#89 | Birth Story Mini: Kimberly's Unplanned Home Birth

Hello, my name is Kimberly, I'm going to tell you about my second daughter's birth. When I found out I was pregnant again, I immediately I retook my HypnoBirthing class, I had a very clear plan, then COVID struck, and I was seriously considering a home birth cuz I started hearing weird things about husbands not being allowed in and people taking babies. And I kept an open communication with my practitioners the entire time. And I was very happy with their answers, which is one of the reasons I didn't choose to do a home birth. So I was very in communication with them. I don't have a lot of trust in people and I like my doctors, it would have taken longer than three weeks for me to be comfortable with a home birth at this point. Anyways, we hit 40 weeks, I still hadn't had this baby. So I went to my 40 week appointment, and my doctor immediately started talking induction, which took me by surprise, I didn't think we would start talking induction until maybe my next appointment. I remember I had to go and do some sort of stress test. And then I went to my regular appointment. And the first thing he said was, oh, bla bla, induction, I was like, What? And he was like, yeah, how does Friday sound for you? And I was like, No, and he was like, what he was like, but that'll be almost 41 weeks, I was like, almost 41 weeks. Now, that does not work for me. I'm gonna give this baby as much time as they need. So staring at this doctor, like he wasn't saying he kept talking at me, telling me stories about people who waited too long and how they wish they had just done the induction. I was like, okay, so he was like, how about Monday? And I was like, No, he was like, Tuesday, I'd really hate to go past Tuesday. And I hadn't done any research about induction or anything. I was really not seeing this coming. So I said, well, you can pencil me down for a tentative Wednesday. Because I'd be 42 weeks on Friday. So we're getting close at that point anyway, so you can pencil me down tentatively on Wednesday. And we'll, we'll talk again, at my next appointment, cuz he's like, you're gonna have to come back in anyways on Thursday for another stress test. And I was like, that's fine. He's like, it's every couple of days. Now, if you don't just do the induction, I was like, I'll come in every day if you want me to, but I'm giving this baby as much time as they require. So he's like, I'm going to do all this work. And then you're probably going to go into labor. And I was like, Oh, God, I hope so like with that to save everybody time. So needless to say, I did not go into labor. So now it's getting later and I call my mom and I'm like, Mom, like losing my mind. I've been doing all my spinning babies. I like my stretches. And you know, I was so in the zone. I thought this baby was coming. And I was sitting on my ball and I was doing stuff. So I had my mom come over and we made this lasagna that I learned about in Cynthia's HypnoBirthing class, and it was supposed to induce labor within 48 hours. So I was like, Alright, we're doing that. So I got myself. All together. I bought all the ingredients. We followed the recipe to the tee. I ate it that night for dinner, and I was like, come on labor. I did not go into labor. So the next day, we went down to my parents house at the cottage, a little cottage down him an asset and we were there and I brought it for lunch and I eat it for lunch. And I was like, Come on, baby. We were leaving. And my mom was like, Oh, I always say see you later. But I'm not gonna say that tonight because I feel like I keep jinxing and I was like, yeah, lady, watch your mouth. Like, there's enough out of you. So we haha laughed about that. I'm not feeling any real sort of movement or activity. And I did it with my first either. I never got Braxton Hicks. I never got any sort of practice contractions or anything like that. It just labor just started. So it's nighttime and I'm in bed. I'm sleeping and I'm sleeping great. And at two in the morning, 230 in the morning, I wake up and I have a contraction. My first thought and I was like, oh, thank God. I just remember feeling this huge sense of relief. And I was his baby is coming to day. I was like, Yes. It was Thursday. They were the original induction date they wanted to do was Friday. Anyways, I had a doctor's appointment later on Thursday. So 230 Thursday morning, I have a contraction. I was like, Yes, this baby's come in. It's one contraction. I was convinced this baby was coming. I found a really comfortable position. I just I just pictured the physical process of birth and my body opening and delivering and I was ready. So I had this one. And then I went back to sleep because that was it. And I slept in around 345 I woke up and I had another one I was like yes. Oh my gosh, this is it. You know I agree to that one I think open, open, open, relax, relax, relax. And I breathe through it. 20 to 30 minutes go by with nothing else. And then around 430 I'm having another one. My husband wakes up this time he's broken my back. And I was like, Yes, we're having a baby. He's like, Well, have you been like having these contractions? I was like, This is my third one, you know, since 230 in the morning, but I know this baby's coming today. I was like it's happening. And he's like, well, let's call your parents and I was like oh They were coming over to watch my older daughter while we were at the hospital. I was like, we have so much time I was like 14 hours with the last one. I was like, we have so much time I like why can't we just wait? Please, like, just wait, I don't want them over here. I don't want them in my face. Like, I love my parents their greatest. But you know, I really want and he's like, my husband pointed out, they can come they can take care of her older daughter, and you and I can just hang out upstairs and relax. We won't have to worry about core and she gets along great with your parents. And I was like, fine. That's a valid point. You can call them. I said, but tell them not to rush. Like you're gonna be waking them up, tell them not to rush. There's no rush. You have so much time. I was like, and I'm not going in until literally this baby is falling out of me. I'm not dealing with any of the COVID things, I'm pretty much going to walk through the door and they're not even going to be able to take my temperature. My plan was because a baby would be falling out of me. That was the goal. So my husband calls my parents and he tells them yeah, we think it's happening. You know, don't rush. Well, they were pretty much in the car before he was even done with that, that conversation. So I know they're on their way. My daughter wakes up at 530 and I go and I get her and I put her on the toilet. We go to the bathroom and we're talking and everything's fine. I'm feeling like some smaller surges, maybe nothing. Nothing is crippling me. Nothing is bringing me to my knees. I'm you know, I'm not feeling any intense sensations. I get my daughter up and ready. And, you know, she goes downstairs to have breakfast with my husband and I I'm like, you know what, Mr. Don, I feel like I have to go to the bathroom. I'm just gonna get all that out of the way. This is also a funny fact about me. One of my biggest fears of childbirth was pooping during labor. Yep, that was me that that's everything else I can deal with like to try to go back now and then I won't have to worry about it. So I sit down. I go to the bathroom and my water breaks. And I was like, Yes, I'm sitting down this time. Water was clear. Everything was good. And I was like, great. No, this is definitely happening today. Now I'm 100% sure this is happening today.

