HypnoBirthing, Part Two

This is part two of a series. To see part one, click here.

About the time The Hubs and I hung up, Mom was moseying  toward her room, glass of ice in hand and dressed in nothing but a green negligee and a knowing smile. I hit the button requesting access to the ward and zipped down the hall after her. 

When I arrived in the room, Mom was on the floor next to the bed on all fours. Midwife and nurse were next to her, asking her kindly to get on the bed so they could hook up the machine-that-goes-ping also known as a fetal heart monitor. 

Mom's response? "You want me to MOVE!?! I have to push."

It would be helpful for you to know that in triage, she was 8cm open and 100% thin (or effaced). The fact that the baby stayed in on her stroll down the hall to the room is really a miracle. Seriously. 

The midwife replied that no she didn't, being only 8 centimeters.

This is the point I started to PANIC because the video camera said "read error" WHAT THE CRAP!!! All that and I'm still going to miss taping this birth?!?!? Holy pete. Dad and I had a conversation in terse tones wherein we both cursed technology. Dad got the camera working JUST in time for me to catch the next bit on film (or digital media, whatever).

Mom did manage to move to the bed in the same position she'd been in on the floor. 

The midwife was thinking about gloving up (I saw her unwrap the gloves, look at them, look at mom, look at the gloves and then decide to wait) when Mom said, "I have to pee". Dad immediately moved to the foot of the bed, took a quick peak and said, "we have a crown. That's the head" and before you even knew what was going on, the baby landed in dad's hands, slick as anything. The midwife took baby and passed baby to mom. 

The nurse never did get the fetal heart monitor going, which proves that yes, you can have a healthy baby with out any of the following:

1. nurses
2. doctors
3. hospitals
4. machines that go ping
5. screaming
6. drugs
7. birthing pools (Since we never even got a chance to set up Mom's)

The rest of the evening was totally awesome. Mom and Dad snuggled with baby. Everyone waited for the placenta to be delivered (scroll down to "The Baby, The Cord, and Active Management) before the cord was clamped and cut. Mom nursed. The midwife finally gloved up and then checked out mom for tears (one tiny skid mark) and we all stood in awe of the power of HypnoBirthing and drug-free birthing. Baby was alert, happy, didn't cry and nursed like a champ from the word go. 

This experience has changed my views of birth. I knew it could be powerful, wonderful, amazing. I did not know it could be awe inspiring. I did not know birth could leave me speechless. That it could be done without pain. 

I have another post to go along with this series where we can talk about it more.

Story posted with permission. All contents copywrited.