Kane's Birth Story
Dear Kane,
One day you are bound to ask about your birth and by writing about it now I can be sure to keep the details intact.
On Wednesday, May 25th, your Aunt Kristi hopped a plane from Rhode Island to come be with you and your Mom during your birth. We all had a feeling you would be arriving over that holiday weekend. Almost as soon as she arrived I started having very regular contractions, not strong and not close enough together to panic but more regular than they had ever been, between 6-9 per hour. Looking back, we know that the early stages of labor had begun, with us blissfully unaware. Around 6pm Friday evening, I knew something was different. I wasn't sure that you would be born soon but I knew that the contractions seemed to be working to accomplish something and were not just Braxton Hicks (or practice) contractions. I figured I would go into labor sometime in the night and you would be born on Saturday or Sunday. Boy, was I wrong!
Your Dad and Aunt Kristi were grilling up a feast while I was in the bedroom listening to music and feeling the contractions build and come closer together. I sent a message to Chris Duffy, our midwife, and told her that she should get ready for a baby in the next few days. She told me to have someone time the contractions so Aunt Kristi got out the stop watch and we timed them. (8 pm) The first one lasted about a minute and a half and carried more discomfort than the last. The second one started about 2 minutes later and simultaneously my water broke. It was now time for some mild panic. They called Chris, got the food off the grill, started moving furniture around to set up the birthing pool and got all of the birthing supplies out. Yes, we were that unprepared. We thought there would be plenty of time from the beginning of labor until birth to get everything ready.
We called your Aunt Bonnie to get her here as quickly as possible. We still thought we had a little more time. However, it was clear when Bonnie arrived and found me writhing on the bed in your room that we were much closer to a birth than we thought. The pool was not yet filled and I was getting more and more uncomfortable by the minute. I kept telling myself that every contraction was bringing me closer to meeting you but I have to be honest… they really stunk! It is an amazing and disconcerting feeling for your body to be tightening and relaxing without any input from you. (9 pm) Just as my body got really warmed up for serious contractions the birthing pool was ready for us. Getting in was relieving but it was also a little unnerving. It was about two and a half feet deep and I kept thinking I would float or drown unless I paid close attention. Your Dad got into the pool with me and "anchored" me so that I didn't have to worry about floating or drowning. By this point, the pain was pretty overwhelming. The lulls in between the contractions were the sweetest moments I had ever experienced. I pretty much went limp during the lulls and your Dad held me sweetly. (10 pm) Now it's time to push, it's pretty amazing when your body knows that, but it does and the feeling is overwhelming. The pushing was a double edged sword. It felt very good to push but it hurt like heck on another part of my anatomy. You were already way down the birth canal and ready to be born. I could feel your little wrinkled head just waiting to peek out. At first, I was an absolute maniac with the pushing flailing like a crazy person. Your Dad was holding onto me tight and I was holding on to your Aunt Bonnie. I have been told that I had your Aunt Bonnie in a head lock and she ended up half in the pool with us and that I nearly knocked your Dad out slinging my head around. He describes the last part of the labor as an hour and a half cage fight.
The biggest problem with the birthing pool is the lack of leverage. I completely understand how stirrups might be desirable or at least something you can push against. At about 10:40 pm I was getting very tired. The contractions took a tremendous amount of energy and I'd just about spent all mine. Our midwife knew I was wearing out and my labor had been so fast that I hadn't had time to stretch enough to allow your little head out. With a little snip and one more long hard push, your sweet baby head, covered in dark hair, materialized before our eyes. It was like magic and torture at the same time. [This episiotomy was done due to concerns with baby's heart tones. This is the first episiotomy Chris has ever needed to do.]
Once your head was out, I was convinced the midwife could do the rest without me. I begged her to just pull you out. She calmly explained that getting you here was my job and I focused once more for one more mighty push and out you came. The relief was indescribable. Our midwife put you up to my belly and we put a towel around you. You cried out once and then laid your little head down and started blowing bubbles. You were so beautiful AND you weren't a mutant as I had suspected throughout the pregnancy. You had 10 perfect toes, 10 perfect fingers and the most beautiful face I had ever seen. We realized after about 5 minutes that we still had no idea what sex you were. Kristi was the first to announce you were a boy and what a sweet perfect boy! You were born on a Friday, the start of Memorial Day weekend, at 10:51pm. We didn't name you until Monday, Kane Alexander Koltunowicz. You look so much like both your Dad and me; you make little faces like ours.
I am writing this two weeks after your glorious entrance into this world and we still can't get enough of you. You sleep well, eat well and poop extra well! We stare at you all the time and look forward to every minute we have with you!
We are so honored you chose us to be your parents. We aren't perfect but we will give you our best and all of our love. Please be patient with us as we are learning more and more every day. You entered this world surrounded by people that love you and you will have that love to grow and thrive on for the rest of your life.
All My Love,
Your Humbled and Thankful Mother