Exactly a year ago today, this handsome boy made his entrance into the world. Then he was an 8 pound cutie who did not like to be put down... here he is a one year old birthday boy enjoying some cake. His birth story as his mama, Keely, tells it...
After enduring a month of prodromal labor and Braxton hicks, Keely is excited when painful contractions started coming 10 minutes apart regularly around midnight, October 28/29. She has not slept since the night before and is not feeling too sleepy at that point. Around 2am, she finds some "bloody show", and called Christy. Christy is excited that the baby would be coming soon, and tells Mark to call her back when Keely couldn't speak anymore. Not long after that, physical exhaustion drives Keely to sleep.
Napping and waking went on for a few hours until Tegan woke at around 8am. (Tegan had spent the last half of the night with Granny, because everyone thought the birth was imminent. Then Granny brought Tegan back so that she could take a shower before we had people over.) Within 45 minutes, labour stops. Mark and Keely spend the next three hours trying to kick-start the labor into gear again by walking around, using the breast-pump, and bouncing on the trampoline. No luck. Christy calls a little after noon to find out what is happening. Where's the baby? When she is updated on the situation, she tells Keely to go to sleep, and not worry about restarting the labour. It will come in its own time, and Keely needs to be well rested when it does. Keely is able to nap for a little while, and tells Mark that he can (finally) go out and get some coffee.
Eventually the labour starts up again. This time it keeps getting stronger. Keely is enjoying the progression of the pain--especially since none of the contractions are as painful as those experienced with Tegan's birth. Around 9:30pm, Keely tells Mark to call Christy, but ends up talking to Christy herself. After being told of the present situation, Christy asks Keely, "Do you want me to come now?" Yes, is the answer, and Christy arrives at the house around 10pm. Mark, Christy, and Keely laugh and talk between contractions while Christy gets all the birth stuff set up.
At some point, Keely needs help to the bathroom, and Christy takes this opportunity to check her cervix. Keely is 7cm dilated. Then Keely gets into the shower, and Christy calls Patti, the second midwife. Contractions are starting to get difficult, and Keely shivers in the hot shower. Mark leaves the bathroom to turn on the heater. He returns with the news that it is now midnight, and the baby's birthday will be October 30th!
Keely gets out of the shower and is helped to the bed. Lying on her side, she listens to her music and tries to stay focused. Mark is sitting in front of her and holding her hand, while Christy lies down next to Keely and rubs her back. Patti arrives. Keely's body starts wanting to push. It feels so good to push! The midwives get the bed set up for the birth and help Keely get her legs in a good position. Still lying on her side, Keely continues to push. Suddenly her water breaks! Christy steps away for a second to get more supplies. The baby rushes into the birth canal and Keely calls out that he is coming! Christy is back and the baby is crowning. Next thing, his head is out. As the baby turns to free his shoulders, Christy unwraps the cord from around his neck. At the next contraction there is a screaming baby in this world, and a mommy screaming, "I LOVE MY BABY!"
The placenta is born a little while later. It is wrapped up and set next to Keely and Marsden so they can rest with the umbilical cord attached while Patti and Christy prepare the herb bath. Tegan and Granny come in to see the new baby. Thirty to forty-five minutes after the birth, the umbilical cord is cut and Marsden is weighed, measured, given eye cream and vitamin K. Then it's off to the bath and everyone is relaxed.
Once back in bed, Marsden nurses well and everyone goes to sleep. The labour was long, but the reward is endless.
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