The Birth Story of our West

As the EDD of December 14^th came and went I was characteristically impatient with my giant belly but had faith that my baby and my body knew more than I did and he would come at the exact right perfect time for him. On December 20^th I went in to see Dr. Cobb and he did an ultrasound to confirm that there was still enough amniotic fluid in his Jacuzzi. There was not. So Dr. Cobb discussed it all with us and we decided to break my water right then and there at the office and we could then go home and call him when we were ready to go to the hospital. All 4 of us were so excited as at 12:00 Dr. Cobb broke my water- we would be having our baby today!

The contractions slowly and steadily began. Once home I walked around the house for a while to encourage contractions, Trouble pacing with my every step, while Joshua got everything and everyone ready. At around 2:00 things really got going and my mom arrived (the boys' doula) and we went in to the hospital.

Our doula, Jenna, met us there and after we got all checked in and made clear our birth plan (which was confirmed over the phone by the nurses with Dr. Cobb- no interventions, including a heploc), I began walking the halls and leaning on the birth ball. As we all walked, hand in hand, I would stop and lean on Joshua during contractions, digging my nails into his shoulders. I perfectly, quietly, calmly breathed through every contraction, turning inward and focusing on getting lost with my body. Joshua was my anchor and the boys surrounded me with love, touching me affectionately and saying, “I love you Mommy.” The contractions steadily progressed and intensified.

Once I hit the final peak of labor I laid on the bed and everything changed. The wave of the contractions began to swell above the cap of what my body could contain as I began to feel the urge to push. I told the doula to get the boys out (I knew I could no longer contain anything and couldn’t worry about saying or doing anything that might scare them). And I began to scream with the contractions. I’m told this entire phase was only 15 minutes but it felt like hours to me. I could not let go of Joshua’s hand and I squeezed it with everything I had. It was my anchor- he was my anchor- to love and support and reality. With Joshua on one side, our doula on the other, and Dr. Cobb finally arriving and taking his place in the dimly lit room, everyone saying the right things, so amazingly supportive, I began to push. It was the most extreme experience of my life. All I could do was scream and push with every ounce of my life force. I felt him move through my body. I screamed, “I can't do this! I don’t want him!” and pushed and screamed one more time, birthing his head and then shoulders in an explosion of so many forces: strength, will, love, nature. And then peace. He was on my chest. 8:20pm

I asked for the boys, who came immediately back in, back to being an integral part of Weston’s entrance into the world (my mom and sister were also in the room, filling the space with love). Everyone loved on him and me while I just held him on my chest and breathed and shivered, my body somewhat in shock. He was so calm. He was so peaceful. He was so respected and loved and it was like being treated that way was permeating into his soul before my eyes. He laid there on my chest, still attached to me through the umbilical for as long as he needed (until it stopped pulsing). There was no rush to gasp for air, no frantic pressure to breathe. He could just… wake up into the world. His brothers were lightly rubbing him and my hands were on him as Joshua cut the cord, and here he was- his own self. My perfect baby.

It was an amazing feeling, laying there trembling, holding my baby, completely free of any and all intervention. Just my body, doing everything to perfection.

Next I birthed the placenta. Skyler was fascinated and so positively interested in every detail while maintaining a steadfast show of love and support for me. Dr. Cobb took the time to show Skyler the placenta and explained the answers to all of his questions. Dr. Cobb said I tore and would need stitches. It was painful but as the 8 stitches went in, I had Joshua and Bailey on one side holding my hand and Skyler and Jenna (our doula) on the other, giving me all the support I needed.

Dr. Cobb commented, “That is a big baby.” I gave the nurse permission to weigh him while I changed nightgowns and got resettled. They announced “8 pounds 12 ounces!” Oh my! They brought him back to me and I tucked him, skin-to-skin, into my nightgown and covered us with blankets. The boys were on either side of us and Joshua had his arm around us all. Heaven. Perfection. The birth story of our West.

Weston Koa
12/20/11 8:20 pm
8 lbs 12 oz

Born 100% naturally: brought into this world solely with mama power, family love (Joshua, Skyler and Bailey), and support (Jenna Anderson and Dr. Damon Cobb).