Josie’s Birth Story
Birth brings so many vulnerabilities… Josie certainly picked her arrival- but I have to be honest… maybe I followed too many home birth influencers, maybe I watched too many videos and listened to too many podcasts of women who had their dream pain free births or maybe deep down I knew exactly how I wanted to birth my baby. I had actually had thoughts of this exact scenario… I thought to myself if only I could just labor at home in our tub and maybe I would get so far along it would be too late to wait for Max and make it to the hospital. I had thoughts that maybe I could experience very little pain if I could be alone in my room with my fan in the dark in my own world and whatever position I wanted. Of course I would just laugh at these thoughts and think that won’t happen, but God saw me and the prayers that I had written on my heart. They came true in ways that I never thought could happen. I can honestly say I didn’t plan this to happen but will admit, it was all in the back of my mind … and God was planning it from the beginning!
A bit of a backstory: we had been living in our camper trailer while working on our new home from September to October, we moved in with my parents 4 days before Josie was born. On October 30th the day before Josie was born, I had both a fetal medicine ultrasound and what would be my last prenatal appointment. I think I had 5 or 6 ultra sounds with her- which is honestly crazy and I actually can’t even believe I allowed that but I was just in so deep by the end and the clinic I go to was unable to get proper measurements of her because she was so low in the last month. The entire pregnancy I was measuring consistently 2 weeks behind with measuring my belly’s fundal height so they kept pushing ultrasound after ultrasound. Then her head was measuring in the 4th percentile… I got sent to fetal medicine for an upgraded level 2 ultrasound… well turns out her head was fine and so was the rest of her body. I was very positive that she was fine the entire time, although it was hard to not let fear creep in every time they raised a red flag. I think that day I felt a release of all anxious thoughts and probably why I went into labor that night/ morning. At my OB appointment I turned down checking dilation- I told myself this time around I would turn down knowing how far I was dilated and effaced. When I was in my last month with Wyatt I ended up getting checked a month before my due date and I was dilated to a 3 and 90% effaced… I sat around for a month super anxious thinking he could come any day! Well he came 3 days past my due date and I carried that anxious feeling for a whole month and into my labor. So I actually had no idea how dilated or effaced I was this time around- it would have been interesting to know how far along I was that day now knowing she came so fast the next morning though!
-Skip to here for the birth story-
That night there was a beautiful snowfall and we celebrated knowing baby girl was all healthy by having a small Culver’s ice cream. Before I went to bed I started to feel pretty nauseous and it continued on through the night. I thought it was the ice cream or something I ate but turns out I was going into labor. I got up several times in the night and remember feeling some very light period like cramps but when I think back to it they were actually contractions. I slept through them until 7am and Max’s alarm went off. I didn’t know this but he told me he had to meet the inspector at our house for an insulation inspection at 8am. I told him I felt a little different and maybe something was happening but to go ahead and I would let him know. At 7:30am I felt like I should start timing these period like cramps that were ramping up by the minute. I tried distracting myself by going on instagram and posting a few stories. I was still laying in bed by 8am with Wyatt next to me just trying to focus on breathing. After one of the contractions I noticed I had lost a bit of water. It was not a full breaking of water by any means but I knew this was a sign we needed to head to the hospital. I also had this happen while in labor with Wyatt. (Except he didn’t come for another 5 hours after that!) At 8:10am I texted Max that my water broke a little and my contractions were 2 mins apart, so whenever he could get back he should leave. He called me and told me the inspector was not there yet and was running late. I told him it was okay at this point because I still wasn’t in a ton of pain and breathing through the contractions I was having pretty well. I figured we probably had time for me to labor at home a bit. After that I was having to concentrate through the contractions, I was kneeling over our bed and had turned on my Christian Hypnobirthing App- with some positive affirmations in my ear. During this time Wyatt woke up and wanted to cuddle a bit.. he held my head and was a great little comforter to me for a few contractions but then I figured I better get him up and changed and I set him up with a show in the other room. I then texted my mom at 8:30am who was upstairs still just getting up for the day- I told her she had better come down because I was pretty certain I was in labor. I brushed my teeth and got my bag situated all while my contractions were becoming a minute apart. Then Max called again and I told him it was ramping up pretty quickly and he said the inspector was just finishing up there and it would take 10 mins so I said that’s fine just hurry as much as you can. At this point, I was going between the bathroom and my room again because the contractions were becoming closer together. I asked my mom if she could heat up a corn bag for me and I got dressed and ready to go. My dad then got home around 8:40am (he works an early morning shift at a creamery). My parents were becoming concerned for me at this point, especially after my mom helped me through my first pretty tough contraction at 8:50am. She asked if Max was coming so I texted him and he was just coming down my parents driveway. I had another contraction right on top of the other and for the first time I started to become anxious a bit because everyone was getting pretty concerned for me. I remember these contractions because they started to feel like my labor with Wyatt. I was also more concerned about the others in the room (typical for me) than I really was for myself. That’s when Max came in the room to get me and I told him I didn’t think I could get up. I was so comfortable in our room and alone in the dark, I was still on all fours which was most comfortable for me. I felt really safe there but I knew we really needed to go. So I got up and made my way to the front door with Max by my side. I immediately had another contraction before heading out of the house and this is when I felt her head drop down. I pulled my pants down