I started having some very mild contractions and losing bits of mucous plug about 2 weeks before Harper arrived. On August 5th I had contractions throughout the day, but they were still mild and had no rhythm to them. We decided to go to bed around 10pm. At 1:30am I woke up Patrick to tell him we should time some contractions because they seemed to be coming more regularly. They were 8 to 10 minutes apart, lasting for 1 minute. I was losing more mucous plug and having bloody show at that point. At 2:30am I was ready to lie back down and try to get some more rest. By 4am we were back up as the contractions seemed much closer together, but I was still able to talk through them. They were 3 to 5 minutes apart, lasting for 1 minute. We called my mom and told her she should probably plan to head to our house instead of work. The plan was for her to take care of Milo while I labored and birthed. At 4:40am Patrick called our midwife to give her a heads up that we would probably be having a baby today. She asked to speak to me and I let her know I felt good and thought it would still be awhile, so I wasn’t ready for her to come yet. She said to call when I was ready for her to head to our house.
Patrick started getting the birth supplies moved to our bedroom, got our bed prepared, and began blowing up the birth pool. Milo woke up around 5am to see what was going on. We ate some jello while Patrick went between helping me through contractions and prepping stuff. I was laboring on my birth ball and felt more pressure and moved to the bed to lie down. I hollered for Patrick to come help me through a contraction. I told him I was feeling an intense pressure and felt my body pushing and thought he needed to look to see if he could see the baby’s head. I still had my pajama pants and underwear on!! The contractions suddenly had become one on top of the other. Patrick helped to get my pants off and he pushed my underwear to the side to see if he saw anything. He said there is nothing and suggested he call the midwife again. I said wait until the wave of pushing comes to check again and the baby’s head was out! He ripped my underwear off as quickly as possible and caught the baby as his body slid out. From the time I got onto the bed until the baby was born happened in a short 5 minute span! Milo had calmly stood by Patrick as his baby brother was born.
Patrick called the midwife to let her know that we had a little boy, all seemed healthy, and he was happily nursing. She was stunned and told him she would be there as quickly as possible. We all sat in bed as the baby nursed while we waited for my mom and the midwife to arrive. After the midwife arrived she checked us over and Patrick cut the baby’s cord shortly after 8am.
We were both stunned that the baby arrived as quickly as he did. We had planned a homebirth, but not an unassisted birth. It was amazing and everything I knew my body could do.
Harper Moon arrived on August 6, 2009 at 5:36am, weighing 9 pounds 3 ounces and measured 22 inches long.
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