Nashville Birth Photographer | Hannah Rose
From Bre:
On October 8th at 2:30am, a contraction woke me up from my sleep. I wondered, “Could this be it?” I let my hubby and son continue to sleep and decided to hang out in bed while timing the sensations I was having and browsing my home birth groups online. After two hours of steady contractions, I finally woke my hubby up and told him excitedly that I thought I was in labor. He popped out of bed and said, “That was the best way to be woken up!” I decided to take a hot shower, in which I started daydreaming of what my labor would be like. I was in a dreamy state and contractions felt like coasting on little waves of oxytocin.My hubby set up my birth space in the bathroom with candles and red rose petals and made sure all my birth supplies were easily accessible. When my son awoke, we all decided to head into the kitchen to make breakfast. I had flax seed waffles while my hubby and son enjoyed some scrambled eggs and sausage. When we felt my contractions were coming close enough together, my hubby started calling my birth team. My support system included my midwife, Jennifer Vines and her two team members, my doula Ashley Stebbins, my son’s doula Ashley Couse, and my photographer. Around this time, I started to become doubtful that my body was indeed in labor and worry set in. I decided to go to my birth altar to draw strength and practice some yoga and stretching. When my doula arrived, I sat on my bed with her and talked for a bit, as my labor had come to a full stop at that point. I expressed and released the fears that were holding my labor back and with the help of my ever supportive husband, my labor began again. How intricate the mind and body are, working as one! I had to heed to the power of this process. It demands release and full acceptance. My water broke as I was sitting on the corner of my bed and listening to my beloved’s guitar playing. After this point, things went fast. My midwife’s assistant filled the bath as contractions really heated up. Hubby got in the tub with me to hold me. My doula held my hand. It wasn’t long before contractions were on top of each other. I shifted off into another realm to search for a way to manage the intense sensations. I found that singing out long notes was my release. Around this time, my son’s doula came into the bathroom wearing my precious boy in our trusty carrier. I looked up at him and smiled; my only lucid moment since transitioning. That was the last little rush of oxytocin I needed and not long after, I felt my body start to push on it’s own. My body knew exactly what it was doing. I started to feel my baby reach the end of my birth canal and I declared to the room, “The baby’s head is coming out!” My hubby reached under water to feel his new baby’s hair. With a few determined pushes, my baby’s head was born into her father’s hands in the water. At 1:35pm, our little angel was with us; sweet relief. My husband excitedly announced to me, “It’s a girl!” With extraordinary joy, I cried out “I have a daughter?” After my amazing midwife made sure everyone was healthy, my sweet little girl latched right onto me and started to nurse. Shortly after, the family climbed into our bed where our son got a chance to meet his new baby sister. It was pure bliss. This powerful, healing homebirth changed me forever and the joy it brought to our home will continue to last.
