Seth’s Birth Story
My due date was July 16th.
On Saturday, July 11th at 1am, I woke up with tight contractions, but
not very painful. I started timing them at 6 to 7 min. apart. I tried to
sleep, but kept waking up when they would hit. At around 4am, I got up to use
the restroom and had one really strong. I woke up my husband Brandon, and told
him they were 6 min. apart. I called Kathy and my sister-in-law Amy to come
over and check me, but around 6am they fizzled out. That day, I went to a
birthday party at our park and walked. I told everyone I was going to have the
baby that night.
Sunday, July 12th
at 3:30am, I woke up to very hard contractions. I started timing them at 5 min.
apart exactly, and had a hard time breathing through them. I was so surprised
how strong they were. This was definitely labor. I called Kathy at 4am and
asked if she wouldn’t mind if my sister-in-law Amy (who has gone through
midwifery training) came over and checked me. Kathy said that was fine and to
call after she checked. I called Amy and she said she would get her things
together and come over. I decided to take a shower and while in there, I had
three hard contractions in three minutes. I yelled to Brandon to call Kathy and
Amy to come right away. I thought I might have the baby in the shower. When I
got out of the shower, I called my mom (who lives upstairs) to come and help
clean my apartment. Brandon was already running around trying to get things
straightened and the birth pool set up. I needed him every contraction. I felt
totally out of control with the contractions at first. I was tensing my body up
and not breathing right. I finally got in a groove and started breathing better
and relaxing. I would stare into Brandon’s eyes during each contraction.
Kathy and
Jennifer arrived first at around 4:30 or 5a.m. Kathy checked me and said I was
at 3cm. and only 50 percent effaced. She told me she didn’t consider me in
active labor because the contractions were not lasting very long and she could
barely reach my cervix. I was disappointed because the pain was so intense,
that I thought for sure I was at least 5cm. She decided to go back home and
told me to try to rest. When my brother, his wife Amy and their daughter JoAnna
arrived, they said they were going to stay. My sister Brenda came for a little
while, but left because her baby was in the hospital from having brain surgery
the week before. She said to call her when I was closer and she would come
back. We had called all our friends and family to come over, but called them
back to tell them I wasn’t very far along. I was somewhat relieved, because I
thought I could relax more and concentrate on getting through each contraction
better without a lot of people staring at me.
Kathy and Jennifer left at around
5:30 or 6a.m. I lay in bed for a while and shortly after they left, the
contractions seemed to take a turn and started getting closer and harder. They
began to double peak over and over. It seemed like I wasn’t getting relief
between them. Amy asked me if I wanted to eat anything to give me energy for
the next stage of labor. I really didn’t have an appetite, but I told her to
ask my mom to make me some eggs and toast. So my mom went upstairs to make me
food, and I began to get so chilled. I started shivering, my feet were like ice
and my teeth were chattering. Then a contraction would hit and I started
moaning and blowing air out my mouth like a horse. I remembered with my first
baby that I started doing that when I was going through transition. When my mom
brought my eggs and toast, I got on all fours on the bed and began to rock
through the contractions. They were so intense, I didn’t think I could take
anymore. Amy told me to eat some of the eggs and they looked disgusting to me.
I took the first bite and could hardly swallow it down. I think I said
something like “This is gross!” But then I had another contraction and felt so
much pressure, my body started sweating and I became famished. I started
scarfing the eggs and toast down like I hadn’t eaten in years and it was
delicious!! I almost started laughing, but was in so much pain with the next
contraction. Then suddenly I yelled “I’m gonna throw up!” I got off the bed
and ran to the the toilet, but the nausea left me, and I went to the bathroom
instead. When I was on the toilet, I thought the baby was going to fall out. I
told Amy that something was there, and she said for me to reach down and feel
it. I immediately felt the baby’s head. I told her that I felt something,
yelled for her to check me, but the pain was coming on so fast, and I was
standing up, so she couldn’t get the leverage. Finally, she checked me and her
face was so hysterical when she realized the head was right there. My
photographer got an incredible shot of her expression.
Amy was very calm when she told
my husband to call Kathy. She told me to keep my hand there so the baby
wouldn’t fall in the toilet. My body was pushing, but I was holding back,
because I wasn’t sure if it was time to push yet. My husband had filled the
birth pool up about half way with cold water, but didn’t start filling it with
hot until I got into the bathroom. I really wanted to get in it, but thought it
might be too cold. Thankfully, when I felt the water, it was nice and very
warm. Amy told me I could get in, so I did, and it felt wonderful. I reached
down and felt something weird, like a bubble, and Amy said that was the baby’s
sack bulging. It was the most amazing feeling. She told me to push through
that and feel the baby’s head. So I did, and I kept my hand there every time I
pushed to feel the baby coming down. I was still holding back a little once I
got in the water, but then I realized that it felt better if I worked with them
and pushed, so I got down to business. I pushed in several different positions
and was able to flip over from front to back so easily. I wasn’t getting the
leverage I needed and I could feel the baby’s head with my fingers coming down
and going back up above my pubic bone. I started to become discouraged after a
while because I had pushed with my first baby for an hour in the water and he
was also stuck right there for so long. I vocalized my fears and my husband and
Amy helped to dispel them. At one point, I asked, “Why does it have to be so
hard?” and my husband said “Because it’s worth it”. I said breathlessly, “Yes
it is”.
In the meantime, Kathy and Jennifer
were on their way and wondering if I was going to have the baby by the time they
arrived. Right before they walked in, I was crouching down in the water on my
knees, pushing. When they came into the bathroom, something came over me and I
went into Amazon woman mode. I was going to get this baby out! I put my knees
up to my chest in a full squatting position, and I immediately felt everything
open up. I felt the baby’s head come down in my hand as he began to crown. I
yelled “It’s coming! It’s comiiiiiinnnng!!” Then I sat back and spread my legs
so everybody could see. I kept my hand down there, and the next contraction,
his head popped out. His arm then came out. His shoulders and chest popped
out, and he was floating in the water with half his body out and I asked if I
could pick him up. Somebody said, “Pick him up!” So I delivered my own baby in
the water and pulled him into my arms. It was one of the most awesome
experiences of my life.
Seth Greyson
Funk was born on Sunday, July 12th at 7:59 am. He weighed 8lbs. 1oz.
20 ½ in. long. I had a 4 ½ hour labor from start to finish. I pushed for 20
minutes. I am 5’3” and my average weight is 105lbs. Kathy told me I have an
unusually small pubic arch, but I was able to birth both of my 8 pound boys at
home. I have a very low pain tolerance, so I know that if I can birth
naturally, anyone can. It was absolutely amazing and I wish every woman could
experience the beauty of giving birth naturally and especially in water. I am
so thankful to Kathy for being such a wonderful midwife and allowing me to have
the birth that I’ve always dreamed of having. I can’t even describe how amazing
and empowering it was. God has blessed me beyond anything I have ever imagined
with a caring, loving husband and two beautiful, healthy sons.
Photography by Joey Pippin of
Lifetime Portraits
www.lifetimeportraits.net
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