It's a GIRL!! Welcome Xanthe Mae

Xanthe Mae

June 26th, 2011

11:50 am

8 lbs 6 oz

20 inches 

Birth Story: Part two

Part 1


Warning: This may contain things that some people would rather not hear about. :) And sorry about any typos...

Edit: My water broke at about 12:30. :)

Tim went to sleep so that he would be rested when I really started to need him. 


After I straightened my hair I went and laid down and tried to sleep. Laying down, my contractions became much more painful. They were between 3 minutes and 8 minutes apart lasting about a minute. I laid there for an hour or two. At 4:30 am I called my midwife Charlene again. She said she would be there at around 6:00 am. When she showed up they suddenly slowed down to about 8 minutes apart. They slowly became more and more intense. Walking helped with the pain. So every time I started having a contraction I would jump up and start speed walking through my house and then I would sit down and start chatting with Charlene again.


Tim's mom and sister came over around 7:30 got the kids ready to go with them for all kinds of fun. Tim woke up when they were getting ready to leave. My contractions were more intense. Walking was still helping. Getting up on my tiptoes helped too. Tim brought me sliced apples and grapes. They tasted really good.


Around 8:30, I mentioned what a beautiful day it was and that I wished we could go outside. Charlene asked "why can't we". I then remembered I didn't have to follow hospital rules!! They put some water in the birthing tub. Tim, Charlene and I went for a long walk through my neighborhood. We walked for about an hour. My contractions were about 5 minutes apart. They were pretty strong by this point. Each time I had a contraction I would wrap my arms around Tim's neck and lean on him and wait it out. The walk was wonderful. The sunshine made me feel better. 


When we came back home, They filled the birthing tub up the rest of the way. My contractions were now very painful. Tim helped me move around in all kinds of positions. Nothing was helping. I decided to get into the birthing tub. While I was getting in the tub, Tim made me a smoothie with berries, plain yogurt and Nu Plus. So yummy!


I finished the smoothie in between contractions. The contractions at this point were so painful and kept moving my body all over a little out of control. I joked that I was ready for my epidural (I really was just kidding). :) Charlene helped me to hold still and relax my body. Tim helped me to breath correctly. They worked really well together. It kind of seemed as though they had had a rehearsal. I started feeling really hot. They gave me ice cold wash cloths to put over my face. I had several more extremely painful contractions and then I had one that just went on and on. It wouldn't stop. 


I started feeling really dizzy and asked Tim to get me out of the pool. I thought I was going to pass out. I put my arms around his neck and he pulled me out of the pool. Charlene recieved a phone call from my other midwife Charlotte. She was calling to say she was almost there. I felt a buzzing feeling all throughout my body and I didn't understand what I was feeling. I started to feel panicky. I thought I was going to pass out from the pain. The contraction would not stop. 

All of a sudden I let out this loud moan and dropped onto the floor. I kind of freaked Tim out because he was trying to hold me up but I wanted him to let me go. Charlene asked me if I felt like I needed to push. I said no. Then I thought about it and said "I need to poop". She calmly told me to go ahead and push. (Apparently, it feels like you have to poop when it is time to push.) :)


Once I tried pushing I knew that was what my body had been waiting for. The contraction felt different immediately. I had my eyes open but all I saw was stars. I could here them telling me to breath and wait to push and stuff but I was past the point of following directions. My body took over and I pushed and pushed, I couldn't stop. At one point I remember Charlene saying "your okay" and said " I am not okay, I am not okay." I was crying and I was thinking it hurt. :) All of this pushing took about 8 minutes! I finally I felt the baby come out and I just started crying more and I couldn't believe how amazing it felt. I went from feeling so much pain to feeling like they had just given me happy drugs in seconds. 

I was lying there on the living room floor propped up against the couch. Not the most comfortable place to have a baby. :) Charlene put the baby on my chest and I saw that we had a baby GIRL!!! She was blue and I felt panicky again. She wasn't crying or anything and she didn't look good to me. Charlene kept saying that she was okay. She was fine. She told us to touch her and talk to her. She had us feel the umbilical cord so that we could feel the pulsing so that we would know she was getting oxygen. It felt like forever but she finally let out a cry.

After a short while I asked if I could move to my bed. Tim took the baby in one arm and carried the bowl with the placenta in it that was still attached to the baby in his other hand. (never thought he would do something like that). They carefully helped me move to the bed. They gave me back the baby. 

The kids came home and they waited in the living room while Tim cut the cord.  

They came in to meet their new sister and it was so wonderful to see them. I was so overwhelmed with emotion. Nathan was a little reserved. Rylee was thrilled to meet her. I nursed the baby and she figured it out right away. 

What an amazing experience. I cannot even put into words how wonderful it was. Tim loved the home birth experience as well. As soon as I was done I knew that I would do it this way again if given the chance. I am so thankful for my midwives and for Tim. He was so amazing through the whole thing. I love my little family and I am so grateful to be a mom.

Having a baby!! FINALLY 40 weeks 6 days...