And I was like, Well, I guess we could call the doctors and at least let them know this happening. We call the doctors you let them know. She's like, how you doing? They're like, well, we'll call you back, you know, because it was before hospital like the doctor's office hours back. Okay, back about half an hour. I was like, Great. Okay. So it goes back to my daughter. And I was like, Well, can you send my mom up here? I really don't feel like I'm just sitting here at this point. I don't feel like sitting here by myself. So my mom comes up and we're talking and I have a pretty big surge. I was like, oh, and she was like scream if you need to you got this. I was like, I want to scream mom, like, so old school. Like this is this is the new modern me like I'm just I'm accepting it what's happening. Like, I got this, like, it's no big deal. And then suddenly, after my big surgery, I was like, Wow, that was intense. All of a sudden, my body just pushes, I can feel my whole body bearing down. And I panicked temporarily. And at this point, my husband comes walking in the doctor has called back and she says, Oh, hey, how you doing? And I was like, Well, you know, not great. I'm having a panic moment. I said, My body is pushing. And she was like, Oh, dear, she's like, Well, do you think you can make it in? And I was like, Oh, I hope so. Right? Like, yeah, let's I can get there. I said, Sure. So we get off the phone with her. And my husband goes to pack the car, my mom standing with me.

And I stand up to walk out of the bathroom. And I just go down on my hands on my knees and I'm like, I'm not going anywhere. My mom's like, What do you mean? I was like, Yeah, she's like, Oh, my God, we're calling, calling 911. And I was like, Whoa, everybody just needs to calm down. At this point. I've done a couple breaths. I have recenter myself after my initial moment of Oh, my God, something's wrong. And I know I had a doctor's appointment two days ago. She is in ideal position. I mean, she is in perfect health. Her heartbeat was fabulous. Everything was good. I was like, why am I panicking again. So I stopped and I did some breaths. And I was like, Okay, I'm good. I was like, the calmest one. And I go down and I can just feel my body pushing again. And I was like, oh, okay, here we go. And I was on my knees. And I had my arms resting on the floor in my head resting on my arms, and I'm just breathing. And my mom's like, Oh, my God, we're calling 911. And I said, you know what I need? And she's like, what, what I was like, I need everyone just relax. Everybody needs to chill. And I feel my body push again. And I'm like, oh, and I said to my mom, I got to ask, Can you see the head? And she was like, Oh my God, that's it. She's like we are calling 911. So she calls down to my dad and my dad shouts out to my husband. Call 911 we're having a baby right now. So he comes in. He's got the 911 dispatcher on the phone. Paul has him on speakerphone and he says, All right. Just tell her he's he's panicking a little whatever you do, try to not have the baby. And I just started to laugh. I was like, This man is not serious is he like, try not to have this baby. I was like, I'm pretty sure this baby's like, two seconds away from being born. So I'm laughing. And then he says, Have your wife lay down on her back and I said to my husband, you can just shut him off. Like, I'm, I'm not lying on my back, I am in the world's most comfortable position. I am just writing out all of my surges and the pushing and it's just like, I'm not looping. Like I don't need to hear anything else. This nice gentleman has to say, I'm chilling upstairs and I hear the nice people arrive and they come in, they cut the stairs and the nice head EMT guy. paramedic, I think comes in. He comes in the bathroom with me and he's like, Alright, here's the plan. We're going to put you in this chair, we're going to carry you down the stairs. And I was like, I'm gonna stop you right there. I was like, that is not happening. That sounds extremely uncomfortable. And I'm not doing it. And I was like, yeah, we're not. And then I had another surgeon. He's like, Yeah, no, he's like, in hindsight, we're not going anywhere. And I was like, that's what I've been telling you people, we're not going anywhere.

