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The wonderful birth story of our third son Canyon Jesse
On the evening of June 26th at about 6:30 my body was
preparing to bring forth a new baby. I had just cleaned the house and
mopped the floors when my contractions became regular about every 6
min. This was exciting to have my labour begin in the daylight! We all
went up to Joanne and Gereon (Temoc's parents) to have dinner. I was
only able to eat a few bites of eggplant Parmesan and then I had to
excuse myself back to our house to lay down and welcome my labour.
Temoc came back to the house a half hour later and I was feeling very
psychedelic. I told him to fill up the birth pool on the back lawn. The
midwife was called and would soon be arriving. Temoc and I were very
excited the contractions were strong and I was breathing through
them by 7:30.
When I got in that warm pool It felt like euphoria! I
was so comfortable and relaxed with the warm water supporting my whole
body. I could feel the baby moving and I felt comfortable to decline
monitoring the baby because we were so connected. My midwife Ellie
noted every time I felt the baby move. My mom arrived and everyone
settled into my dance of labour. Time really was of no concept
to me as my contractions opened my womb. I remember the mosquito's
were bugging me then they were gone for the evening and the glowing
moon rose through the still leaves of the oak trees above me. How
lucky I was to be surrounded by nature in my garden on this perfect
night!
By about 10:00pm or so everyone was wearing
blankets and I was oblivious to the temperature outside my warm tub of
water. I was moaning through contractions and it was getting very
intense for me to surrender to the pain. I had checked myself to be
about 7cm and I had not made any progress in some hours. I was feeling
the pain in my sacrum with each contraction and by about 1:00 am I was
a prune and wanted to get out of the pool and go inside. Everyone was
very glad on this chilly summer night!
It was difficult to stay on top of my contractions
hich seemed much sharper on dry land. I hung on Temoc's shoulders with
each contraction and he felt strong and familiar. I wanted to have the
midwife check to see if the baby was posterior because in my mind there
was a hang up, I should have been done already. With my previous labour
with Tolan it lasted an hour and a half so this labour in comparison
seemed smoother but long and I was getting tired!
Sure enough the baby was posterior and we needed to
get him to turn. At that point I was 8cm. So my experienced
midwife got me on my side and she and Temoc rocked my hard back and
forth to encourage the baby to turn and face my back. Then I got on my
knees and elbows and rocked my pelvis. I never noticed him turning but
at some point he did and I felt a small urge to push. My contractions
had rescinded to lasting only 20 sec and I didn't feel like pushing. I
still had an intact bag of water and i wanted it to break but even hard
pushes wouldn't break it. So i wanted Ellie to break it and I was fully
dilated. She said that it was a very tough bag to break. So with the
bag of water broken for 20 min or so and me pushing slightly I was
sitting up on my knees and felt the baby come through my bones. I said
"the baby's coming" and Ellie said to Temoc "go wash your hands" and I
said "NOOO". I put my hand on that wet fuzzy head that was taking my
breath away and Temoc opened his hands to receive. Time seemed to stand
still as the power of birth set in. His head was born and I
instinctively went to my hands and knees as the rest of his body was
born behind me into Temocs hands. I heard him say its a he and he was
passed to me. Our third son was born at 3:15am and he was strong and
wide eyed. He had lots of hair on his shoulders and back and the
sweetest little spiral of dark hair on his forhead. So perfect!
He weighed 7lbs 7oz and measured 20 3/4 long.
His brothers saw him the next morning and Sol looked
so proud as he held him and Tolan wasn't quite sure what this all
meant. Now they both love him and he is part of our lives in a way that
one knows from the beginning of time.
See our little wonder here
Love from Jessica Temoc, Sol, Tolan, and Canyon
Homebirth of Second Son, Tolan Phoenix,2002
To my friends and family, a few details of birth of my second son which
is so hard to put into words. I am a powerful woman who gave birth MY
WAY on Aug 9, to a beautiful boy! My due date came and went and I felt
great. My husband Temoc and I went on alot of hikes to the beach and in
the forest( we live in Berkeley Ca)I had so many toning contractions
but they would always stop when I went to bed. I had been feeling the
change in my cervix and loosing small amounts of mucus. The day it
happened (6 days after due date) we had spent the whole day in the sun
at the beach and wading in the ocean. When I got home I had a friend
over to give me a massage and stimulate some accupressure points, that
felt great. I had sex with my man and then massaged my uterus with
castor oil before going to sleep. At 11:30 I awoke to regular
contractions that hurt some so I got up and began reading birth stories
on line. I was watching the clock on the computer and the contractions
were coming evert 2 min and by the third birth story I was having to
breath through each one. Wow, I thought this is strong! I woke Temoc up
and said this was it. At 12:00 I managed to call my mom to come (she
lives 2 hours away) then I told Temoc to call the midwife. I was in
some incredible labor after only 30 min and we told the midwife she
should come over. I got in the shower and it was all I could do to stay
in my body. The waves of surrender were so strong and I was just
letting each one flow through me. The midwife got there about 12:20 and
i was laboring in the bath. The baby sounded good on the dopler and for
a few more contractions my midwife poured warm water over my belly. I
was having a real hard time and just breathing and saying fuck a lot. I
got out of the bath and labored in the living room some and I was not
comfortable in any position, most of them were laying on the yoga ball.
At around 1:30 I felt like I had to poop so I got to the bathroom and
sat on the toilet for a couple of contractions. They hurt worse than
anything I could imagine at this point ...so much pressure. Temoc
helped me stand up and a contraction hit and with a pop! the water bag
broke and the midwives in the other room said "we heard that." I went
directly back to the living room and got on my hands and knees as my
baby started to come through my bones. I reached through and felt his
head right inside stretching me. I was so in the moment and hadn't
reported this new sensation to anyone I think they were all surprised
to see his head emerging. I was feeling his head coming down and
crowning a power so strong it engulfed me. I remember trying to slow
his head down by pushing back on it. At some point Temoc got ready to
receive and his whole body was birthed. It was 1:40am! I was shocked
for a long moment...then sat up to see our son. He was pink and crying.
I then had strong contractions and pulled my placenta out. I continued
bleeding heavily and fundal massage by my midwife was so painful. I
passed many clots and the contractions felt like labor. I began feeling
dizzy and had a shot of pitocin, oxygen, iv fluids....blood pressure at
40/60! more blood.....paramedic called at 3:00am or so I remember
wanting to fade away.. in the ambulance I remember looking at Temoc and
he was smiling his nervous smile telling me I was doing good when I
really looked like a ghost. When I got to the hospital i.v. fluids and
pitocin then I threw up and passed a grapefruit sized clot, (which made
me say "was that my uterus?" ) with some membranes and the bleeding
stopped! Whew! We called home to check on he baby who was doing great
with the 2nd midwife and my mom who arrived a 1/2 hour to late to see
the birth. I was checked for tears which there were none! and my son
weighed 7lbs2oz. I spent the next 12 hours in the hospital feeling like
I had died and come back. My baby Tolan Phoenix joined me and nursed
like a pro... he fills me with so much pride and love. We are all doing
well now and my birth story still blows my mind. Jessica Rios ...mother
to Sol and Tolan- Home Birthed, Breastfed, No Circumcision, No
vaccinations. Pure Love
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