Esther's Homebirth Story

This birth story seemed so strange, both while it was happening and now when I look back and remember it. My labor was at the same time long and short, easy yet challenging. I hadn't expected to go into labor for at least another week. My last baby was born 10 days past the due date, and Esther missed being born on hers by only 15 minutes!

About 1:45 am on March 25 (my due date) I woke up to a little gush of water. I went to the bathroom waiting for more to come out, but there was nothing else for several minutes. I decided I had sprung a little leak and decided to change my pants and wear a pad back to bed in case there were a few more drops. I accidently woke Jonathan up checking to be sure the bed was still dry. He of course wanted to know what was going on, and as I explained what had happened and that I was going to go back to sleep, I felt the familiar "pop" and water began gushing out! I hurried back to the bathroom and sat on the toilet while water continued to pour out. I could hardly believe how much there was! At every check up, my midwife would comment on the amount of amniotic fluid, and yes, there was a lot! I probably stayed sitting there for half an hour, because every time I tried to get up, another gush would come.

Jonathan told me I should call Yolanda, my midwife, but since it was 2 in the morning, I really didn't want to. I insisted that I was fine, I knew the precautions, I would just write down what happened at what time and call her in the morning. He finally convinced me to go ahead and call her. So he brought me my cell phone and I sat on the toilet and chatted with Yolanda for a few minutes. Finally I was able to get up so I took a quick shower and went to bed. I didn't sleep much, though. I kept telling Jonathan, I can't believe my water broke! I can't believe this is my due date! I was having very light cramps and kept waiting for them to turn into real contractions. But they never did and I finally fell asleep in spite of being so excited.


We got up around 7. Jonathan called his boss to tell him he wouldn't be coming to work that day, and then called his Mom to come get Elsie and Eden later in the morning. It was a Monday, and we had an incredible amount of dirty laundry. I was so worried that labor would kick in and no one would have clean clothes, so I started sorting and washing laundry right away. Jonathan helped me get the girls up and dressed and he made breakfast for us. I kept plugging away at the laundry, leaning over the washing machine or whatever furniture was handy and swaying my hips back and forth when I had a contraction.

The contractions were so sporadic. All day long they were anywhere from 3 to 30 minutes apart, but usually closer to the 30 minute range. And they were anywhere from heavy period cramps to light labor contractions in intensity. Yolanda called and checked on me every few hours, and I kept telling her, nothing yet! I tried everything I could think of to get labor going. Walking, hot showers, bouncing on my birth ball, (while we watched a move) using the breast pump...the breast pump would pick up the contractions while I was using it, but as soon as I stopped they would fade away again. I was starving all day, so I ate a lot, and I was also drinking a lot of water to stay hydrated since I continued to leak water. I got all the laundry done, tidied up the house and vaccuumed the carpet.

My sister-in-law, Lydia came over around 4:30 when she got off work and walked in the door to the sight of me sobbing. I was getting really tired and had decided that this baby was never going to be born. :) She made us dinner and we visited, watched a movie, and got some last minute things ready for the birth. Finally at 10:30 pm I called Yolanda and told her that I was going to stop trying to get labor going and go to bed. She replied "Alright, go to bed and I'll talk to you in the morning. But I really think you'll wake up at midnight with a huge contraction and, Bam! have a baby." I laughed it off and went to bed.

At 11 I woke up with that huge contraction. I started trembling and hiccuping-my standard sign of being in transition! I told Jonathan, one or two more of those, and you better call Yolanda. The contractions were instantly 2-5 minutes apart and very intense. He kept talking about calling and I kept putting it off but after watching me have a few more contractions, he said, I'm calling right now! I argued that they really weren't strong enough yet, but after the next one, I said ok, that's what I'm looking for. I finally let myself believe this was full blown labor. I was standing in front of our bathroom counter leaning over with my legs far apart and rocking from foot to foot during contractions. I kept rising up to tiptoes, and then reminding myself to flatten my feet to aid in relaxing. Jonathan called Yolanda, and told her "I'm pretty sure she's in transition." I heard her reply "I'm on my way" and hang up. In my foggy labor land, I couldn't figure out why they were in such a hurry. Jonathan and Lydia were rushing around setting out birth supplies and reading the "what to do if baby arrives before the midwife" sheet, and I kept telling them to calm down, I was just having a baby! A few minutes later Yolanda called back and told Jonathan to make me lie on my side in bed. I laid down, grumbling that I hated laying down in labor. Immediately after laying down, I had the hugest contraction yet and felt the baby surge down. I opened my eyes when it was done, and told Jonathan, "she wants me to slow down until she gets here, doesn't she?" His eyes got so big--he hadn't realized why I was supposed to lie down, but I really think that if I had been standing during that contraction we would have had a baby before Yolanda arrived.

At 11:50 she rushed in the door and began pulling out her most important supplies, and giving orders to Lydia how to best help. I was feeling ready to push, and getting really panicky and yelling at anyone who tried to touch me. She helped me calm down and then told me I could get back up. I was so relieved to get back out of bed. I had a few more contractions in the bathroom, then made my way back to the bedroom where I ended up kneeling at the foot of the bed with my upper body leaning over the bed. I began pushing in earnest at midnight and at 12:15 our baby girl slithered out of me. I sat down and picked up the baby, but I was very weak and trembling so Jonathan and Yolanda boosted me up onto the bed.