So he's like, okay, but there is something I need you to do. And he's, I was like, what he's like, we're gonna help you out of the bedroom bathroom.

I have a very small bathroom. It's very narrow. And he was like, there's no room in here. We got to get you out. And I was like, fine. But nobody touched me. So now I'm like, army crawling between searches out of the bathroom, and I crawl into my I was like, six people in my bedroom. Now. It's like the Kimberley giving birth show. The nice man says, Okay, we're gonna have you lay on your back. And I said to him, are these people serious? So I was like, no. And he was like, No, I was like, No, I'm very comfortable. I'm gonna stay like this. And he went, well, it'd be easier for us if you were on your back. And I was like, well, it's easier for me if I'm like this. And he was like, Okay, so now like my body's pushing, I had been in the HypnoBirthing book, that, you know, your body does all the work, and you don't have to push it all I did have to push with my first daughter. Because of the epidural, I had to like, bear down and everything I did zero, push it. My body was pushing. I don't remember bearing down at all. I just like breathe nice and low. And, and just focused. I even remember at one point, I thought about having my husband turn my computer on. So I could have my HypnoBirthing affirmations playing while I was getting birth. But I didn't even have time for that. So I'm sitting there, and the guy says, Alright, we're gonna have you push again. And I looked at him. And I said, Yeah, I don't need any directions. I got this. I have maybe one more push. And the head was out. And I was like, Yes. And then she was there. I was like, Oh, thank god girl comes out. They bag it. And they're like, okay, we're gonna put you in the chair to go. And I was like, Why can walk down the stairs if you want. I was like, I'm ready to go. I'm like, trying to stand up and they're like, Whoa, whoa, whoa. And I was like, Guys, I'm good. And they're like, No, no, no, no, we have to put you in the chair. And I was like, Oh, my God, it's me the chair. So I give my daughter and my husband, I'm in the chair, go down in the chair, and then into the stretcher and into the ambulance. were driving the hospital. And now this is the part where I started to get a little nervous because remember, Cynthia in her HypnoBirthing class told me a story about when they got to the hospital, someone who had unplanned home birth, which is funny, which told me the story. I was like, wow, that's the dream man. Like, what are the chances that person so lucky? So I was like, That's the dream birth right there just happen this baby at home. So, you know, we're in the ambulance, I'm worried that we're going to get there and there's going to be all this, you know, drama, or I tried to take her and I was like, all prepared to like fight, you know, not give her up. So they wheeled me into the emergency entrance, you know, taking everybody's temperature. Thankfully, my husband did not have a temperature neither did I. And we get in there and they're like, Oh, this is who we have. And they're like, Oh, you can take her right up to labor and delivery. And they were like, okay, so they wheeled me up to labor and delivery. And they put me down on the table as if I just had the baby and they checked me out. They checked her out and they proceed as if I delivered the baby right there at the hospital, which was amazing. My EMTs were also amazing because they let me carry her in the ambulance. She was with me.

So she was ended up being born at 7:26am. My first push my body started pushing right around 630. So yeah, that is the story of my unplanned home birth. And it turned out that it was a I guess from the first contraction to the birth, five hours and an hour of maybe actual labor. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed my story. It was a fabulous and wonderful, pain free natural birth, which I know people talk about and people don't believe but it is real. And it was awesome.