The day our third baby was born I woke up around 5.30 am, Marcos (the middle one) appeared in our room. We cuddled in bed and fell asleep. It was only half an hour later when I woke up again feeling a tiny “pop” and warm fluid in between my legs. Although it was a small amount I thought, this is a good sing, baby will come soon!
For the last weeks surges would come and go. This would normally happen at night but as soon my day started they would vanish. I remember praying for them to continue and to come more regularly but that didn’t seem to happen, and I have to admit that was a bit frustrating. We were lucky to know Ana Piera from The Dancing Birth and her family from before and with my husband we were really excited to do the The Wise Hippo hypnobirthing course with her. We cannot thank her enough for all her support, always with her smile and big heart proving us with lots of information and resources that really empowered us and led us to the incredible experience of
having our third baby, as we dreamt. I remember doing a zoom meeting with Ana and how she refreshed us many things we had talked about in the course and specially the pressure points that really helped me on getting things moving.
At this point I was 41 weeks and 1 day pregnant, although I knew the EDD is that, an estimation, the word “overdue” was still in my head and especially in my case as I was a VBAC mum. I really wanted things to start on their own, avoiding if possible any medical intervention and get to feel everything. The night before our baby was born, I remember the four of us dancing in the living room, to encourage baby to come! When we went to bed we listened to one of the relaxing audios Ana gave us and after that we did a fear release exercise were I let all my fears go, my husband really helped me on this and I think my mind really relaxed after it.
Continuing with the story, after feeling that water leakage I remember being so happy thinking thigs were moving. I went downstairs and had some breakfast. I started feeling the surges coming, they were different now, I would feel them in my lower belly and more intense. When they came I just stopped doing what I was doing and just welcome them moving my hips in circles or hugging the pilates ball in the floor as Ana showed us. I didn’t time them, I just knew things were progressing.
Around 7 am I went up to wake up my husband so he could have some breakfast before things got really intense, my two boys were still sleeping in our bed. I remember my husband face, he was so excited that baby was coming! After that I had a shower, and surges were closer apart, I would count down and breathe through them and just move slowly in circles. I got dressed and went out to water the plants, I think I just needed to do something!
When I went inside, my surges were definitely more intense, I remember the hypnobirthing audios playing in the background and that I laid in the couch, Alejo (my eldest son) would massage my head and Marcos would look at me with his worried face and hugged me.
I started sweating and felt the need to go to the hospital, my husband was upstairs and took a long time to come down (or that seemed to me) I remember him getting the yoga mat and the ball in a very calm way. I went to the toilet before leaving, kissed the boys and told them that their brother was coming soon.
At 8.30 am I got in the backseat of the car and at that point I was telling my husband we need to go, we need to go. Surges were very close apart and intense, I was feeling hot and sweaty. I closed my eyes all the way, the sun light really disturbed me and when we got in Sheik Zayed road I started moaning in a low tone during the surges. We finally reach the hospital parking and it was difficult for me to move, I just wanted to stay in the car with my legs open. My husband helped me but every few steps a surge would come and I would hold him with all my strength. We managed to get to the elevator and go to the ground floor, but at that moment I was having a strong surge and the elevator went back to the basement! Someone went inside the elevator with us, and finally we reached the ground floor, we took the second elevator to the 6th floor which felt like a really long time!
Once the labor and delivery doors were open and we saw the midwife my body relaxed and I went on my knees holding my husband from his waist, I remember the midwife saying “I am here to take care of you, we need to get you to the bed, baby is coming…” at that point I managed to say “the head, the head, I can feel it” and my body gave the first push, it felt so good, he was right there and coming. My husband and midwife helped me get to the room and once we entered I felt again the urge to push and went to the floor on my knees, amniotic fluid was coming with each push and that would give me relief. They removed my sandals and my underwear and then lifted me onto the bed and asked me which position I wanted to be and I could only say “upright, upright”. This was really important for me, to choose the position I wanted to give birth, so there on top of the bed, on my knees and holding my husband with all the strength our baby arrived after two more pushes at 9.09am. I remember visualizing him coming down and making an animal sound and trying to relax my jaw when I had to push. It was the most amazing sensation I experienced in my life, I felt that animal connection in me which was incredible. I will never forget feeling his head first and then his tiny body coming after, then our midwife gave it to me through my legs and he wasn’t crying he was so alert with his eyes wide open. 3.360 kg and 51 cm of love.
After that I just felt pleasure and I was flooded with all this nice hormones. I was so grateful with my baby and body for what just happened, I had my baby in the most natural way possible. My husband was also crying and in shock with what had just happened, and how fast he came to this world.
I laid down on the bed and as I had a small tear I needed some stiches. My husband cut the cord after 10 minutes when it was white and stopped pulsing, and then the placenta came with one push. Our baby found alone his way to the breast and started sucking immediately.
We were very thankful to the midwife that received us, she was all the time encouraging me but at the same time letting me follow my instincts, especially when I was pushing, which we really appreciated. My doctor couldn’t make it to the birth, but she was amazed and so happy with our story.
I hope this story can inspire many mums, regardless how our birth turns out, we are strong and we can do it! In my case, as I said before, I was a VBAC mum. At the beginning, it was not an easy journey finding a supportive doctor, but thanks to Ana and all the information and knowledge gained with the course, we felt empowered and not afraid to advocate for our choices. Also seeing how involved my husband was an how confident and calmer he felt after doing the course was incredible. Thanks Ana! I think that’s the most important part, to inform yourself and be surrounded by people that support you, and of course trust your body and your instincts always. We learnt that birth is unpredictable and that the most important thing is to have a positive experience from it, no matter the path it takes.
