The Story of Jackson James
We just moved across the country to our new home and I was already halfway through my pregnancy. Once we got settled I started looking for a midwife. I knew I wanted to have a home birth and my husband was supportive no matter what I wanted to do. We narrowed it down to 2 and I set up interviews.
We did Chris’s interview first. We talked about my previous pregnancies and experiences with my labors. I was medically induced with all 3 of my other children and had never gone into labor on my own. For her, that didn’t seem like an issue at all. We talked about life and some of our values and what me and my husband wanted out of this birth experience. Everything with Chris lined up perfectly with us and we ended up canceling our other interview.
This was my fourth pregnancy and my first with a midwife, first all natural. I was medically induced with all 3 of my other children. I’ve never gone into labor on my own. I’ve never felt a contraction without pitocin. I’ve always had an epidural and pain medication. I wanted to change that.
I was 41 weeks and 1 day.
We went and saw Chris that morning and I asked if she could check my cervix for progress. I was at 4cm and 50% effaced. That was encouraging to hear considering I have never gone into labor on my own! She said I might have some underlying stress at home and maybe I should ask my mom to go to her brothers house for a few days. I had been having contractions all weekend but not going into labor. My mom was staying in our home with us since she arrived a week prior. Once me and my husband got home, we talked to my mom and she went to her brothers house. 30 minutes later contractions started. At 4:30pm I was having consistent contractions at 5 minutes apart. We gave Chris a call around 5:45pm and she said she was gardening but just keep her updated. For some reason I just loved hearing that.
She texted me at 7:50pm asking how things were going. I was having contractions 2 minutes apart but I was in denial because they weren’t lasting a minute long. They were only about 30-45 seconds, but they were increasing in intensity. I called her instead of texting back. She told me that her and her students were on their way. I was very confused by this and the fact that my husband was setting up the birth pool. I couldn’t believe it. Chris arrived around 8:30pm and my contractions were strong, but I was still in denial. I laid down on the couch while they listened to the baby’s heartbeat and took my blood pressure. After that they checked me and I was fully effaced and at 6cm. I had a few more contractions and chris asked me if I would like to get in the pool. I said no, laughing it off still not thinking I was actually in labor. A few contractions later and she asked me again if I would like to get in the pool and maybe try to figure out which positions feel best.
I shrugged and got in the pool. My husband supported me through each contraction just as he had been doing since the beginning. As the waves grew with intensity I started to rock back and forth. I started to feel the baby move down. I guess the noise I made was a signal to Chris and her students because they all came in the room after that. I was feeling a huge urge to push. I’ve never felt that before. It was incredible and completely took over my body! I was all over the pool, I couldn’t get comfortable. I was on my knees when the next contraction hit and my water broke. It was amazing to feel it break on its own. I switched to a sitting position and I felt the baby’s head coming down. I reached down, gave a good push and felt the head come out into my hand. At that point the motivation and adrenaline took over. With my next contraction I pushed him out. It was 9:56pm. My husband was so focused on me and I was so focused on listening to my body that one of the students caught and handed the baby to me. The baby was wrapped in a warm, wet towel immediately. I looked at my husband and said “I did it! We did it!”
Everyone was wondering if it was a boy or a girl. I waited a while to reveal because I wanted to soak in the moment. Everything happened so fast. I couldn’t believe it. I needed a moment to catch my breath. Finally, I moved the towel and saw that I had a baby boy! My older girls came in and saw their new baby brother and were in love immediately. My other son was sleeping so he didn’t get to see until the next morning. It was the most incredible birthing experience I’ve ever had.
Through this whole process, the appointments, the texting, the actual birth, I felt so completely comfortable with Chris. She helped give me the birth experience I’ve always wanted. Everything was very much up to me and what I wanted. My needs were met, my expectations were exceeded. I can’t thank Chris enough. This was everything I was hoping birth would be.