I didn’t have much of a plan for my Southern Utah Home Birth. I would say my whole plan could be condensed down to go with the flow. I will say that my one “plan” was to wear a little swim cover while laboring so I wasn’t basically naked but that one part of my “plan” didn’t even happen…….. so much for plans right? haha!

Saturday night we went to a family gathering and I was having contractions and I was timing them but for my mental sanity I was trying to not get my hopes up. We got home around 8:30 and I put the kids to bed I didn’t check any of my contractions while I was doing that because I needed to focus on my kids 

After the kids were in bed I went back to timing contractions. They were dying out; around every 15 minutes or so. So I decided to do nipple stimulation with my breast pump. I only did about 10 minutes on a really really low setting. And I think it helped.

I texted my birth team and my mom and my photographer and let them know that I’ve been having contractions but I wasn’t getting my hopes up. Went to bed still timing the contractions whenever I felt one. My app was telling me they were about 15 to 12 minutes apart and about 30 seconds long. An active labor is when you have three contractions within 10 minutes lasting about a minute long.

I did manage to get some sleep and I’m so thankful for that. Around 4 o’clock the contractions were strong enough that I had to focus on breathing to get through it. And that is when I had to get out of bed. I would go sit on the toilet and work through the contractions and around 4:45 I woke up Ben and told him to call everyone.

We called my mom so she could start calling my sisters, And then I called my midwife. (for time reference this was at 4:53 AM) She was actually at another Southern Utah Home birth and her beautiful assistant answered the phone and said that the other Baby had just been born and Janae was gonna call me right back.

We started filling up the tub and I was in the tub when Janae called back and I still felt like I had a bit of time. So I told

 her I was fine for about 20 minutes and then she would head over (a 30 minute drive). About 10 minutes after that phone call I had a huge intense contraction and threw up. After that I told Ben to call Janae back and tell her but I just had a huge contraction and threw up. For me throwing up as a sign of entering into transition. That was about 5:20 am.

Everyone started arriving and I remember Ben was rinsing out the bowl that I had thrown up in and I started having another contraction and I remember saying, “Ben I need you” and after that he never left my side.

I didn’t feel like I was coping with the contractions very well in the tub (and I was SO hot!) so I decided to get out and sit on the toilet. I felt better there. Ben was doing counter pressure on my lower back and my mom was changing out cool towels for my neck and forehead. Janae arrived while I was laboring on the toilet, and checked baby’s heartbeat. She was very calm and just let me labor how I wanted. 

This labor seemed different than my others. I remember with my other labors being in an altered state, not really aware of what was going on around me or not even really aware of my own thoughts. But with this labor I remember being VERY aware. I kept telling myself “I can do this. I’ve done it before!” But honestly it was SOOOO helpful to hear my mom during contractions telling me I was so strong and amazing. She was telling me to let go and relax and it helped so much! 

After laboring on the toilet for a while my legs started to fall asleep 😂 so I got up and just leaned on the counter.

I’m unsure how long I was there but during one contraction I could feel my body starting to push a little. I said out loud, “that felt a little pushy” 

On one of the next contractions my water broke. It was green colored. Janae said it was meconium but it wasn’t fresh. Janae had been monitoring the baby’s heart rate and it was normal so she wasn’t too concerned about the color.

I couldn’t stand anymore (my tired legs! 😂) so I knelt with one knee on my bathroom floor and started pushing with contractions. It seemed to be taking quite a few more pushes than I thought it would take, so I reached down and felt his head and that helped me feel how close I was. Knowing he was so close and I was about to meet him, I pushed him out. The relief was indescribable. 

His cry was so clear and it was such a wonderful sound

His very short cord was wrapped around his shoulder and Janae had to untangle him before I could pull him closer to my chest. I remember his hand touching my face and I felt Ben’s arms around the two of us. It was such a wonderful and heavenly feeling! 

My mom told me later that I was laughing/crying and the laughing just made it such a beautiful moment! And that’s one of the things I love most about Southern Utah Home Birth! It’s so different than the hospital!

I regret that with my other deliveries/births I didn’t get to feel/see the cord pulsing before it was cut. That is a physical bond connecting me to my baby. A bond that you can see and even FEEL a heartbeat. So I made sure this time to look at and feel the cord. I could feel it pulsing still. It was a beautiful cord! 

I birthed the placenta and was FINALLY (officially) not pregnant! Whew!! 

I threw on a robe real quick so my other children could come in. It was so cute to see them and their little minds working around the fact that their baby brother was here! I offered my two older boys the chance to cut the cord but they were still a little unsure about it so Ben cut it. 

We then moved to the bed and that might honestly be my favorite thing. To be in my own bed with my own pillows with my whole family surrounding me. 

I breastfed my new baby and just soaked in the moment. The morning light started shining through our east window and everything was bathed in the most delicious light. 

A new baby, born before the morning sun, soaking up the light of his birthday. I couldn’t get over how much DARK hair he had! He definitely is the darkest-haired baby I’ve ever had!

My midwife checked over the baby and measured him. He was 20.5 inches long. And she weighed him, and he weighed 8 lbs 11 oz! I was shocked at how big he was! All my other babies were never over 8 lbs!

We rested and accepted visits from my father, and also from my beautiful Mother-in-law (it’s her 102nd grandchild!)

And then just spent time looking at this beautiful life that we had created!

I felt so happy. I was in my own bed, in my own home, with my beautiful new baby, and feeling so accomplished! It was an amazing experience!

And now that you’ve read the story, here is my Southern Utah Home Birth video: