My First Homebirth
I was a labor and delivery nurse for 10 years, I have seen over 1000 births, but I had never seen a birth like this. I will never forget seeing this beautiful boy come into this world. I will be forever grateful to Caroline for allowing a complete stranger with a new to her used fancy camera into this sacred space. This birth allowed me to see what birth could be.
In the middle of the night my phone rang. “She’s complete,” the midwife said, “Hurry, but I doubt you’ll make it.” At 42.3 we had all been waiting for that call. I drove so fast, my heart beating with excitement. Please don’t be born yet, I want to witness my first home birth, then immediate guilt for wishing her labor be longer than it should be for me.
When I walked in the door I could feel that a baby was on its way. There is an energy to birth, you can feel when a baby is near. The air changes, there is sometimes a buzz, sometimes a scent, sometimes I can see the energy coming from my own body. The air was thick, but the house was silent, so silent. I grounded myself, matching the energy I knew she would need. I grabbed my camera and followed the midwife into the room. Caroline was in the tub beaming, laboring in complete silence, you wouldn’t have realized she was in labor. She was in her power and in complete control of her birth. Her beautiful daughters perched on the edge of the bed, watching in awe. A few minutes later, just the tiniest squeak as she voiced remembering that “ring of fire,” and then she had her baby in her arms. Delight filled her, “my baby, my baby” she sang to her fourth child. Calm joy filled the room. Everyone was in awe of the power they had just witnessed.
My first home birth was everything I thought it would be. Peaceful, calm, and relaxed. No rushing, no lights, no stress. Caroline was the first one to touch, speak to, and hold her baby. We were the guests asking for permission to be in her house and witness her birth.
Those young girls have been given a blessing too, they now know birth as beautiful, exciting, and empowering. They get to grow up knowing birth is normal, not something to fear. Their eyes glowed with excitement when they learned that their new baby was another boy. Mom and dad cried knowing their family was half boys and half girls.
Watching them all fall in love as a new family in the comfort of their own home was magic. They all climbed into bed, baby Oak nursed away and the girls took turns touching him. I watched a family grow in a way I had never seen before. A thousand hospital births as a nurse, but never a birth like this. I saw a family be reborn on this day, and I will never forget.
-BadassBirthkeeper