The At Home Birth of Our First Baby | Natural Water Birth

Song: “Son” by Sleeping Atlas

Monday, July 12 - Doula Notes
6:30am: You texted that you had pooped three times. You were having contractions (ctx) that started in your lower pelvis and wrapped around your lower back. They had woken you up at 4:30am. Your back was achy in between. You began timing at 5am. They were all about a minute long but varying in frequency between 5-10min. I encouraged to stop timing them and just see where they take you.
7:30am: You said you couldn’t ignore them and that they were getting stronger. Nick was headed to Target to get some thing (including your birth outfit). You were mostly on your knees near the bed.
9:30: Called to see if I should come. I headed over.
10am: You said, “If we’re gonna do this, let’s do it fast.” You were standing and moving your hips really well during ctx. Nick made some granola for you. You ate some of it over the next hour.
10:42: I heated up a rice sock for your back. You said, “I feel him moving down.” You were a little shaky.
11am: Nick massaging your back and hips. I gave him some arnica oil to use and showed him how to try the double-hip squeeze during ctx. You were chewing your gum hard during ctx. You said, “I feel very relaxed right now.”
11:15am: You asked, “When did I become a ballet dancer?” I had been wondering if you had been because of the way you were moving during ctx. I put you in the tub. You put on “Island Music” and it kicked off with Harry Belafonte “Jump in The Line.” You said, “After a ctx, there’s a release that makes me feel woozy, drunk.”
Nick was making monkey bread.
You said, “Gosh, I hope this happens today.”
11:50am: You felt like you needed to poop.
12:40pm: You had some food in the tub. You asked Nick to pray. You felt nauseous.
1pm: I had you move to a side-lying position which you hated. I