I love sharing birth stories on my blog, but this one is a little bit different. I decided to ask the mama herself, to share her own account of the birth. I ALWAYS would rather read a birth story from the mother’s perspective as it was completely her experience and hers to own. This is Chelsea’s story of her beautiful home birth.

Midwife: Nancy Pol - Emergence Midwifery
Photographer/Videographer: myself, Carey - Carey Lauren

 I started into active labor at 11pm. My contractions were about 2-3 mins apart but not very strong. I contacted my birth team, my awesome midwife Nancy and my birth photographer/ videographer Carey, and gave them the heads up that I was starting into labor. I also alerted my sisters, who were invited to come and lived about 3 hours away, and they made their way to us. 

I enjoyed the next bit of contractions as they were light enough that it wasn't too painful, but strong enough to know my body was working and this baby was coming! We got everything in order and finished the last touches of setting up our birth environment. 

I kept bouncing on my birthing ball. I loved laboring on that this time. Casey, my husband, was being so amazing, he was helping with counterpressure. But this time it was different. My contractions were in the front of my body. They would start at the pelvic floor and radiate up the front of my stomach. All of my other labors I would feel the contractions start in my back and then come to the front. So Casey would come from behind me like he was going to hold me. He would wrap his arms under my belly and just lift during a contraction. It helped so much!

Around 2:30am my contractions became much stronger and were lasting almost a minute. I called my birth team again and they all headed my way. It was here at last. We have been waiting for this moment for what seemed like such a long time. And now our sweet baby was ready to come.

Within about an hour my midwife, her assistant and photographer arrived, my sister's made it about 30 mins later. By this point I was not very tired at all, just excited for everyone to be here and to meet our sweet baby.

Then everything changed. As I got into the water my labor seemed to slow. The water felt great and I was happy for the reprieve it gave me with the contractions. But now that everyone was here I started to subconsciously feel this pressure of “okay, time to have the baby now.”

I reluctantly got out of the water (it was feeling so good!) and went into my room where my contractions picked up a bit. I didn’t realize it then, but later on realized I had this expectation that I would have a fast labor. This was baby number 4 for me and my most recent labor had only been 3 hours. So I had it in my head that about 45 minutes to an hour after everyone got here, the baby would be born. We'll, that wasn’t happening.

As I worked through these emotions with my midwife, my contractions picked up. I decided to take some time in my bedroom with Casey and try to be present with my birth story and what was happening now and be grateful for that. After a while I realized I wanted my kids here. I had envisioned having time to be with them before I got into heavier labor and part of me was afraid to go into hard labor without the kids awake.

So at 5am I had my mom and sister wake up my 3 sweet kiddos. I cried as they came into the room, I was so happy to have them awake and a part of this experience. We headed out to the pool. My daughter decided she wanted to get in with me. I loved that precious time with her. My boys were still rather sleepy but excited all the same.

I remember asking my kids if they thought the baby would have blonde or brown hair. So far all our babies came out blonde and stayed that way. They all said blonde, I thought that too. It was so nice to be with my kids and my husband, I loved every moment of it.

My contractions were still pretty far apart and now I was feeling so tired I wanted to sleep. I felt bad because everyone was finally here! But baby wasn’t coming! Nancy reassured me that everything was fine and that I could rest. I don’t know how long Casey and I slept for. I had a contraction here and there. I think it was probably close to 6:30am when we came back out. I had a few very strong contractions and the feeling of ‘being done and not wanting to do this anymore’ came upon me. I felt a spark of excitement at this because in the past that meant my baby was close and soon would be in my arms!

I walked out and got straight into the pool. I remember having a sweet moment with my husband as I got in. I leaned over the edge for him to hold me and we both cried a little as we knew the journey ahead was the most difficult part. We were both exhausted, tired, drained and excited to meet our baby. 

He got into the pool and I continue to labor for another two hours. At some point the kids came back upstairs, I vaguely remember them reading books and playing around, they were being so good. 

Casey was amazing to help hold my stomach up as that seemed to relieve the most pressure. As my contractions intensified Nancy and Isabell provided counter pressure on my sacrum and hips. I was so grateful for their help and for all of the support.

I was feeling so sleepy and tired I could barely keep my eyes open. I started falling asleep between my contractions so I decided to take another vitamin based energy drink and shortly after I felt nauseous. Nancy held peppermint oil for me to smell, that helped a little, but I eventually threw up. That was another first! I’ve never thrown up during labor before. I also never only labored in the front of my body, and I never got in and out of the pool. Fourth baby, so many firsts.

I remember at one point saying I wanted everyone back upstairs. My contractions were still far apart but they were very strong. I could also feel my baby’s hands down by her head. Which made me feel like and think she couldn’t be that far down. But when I would check, I would feel her head, she was close.

