Happy Birthday Noah!

Tonight, Noah turns 5. At 10:37p.m. to be exact. His was my first homebirth, making the memories extra special. While I am particularly tired tonight and was only going to do the highlights, I feel compelled to keep with tradition and share the whole thing. This is his real birth story.

Birth Story III

This is, by far, going to be my favorite birth to recount. My due date was February 20th, 2006. I had a prenatal appointment with Marlene and Kaleem (our midwives) on Wednesday February 15th. The night before, we were out to dinner at Bucca di Bepos, and I started having contractions every five minutes. Forrest and I thought we were going to have a Valentine's Day baby, so after our date we came home and I started cleaning the house. To my dismay, the contractions pretty much ended when I went to bed. The next morning at my appointment, Marlene checked my cervix and said that the baby's head was way down low and she could feel his scalp, but my cervix was only about 1 cm. and 40% effaced.

On Friday February 17th, Forrest stayed home from work. We decided to paint the kids' dressers white, so that was our project for the day. Around mid-morning, I started drinking red raspberry leaf tea to stimulate my contractions. After the first cup, the contractions started coming fairly regularly. By the fourth cup (around mid afternoon,) I was pretty sure that something was going on, because the contractions kept coming. At about 3:30, Forrest and I went upstairs and I told him he'd better hurry up and finish the dressers! I helped him paint, and we were both excited to know that the birth of our baby was probably right around the corner. He finished the dressers and tidied up the room. At about 5:30 I went into the bathroom and noticed some bloody show. I called Kaleem and told her to be on alert, and she said tonight would probably be the night. Then I called my mom and told her to get rested because I was pretty sure my labor was starting. At this point, I thought maybe Noah would be born the next day, but not that night.

At around 7:30 p.m., my contractions were anywhere from four to seven minutes apart, increasing in intensity, and about forty to forty-five seconds long. I went upstairs and sat on my birth ball and called my dad and Candy. I set the phone down to breathe during contractions, and Candy told me, "Lisa, you can't deny this is it!" So I called the midwives back, told them my contractions had a pattern, and they told me they were going to come set up just to be on the safe side. I wanted a blessing, but didn't know who to call, so I left it up to Forrest. He called Kirk and Tyler. They arrived around 8:00 p. m., and I told Forrest to warn them before I came downstairs that I was in fairly active labor and in no mood for small talk. Kirk gave me the blessing, during which I had a couple more contractions, and in it he said that Heavenly Father knows what I am about to go through, and he prayed that I would have the power of Heaven with me and that everything would go smoothly. Afterward, I felt so relaxed and calm, and I knew that was what I needed. They left, and I decided to put on my Hypnobirthing C.D. while Forrest put the kids to bed. Marlene and Kaleem arrived around 8:30 p.m., and everyone began working quietly but fervently to set up. I was left alone to labor through my contractions, which required my attention but were not overly intense. I decided that I wanted to get up and walk around, so I called my dad and then Roxanne. Marlene and Kaleem were boiling some herbs on the stove and setting up the birth tub. As I talked on the phone I paced around the living room, pausing momentarily to lean on the counter or desk to breathe through the contractions.

Somewhere around 9:00 p.m. I started feeling like things were a little too hectic, and I needed to find a quiet place to relax and focus on my labor. Forrest and Marlene were upstairs, and Kaleem had gone to the store to get some Chux pads. I laid down on the couch and closed my eyes. I breathed through a couple more contractions, which were pretty intense now. When Forrest came downstairs, I told him I needed him by me and not to leave. I started getting vocal, and Marlene came and sat on the couch next to me. She listened to the baby's heartbeat, then suggested I head upstairs while I was still able. At this point I still believed I had hours to go, and that this was only the beginning of the intensity. I headed up the stairs, and about half way to the top, I noticed I felt different. I think it flashed through my mind that I might be nearing transition. As soon as I got to the bed, I had another very intense contraction, which was only about one minute after my last one. I tried to lay down, but the bed was not very comfortable. I asked Marlene to check me to see if I was making progress. She checked me between contractions and said, "Without a contraction, you're a good 7/8."

Forrest looked at me with a big smile on his face and said, "Transition!" I was shocked, disbelieving, and happy all at the same time. Marlene asked if I wanted to get into the tub now, and I said no, still believing I had hours to go. However, it only took a couple more of those strong contractions for me to say, okay, I'm willing to try anything to relieve some of this intensity. I climbed into the tub, and sunk down into the water with my shirt on. I remember leaning over the side with the next contraction. Kaleem returned from the store and removed my shirt and tied my hair back. Forrest climbed into the tub with me, and I laid back in his arms. I asked Marlene if I was 10 cm., and she said to listen to my body and push when I felt the need. I remember at this point a flash of, "What am I doing? I need to be in a hospital for this!"

I asked her to check me and she said, "You check!" I reached down and could feel Noah's head, with what felt like a small water balloon in front of it. With the next contraction, his head began to descend and I was able to break the bag of waters. As soon as I did, his head came down fast and was pushing against my hands. By this point, Kaleem had gotten Ashlee out of bed and she was kneeling next to the tub. I pushed with the next contraction, and his head came out so easily. I began laughing and said, "That was too easy!" It was amazing to feel his head with my own hands. Forrest and Ashlee also reached down and rubbed his head. I had one more contraction, and I pushed the rest of his body out and lifted him out of the water and onto my stomach. He started crying within a few seconds, and we were all so happy to finally have our precious Noah in our arms. Marlene and Kaleem helped me out onto the bed, where Forrest, Ashlee, Noah and I sat together (Jacob would meet him the next morning.) By 12:30 a.m., Ashlee was back in bed and the midwives were cleaning up, getting ready to go back home.

The days to follow were so sweet and amazing that I don't ever think I will have a more peaceful time in my family. There was definitely a special spirit that came into our home accompanying Noah's birth, and we all felt it. Forrest was very helpful and supportive, and I felt close to him throughout everything. There was nothing like having my own bed for a recovery bed, and I will definitely opt to birth the rest of our children at home.

When I think of Noah at five years old, here are some words that come to mind:

smiley
cuddly
goofy
cross-eyed
comfy
likes lounge clothes
orange (his favorite color)
trampoline bouncer
affectionate
tuna fish and crackers (favorite snack)
barefoot
lean
Lucy, Jonah, Kaitlyn (favorite playmates)

Happy Birthday Noah Bear!!
We love you!