a bit, reached down and felt a perfect round bubble (felt like a water balloon) and her head… she was crowning with water sac still intact. Meanwhile my dad is holding the door open and everyone is still trying to help me out the door when I decided we are NOT going anywhere and I just started saying no no no. I then started backing up saying she’s coming and I felt the need to push but tried to hold that sensation back because I kept thinking no way not here?? Max could see me pulling my pants and helped me get them down a bit more and with one last contraction she literally shot out… my water breaking as she came out. Fetal ejection reflex is a real thing and I feel as though I experienced that! Max sorta kinda caught her but she did slip on to the carpeted floor a bit. He grabbed her and brought her up to me and the first thing I remember doing is checking where the umbilical cord was- it wasn’t wrapped around anything so then I just held her thinking I just couldn’t believe it went that fast and it was over!? I remember my mom grabbing towels and everyone just staring in shock and awe. I was literally laughing and smiling at Max and then I said let’s go to the bathtub so I waddled there fully clothed with shoes on and my Mom and Max helped me get her untangled (the cord was wrapped around my pants!) I got partly undressed and baby against my skin to stay warm. My dad had called 911 and paramedics showed up within minutes. They were so so kind and sat with us reassuring me everything was okay. Her APGAR score was great so I asked if we could hold off cutting the cord which was my desire in the hospital and I think we left it connected for over a half hour! Amazing. I was kneeling/sitting sort of funny in the bathtub and my contractions started up again- placenta still needed to come so we decided to cut the cord to help that along. Shortly after I stood up and my placenta just sort of fell out. Then once everything checked out with me and baby I took a quick shower and then I even fed her before we left for the hospital. The paramedics offered to bring us by ambulance but said we would be safe driving ourselves if we wanted so we figured it would be just fine to drive ourselves. From start to finish my labor was from 7:30-9am. Active labor was maybe 8 mins. We figured she was born around 9am because my Dad called 911 at 9:03am. We drove to the hospital and it took us 45 mins to get there because the roads were so bad from the snow. I just held her and fed her in the car feeling a total out of body experience and still high on hormones and our supernatural birth that just happened.
I did spend one night in the hospital to be sure everything was okay. I didn’t tear at all and had minimal bleeding. The next day at the hospital I was going through my bag and found my birth plan- all perfectly written with all my wishes and desires for the most physiological birth I could have… no interventions, my birth playlists and fan for my face! I was so determined not to have another posterior nightmare like I had with Wyatt. I had an unmedicated birth with Wyatt but so painful I had thoughts I could never do it again. I also tore so badly with him and had many complications with that afterwards. So I couldn’t help but smile at my notes written out and thank God for his goodness once again. He certainly crossed off everyone of my desires on that piece of paper.
Every time we recant the story we realize everything was timed out just how it was meant to be. Max nearly missed her birth but showed up in the last (literal) moments! Had we left any sooner she could have been born in the car on the side of the road which would not have been fun or safe... she could have been born on my parents snowy sidewalk outside while walking to the car. (Awful!) Also the roads were so bad from the snow the night before that it would have taken us forever to get to the hospital/ we would have been trying to drive fast and it would have been so dangerous. I’m not sure that I’ve ever had a moment in my life that God was truly watching over me and my dear family in such a perfect way. His goodness was running after me that day. Max told me later that while waiting for the inspector he got on his knees at our house and prayed to God for a painless birth for me. It was so awful with Wyatt and he hated watching me go through that. Little did he know he would only have to watch moments of this birth and that I was back home with Gods arms wrapped around me and baby experiencing the greatest birth I could ever have. My only regret is not getting a picture at my parents before we left!
I contribute my pain free quick labor and delivery first to God- who answered every single one of my prayers who held me and Josie in his hands for 9 months until the very moment she was born. To not believe the hundreds of lies about birth and labor that Satan loves to hold over every women who’s walked the earth.
Second I contribute it to the wonderful chiropractic care I received. Having an adjustment weekly in the final months of my pregnancy allowed my body to position baby exactly where she needed to be for optimal birth. Maternal positioning= optimal fetal positioning.
A few more resources that led me to have the kind of birth: Pain Free Birth. Fun fact- I never actually purchased her course, I just followed her and took in all the free information I could- I watched her free seminars and signed up for all her “free live events.” Funniest thing is she has a massive disclaimer stating “you may not make it to the hospital!” boy was she right.
Super Natural Childbirth by Jackie Maze - a tiny but powerful little book of prayers and affirmations on child bearing, pregnancy and birth.
AnneMarie Gilligan- Gilligans Guide. Again never actually purchased her course or coaching but listened to every podcast she was ever on talking about fetal and maternal positioning. She is truly amazing in all her work- so much to gleam from her IG page for free as well.
Built to Birth- she has so many YouTube videos and free resources!
Also using an exercise ball, doing daily stretches, walking and not sitting in a bad positions for the last month of my pregnancy really helped to get her in the best position possible.
When I share my story everyone asks me if I was scared and the honest truth is I really wasn’t. I felt at peace, I felt safe and I hardly felt any pain. My last 3-4 contractors did hurt but the pain I felt was hardly anything compared to my labor with Wyatt. The moment Wyatt was born and on my chest I looked over at Max who was crying tears of relief after watching me go through such pain and difficulty. This time, when I looked at Max while he brought Josie to my chest- we were laughing! There was no fear, because there was never anything to fear. Now I think home birth just might be in my future… a planned one that is!