I rested and snuggled the baby while we waited for the placenta to detach. Once that was delivered we cut the cord. Since her cord was so short, I couldn't nurse her until it was cut. Then I sat up surrounded by pillows and nursed my precious Esther. Lydia brought me peanut butter toast, and again  I was surprised by how different this was when I could hardly eat. Usually I am starving just after I give birth, but I had been eating like a horse all day, so maybe that's why I wasn't very hungry. In the dim light we rested, admired Esther, and called our parents to tell them we finally had a baby. They were quite surprised since I had just before checked in to tell them we were going to bed!

I had the best care after the birth! Lydia spent the rest of the night and brought me breakfast in bed the next morning. That evening Jonathan's family came over to see Esther and brought Kentucky Fried Chicken. (fried chicken after I have a baby is a tradition) The next day, my Mom flew in from Texas to stay and take care of me for 3 weeks. I have recovered from this birth faster and better than the previous ones! I am so thankful for Esther and my sweet family.

Gluten Free Blueberry Corn Muffin Recipe

Yesterday morning I made muffins for breakfast. I have long loved muffins, and have happy memories of eating as many as my Mama would allow when I was small. Elsie and Eden love them too and they were excited when I announced that we were making muffins for breakfast and that they could help. I use the word help loosely actually it's more like distract, but they delight in being in the kitchen with me. I let them dump pre-measured ingredients into the bowl and stir a bit. Together we mixed up a batch of Blueberry Muffins from the Betty Crocker cookbook and popped them into the oven. By then, I was really wishing I could eat one! So while they baked, I whipped up another gluten and dairy free batch for myself. I think this is the best self-altered recipe I've tried yet.

1 egg
1/3 cup almond milk
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
pinch of salt
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 6 muffin cups or line them with papers. Beat egg. Stir in milk and oil. Stir in dry ingredients. Be sure to combine well, but do not over mix. Fold in blueberries. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

A New Year Daybook

Outside my window~~  It is a bitterly cold day (11 degrees last time I checked) and snow was falling fast and furious all morning. Combined with the snow we've gotten over the last few days, I'd say we have 8-10 inches on the ground now. Winter is finally here!

I am thinking~~  About it being a new year now and wondering what this year will hold.

I am thankful~~ That we all finally recovered from the head/chest virus we had and that we haven't (yet, anyway) picked up the stomach one that seems to be going around.

In the kitchen~~ I recently tried this gluten free brownie recipe and it is amazing! It just uses cornstarch, no other special flours, so if you are baking a treat for someone that must eat gluten free this would be a good recipe to try. They are so rich and fudgy!

I am wearing~~ Lots of layers! The house feels chilly even though I've been keeping going the rip-roaring-est fire that our tiny fireplace can manage.

I am creating~~  I have lots of sewing going on. In fact, that is the reason I've not posted in so long. Working on my projects has taken presidence. I am making a set of matching outfits for Elsie and Eden with coordinating one for baby boy/girl. They are turning out just as cute as I imagined they would!

I am going~~ We've been invited to a friend's house tomorrow for play time and lunch, but I'm waiting to see how bad the roads are. We may have to stay home because I'm a bit of a chicken about driving in the snow! Last Sunday on our way home from church we slid past our road we were to turn on because, being at the bottom of an icy hill, we just couldn't safely make the turn!

I am reading~~  I've been reading The Hidden Art Of Homemaking which I received as a gift.

I am looking forward to~~ Having our bathroom remodel project completed. Read on. :)

I am learning~~ It seems as though I always say the same things in my learning prompt, but there is always so much to learn in regards to motherhood! I want to learn to include my children my homemaking duties and train them to help efficiently from a young age. It is often much easier to just get it done myself, but how will they learn with out being allowed to help? I think I'm growing here, but I know I have a long way to go with being patient with my children.

Around the house~~ Over a month ago we had a pipe burst in our master bathroom. The old tub had been leaking for some time, so the decision was finally made that it was time to remodel the bathroom! It's a slow moving project. Jonathan is doing much of the work himself on Saturdays, but some must be done by a plumber. When it is finished, we will have a new tub with tiled surround, new toilet, and a tile floor. Jonathan does beautiful tile work, and I know we're going to have a lovely bathroom!

A favorite quote for today~~ "People will stare. Make it worth their while." ~Harry Winston (via Pinterest) I love this because it fits in with what I always told my sisters when they were embarrassed with me. "The people who know me know who I really am and they don't care. The people who don't know me, I don't care, and I'll probably  never see again anyway." HeeHee

One of my favorite things~~ Fires in the fireplace and hot drinks on frigged days!

A few plans for the rest of the week~~ I have do go grocery shopping one of these days, but I'm waiting as long as possible to go out! We're just staying holed up in our snug nest for now.

A peek into my day~~

 pretty, snowy backyard

 Our front porch. J0nathan's going to have to shovel when he gets home!

Sharing this post at The Simple Woman's Daybook

December Photo Project~~Fire

A fire is very cozy on a cold windy evening!

December Photo Project~~Baby Bump

Do you know how hard it is to take a picture of yourself in a mirror? I've never tried it before, and I was having a pretty hard time getting a decent one. The only full length mirror we have is behind the door in Elsie and Eden's room...hence the strange angle and the toys on the floor. :)

I am 26 weeks along, and into my favorite part of pregnancy. My energy has returned, my belly isn't too cumbersome yet, and I get to feel baby wiggles nearly all day long. Elsie felt the baby kick really hard right into her hand the other day. It was fun to watch her eyes grow big and round with excitement.

December Photo Project~~Twinkle

December Photo Project~~Tea Party

Elsie and Eden had  tea party at Nana's house today in honor of Molly Dolly's birthday. Elsie says she turned six.