June 27, 2008

Wow! It's been a long time since my last update. Where to start? How about June 27? PERFECT! 

     June 27 started out like any other day for one staying with extended family. (SIL, her hubby, and two nieces) I woke up to two very rambunctious girls, jumping between giggling and fighting with each other. Very interesting thing to wake up to for 3 weeks in a row. Especially when you are used to a completely silent house. So, I got up, had a shower, got dressed and wandered downstairs for some breakfast. Pretty unexciting eh? But it didn't stay that way for long!

     While the girls ran around, and her husband got ready for work, my SIL was sitting on her birthing ball (a very common sight) at the computer, with tears streaming down her face. One look, and I knew! Today was THEE day! She was in genuine, rip you in half, labour! WOO HOO! So after sitting on the couch rather awkwardly for a few minutes, I decided to corral my 4 year old niece, and told her she needed to use her quiet voice, and play outside with her little sister (who is 2 and a half), because her new baby was coming today! And not knowing what else to do, I did some random cleaning. I happen to know how to do that! haha After a call to the midwife, a few more contractions, my SIL finally asked her husband to remove his coat and hat, because this was really and truly IT! Although he didn't seem to fully grasp that until the midwife arrived and confirmed that this truly was the day!

    So, we set up the birthing pool in the dinning room, and started filling it with water. Meanwhile, the neighbor was called, and the girls went to her house, and the house got rearrange so that it would work for a home birth. I seriously had NO idea what I should be doing. I felt so incredibly useless. Thankfully the midwife had some awesome jobs for me! I was asked to get as many clean towels as I could find. And once my SIL was in the pool, and her best friend had arrived, I was in charge of boiling water to keep the pool warm. Honestly, that part totally amused me. I was boiling water! Oh, and don't forget about the towel job! So funny. It made me chuckle every time I put a new pot on to boil. Such a cliche thing to be doing eh? So, I boiled water, got gatorade ice cubes, and prayed, prayed, and prayed some more! Every contraction, all I could think to do to help, was to pray that God would give her His strength.

    Meanwhile, my SIL was doing awesome! Apparently the pool was a great idea! She was able to actually be comfortable for the first time in many many months. (Due to way to much relaxin, her hips had been very very painful) She handled every contraction amazingly well. She was even able to eat a (delicious) peach white tea popsicle in between contractions! Her water broke while in the pool, and was clean! Thank you Lord! After a few hours in the pool, her midwife thought it best to move her out of the pool, and try different positions. Little did the rest of us know, my SIL was no longer progressing, and was only 6-7 cm. So, out she came. And good gravy did that look painful! After hours of near weightlessness, and mostly manageable pain, her next contraction (on the couch) was a doosie!

    I took over the role of holding a heating pad on her lower back, while her bf used a ice cold cloth on her face. After a couple more awful contractions, the midwife asker her to move onto the floor, on all fours, for a few contractions, and then onto her back so she could check her progress. 

     Seriously, my SIL was AWESOME! She was definitely in a LOT of pain, and she wasn't sure if she could handle more, and was wanting to go to the hospital for an epidural. Her midwife got right down on her level and talked her through the pain, and said she had an other bag of waters, and that if she broke them, the baby would most likely be there within the hour. OR they could move to the hospital, and it would be a few hours at least. She also offered to show my SIL what the pressure would feel like once her water had been broken (again). Most women say that the pain gets WAY worse once your water breaks, and my SIL was quite worried about that. So after feeling how the pressure would feel, and another extremely painful contraction, my SIL decided to stay home, and have her water broke.

     WOW! There was so much liquid! The midwife ended up with a soaked lap! But, the baby slipped right down, and my SIL moved over onto the birthing stool, and SIX MINUTES later, her gorgeous son was in her arms! Praise the Lord for a healthy, 10 lbs. baby boy! He was perfect! And she had done it! A 100% drug free, home birth of a 10 pounder! She was remarkable, through the entire process!

     There ended up being a complication with her placenta, and she needed to go to the hospital after all. She was home the next day, and was greeted by two VERY EXCITED little girls who were very much wanting to meet their new baby brother. Who seriously, is the sweetest, most mellow baby I have ever met! He is gorgeous, and perfect, and such a little man!