Read the previous post first...

For some reason blogger didn't like to post my novel of a birth story.
If you want to read it start below and come back after.

So I got back in the tub and the midwives hurried to get prepared. I had been so calm and quiet, other than singing along to my music, that the birth moment came as a surprise to us all.
I didn't feel completely open and relaxed so I continued to hold her head for a couple minutes. Once I felt completely retracted I delivered baby Fiona out and up to my chest.

That moment was one of the most awe filled and natural moments I have had as a mother. It felt exactly like what I should do, there was no second guessing or wondering. It was perfect and beautiful! Fiona gave us some good cries, we finished out the labor process, and cut her chord then we all went to the bed to try and nurse.

She didn't nurse much at all but we got to be skin-to-skin for an hour. Then she got weighed and measured. I got a shower. Then the midwives left. And we got to go back to sleep.

 Fiona slept for 6 hours! During that time the kids woke up. It was so right, to have them just come in to see baby sister. No separation from the situation really. Just waking up one morning and have baby here in the home and family. My parents came and got the kids. They enjoyed a day with grandparents and cousins! And Mommy, Daddy and baby girl got to recover from the four hour blessed interruption to our night.

Looking back at it now, I just love the contrast to how it would've been in a hospital. Mostly the fact that so much time was able to be kept ours- we didn't have to essentially waste 8-12 hours in a hospital. And I got to labor exactly how I wanted and birth exactly how I felt I needed to. There was practically zero stress. There were no interfering hands or words, no suggestions...just confidence in me and my body to do what I had prepared to do. And do it beautifully if I may say so myself. Yes I am a bit smug.

I'm so grateful to have had this experience. So grateful for the joy I find in pregnancy, labor and birth. The majority of my experiences have been overwhelmingly positive and enjoyable. I'm so grateful to be able to welcome my children here with such wonderful anticipation. It truly does bring me joy.

Another beautiful experience from early days of Fiona's life, was having my sweet Aunt come do massage and cranialsacral therapy for Fiona. Watching her hands work and seeing Fiona so completely relaxed and happy was a perfect moment of peace. We definitely needed that time as nursing Fiona was not an easy road to navigate. Lots of hair pin turns and pot holes in that journey. But we came through it. Again, thanks to my Aunt.
Not everything goes smoothly : )

Hello again!

I've been thinking about posting for a while. I'm almost positive no one looks on here anymore but there were a couple of things I wanted to share virtually but not on a Facebook type site...

For one, 

I saw a post about the hours of in school + hours of homework for stressed high schoolers, and it noted that outside of school teens need time to socialize, for correct development. This made me laugh- whenever people have concerns about homeschooling it's Always First about socializing. But this post, that all the comments agreed socializing needed to happen OUTSIDE of school, was commonly accepted and normal. 

So socializing doesn't happen in school, it should happen outside of school...So my kids "socializing" outside of school is in fact normal

but not commonly accepted- ugh
I honestly don't know why homeschooling still gets a bad wrap, it's the way the elite have always been educated- they brought their education to them, tutors and individual interests pursued...sounds like the best should be good enough for everyone.

I guess what people are really concerned about is socialization for my kids, that they should conform to group mentality, but I don't want them to. They are individuals and I want them to think for themselves about how to act. And hopefully I'll guide them in correct/considerate/contributing to society ways.

We live in a Bizarre society!

And two,

Now you know I'm a crazy hippie Mom

 who homeschools , I also like to bake homemade bread for my family rather than buy it, I tend toward a vegan diet- definitely staying away from dairy, and I'm gonna broaden your horizons and make  you aware of even more weirdness....

Chad and I welcomed our fourth child into our family two months ago... that in of itself is becoming extreme to the more of society. But what's even more exciting is Her birth was a homebirth!

 N o w I hadn't ever considered homebirth for myself until about 34 weeks along with this baby. Though all my deliveries have been unmedicated, our experience with our first birth had shown us how Necessary hospitals can be. But my pregnancies and births following were so low risk and uncomplicated that when I heard about my friends experience I was considering homebirth too.

My friend Kristen had had a baby two months before I heard about her homebirth. When she told me her story and how amazing her experience was, I couldn't help but want that for myself, and I started seeing it as a real possibilty for the first time. I'd had cousins and aunts have multiple homebirths but I'd never thought of it as an option for me. Once that changed I was pretty much set on it. I gave Chad veto power but he agreed that if we covered all our obvious concerns then we could do it!

So the hunt for midwives ensued. I have a favorite doula who I have complete confidence in, and an Absolutely divine Aunt who, among her many talents, is a lactation consultant and she's studying to become an infant message therapist with cranialsacral therapy training as well- they were my go-to resources to find a top notch midwife. I googled a few as well. But of course I found the perfect midwife on their recommendations, and plans were made by the time I was 36 weeks.

Now I was prepared to labor unmedicated again. I had done hypnobirthing class and had a goal or vision for how I wanted this birth experience to feel and proceed. My previous births I had vocalized( low decibel and pitch, thank you very much) but this time I wanted a quiet even more peaceful birth. I made a playlist of relaxing songs that I practiced with. I had my big exercise ball to rotate on during contractions. Chad is a wonderful labor support. He so willingly does what I ask.  We have a huge tub, so we planned to fill that for labor , though my heart w asn't set on a waterbirth , I liked having the option.

My labor didn't start until the early morning of my birthday. I was 40 weeks 2 days. Just before 1AM I rolled over uncomfortable and as I tried to adjust, realized I was feeling not just uncomfortable, but labor contractions. I tracked my contractions and they were 5 minutes apart. We thought I might deliver quickly, so after half an hour I texted our midwife. After another half hour and no response to my text, I woke up Chad and let him know I was calling the midwife. After the call we woke up a little more. I got out of bed and we turned on some low lights. I started rotating on my ball, and we just settled in. The midwives( ours brought another along for help) arrived 45 minutes later and started  an iv  for group B strep antibiotics(really our only concern). The midwives checked on baby and my heart rates initially , then checked baby,'sheartrate about every half hour. We started the iv  in bed and finished in the bathroom where wee took it out and I hopped in the tub Chad had filled. The tub was perfect! I was in and out about five times. At the risk of being too graphic, I void a lot during labor, so up and down to the lu happens frequently. We guess that i  did the in and out routine 5 timess, with some intense contractions. I was bracing my legs against the tub during them. Then needed to hop outagain and while above the basin my water broke and simultaneously baby girls head fully descended. I caught her to stop her exit and got back in the tub while the midwives came in.