the pool, but it was hard because the cord was so short. Bethany and Meliea were hurrying around getting water out of the pool, so we could lower her a bit because her umbilical cord was only 13 inches so it was tugging on me. After they cut her cord, they cradled her and got her cleaned up a bit. I birthed the placenta and then toweled off and went to nurse her. She nursed like a champ. I was so happy and thankful she was latching on so well. Thankfully, I did not have one tear and did not need one stitch; I think the water really helped with that. They weighed her and measured her and she was a shocking 7 pounds!!! We did not expect that! I was measuring 4 weeks smaller so we thought we would have a little, petite 6-pound baby. Sam was 7lbs 1oz so it makes sense. She was only 18.5 inches long, which also makes sense because I was a little baby. 

They gave me all sorts of instructions, which eased my mind. Before everyone left the dishes were done and things were in semi-order. It was so nice to sleep in my own bed. So, SO nice. I don’t think I would have been able to sleep in a hospital bed. We had many visitors that day that were just in awe of how beautiful she is.

In total I was in labor, 32 hours and pushed for an hour and 10 minutes. All, in all having my baby at home was the hardest, most amazing, most empowering thing I have ever done or ever will do. I look back and still can’t believe I did it! I can honestly say there was never a point I wished I was in the hospital. I wished that it was over and I was holding her, but never that I was not at home. I know she is so aware and alert and honestly, besides having her days and nights mixed up right now, she’s perfect. She nurses well and sleeps well and never cries unless she needs to be fed or burped. We are so incredibly thankful for such a sweet little girl! Makes us wonder if we should “roll the dice” again, if we will be so lucky! =)

Amy, Meliea and Bethany were absolutely amazing. I was so impressed with how professional they were. They kept a record of every little thing that happened, they checked mine and Emerald’s vitals regularly, they made sure that they always used sterile gloves and equipment and they even checked the water temperature and added sanitation solution and much, much, more. Without them I could not have done it. They let me squeeze their hands tight, encouraged me and told me many times I could do it. They helped me breath through the hardest contractions and helped me know what to do when I didn’t know up from down. I couldn’t have asked for a better team to birth my baby. 

I already feel like a different person. I feel like I have all I need in life now and all the wonderful things that come with being a mother fill me, including joy, worry, love, awe, wonder, appreciation, compassion and so much more.

I welcome all questions about this experience. If you are considering home birth, please, please talk to me and let me tell you all the great benefits and direct you to resources that will help you make the decision. I hope everyone enjoyed reading this. Thank you for all the prayers and support!

Love, 
Sam, Heather and Emerald Myrah Abigail Collins E.M.A. 


You can click here http://emeraldmyrahabigailcollinsbirthp.shutterfly.com/ for photos. They are kinda PG-13, so I just provided the link if you want to see them. I warned ya though! =)