Birth Story Part 2


I went to bed tonight at about midnight. At about 1:00 I felt my water break and jumped out of bed as fast as I could. Tim was still awake. I told him my water broke and we just kind of stood there as if we weren't expecting this while I am making a water mess. He called his mom who wanted to come over immediately but I figured it will be awhile so we told her to get some rest. I called my midwives and let them know. We then made our bed up with the two sheet sets and the shower curtain. I started a load of laundry. Tim and I picked up the house a little bit together. Now here I sit waiting for the contractions. :) I have had a few but nothing to major. I am going to make sure my camera is charged and then straighten my hair. I might try to get some sleep after that. I am so very excited. It seems unlikely but I would love to have this baby before my kids wake up. Wouldn't that be a fun surprise for them. Please keep us in your prayers. I will try to keep this updated. 


Oh,one last thing... I am so thankful for my friend who came over on Friday and cleaned both of my bathrooms for me. What a huge help. 

40 weeks...

Today is my Due Date. No baby yet. I do not feel like I am anywhere near having this baby. I am hoping to go into labor tomorrow. Wish me luck... :)

39 weeks tomorrow...

I don't have much more time left. I feel a lot more organized now. I am re- deep cleaning to prepare for baby. I found most of the baby clothes and other things. We have a car seat!! That is always a plus. I spent a couple of days washing and folding baby clothes and it definitely made me want to hold this teeny little baby in my arms. It is so amazing how small they start out. 


Not knowing the sex does complicate some things. I have a boy and a girl section for everything... onesies, pajamas, receiving blankets, sleep 'n' plays, outfits. It takes up more space right now but as soon as the baby is born I will have all that extra room. 


My discomfort level is HIGH! That is all the complaining that I will do. :)
The baby seems to be content to stay put for now. Although with both Rylee and Nathan I was completely caught by surprise. I doubt this time will be any different. 


Rylee and Nathan are so excited to meet the baby. They can't believe how long it takes. 

Yes, I am noticing that this is a very random posts of thoughts... but one last thing...


This is the first time that I have had a newborn baby with a cat. Should I be worried. She loves to climb into things and I am scared that she will get in the babies bed. Should I lock her in a room at night? Any thoughts... suggestions... 


Anyway, can't wait to meet this little one. Maybe this will be my last weekly post... :)

Vitamin K for Baby...

One of the things that my midwife will not be doing is giving the baby a Vitamin K injection. I found this article on Vitamin K being given to babies as soon as they are born and thought it was interesting and a little scary...

I need to get birth supplies???

Oregano Oil Extract: This is a natural antibiotic 
Garlic: Another natural antibiotic
Witch Hazel and Cotton Squares: This is the same as Tucks Medicated pads.
Hose: used to fill birthing pool (needs to be new).
6-8 clean towels , hand towels and washcloths: (Placed in a paper bag waiting for birth). I added several more for perineal massage.
Shower Curtain: To place under birthing sheets to protect mattress
2 sets of sheets: Clean and ready to go... When labor starts: Make bed with 1st set of sheets, place shower curtain on top of 1st set of sheets, add second set of sheets. This way after the baby is delivered, the 1st set of sheets can be removed along with the shower curtain and mama and baby have a clean bed ready and waiting for resting.
Diapers and wipes: for baby of course
Nipple Shield: just in case, my first baby needed one at first for nursing because I was so engorged. 
2-3 Maternity Sleep bras: These are my personal favorites, very comfortable. No clasps to deal with.
Breast Pads: A necessity for me
Lanolin: For Breast
Camera/ Video camera with fully charged batteries and extra memory cards
6-8 receiving blankets
6-8 onesies
3-4 newborn nightgowns
Crockpot: To keep clean warm washcloths in for Perineal massage
Olive Oil: For use in a Perineal rinse bottle for Perineal massage
Tennis Balls: For deep massage


Did I forget anything???

This year I would like to...

I know it isn't January but I have a mental list of things that I would like to try or become better at this year.

1. Cloth diapering: I started using cloth diapers at the end of Nathan's diaper days. I really liked them and intend to use them almost exclusively with this baby.

2. Composting: The only thing that has been holding me back is the price of those really cool spinning composters. :) So I need to either build my own or fit one of those in my budget.

3. Canning: Tim and I tried canning last summer with blueberries. It was more work then I was expecting. This summer and fall I would like to become better at it. I want to try canning a lot of different things.

4. Sprouting: I have dabbled with sprouting in the past but I would like to make sprouts a staple in our diet. I want to add lots of variety too.

5. Home birthing: This should probably be at the top of my list since I am planning this one in about 5 weeks. :)

6. Bread making: I would like to start using homemade bread exclusively.

7. Sewing: I would like to dust off my sewing machine and put it to use.

8. Raw Milk: I want to make the switch to raw milk.

9. Line drying our clothes: I don't think this is possible during the winter here, but I want to try it this summer.

10. Upick fruit: This summer I would like to go to several upick farms and pick as many fruits as possible so that I can freeze and can them for the winter.

Gardening would be on this list but sometime this summer our yard is getting torn out. We tried a garden last year, it didn't do very well. We will have our hanging tomatoes again this year though.

Raising chickens and goats would also be on this list if we lived out of the city. Hopefully someday soon.

There are tons of other things that I would like to try but that list should definitely keep me busy for the rest of the year.