Our son Cohen was born on March 7th, 2019, five days after his due date. Initially, we were planning a homebirth but with the Camp Fire and losing our home, our home birth was moved to our friend’s home (talk about a good friend). On March 6th, I started having contractions, but nothing big. If fact, we met Katarra and Joy for our weekly appointment that day and I think they both were thinking, “yea right, newbies, it’s going to be a while.” In fact, I think Katarra even hinted that it may be another week.
We had dinner with friends and went to bed, but after the umpteenth bathroom trip in a trailer, I decided it was time that we went to our friend’s house in case things progressed. At 2 in the morning we arrived at our friend’s house and contractions progressed. Cohen was sitting on my right side, had been for the last couple months of my pregnancy, and was pushing on my back. Thanks, kid. At 2:30 am my water broke, and Brett called Katarra like any unsure newbie parent. “Try to get some sleep,” she advised and she would be by later. “I don’t know how you sleep through this,” I moaned to Brett as I writhed in pain from side to side.
At about 6:30am our doula, Kim, came over. Thanks goodness! She gave Brett a break and proceeded to massage my back and feed me a peanut butter sandwich and water for the remainder of my labor. Katarra and Joy arrived around 9, took a good look at me, and unbeknownst to me, told Brett and Kim that I had a long way to go, possibly another all-nighter, and that Brett should get some sleep. Katarra and Joy would come back later and that Kim was on mama duty.
Before Katarra and Joy were about to leave (Katarra did live just down the street) and we did some spinning baby moves in hopes of getting Cohen into better position and to quicken labor. A couple of inversions and shaking the apples later, I had an uncontrollable desire to go to the bathroom. It was there, on my friend’s porcelain throne that I transitioned. With the noticeable change in breath and tone, Joy asked if I could feel “anything”. “What exactly am I feeling for?” I thought, but no. Nothing. We moved into the bedroom and moaned and groaned a bit more (mind you Brett is still sleeping) when I asked for Joy and Katarra to check me. I could tell Katarra was hesitant to check because a lack of dilation could mean an upsetting setback for me, but I didn't care. All of a sudden the uncontrollable urge to push was not subsiding.
I’ll never forget that moment. As I was lying there, head where my feet should be, feet where my pillow lay, Joy called out, “there’s a head! I see a head!” Katarra ran to her car to get supplies, Kim ran to wake up soon-to-be-dad, and I lay thinking “I knew it.” Mama’s intuition, ladies. It’s strong. Twenty minutes and four pushes later, Cohen was here. Crying with a full head of hair and baby blue eyes. Healthy as can be.
We had dinner with friends and went to bed, but after the umpteenth bathroom trip in a trailer, I decided it was time that we went to our friend’s house in case things progressed. At 2 in the morning we arrived at our friend’s house and contractions progressed. Cohen was sitting on my right side, had been for the last couple months of my pregnancy, and was pushing on my back. Thanks, kid. At 2:30 am my water broke, and Brett called Katarra like any unsure newbie parent. “Try to get some sleep,” she advised and she would be by later. “I don’t know how you sleep through this,” I moaned to Brett as I writhed in pain from side to side.
At about 6:30am our doula, Kim, came over. Thanks goodness! She gave Brett a break and proceeded to massage my back and feed me a peanut butter sandwich and water for the remainder of my labor. Katarra and Joy arrived around 9, took a good look at me, and unbeknownst to me, told Brett and Kim that I had a long way to go, possibly another all-nighter, and that Brett should get some sleep. Katarra and Joy would come back later and that Kim was on mama duty.
Before Katarra and Joy were about to leave (Katarra did live just down the street) and we did some spinning baby moves in hopes of getting Cohen into better position and to quicken labor. A couple of inversions and shaking the apples later, I had an uncontrollable desire to go to the bathroom. It was there, on my friend’s porcelain throne that I transitioned. With the noticeable change in breath and tone, Joy asked if I could feel “anything”. “What exactly am I feeling for?” I thought, but no. Nothing. We moved into the bedroom and moaned and groaned a bit more (mind you Brett is still sleeping) when I asked for Joy and Katarra to check me. I could tell Katarra was hesitant to check because a lack of dilation could mean an upsetting setback for me, but I didn't care. All of a sudden the uncontrollable urge to push was not subsiding.
I’ll never forget that moment. As I was lying there, head where my feet should be, feet where my pillow lay, Joy called out, “there’s a head! I see a head!” Katarra ran to her car to get supplies, Kim ran to wake up soon-to-be-dad, and I lay thinking “I knew it.” Mama’s intuition, ladies. It’s strong. Twenty minutes and four pushes later, Cohen was here. Crying with a full head of hair and baby blue eyes. Healthy as can be.