My baby boy, Rowan Luca was born on August 7th, 2011.
Birth Story
(Tony "catching" Rowan)
He was born right on his due date! August 7, 2011. We went to Largo Park the day before with my sister Ashlee & her family, the Matheney's, Stephanie, Patti, William, Luke, my dad & Tony for the "The Big Latch On" put on by the Tampa Bay Birth Network & it ended up raining on us while we were having a picnic. We enjoyed sitting in the rain eating dates. It was then that I started getting the "pushing down" feeling that I kind of just ignored not thinking it was anything.
Later that night Tony & I were laying in bed talking when the "pushing down" started getting more intense. Excited, Tony pulled out his handy dandy phone with the Contraction Timer app & started timing them. I wasn't fully convinced that these were contractions as I was told they feel like cramps, not until we got to the hospital was I convinced.
We tried waiting as long as we could until I couldn't bare & my contractions became more consistent. When we arrived I was at 3cm & the contractions seemed to let down some. The nurse told us we had to wait until 5cm to get in the tub, & said we were able to go back home. Instead of going home we stayed so we could make sure we were able to get a tub (there were only 2 at the time available). It felt like forever until I could get in the tub but when it finally came I was sooo happy. The warm water helped so much with the pain, I was finally happy & ready to go! I had requested in my birth plan for the midwives & nurses not to bother us unless absolutely needed & we were very happy with how great they were respecting that for us.
Tony stayed in the tub with me massaging my back & giving me encouraging words, telling me how beautiful I was, & how great I was doing. My mother, my sister Ashlee, & my doula joined us in the birthing room. After 16 hours into labor... I was pissed off because of the lack of progress. The midwife checked me & said I had been "stuck" at 8cm for the last 3 hours. My water had not broke at this time so I made the decision to have them brake it for me.
After that time flew by, I was eager to see Rowan & started pushing before my body was truly ready. The midwife had me try a few more times in the tub before suggesting to try the bed. I was so upset but was ready to see my baby. It was extremely intense laboring outside of the nice warm tub with no meds but I just kept telling myself it will be over soon. Mind over matter. The midwife then told Tony to get ready! Watching Tony get ready to catch Rowan was so indescribable. That was the first moment I saw him as a father.
After a few pushes Rowan graced us with his presence! I was awake & alert right after birth, we did skin to skin right away, delayed the cord clamping, & let him find my breast. I felt this extreme sense of euphoria holding him in my arms, it was the most wonderful experience. The whole thing was the most empowering experience I've ever felt. I don't know that we could have had the birth we wanted without the knowledge from the Bradley class or the million books we read & other classes we took but it was perfect & I now have a beautiful baby boy<3