Finally I told Nancy, “baby isn’t moving.” I decided to have her check my progress and she found that there was just a tad of cervix left on the front. She also offered that we could break the waters to help get baby down and more engaged. I wanted anything that would help get baby here. So she tried and only got the first layer of the sack, her head was just so snug in the canal. Nancy then suggested that she could push the cervix out of the way as I pushed with the next contraction. I knew it would be very painful, but I wanted that over several more hours of labor.

I got up on my hands and knees and leaned over the edge of the pool. I think I screamed as she pushed and I pushed, but it worked! Then things got really intense. Contractions were very close. I felt another one coming and Isabell gave me a cross hold and I squeezed her hands so tight.

I could feel baby descending. I was nervous and scared and not quite ready for the pain that would follow. The ring of fire started and I knew I needed to push. With my other babies I didn’t push as much as I just relaxed into what my body was doing. But here I felt I needed to push, I was desperate to get this baby out. 

I had a contraction, the one where it hurts so much swear babies head is out. But it ends and the baby's head is not out! I remember saying “I have to do that again!” Nancy reminded me, “this is how you want your baby to come.” I knew it would help me not to tear.

Not too much longer another contraction came. This pain was so intense, more intense than I ever felt in my life. I started to scream involuntarily. I screamed so loud and pushed for all I was worth. I kept waiting for that reprieve of getting the head out, but it wasn’t coming. I screamed some more. I heard Nancy say “if you can keep pushing keep pushing.” Apparently baby had both her little hands up by her face.

I pushed and screamed for all I was worth, finally Nancy said, “reach down and grab your baby.” I reached down and laid back. In disbelief that the pain was over I pulled my baby up out of the water. Her eyes wide open and dark, her skin a little bluish. I brought her up close but the cord was rather short, Nancy reminded me to be careful of it. I followed the cord from her belly down between her legs.

But as I spread her legs I didn’t just see a cord… I screamed in shock, “it’s a boy!”

The room fell silent for just a second and then everyone started giggling and laughing. I said it again as I spread his legs to show everyone, “it's a boy!” we all laughed and cried. No wonder I couldn’t find a name for this sweet baby girl I was pregnant with, it wasn’t a girl at all, it was our sweet Brigham Jett all along.

Welcome to the world my sweet baby boy. I was so emotional, barely able to process anything. But you were here, finally, here safe and breathing and a boy! A few minutes later my sister said, “look at all that hair!” That was the first time I realized you had brown hair, dark brown hair. My first dark haired baby. Oh I was so in love, and so glad the pain was over.

I was so glad our children were there to witness this fun event and to see their baby brother be born into the world. I was so happy for my mother and sisters to be there to surround me with the feminine power and bring such a beautiful energy to the birth.

Shortly after he was born we added flowers to the water and had a wonderful floral bath and basked in the beauty of this new little life. My other littles decided to hop in with us, I was so happy for that, I had hoped at one point they would all get into the water with us. 

The cord went white and stopped pulsing so we decided to cut it in the water, Thomas and Papa got to cut it! Papa got out to change so he could take you to the bed. I delivered the placenta in the water which I actually had to push to get out! When it came out it was really small but thick and meaty. Another first!

I got dried off and into the bed. They got us situated and then left us alone, our first time as a family of six. All of the kids took turns holding you. Soon we were again surrounded by my wonderful birth team and my mother and sisters. The midwife did the newborn exam, you were perfect. Papa got to weigh you.

Brigham Jett Stinnett. Born April 26, 2021 at 8:44 AM weighing 6 lbs. 9 oz., 20 inches long. Nine hours and 44 minutes of labor. Born with both hands up by your face. Our precious beautiful boy. You are worth every pain, every hard thing, all the labor and pushing. You’re worth every ounce. I love you Brigham Jett and always will.

It was a beautiful birth. Beautiful experience. I learned so much. Felt so proud of myself and my husband and my new baby boy. We did it! Our sweet baby was here. Our hearts were filled with so much love we could have burst! 

A few things I learned from this birth. 1) You never know what to expect. This was baby number four and everything was different. This birth had its own sort of beauty.  2) This was by far my most difficult labor, just because you have done it before it doesn’t mean it will be easier. 

I love homebirth, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love my babies, I love my family, I love my amazing husband. I would do it all again to get my Brigham Jett here. I love you my sweet boy. 

What a miracle birth is. What an extraordinary experience we just had. How grateful I am for my body, my baby, and the beautiful gift this birth was to me.

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Carey is a birth photographer, videographer & doula serving Phoenix, Arizona and all major surrounding cities.

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