Jan 9, 20233 min read

A Lovely and Humorous Birth Story

I thought my second birth would be this beautiful, spiritual experience, my husband would give me all the positive affirmations I sent him to memorize and then tell me how amazing I was afterwards, for bringing his son into the world. All the stuff you see on the cool videos… it wasn’t…

From the second we found out we were expecting we cried. The tears were joyful at first but then we realized we’d moved to Orlando and our midwives were in Tampa. For two months I mourned the loss of our favorite midwives. They assisted in bringing our daughter into this world! I didn’t want to slight the second kid with a not as harmonious experience! Finally my husband had the idea to just relocate to Tampa during our guest date time… All was well again! We drove back and forth from Orlando to Tampa for prenatal visits until that last month, we moved into our Airbnb apartment to get ready for the arrival of our baby.

The last few weeks Erica reminds me, positioning pointers, diet and releasing stress. Babies won’t come if they’re feeling all this stress, she tells me. I swore I’d listen this time (first kid was content to stay until a few days before 42 weeks) I was determined to make sure this one came out right on time, my time that is! I’m sitting, not so pretty at 41 weeks, running up and down stairs and of course - stressing! I worry and eat, worry some more, nap, worry again and pretty sure messaged Erica to ask for the hundredth time if she’d still deliver my baby after 42 weeks. In true Erica fashion she’s calm and has a plan. 41 weeks and 6 days, it’s about 8am and I think I may or may not be ready. I call Erica she reminds me to move the body and my pregnant lady stretches to move things along and to call her at the times we talk about in prenatal visits and to let the stress go. I follow the directions this time. 1pm comes and I’m definitely feeling something so we call Erica again, she’s heading our way! I’m ready! The tub is out, my affirmation pieces are up, music playing, videographer is here, Erica is here and letting me do my birthing things and husband is filling the pool.

I’m having hot and cold flashes and I feel like I’m ready to push. I’m really ready now. I signal to the midwives I’m ready, they’re ready and I look for my husband… he’s changing clothes for the big reveal.. Erica saves his life at this point by distraction, he makes his way back and it’s time! We breathe him down and out but I don’t hear anything. I see him, I feel him but no cry, I’m still and Erica is calm and in action. He’s swallowed fluid on the way out and she’s getting it up, what felt like hours was in reality only seconds. Erica had this. I remember hearing his cry and the overwhelming feeling of relief and gratitude.