Kahley Maria's Birth Story

 

So... Kahley’s birth story in reality begins when we were buying our house. It was a serendipitous venture buying our house but everything literally worked out in our favor (when does that happen?? Really?) and we were able to snag the perfect house for our family. After the deal was sealed and we were driving away from the house I cheekily told Matt, “I’m going to have a baby in that house!” His response wasn’t the most enthusiastic but I knew there was no way I would be going to a hospital to birth and my experience in a birth center was almost but not quite perfect therefore I would in fact have a baby in that house. Our house.

                                                          Family pictures at 37 weeks

 

 

My pregnancy with Kahley was pretty different than Ryder’s. I was really active until I started my new job in January. Once that started, my body really struggled with sitting for most of the day and my energy by the end of the day was pretty minimal. I tried to do 15-30 minutes of yoga in the mornings as often as I could to try and stay limber but the last few weeks even that fell off the wayside. Instead I really focused on eating enough and eating the right foods. I tried to follow the Brewers diet the best I could. I also really tried to stay conscious of my stress and anxiety levels. With my new job, last semester of school, and family life it could have been easy to get a bit looney trying to keep it together for this pregnancy. Instead it was a conscious effort and some therapy to keep myself in check. Kahley deserved that much from me. I made an effort everyday (often times at 3am) to check in with her, give her my undivided attention, and thank her for her patience with me. 

 

 

The day before the big arrival

 

The week before Kahley’s birth was really difficult. I had a minor stomach bug that I picked up from Ryder. I was utterly exhausted from poor sleep and basically not eating for days and the overall just challenges that the final days/weeks of pregnancy bring to a woman. Ironically enough I spent most of Thursday and Friday at work cleaning my desk and cleaning out my car. I ensured that all my “poop was in a group” before I left for the weekend. As I drove away I kind of chuckled to myself and told Kahley (she didn’t actually have her name yet) that “mommy really doesn’t want to go to work on Monday so figure it out.” The weekend passed with a chiropractic appointment, some walks and a lot of napping. I reluctantly made a lunch for work on Monday and went to bed. 

 

Our long walk the day prior

 

Thought the whole night I was having what felt like Braxton Hicks contractions. Nothing enough to do anything or think anything about but enough to disrupt my sleep. When my alarm went off I felt like I hadn’t even slept at all. My last appointment with the midwife she had told me that it would be beneficial to cut back on work so with that advice I figured I should just call in sick for the day and rest. When the contractions continued I decided to haul Ryder to Woodbury to see the chiropractor again (couldn’t hurt right!?). A few contractions on the way to and from were getting a little more intense but I was still convincing myself there was no way I was in labor. Ryder and I then ran into Target to get who knows what and by the time we left Target, about 11 am, I was very ready to be in my own home and my patience for Ryder was becoming quite minimal. When we got home I called Matt and told him that I needed him to come home to handle Ryder. 

 

 

I wanted some final pictures with just Ryder

 

Matt got home about 1145. Ryder and I were watching a movie and folding laundry. The only place that was comfortable was on the big exercise ball. I tried to eat some lunch with Matt and Ryder. I had a banana with almond butter and not much later after that it came back up. With that Matt seemed to sense that things were picking up and he blew up the pool and went to put Ryder down for a nap. It felt like forever until Matt was able to come back down to me but eventually he did. I think it was around 1:30 pm or so and we talked about when we should tell our midwife Karen to come. She lives just down the road from us so it wasn’t a worry about her making it but I didn’t want to jump the gun at all either. Matt called her shortly after coming down to me and told her to come in 30-45 minutes. Later Karen told me she had planned to be over in 20 since second babies tend to come faster but she had car troubles and it took her a lot longer! I think she arrived around 2:15 pm and my friend Mollie came around the same time as well so she could take pictures and be part of the team. 

 

As much as I planned to labor untouched and "not need" anyone,

I was grateful with every contraction to have Matt there as my support.

 

At this point I was on my knees in the middle of the living room with my hands up on my office chair. Nothing was comfortable and contractions required my full attention. With each wave I gave full inhale and low audible exhale/groans. The pressure started to feel more downward focused and the only thought I let into my mind was to open and relax into the waves. With one of the bigger and much stronger contractions my water broke and splashed all over the living room floor. With this is saw and heard Matt jump/gag out of the corner of my eye. It was honestly pretty hilarious even in the moment because it was a very natural Matt reaction and it took us all by surprise!

 

 

 

 

After my water broke it was not long - a few minutes, 1-2 contractions - and Matt had this intuition that I needed to get into the pool. He basically convinced me and got me into the pool in seconds because as I kneeled down a giant contraction started and there’s no way of knowing for sure but I swear it was in this one contraction that Kahley descended into the birth canal and her head left my body. It was so fast and unexpected I told everyone her head was out and Matt, Mollie, and Karen all sprang into action. With her head out Karen was waiting to see if she would turn to birth her shoulders (part of the normal progression in labor) and when that didn’t happen quickly she suggested I lift one leg into a runner stance. I know I heard those instructions but I must not have responded because Matt reached in and lifted my leg up and she twisted and at 3:37 pm Kahley birthed herself right into the water in our living room. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kahley Maria

10 lbs 8 oz ~ 22 inches

May 14th, 2018 at 3:37 pm

 

That moment was so fast and intense it really took a few days to totally process what had happened. I remember all of us being shocked at how big she seemed and all of us being shocked at how quickly she decided she needed to come out! Almost immediately after she was born Ryder started waking up from his nap. Matt went and got him and the poor kid became extremely overwhelmed when he was presented with a bunch of new people and his mommy holding a baby. This was my first moment of tears. Overwhelmed with the loss of my only child and the excitement of his new sister. It was a bittersweet moment for sure. 

 

Ryder <3

 

 

I relocated into my own bed. It is indescribable how good it felt to have to walk just a few feet and be in the comfort of your own space and bed. Kahley and I rested and snuggled. Our skin to skin never being broken. She nursed and I studied her little face. It was about time that my placenta be delivered and so I squatted over a bowl hoping to deliver it smoothly but the squatting position wasn’t effective for me so again I made a runners stance and Karen held the bowl and acrobatically caught the placenta. I kept Kahley and her placenta attached for about 2 hours. Matt had run to get a pizza for us (the two places that deliver were closed!! Blasphemy!!) and Mollie and Karen and I just hung out. It was pure bliss to be surrounded by strong women and holding my own new little woman. I can only hope that I can help teach her to embrace her femininity and use its inherent power to help change the world. 

 

 

 

 

After the boys returned with the Pizza we all sat around and ate as much as we could handle. Matt and Ryder cut Kahley’s umbilical cord and we all just lounged around floating on our cloud of bliss. The experience of having Kahley in our home was one that I would do over and over again. I can’t imagine now leaving my place of comfort and my children while laboring to birth another child. The experience was a gift that I will never take for granted and I hope other families learn to take advantage of. We wrapped up the whole experience by tipping our hats to both this home and Mother Earth by giving back Kahley’s placenta to the earth. We planted it with an apple tree to give our thanks to the wonderful planet which we live and to bring back fruit for our family to cherish for years to come.

 

 

 

Touring the placenta

 

 

The three most important people in my life.

 

 

One happy mama.

 

Its amazing to look at your body and baby after 24 hours and just embrace the miracle that has occurred.

 

 

Kahley's tree

 

 

Our beautiful Kahley

 

 

Life is now complete.